To have shouted at this idiot this morning?

[CherrySkull]

It appears its school parking wars day today, so sorry for posting another, but...

I parked sensibly and proceeded to walk my two kids (oldest is disabled so i'm very careful about only crossing when its safe) down the road to school.

We have to cross a residential road, its always busy, people turning in and out, and some people using it as a turning circle, so i always walk down at least 2 car lengths from the junction to cross where the road narrows, it was VERY busy this morning so we were waiting a while.

A black estate car pulled up to the junction to pull out onto the main road as someone pulled in to drive past us, but the driver stopped and signalled to let us cross.

I checked the black car again, sat at the junction with his indicators on to turn left, nothing was coming behind him so i cleared the kids to cross, we're still a whole car length behind the black car (never cross right behind incase they roll before pulling off)

The epic numpty in the black car suddenly slammed his car into reverse and shot straight back. A guy on the other side waved at him frantically to stop and i had to grab my eldest and literally yank him back against me and turn, expecting this car to hit me as he was coming so fast.

He stopped literally 2 inches from me, my son (autism) went into a fear reaction meltdown and a couple of other parents then had to help me get him and my DD out of the road.

The driver of the black estate looked at me like i was crazy because my first reaction was to bellow "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" through his car window while he carried on looking oblivious to the fact he'd nearly reversed over us, so then i yelled "THERE'S PEOPLE CROSSING THE ROAD BEHIND YOU" and he just flipped me the bird and drove off, nearly hitting someone as he pulled out.

I was left there trying to calm DS and DD down while everyone was staring at us.

I still have no idea what the fuck he reversed away from the junction for!

[sonyaya]

YANBU, it was safe to cross the road but even if it wasn't, drivers should always check before reversing.

And shouting abuse at you in front of your children is vile.

[Magzmarsh]

The driver didn't shout abuse though, the op did. I can understand why in the heat of the moment but it doesn't really achieve anything.

[CocktailQueen]

YANBU. It is the driver's responsibility to check that it is safe before moving off - either forwards or reversing. What a twat.

Not surprised you shouted at him - the fear reaction does that. Glad you're ok.

[Jaxhog]

YANBU. The guy could have injured you. Glad you're all ok.

[PJBanana]

I'm also not surprised you shouted.

What an arsehole. Nobody in their right mind would do that on a busy road where kids are going to school.

I hope your children are OK now, OP.

[TheSparrowhawk]

It really shocks me the way some drivers reverse - it is such a dangerous manoeuvre and yet some people just blithely shoot backwards without a glance. He was in the wrong and I can understand your reaction. Glad you're ok.

[SnatchedPencil]

YANBU for being upset, but shouting abuse like that rarely helps a situation. He should have looked, that is obvious, and he's fucked up. But by shouting abuse you are being threatening (even if you think you're just being indignant) and it is not that much of a surprise that he shot off. He was flustered by his mistake, a situation worsened by your reaction.

You say your child had a "meltdown" - your reaction would likely not have helped with this. He sees a car nearly run him down, then his mother freaking out and shouting which just confirms to him that it is a frightening situation.

I understand you were not thinking clearly, but try to control your reactions. A polite, firm word with the driver and a calm explanation to your son would have meant a less explosive situation all round.

[cx5221]

I think you were pretty well controlled tbh I'd have thrown a show at his car not joking

[sonyaya]

Sorry I misread and thought he had shouted that out of the window.

[cx5221]

*shoe

[Jux]

Bet he just put the car into the wrong gear by mistake and wasn't expecting to shoot backwards; bet he thought if he was quick he'd get through that gap in the traffic over there.... and was astounded to discover himself retreating from it at speed.

Did you get his registration?

[Eevee77]

Not unreasonable of you at all. What an idiot.

[CrohnicallyPregnant]

I'm assuming he put it in reverse instead of first (or drive in an auto) by accident, as surely no one could be that daft on purpose?!

His reaction was probably as much in shock as yours.

[CherrySkull]

No jux, but i will if i see him again, its a pretty recognisable car & driver. I assume he was another parent as quite a few use that road to drop the older kids off to walk in themselves.

[CherrySkull]

Kids are fine, the walk to the car at the end of the day was interesting, both dc's mentioned we ought to walk further back from the cars when we crossed.

[Peanutandphoenix]

What anumber absolute fucking tool am glad you and your kids are OK op am not surprised you reacted the way you did he could've killed you.

[FeralBeryl]

Sorry that happened to you all
It's sounds like you all had a nasty shock.
I've seen this happen lots near our school, people hang out over the line because the road is packed and visibility bad. They then realise they'll be obstructing the road and reverse back without checking. There is an island just behind about a car length too so people obviously cross there. Our lollipop man twatted a car once with his lollipop to stop them backing over an elderly lady. Utter wankers.
I've been into school this evening to complain about people parking quite penny on the zig zags with not a shit given.

[Giggorata]

I don't blame you for having a yell - it is a fear reaction. What an arse. Hope the kids are not too traumatised.
From the other end, as an occasional van driver, with blind spots, I am careful to look all round first, and always put my hazard lights on when reversing... however, I find that pedestrians walk behind the van regardless even when I'm in motion, expecting to be seen somehow.... (mostly in supermarket car parks). I wish they wouldn't, it is very frightening & I sometimes feel like jumping out of the van & hollering explaining that I can't see them, but they can see I am reversing, so why oh why etc......

[CherrySkull]

Parking is an issue here, some bright spark built 3 schools along the same road, we've normally got a couple of Community Officers floating about to keep the zig-zags and gates clear.

Its always nightmarishly busy, you need 360 vision.

[WeAllHaveWings]

He was an idiot who made an unintentional mistake.

I can understand you had a fright but YABU to have a go and shout like that in front of your children. It's the kind of thing dh does, never calm in a crisis, more interested in shouting at the driver, and upsetting his kids more than prioritising making sure kids are ok and comforting them. Drives me nuts.

[Efferlunt]

Horrible. A white van man decided he was going to pull up on the pavement outside a shop so slammed his van into reverse back over the zebra crossing I was crossing with my kids. I was screaming at him like a haridian for several minutes. Not sorry I did. There are a hell of a lot of idiots on the road.

[ApocalypseNowt]

Well said MrsDesiree

[Megatherium]

Ignore SnatchedPencil. It's very easy to draft a carefully composed post from the comfort of your chair about how someone should ideally react when they have 20 minutes to calm down and think about it. It bears no resemblance whatsoever to the reality of how anyone in the entire world would actually react to seeing their child come within inches of being knocked over and seriously injured.