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Original poster

Splashed a pedestrian, he damaged my car

90 replies

mylittlesandwich · 04/08/2020 20:22

Driving home this evening. A car ahead of me went through what I thought was surface water, I then realised it was a puddle. I slowed as much as I could without the car behind me ploughing into me and swerved as much as I could without swerving in to oncoming traffic but I still splashed the pedestrians walking by. I cringed as I did it.
There was then an almighty bang and I assumed that something had fallen off my car, the nearest place to check was by going right back round the roundabout and in to a car park near the puddle. As I drove back that way the man I splashed started screaming at me. I pulled in and opened my window, he started hurling abuse.

Turns out he threw the battery pack from a drill at my car in rage because I splashed him. I apologised for splashing him, explained that I hadn't meant to. He told me I'd assaulted him. He dented my car, on the side where my 8 month olds car seat is, my baby had started screaming as soon as it happened. He just kept repeating that what I'd done was a crime (I know it can be but it depends on the situation). He was nasty and I was upset.

I don't know what I want from this thread as I know I'm likely to be given abuse for driving through the puddle but I'm on my own with DS (we're now home) and I just needed to let someone know what happened I think.

OP posts:

ShesMadeATwatOfMePam · 04/08/2020 20:23

What he did was also a crime. Id just forget about it, these things happen, lesson learnt.

Gulpingcoffee · 04/08/2020 20:25

It was not your fault. You did what you could to avoid it without causing an accident. I’d have been bloody furious with the man for damaging my car and frightening my child. Take care of yourself, you’re probably in shock from the confrontation.

FixTheBone · 04/08/2020 20:25

It's only a crime if you deliberately or carelessly splash pedestrians.

I would have beaten the shit out of him.

housemdwaswrong · 04/08/2020 20:26

Pretty unavoidable to not drive through a puddle! He damaged your car because he got wet. I'd have reported him if I thought there were any chance of him getting charged. What an idiot.

Ramblingwords · 04/08/2020 20:27

I’d be contacting the police. Throwing an object like that at a moving vehicle is a very serious crime.

HoneysuckIejasmine · 04/08/2020 20:28

I would report the damage to your car, someone might have CCTV or have witnessed it. Especially as you had a child in the car.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 04/08/2020 20:29

I think he’d have been a lot more calmer had there been 4 burly blokes in the car as appose to a women on her own with a baby.

FlibbertyGiblets · 04/08/2020 20:30

OP try to forget about it, horrible man.

FixTheBone wow you would have beaten the shit out of the man, even with your baby bawling and upset inside the car? You're nails, fair play.

FixTheBone · 04/08/2020 20:41

@FlibbertyGiblets

OP try to forget about it, horrible man.

FixTheBone wow you would have beaten the shit out of the man, even with your baby bawling and upset inside the car? You're nails, fair play.

To qualify, I'm a man, I'm 6'2, and grew up in a pretty rough area.

I wouldn't suggest it's a reasonable course of action at all, but there are limits to what I'll tolerate, and somebody deliberately vandalising something thats taken me 20 years of graft to finally afford would be right on that limit...

To further qualify, I've just bought my dream car and someone doing something like that would tip me over the edge.

Honeyroar · 04/08/2020 20:46

You should’ve gone round the roundabout and flattened him/his battery pack and ideally soaked him again! But perhaps as well you did nothing! But what a nasty man. How wet did he get??

immagicx · 04/08/2020 20:48

I'd report the incident op, what he has done is criminal. See if the car park has cctv and if it does get his face splashed over social media so everyone can see what a low life he is screaming at a woman with a baby.

You did the right thing, you slowed down and tried to avoid the puddle but you can't cause a car accident to spare someone getting wet.

pasteldechocolateconchispa · 04/08/2020 20:50

He could have smashed your window and that battery pack could have hit your child on the head then what?

I would have called the police there and then he should be accountable for his actions, fuck sake it could bounced of your car and a motorcyclist could have swerved and crashed, he was in the wrong. There could have been dire consequences from his act of stupidity.

Honeyroar · 04/08/2020 20:51

As an aside, my husband once deliberately drove through a big puddle and soaked one of his mates when he was about 18. The police saw him, followed him and pulled him over. He told them it was his mate and he’d done it for a joke. The policeman took him in his car back to his dripping wet mate, and asked him if he knew my husband. His mate said he’d never seen my husband in his life. The policeman was about to book my husband when his mate cracked up laughing. Both my husband and his mate got a big bollocking, but the policeman drove off laughing.

Chloemol · 04/08/2020 20:56

I would have phoned the police, you tried to slow down, it was an accident. What he did was deliberate criminal damage

Original poster

mylittlesandwich · 04/08/2020 21:16

I did consider calling the police but he seemed to think I would be charged with assault. I think it's something more along the lines of careless driving. I keep running through the fact that he could have hurt DS. He just called (he demanded my phone number to report me) I wasn't thinking straight and gave him it. He has now apologised and offered to pay for the damage so I've calmed down a bit.

OP posts:

Honeyroar · 04/08/2020 21:28

Wow. He got your phone no! Someone had obviously talked some sense into him and told him he could get in deep trouble for that. I seriously think you should ring 101. Not only did this guy put you in danger and verbally assault you/scare you afterwards, but he now has your phone no!

Honeyroar · 04/08/2020 21:30

And it wasn’t careless driving it you thought about skidding etc and decided on best case scenario. Whereas throwing the equivalent of a brick at moving traffic is ridiculously stupid and dangerous.

Honeyroar · 04/08/2020 21:30

He was the reckless one!!

bigchris · 04/08/2020 21:34

I would have beaten the shit out of him

Anger management might help

Bloodybridget · 04/08/2020 21:38

@mylittlesandwich so now he's cooled down, he's obviously scared you'll report it! Not sure if I think you should take him up on the offer, he sounds so unhinged, you probably don't want any more contact with him.

KrabbyPatties · 04/08/2020 21:59

Well as he’s phoned you, you now have his number for the police and that’s exactly what I’d be doing.

Call the police and report him.

BadDucks · 04/08/2020 22:04

I'd report him. He's phoned to apologise because he has realised that he's committed an offence. He could have caused a serious accident.

LavaLamp5566 · 04/08/2020 22:47

You have his number now that he's called you - Report him. He threw a battery pack from a drill at your car. Not only that your baby was in the car

It doesn't matter if he wants to repair damages, what matters is he gets a stern and long lecture and some form of fine from the police for throwing a battery pack into traffic

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 04/08/2020 22:54

I would definitely report him,easy to find him now you have him number. He could have smashed your window on to your child. Would he fuck be getting away with that.

Original poster

mylittlesandwich · 04/08/2020 23:01

Thank you everyone, I'm not sure what to do for the best. I'm going to sleep on it. I think my reservation is that he could say I splashed him on purpose and I'd be fined. It can be up to £2,500. There's no way I could afford that.

OP posts:

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