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AIBU?

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Original poster

Rude old man shouted at 4 year old DS

456 replies

ThisOldThang · 27/06/2026 17:18

I was walking on a quiet residential road with both my sons (7 and 4). I was pushing the empty buggy. My eldest son was walking next to me and my youngest son was had fallen behind by around 10m.

I heard a man shout 'GET OUT OF MY WAY'. I turned around and an old man (65-70 years old) had passed my youngest son and was walking towards us.

When he passed he said 'You need to control your children.'

I replied 'He's 4.'

The rude old codger then started going on about how my son had been in his way, so I told him that he should have said excuse me, rather than shouting at a 4 year old.

Anyway, there was a bit more back and forth and I called him a rude old man and we went on our way. When I looked back, he was on the phone. Who to, I have no idea.

AIBU?
No and he's lucky that I'm not the sort of person that kicks off in front of my kids.

Yes. He's old and allowed to shout at young children in the street.

OP posts:
SquirrelGG · 11/08/2026 02:24

Walkingroundincircle22 · 11/08/2026 00:57

I had a similar situation today, albeit not near a road. An 'old' (70+) man shouted at my child who got in his way. I confronted him, and could actually see the surprise in his face that I did. Old men sadly see to be more likely to do this. Entitled. No respect for children. Need to be called out. They wouldn't dare do it in front if the fathers of these children, just the mothers, funnily enough. I told my DCs dad what happened to us today, and he said he would have also confronted him, old or not.

Also, to all the older people on here, you do need to accept that if you behave in a shouty entitled manner, you'll be called old.

Show quote history

You seem to have missed that the OP in this situation was the child's father, so you are wrong!

SuddenlyBecoming · 11/08/2026 05:13

He is right, 10m behind you have no idea what he is doing. You do need to control your children, esp at 4.

CountessBinface · 11/08/2026 05:58

Both parties were unreasonable, but you more so. A four-year-old needs to be where you can see him.

Walkingroundincircle22 · 11/08/2026 07:46

SquirrelGG · 11/08/2026 02:24

You seem to have missed that the OP in this situation was the child's father, so you are wrong!

Show quote history

No, i'm not wrong. They clearly just get angry at women and men. Message is the same: older peple should check their reactions.

Pippin2017 · 11/08/2026 07:48

Walkingroundincircle22 · 11/08/2026 07:46

No, i'm not wrong. They clearly just get angry at women and men. Message is the same: older peple should check their reactions.

Show quote history

Quite a lot of younger people could do with the same advice😁

CanOnlyBeMyself · 14/08/2026 17:16

I had a similar situation today, albeit not near a road. An 'old' (70+) man shouted at my child who got in his way. I confronted him, and could actually see the surprise in his face that I did. Old men sadly see to be more likely to do this. Entitled. No respect for children. Need to be called out. They wouldn't dare do it in front if the fathers of these children, just the mothers, funnily enough. I told my DCs dad what happened to us today, and he said he would have also confronted him, old or not.
Also, to all the older people on here, you do need to accept that if you behave in a shouty entitled manner, you'll be called old.

@Walkingroundincircle22 A masterclass in completely missing the point. Did you even read what I wrote?

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