I bumped into the back left bumper of a big pickup truck this morning while parking in a very tight space in the parking garage. I left him a note and my number, of course, explaining what happened, but from my quick glance over at the other car and mine (a little plastic Saturn Ion), I didn’t notice any damage, not even a scratch. Not too surprising considering that hitting the truck with my car is like hitting it with a wiffle bat. Anyway, should I have done anything else? How screwed am I if the other driver tries to claim that I did untold amounts of damage to his car? I’m fairly certain that I didn’t do any harm - his car’s bumper is just underneath my window so I didn’t hit anything other than that. I don’t have any real eye witnesses except for one parking garage attendant who was too far away to see anything. What usually happens in these kinds of situations?
Well, I guess if you could have taken a photo of the back of the truck showing the (lack of) damage you caused. If you are truly searching for stuff you could have done.
Obviously doesn’t help if he gets a garage to claim it caused damage to any of the truck’s inner workings, but it might stop you paying for other people’s subsequent bumper bashes.
Bumpers are for bumping. If you were going less than 5 MPH in all likelyhood you did no damage to either car. I’ve done this multiple times (unavoidable parking in the city) and never left a not for a slight nudge to a bumper. The one time I hit a door panel I went inside and found the person to exchange info.
I figured this too. I was probably going at a little over idle speed (manual, so I don’t really have an idle) so I doubt I did any real damage. The only reason I’m worried is because 8 years ago or so, when I young and careless and driving a big SUV, I bumped a small car going out of a parking space. I left some scratch marks but the girl claimed that I damaged her tail lights and dented her car. I just don’t want to get screwed over again (although I suppose it is possible I did both of the above, since I was in a big car and she had a tiny car).
What Telemark said. . .
that’s what bumpers are for. I parallel park on my street, and I bump and get bumped ALL the time.
The “touch” parking concept - necessary for city dwellers.
You may have opened yourself to false claims by leaving your information. I would have used my cell phone camera to document the lack of damage, as protection.
Provided the owner of the truck is a halfway decent person, I’d say you’re fine. As has been mentioned already, that’s what bumpers are for. In fact, I have to say that if I had been in your place and left no discernible damage, I probably wouldn’t even have left a note, so you’re an infinitely better person than I am. 
If you were intelligent, you would have left a note with somebody else’s name & number on it.
Ideally, somebody you don’t like.
If the guy’s a scumbag and hits you up for massive damage simply turn him over to your insurance company. You don’t need the headaches, and they’re pretty good about identifying disproportionate or “enhanced” vehicle damage. What happens is they look at the scuff mark on your Ion, and the jagged shreds of bumper on the truck and say, “Bullshit.”
Lose sleep over something else, says I.
I’ll keep my hope in my fellow man… and in the fact that my car shows no sign of any damage. Of course, my car is the equivalent to a DuPont trashbin, so only Chuck Norris could possibly damage my car.
This reminds me of the only time I had to leave a note. I knocked over part of some guy’s fence.
You see, I was out on some country road in my new (to me) Miata, and I finally found a drive to turn around in. I had just about completed my 3-point turn, and pulled up toward the road. This was the steepest part of the drive, and when I started to go, I slid backward and then put on too much gas. The gravel I was on went flying as I slid backward into the fence. No one was home, so I left a note, and went on my way, not looking forward to the confrontation that was sure to result.
The next morning I received a call from the owner whose mood could best be described as overjoyed. It took me a while to understand, but I finally got out of him that this was the fourth time his fence had been knocked over, and the first time anyone ever left a note.
I got a message from the guy (I never answer unknown numbers), and he said it ws just a small scratch, could easily be buffed out, and that he was happy that I was honest. Apparently somebody else had hit his car before but hadn’t left a note. Yeah for honest people like him!
I hit a car once in my condo carpark (was diving a 21’ lorry at the time), left a discernable dent in his rear panel (it was a van), left a note, he called me next day, thanked me for leaving a note and said “dun worry about the damage” …
sometimes being honest pays!!
Yeah, no biggie. I’m a pretty good parker, but I end up bumping people pretty regularly, and expect the same.
I’ve seen my car bumped hard enough to rock it on its wheels by a big boat of a Caddy backing into it as the driver was trying to get out of the streetside parking spot it was in. While I was standing a few feet away waiting for my turn to get my car.
No damage to my car other than a possibly deeper ding to the license plate, which is already noticeably dinged. The thing that pissed me off was the driver not even acknowledging the bump. Or me. :eek: :mad: