My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

To call the Police on this man

101 replies

worstinshow76 · 09/05/2016 12:45

First post from sometime Lurker so please be kind. I have just had a horrid encounter with a guy delivering leaflets. I had a whole bunch pushed through the door as I was standing beside it i have a notice by the door politely but clearly requesting no Chuggers , (work from home and sick of being disturbed) or leaflets etc as they all end up in the tiny recycling bin. I just went down the road and politely offered to give them back and he just glared at me. He put his hand out to take them and then dropped them on the ground. I said you "just cant do that" He turned his back to me and his rusksack (in which said leaflets came from) was wide open so I just posted them back in (without touching his person in any way). This man (who towered over my 5.3 in flip flops , ) then swung around with his clenched fist to take a pot shot at me. He did stop himself thankfully before he lobbed a blow (I have no idea if it was the car which went by which stopped him). I was a bit shaken but managed to say " so that is your response is it? Hitting a woman in the street, as I left I told him I would be reporting him . His response was "An I"ll report you too you f..... bitch"....NiceBlush
I DID START TO DIAL 101 when I got in but cancelled it as this guy could be unstable and I dont need a revenge attack etc And what could the Police do. I am pretty upset as no one has taken a swing like that since fight with siblings when I was small (about 40 years ago). Am I wrong and should. I at least tell the PCSO. The guy clearly has anger control issues. But I was polite and not abusive

OP posts:
Report
MTPurse · 09/05/2016 12:51

The man was totally wrong for taking a swing at you but it sounds like you were ott on the way you handled a leaflet being put through your door.

Chasing him down the street?
Shouting at him for dropping the leaflet?
Going in his rucksack?

He probably felt under attack from you!

Report
FutureGadgetsLab · 09/05/2016 12:53

Report him, but to be fair you did chase him which obviously irritated him.

Report
wasonthelist · 09/05/2016 12:58

If it was round here I would (101 - BTW I also wfh) - but we have a very active neighbourhood watch and have declared ourselves a no cold-calling zone.

Although this geezer wouldn't have been contravening the no cold calling, his reaction was a bit over the top.

With that said, I just put leaflets in the recycling.

Report
worstinshow76 · 09/05/2016 12:59

Well I didnt run after him (or shout) there were 11 of these things I strolled up to him and handed them back. I was peeved he dropped them on the ground but do not lose my temper. Also there were11 of the leaflets not 1. When I have had unwanred stuff from the old guy who delivers mailshots from the Estate agent he has always taken them back cheerily. This incident was just outside my neighbours house so I didnt chase him up the road shouting like Hyacinth Bucket. Look I dont care about the leaflets, it was the violent overreaction which got to me really.

OP posts:
Report
Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 09/05/2016 13:04

My God you're definitely not being unreasonable. He's okay putting his fist up to a 5.3" women. Would he be so "brave" if a 6.3" tall 6.3" wide man politely offered to give him the leaflets back.
He's using intimidation and abusive tactics and the police need to be told. Also if you have sny left look on the leaflet for a phone number. They need to know. What type of person they have working for them
I'm sure I also heard that by law. If you say no chuggers they can't put leaflets through you door, or no sales persons can knock.
I think there is a specific name for it, but not sure what.
Flowers

Report
FirstWeTakeManhattan · 09/05/2016 13:04

YANBU. He tried to hit you. The 'but you did annoy him' comments are astonishing.

Who/what was he delivering leaflets for?

Report
worstinshow76 · 09/05/2016 13:04

I just asked if I could give them back. It is a quiet area here. Perhaps I have lived out of the city for too long. I just don't get why people get so angryConfused

OP posts:
Report
worstinshow76 · 09/05/2016 13:06

My DH told me to ring one of the companies. I just did he was a nice guy (a tailors) he was horrified and said that he wont be using "angry" man again. Which is heartening.

OP posts:
Report
wasonthelist · 09/05/2016 13:07

It is a quiet area here. Perhaps I have lived out of the city for too long. I just don't get why people get so angry

I live in a quiet area - no angry people here - I see lots any time I go to big cities.

Report
MTPurse · 09/05/2016 13:07

I am not excusing him swinging for you at all but if I felt someone going in my bag which was on my back I think I would turn round pretty sharply too.

Report
DacreSucksDonkeyDicks · 09/05/2016 13:08

I can't believe the replies here - sounds like some of you are saying the OP deserved a pot shot being taken at her because the bloke felt 'irritated' and 'under attack'. Because obviously a woman who 'irritates' a man shouldn't be surprised if he tries to whack her one Hmm

Report him, OP. That's disgraceful behaviour.

Report
MistressChalk · 09/05/2016 13:08

He sounds like a twat but by putting them back in his rucksack you technically were touching him and his possessions which you shouldn't have done. However, obviously not in any way acceptable to react violently by raising a fist at you! You should report him for that.

I think it's fine to approach someone leafleting like you did and nicely say 'sorry but I have a sign asking you not to post these, they will only go in the bin so would you like them back?'. If they're going to be a dick about it when you've asked politely then no point arguing it any further and just bin them.

Report
Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 09/05/2016 13:10

Agree Manhattan. Plenty of people annoy me and piss me off in a major Fuckin way. I some how don't think that if I gave them a crack,
And said to the judge
" but your honour, He/She was annoying me". Thats why i punched them would be a good argument for defence

Report
VagueIdeas · 09/05/2016 13:11

You are so not in the wrong here!

Dumping a handful of leaflets on you (clearly, he just wants to get rid of his batch with minimal effort/walking) is annoying, so you were entitled to pull him up on it. To actually attack you in response Shock

Report
LouBlue1507 · 09/05/2016 13:12

Hi OP

Hope you're ok! Must of been scary! I think you've done the right thing by calling the company but I don't think you should call 101. You put your hands on his rucksack first, which you shouldn't of done, he could argue he felt threatened. He didn't hit you so he technically didn't do anythingn wrong. I can imagine him saying 'I felt her on my back so turn to defend myself but once I saw she just put something in my bag I restrained myself'...

I think it would be a waste of time. What a horrible man though!! Hope you're ok xx

Report
worstinshow76 · 09/05/2016 13:12

Thanks liveinalighthouse and First. I cant run and chase folk (new hips) . People are polite in this village and this was the first confrontation I have ever had here. And you are right there is no excuse for violence. THAT IS WHAT i am more upset by. I just thought if I told the police and they did have a chat with him will he come back and find me. Just a bit paranoid I know. But he seemed unstable.I may feel brave sometimes (but not always).

OP posts:
Report
worstinshow76 · 09/05/2016 13:16

Yes I shoudnt have posted them back in rucksack. Big mistake but I was polite to him he actually put out his hand to take them but then dropped them on the pavement. That is what threw me

OP posts:
Report
FasterThanASnakeAndAMongoose · 09/05/2016 13:16

I'd report him, and ring all the companies he was delivering for. What a twat.

It's irrelevant that you irritated him. People irritate other people all the time. For example last week I was irritated when someone with a full trolley barged in front of me at the checkouts. I might have rolled my eyes a little bit but I didn't take a swing at them!

Report
t4gnut · 09/05/2016 13:24

You have a notice requesting no leaflets - I don't think that's enforceable though.

He didn't have to take them back from you, but when he did he should not have dropped them on the floor.

You placed your hands on him first - yes the rucksack counts as an extension of his person.

Don't bother the police.

Report
ItWasNeverASkirt · 09/05/2016 13:27

YANBU, there is never any excuse or reason for physical violence.

I'd ring the police and report him, if only so it's on the record even if you don't want them to follow up with him. What if he actually hit somebody else?

Report
Pootles2010 · 09/05/2016 13:28

Seriously? Touch someones rucksack - they can go to punch you? Don't be ridiculous.

Definitely ring all of the companies he was leafletting for. Serves him right, what a bully.

Report
PeppermintPasty · 09/05/2016 13:29

I'm staggered at the "but you were being annoying" posts. What a load of old rubbish!

Report the violent [word removed by MNHQ - disablist], he shouldn't be doing that job. Hell, he shouldn't be outside by the sounds of him.

Hope you're ok.

Report
Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 09/05/2016 13:32

WTF's he going to say to the police,
"But officer, This little lady touched my rucksack" and politely gave me the leaflets back that she didn't ask for.
. And that's not being patronising to you, Worst.

Report
MattDillonsPants · 09/05/2016 13:45

I chased a man down the road as he'd posted a UKIP leaflet in my door...do you know what he did? He RAN away!

OP yanbu. Leafleting is a shocking waste of paper and he was an arsehole.

Report
LookJustCancelTheCheque · 09/05/2016 13:46

YANBU and read the thread properly anyone who's said she shouted or chased him!

OK, it's disconcerting feeling someone going into a bag on your back. Right-thinking people do not, however, turn round poised to take a swing. Hmm Especially when it was obvious that it was the OP.

By the way, I live in a big city and don't see many 'angry people' at all, ever.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.