My old landlord always checked the basement pipes after a storm, even if nothing leaked upstairs. It's the same idea with your car bumper story. We skip the hidden stuff because it's not right in front of us. Like when my phone battery puffed up but the screen seemed fine, the real danger was inside. This happens all over, from ignoring weird body pains to putting off fixing a loose floorboard.

Oh man, I learned that lesson the hard way too. I once tried to eyeball a kitchen backsplash thinking I was some kind of tile savant. The final result looked like I did the whole job after three beers. Now I use spacers for everything, even a single row. That little bag of crosses saved what little pride I had left.

Hate the silent judgment from their watchful eyes.