Yes, places that allow cars to be parked along the street....really are asking for this sort of issue. I've been there done that...and will probably do that again, because I live in one of those places.

Yes, it could have been worse ... I read it quickly and I thought it said "cat"!

At any rate, I am sure you are shaken, these things are always upsetting. I am glad my cars all beep now when I back up and am near something. A few years ago I was in a hurry to get my DD to a Dr.s apptmt, and backed up right into my cleaning person's car. I was in the garage, she parked behind me, and I didn't even see it (big SUV vs tiny car). I felt awful too.

You probably should relax for a bit, it is more upsetting than you think.

I guess this is why we have insurance. I am glad she and the kids were not in the car, and I am really glad it was not a cat! She is being so nice about it. One more headache, but small in the overall scheme of things.

We have similar issues here in my neighborhood with where to park. I have had incidents happen in my driveway.

Just to make you feel better, I will share: 1.One day I was backing my car into our driveway and crashed into my DH's car. It was at night and he was not supposed to be home.

2. My youngest was in the car with me, crying about something that bothered her, I slowly backed out of the driveway and bumped into a passing car.

3. Years ago, in another home, I was pulling into the driveway, but decided to look up to see how the Christmas tree looked in our window. I sideswiped the fence.

There are probably a few more, but you get the idea. Things happen. I have learned to be very diligent and so for many years, knock on wood, no driveway mishaps.

It could happen to anyone, so please don't beat yourself up about it! You had already asked her not to park in that location, so she is probably feeling at least partially culpable as well. It was just an unfortunate accident, and probably most of us have had our fair share of such things.

Our HOA rep must've spoken to the neighbors next to us recently, because they have stopped parking right in front of our house and now cluster their many cars in front of their own house. Occasionally one of them will park across the street from our house, though, and it does make it tricky to get out of our drive without hitting them. It's annoying!

I backed into someone once. I felt like an idiot. I've been back up paranoid ever since and that was years ago. Maybe that's not so bad as I haven't done it again.

Yes, maybe it will cure me of not looking, but I usually am so careful. One time I backed out of the driveway and knocked the side view mirror off my car on the fence post. Glad to hear I a not the only klutz, but I think I knew that!

Oh it is upsetting to do that. Take it easy for the rest of the day.

Our son parked across the street from our driveway a couple of years ago and our driveway slopes up at a very low angle but it is hard to see cars parked across the street. Anyway, you guessed it, I "kissed" his car.

I wish I had a backup camera. My car is a 2010 and doesn't have one. I agree that you have to turn your head around and look, but the cameras are a big help. Maybe this is the incentive I need to get a new car!

So sorry it happened to you. I know you feel awful and the gestures you have made will hopefully soften the blow.

DD lives in a neighborhood where loads of people park on the street. One family, who is a lovely family btw, has a couple of teen drivers and they always have at least one car parked directly in front of DD's driveway, not in front of their house (which is across the street and one house down). The houses are sort of off-set, and they do have a driveway and garage but of course the garage is full of other stuff and with 4 cars, they need to park on the street most of the time, but we almost always have to dodge 1 or 2 cars when pulling out of DD's driveway.

I'm so sorry this happened and will now be a nuisance for you and burden for her. However, I've never understood why people park directly behind someone's driveway, unless of course, there is absolutely no other place to park. I always make sure when I'm street parking that I don't park behind someone's driveway.

I live on a short block/dead end with only two other driveways, in a neighborhood that does not allow street parking b/c the streets are too narrow and it's a safety hazard for fire trucks. The house is across from my driveway faces the intersecting street so her driveway is on the other street. She has a two car garage with a double wide driveway AND her street is wider than mine. Almost every single time she has contractors over, which is often, they park on my street either right behind my driveway, or just to the side of it so that I can't pull out b/c of the angle and b/c my mailbox is at the end of my driveway, making it hard to maneuver if there is a car behind my driveway. I have told her MANY times not to let them park there, but the reason she does it is b/c she doesn't want them parking in HER driveway b/c she wants to be able to get out of her garage. One time, the garbage truck was coming and wasn't going to be able to come down my street - there were 3 painters' vans parked there. I told them when they first parked not to park there but they ignored me. When I heard the garbage truck coming, I ran over, had to go inside and tell the painter to move the vans (neighbor wasn't home). His response, "I'm busy painting and I can't." Whoa, let me tell you, there was an exchange of words. He started screaming the F word at me among other things. I ended up leaving a very angry message for my neighbor for which she later apologized. We are good friends, have been neighbors for 20 years, but she still allows her contractors to park there.

All that said, yours was an accident. As you can see from the responses, a common one! Try not to beat yourself up about it.

Our cars all have back up cameras and make a sound when you are near something. Two of our cars also have the lane change assist, which I realllllly like (ever since you hear of that "blind spot" in drivers ed, changing lanes makes me worry a tiny bit).

The only problem is when you rent a car or drive someone else's and you think it has all these features and almost forget to look!

I have hit my son's car and my son has backed into mine. I've also hit a few bikes parked where they weren't supposed to be. I really am a good driver, but it happens. That is what insurance if for.

So sorry this happened to you. I know it can be upsetting. Just recently, I had to ask my neighbor's contractor to back my vehicle onto the street for me because of the way contractors and neighbors had parked on our cul-de-sac, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to thread the needle safely. I'm short, so even with my back-up camera, I sometimes don't have good visibility. I wish I had sound assist. I love those four-way beeps and can navigate the tiniest spaces with those. My next vehicle will have that feature for sure.

Our new cars have all the bells and whistles. However, if you are pulling out of a driveway that is slanted, the beeping will go all. Sok, you could get used to this and think that everything is clear.

Nothing is fool proof.

Dedtired, I know you feel bad about this happening. I think that shows what a responsible person you are.

Time will heal your feelings, and insurance will fix the cars. I love the idea of the cameras, and beeps on backing up, that some of the new cars have.

Those extra precautions may help prevent fender benders, but more importantly, they may help prevent those rare instances when there is an unaware child or critter behind the car, and there is more at stake than a fender.

My grandparents' house had the garage underneath. There were two paved parking spots just opposite the garage door. No new family car was considered initiated until Grandpa backed out of the garage and hit it. :)

Don't beat yourself up too bad, things like this do happen. At least you're getting a little bit of payback from all that insurance money you pay!

My mom backs into my car on a regular basis - no matter where I park when I visit her. I don't hold it against her. I'm sure the nanny will forgive you :)

It was a dark and stormy night. I was leaving a concert, parked in a lot with angled stalls and one way in, a different way out. It was so rainy and difficult to see, so I was very worried about seeing pedestrians headed to their cars I kept checking behind me and all around but backed smack into the side of a black prius that was parked behind me waiting to exit out the "in" driveway. Because of the angle I simply couldn't see it, nor should it have been there. I felt terrible tho. The people were fairly new to the US, they really wanted to call the police who wouldn't have come anyway, but it took so long to convince them we could handle it, plus i had a 90 minute drive ahead of me and it was already midnight. It was a stressful night!

I have taken off the sideview mirror while backing out of my garage, twice. But small potatoes in the scheme of things. I have beeping backup cameras too and sensors. Yeah, it makes for bad feelings.

Many years ago our car insurance agent came to write up our policy. Guess this happened 40 years ago, I don't think any do house calls anymore. Anyway, after he was done writing up the policy, he left. He returned to tell us he had just backed into our car. Boy was he embarrassed. So it can happen to anyone. I like your idea that maybe it's time to get a new car!

Nobody was hurt and I have had my car hit while parked and I never held it against the driver. These things happen all the time. Glad you are ok and really try not to fret it happens to the best of us.

I rear ended a limo. It was low speed. The limit for an insurance investigation is $5000 and he billed my insurance $4997.

People who park directly opposite a driveway are asking for it. It is so inconsiderate. My neighbors across the street do it to me all of the time.

Every accident I've ever been in, save 1, that has been my fault was when I backed into someone.

Like others have said, that's what insurance is for.

Thankfully, no one was hurt. (Other than pride)

Right after we closed on our house but not yet moved in, I backed out of the driveway and hit the car of the owner across the street, parked on the street right opposite our driveway. I NEVER park opposite a driveway...if I can help it.

It's an awful feeling, and that sound!

Then there was the two truck driver who pulled our car out of the driveway, down the street and, as he had forgotten to lock the steering wheel, the car scraped the entire side of another neighbor's new car. Oh, I felt for the tow guy!

The way the driveways in our neighborhood are staggered it's almost impossible not to park across from one if you must park in the street.

OK....now I'm a little worried. We are having our driveway repaved and both our cars are parked in front of our house instead of the garage until Sunday....directly across from our neighbor's driveway. I hope they don't hit us!

Stuff happens. What defines you is how you deal with it. You have dealt with it and done everything right and no one was hurt. You're right, it's a good reminder to

I had someone back into my car, get out of their truck and look, then pull away and leave. She left three dimples in my bumper. She didn't try to come find me, she didn't leave a note on my car, and she didn't give her contact info to the guy working in the parking lot. She didn't accept responsibility, she didn't apologize --she just left acting as if nothing had happened. That's what really made me angry.

Yes it is stressful. I've done a few scrapes and had the same amount done to me. We exchange info shrug and shake hands. Life goes on and the scrapes become a distant memory, thank goodness. May this fade fast into memory and may you go easy on yourself.

Our garage is on an alley. Our idiot neighbor directly behind bought a plug in hybrid that didn't fit in her garage. So she parks it in front of her garage which opens directly on the alley (ours is 3' off the alley) meaning she parks in the driving zone of the alley. She tells me she doesn't have any other options to plug in her car.

I have absolved myself if responsibility when I finally hit her. If I didn't have a backup camera, I would have done it multiple times by now. Fortunately they usually lease, so the car should be replaced soon.

I went to a meeting at our local B and B. I parked in their parking lot and after the meeting I came out and one of their guests had backed into my car. I went in and told the owner who was less than helpful. I knew the truck that had been parked there (of course, it could have moved and another car parked and then backed out and hit my car) but she never gave me their information nor did she ever contact them. My insurance came through, though.

We all have our fender bender stories. I doubt anyone gets through life without hitting someone or being hit. I finally took a look at my bumper and it has some bad scratches and a ding. I want to have it fixed. The insurance company sent an app called Pocket Estimate. I have to take some pictures of the car and the damage to get an estimate for repairs. A new adventure. I'll try it this afternoon if it stops raining.