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Original poster

To think it was not an overreaction to call the police?

589 replies

hottubwhocares · 26/04/2025 17:12

We were out today at a family event. We were parked up in the car park of the venue and were getting in our cars to travel home. There was a man parked next to us in the (relatively narrow) bays, window down, chatting to his girlfriend. He was there when we came out and approached our car.

DD age 8 was getting into the back passenger side of our car, so on the same side as his car. I was on the other/driver’s side. As I was getting in, I heard DD start to scream. Basically the man next to us had started to move his car forward and his back wheel had run over the back of her ankle/foot.

I immediately ran round the back of the car, picked her up, helped her into the back seat and took her shoe and sock off to have a look. The top layer of skin had come off and it looked bruised so I went round to his car, said sorry, I think you have hurt her so I am going to need your details.

He and his girlfriend then said ‘Why? I haven’t done anything wrong’. I asked if he was refusing and he said he ‘didn’t even know what happened’ and started mouthing off.

So, I called 999 and of course the second he heard I was on the phone to the police, he started offering his details.

Two police cars then attended. DH is furious with me and says I completely overreacted as DD’s injury was minor (scrapes and bruises) and I ‘see the worst in everyone’. I am very upset about his lack of support when our child was hurt and upset.

FWIW I would never move my own car when a child was down the side and if I had ever done anything like this I certainly wouldn’t be mouthing off at the parent of the injured child!

So, was it an overreaction to call the police?

OP posts:
kierenthecommunity · 26/04/2025 20:14

ACR7 · 26/04/2025 20:13

But that’s not why she called and the question was if it was reasonable to call 999. She was taking to him through the window and has not mentioned once he seemed intoxicated so that is not why she called 999. We’re just entering made up circa now. Him having no insurance woupd have been picked up through the reg when she reported the matter later. I don’t understand why people are deviating to reasons for that aren’t what she describes.

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And if the car wasn’t registered to him? Then what?

CantStopMoving · 26/04/2025 20:14

ACR7 · 26/04/2025 20:13

But that’s not why she called and the question was if it was reasonable to call 999. She was taking to him through the window and has not mentioned once he seemed intoxicated so that is not why she called 999. We’re just entering made up circa now. Him having no insurance woupd have been picked up through the reg when she reported the matter later. I don’t understand why people are deviating to reasons for that aren’t what she describes.

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She was reporting him as he was about to do a hit and run!

JustMyView13 · 26/04/2025 20:14

Sleepalldaylong · 26/04/2025 20:10

Rubbish. No wonder kids today are so neurotic and have no resilience when parents make such a drama out of a non-event.

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You’re so right. Kids today lack a good running over to toughen them up…🙄

ACR7 · 26/04/2025 20:13

CantStopMoving · 26/04/2025 20:09

But he may not have wanted to not give his details as he knew he had no licence/ no insurance/ was drunk or high.

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But that’s not why she called and the question was if it was reasonable to call 999. She was taking to him through the window and has not mentioned once he seemed intoxicated so that is not why she called 999. We’re just entering made up circa now. Him having no insurance woupd have been picked up through the reg when she reported the matter later. I don’t understand why people are deviating to reasons for that aren’t what she describes.

EdithBond · 26/04/2025 20:12

Yes, IMHO it was an over-reaction to call 999. There was no emergency.

You should have taken a photo/note of his numberplate and vehicle description. Plus photos of how the cars were parked and where your daughter was standing. Then contact the local police station to report the incident, so you had a reference for any later injury claim. And documentary evidence of what happened.

But, if there was no damage to your car and your DD sustained only a superficial injury, there’d be nothing to claim.

Maybe think about how you spoke to the man. I know you were obviously shocked and worried about your DD being hurt and him being so unconcerned. But were you as polite and calm as possible. Or, if you’re honest with yourself, did you see the worst in him, rather than accepting it was a careless accident? Were you rude to him and that’s what got his back up?

Pixie2015 · 26/04/2025 20:11

i still watch my 8y get in car in car parks especially if car next to us incase they hit door onto another car. As i had someone do that to me and it cost hundreds

Ezkay · 26/04/2025 20:11

VivIsBlonde · 26/04/2025 19:43

So instead of saying a car had hurt your daughter’s foot, you went OTT and said she had been hit by a car ? 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤣
so dramatic!!

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Not quite sure what part of being run over by a car doesn't involve being hit by the car?

But top marks for splitting that hair so finely. Or is that too dramatic an analysis?

AccidentalPrawnYouFool · 26/04/2025 20:11

I would absolutely have called 999 in this scenario! There are some strange responses here. He ran someone over and was going to drive away!

Sleepalldaylong · 26/04/2025 20:10

Zinnialime · 26/04/2025 20:08

This thread is actually insane. Do you all mean to tell me you'd be blasé if someone backed over your child's foot in a parking lot, refused to admit it happened, mouthed off and wouldn't give their details? And you're all also trained to recognise if bones have been broken? This place is a viper's nest.

Rubbish. No wonder kids today are so neurotic and have no resilience when parents make such a drama out of a non-event.

CantStopMoving · 26/04/2025 20:09

ACR7 · 26/04/2025 20:05

If she thought he was drunk/high then absolutely but she didn’t have those concerns so when she rang 999 it was purely due to him not giving details hence why I don’t think it was the best way to report.

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But he may not have wanted to not give his details as he knew he had no licence/ no insurance/ was drunk or high.

Zinnialime · 26/04/2025 20:08

This thread is actually insane. Do you all mean to tell me you'd be blasé if someone backed over your child's foot in a parking lot, refused to admit it happened, mouthed off and wouldn't give their details? And you're all also trained to recognise if bones have been broken? This place is a viper's nest.

WearyAuldWumman · 26/04/2025 20:07

2dogsandabudgie · 26/04/2025 20:03

Surely her foot would have been broken if it was run over, with the weight of the car?

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Not necessarily - in '78, I took a photo of some of my classmates posed around a car. Somehow, the car was nudged onto the foot of one of the teenagers. It went right over the foot, but the weight didn't break it.

ACR7 · 26/04/2025 20:05

kierenthecommunity · 26/04/2025 20:02

I wouldn't have trusted he was even insured in view of his behaviour. Plus he could have been pissed or high or anything

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If she thought he was drunk/high then absolutely but she didn’t have those concerns so when she rang 999 it was purely due to him not giving details hence why I don’t think it was the best way to report.

notanothernamechange24 · 26/04/2025 20:04

Sherararara · 26/04/2025 18:24

The 999 operator dealing with OP can’t be dealing with another caller at the same time who needs the ambulance. One operator can only take one call at one time. Got it?

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They are completely separate call operators 🙄 you literally get directed to the appropriate call station. The police handlers are completely separate from the ambulance service and indeed the fire service!
so no ambulances would have been remotely impacted!

your being completely ridiculous!

Sleepalldaylong · 26/04/2025 20:04

2dogsandabudgie · 26/04/2025 20:03

Surely her foot would have been broken if it was run over, with the weight of the car?

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Yep and she wouldn’t have been able to pull it out from under the wheel either.

2dogsandabudgie · 26/04/2025 20:03

hottubwhocares · 26/04/2025 19:49

I’ve actually just seen the footage and it shows that she was very near his car (going round the side of the door which was ajar) and he did indeed run over her foot/ankle when he moved, which then becomes trapped under his car. As she screams he stops and she pulls/tugs her foot/ankle out - there is a sudden movement by her which I assume is what broke the skin.

It’s made my blood run cold. She could have been dragged under his car

Surely her foot would have been broken if it was run over, with the weight of the car?

kierenthecommunity · 26/04/2025 20:02

ACR7 · 26/04/2025 19:59

That’s interesting. She had already assessed her child’s foot and saw it was a skin scrape and he wasn’t being agressive. He was clearly going to leave the scene which is against the law but how is it an emergency if you can just take down his reg. He clearly wasn’t going to get out and hurt them if he was trying to leave.

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I wouldn't have trusted he was even insured in view of his behaviour. Plus he could have been pissed or high or anything

ACR7 · 26/04/2025 20:01

CantStopMoving · 26/04/2025 19:56

And yet they didn’t say that to her once they were there.

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They wouldn’t do as she was clearly shook up and contrary to popular belief a lot of police want to make you feel better. It’s not the worst waste of time and and she obviously rang in a panic so I wouldn’t dress someone down either. But in reality I don’t believe it to be an emergency.

Kilroyonly · 26/04/2025 20:00

TheWisePlumDuck · 26/04/2025 19:33

Do you honestly think that the trained dispatcher didn't obtain details of exactly what happened and what possible injury had been sustained before making their decision?

Or do you think they heard 'run over' then ran round sending all the cars and ambulances they could in a blind panic?

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Trained dispatcher..yeah ok.

Justyouwaitandseeagain · 26/04/2025 20:00

I would have done the same, and sounds like the police who attended agreed. I hope you and your daughter are ok, OP.

ACR7 · 26/04/2025 19:59

kierenthecommunity · 26/04/2025 19:56

I also work in policing and I disagree.

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That’s interesting. She had already assessed her child’s foot and saw it was a skin scrape and he wasn’t being agressive. He was clearly going to leave the scene which is against the law but how is it an emergency if you can just take down his reg. He clearly wasn’t going to get out and hurt them if he was trying to leave.

Teateaandmoretea · 26/04/2025 19:58

CantStopMoving · 26/04/2025 19:56

And yet they didn’t say that to her once they were there.

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Of course not. It’s 999 calls over offensive text messages and broken nails that are time wasting, in the real world.

CantStopMoving · 26/04/2025 19:56

ACR7 · 26/04/2025 19:52

I work in policing. You were absolutely right to call police if he refused details but it should never have been 999. I would have taken his reg and reported later once home. 999 is for emergencies and I would hate to think someone’s call was delayed in being answered due to your call. Plus the fact they sent two police cars immediately tells me you massively over exaggerated what was happening.

Edited

And yet they didn’t say that to her once they were there.

Teateaandmoretea · 26/04/2025 19:56

Yanbu at all. None of this lot would think otherwise if it was their child who’d been injured and the guy about to drive off.

kierenthecommunity · 26/04/2025 19:56

ACR7 · 26/04/2025 19:52

I work in policing. You were absolutely right to call police if he refused details but it should never have been 999. I would have taken his reg and reported later once home. 999 is for emergencies and I would hate to think someone’s call was delayed in being answered due to your call. Plus the fact they sent two police cars immediately tells me you massively over exaggerated what was happening.

Edited

I also work in policing and I disagree.