"Even minor bumps can hide surprises underneath, so yeah, better safe than sorry makes sense here."
I get the logic behind this, but is it always practical to report every little tap? I commute daily in heavy city traffic, and honestly, these tiny bumps happen more often than you'd think—parallel parking mishaps, tight squeezes at intersections, you name it. If everyone reported every single minor tap without visible damage, wouldn't insurance premiums skyrocket for everyone involved?
Also, dashcams are great, no argument there, but let's be realistic—how many people actually have them installed? Especially younger drivers or folks with older cars who might not see the immediate value or can't justify the upfront cost. Plus, in some states, even reporting a minor incident can put a note on your record, regardless of fault. Is it really worth risking a premium increase or a flagged driving history over something that might be nothing?
I had a similar situation last year—someone tapped my rear bumper lightly at a red light. We both got out, checked carefully, and saw zero visible damage. We exchanged numbers just in case, but neither of us reported it. Nothing ever came of it. Sure, there's always that small risk of hidden damage, but sometimes common sense and a quick visual check can be enough.
I'm not saying ignore serious hits or suspicious drivers, but maybe there's room for judgment calls here? Is reporting every minor bump really necessary or practical in everyday driving scenarios...?
Yeah, I get your point. Honestly, reporting every minor bump just isn't realistic, especially in crowded city driving. I've had my fair share of parking lot taps and bumper nudges over the years, and if there's no visible damage or weird noises afterward, I usually let it go. Insurance companies already find enough reasons to hike premiums without us handing them more excuses.
But I will say, it's smart to exchange contact info just in case something weird pops up later. Had a friend who thought everything was fine after a minor tap, but turns out a sensor got knocked loose. It wasn't crazy expensive, but still annoying. So yeah, use your judgment—if something feels off, trust your gut. Otherwise, common sense usually does the trick.
Yeah, totally get where you're coming from. I've been driving for years and had a few of those minor bumps myself—usually nothing comes of it. But you're right about exchanging info; better safe than sorry. Had a similar thing happen once, thought everything was fine until my alignment felt off a week later. Turned out to be unrelated, but still made me wonder... Guess it's all about finding that balance between caution and practicality.
Totally agree with being cautious here. Even if it looks like nothing happened, you never really know what's going on underneath. Had a friend who lightly tapped someone's bumper—no visible damage at all—but turns out it cracked some internal clips. Ended up costing more than you'd think for something so minor. Better to cover your bases and exchange info, even if it feels a bit awkward at the time... beats dealing with surprises later.
I get your point, but honestly, if it's really just a tiny bump and both parties agree there's nothing visible, reporting it might just open a can of worms. Had a similar thing happen to me once—no visible damage, exchanged info anyway, and the other person ended up claiming unrelated damage later. Turned into a whole headache. Not saying you're wrong, just that sometimes being overly cautious can backfire too... guess it depends on the vibe you get from the other driver.
