Raging over something trivial...

[tethersend]

In the park with 2.8yo DD who is learning how to ride her bike; she's doing really well, but fell off and got back on with much encouragement. As we neared one of the gates (which doesn't leave the park), I held on to the back of her bike so she wouldn't race off into the path of an oncoming pedestrian.

I hear a loud "TUT" from behind me, as a cyclist weaves around and overtakes us at speed through the gate. I probably should have ignored it, but I was incensed and shouted at him not to tut me. I may or may not have called him an arrogant cock. He shouted at me to "walk straight then"; I shouted that we have right of way (and he could clearly see that a toddler was deciding our path), cue much flicking of fingers (both of us) and turning the air blue (me).

Thing is, he just kept going and cycled off into the distance whilst I was left with a perplexed toddler and stares from passers by.

I am still incandescent with rage, and DD's proclamations of "Mummy shouted at the man" every 5 minutes are not helping.

AIBU to ask you to talk me down and tell me I'm being ridiculous?

YANBU, he could have just said sorry. Annoys me too when cyclists dash past when there are little children, who are clearly unpredictable in which direction they'll coose, are about. I cycle a lot, including in the park, but always slow down round children.

And tutting is ALWAYS annoying, whatever the situation.

no wonder people have no respect for each other :(

you over reacted in a very daft way

what an example to set to a small child

and how in the hell would you hear a tut ffs LOL

YANBU. What an arse he was! She's 2 FFS!
I don't blame you for reacting the way you did. Good on you

you are being ridiculous

and you were being totally ridiculous back then

imagine you are cycling down a park path only to find someone in front of you veering suddenly in front of you causing you to swerve madly and almost lose your balance

you sure you wouldn't tut? I bloody would

a toddler is fine enough and you did nothing wrong but not an excuse to ignore anybody else

so don't be a fishwife, develop your empathy and fgs set a better example to your pooor child

have a gin ,you bloody mad woman

If your DD hurls abuse at the next adult cyclist she sees, will you laugh or cry? (This from the mother whose DS, then 3, dropped something on his first day at nursery, slapped hands to hips, rolled eyes, and said very clearly and precisely "Oh for fuck SAKE, will you PLEASE pick that up" )
What is it about a tut (fnar fnar for anyone 'of a certain age' who joins me in my childish snigger at the word tut) that makes it so damn annoying??? I can get irate over a tut much much faster than a whole gobful of insults! I'd probably have rammed the end of my stick between his spokes and laughed as he hit the deck if he tutted at me - I have tutrage issues though!

you are being ridiculous though, because its a minor irritation. I think you're annoyed at yourself for swearing at someone in front of your kid.

Yes to gin, usual. Cheers.

He tutted very loudly and was going very fast. Arf at me imagining the 'tut'

The gate is about 6' wide and accommodates all pedestrians and cyclists but there is a big sign on it saying pedestrians have right of way.

Rowena, I will be mortified if DD does that to the next cyclist she sees. Unless it's him.

So we're saying 'no' to going back to the park with a big stick?

Sounds like the sort if thing I do, I was left in the middle of a car park shouting after a knobhead once

DD has already called granny a 'silly bollocks', MadameDeathstare- that horse has bolted, I'm afraid

I stand by my YANBU, but you shouldn't have done so much swearing.

And yes, be prepared for dd to mutter "arrogant cock" at you should you inadvertently tut at some point!

Well, maybe it would have been better to have just said "I'm so sorry I don't have eyes in the back of my head" in a sarcastic tone and left it at that?
Shouldn't he have rung a bell anyway? You could have enquired politely about why he didn't ring it maybe..........

Mind you I will admit to banging on the side of a van and chasing it in a car park once.........................

who hasn't reacted and gone a little ott at times

sorry it made me laugh.i have done it on the odd occasion (in the car) and ds loves to tell everyone. normally ties in when i am about to have my period, strange that

Definitely have a gin to calm down. I totally understand your reactions, as I would do exactly the same and then regret it.

Yesterday evening I was ambling along the canal towpath with my spaniel when two cyclists appeared, so I called the dog back and put him on the lead whilst they went past. Did they thank me. Did they hell. They didn't even acknowledge my presence. So I shouted after them that a thank you would have been nice and that good manners cost nothing. Twats - next time I shall let the dog run in front of them and they may end up in the drink.

My DD knows some fabulous words from my driver rage.

a proficient cyclist should get out the way of learning toddlers/kids in my book, and if you're moving at speed on a public footpath then i would say any other slower/less able person should have right of way. would he have tutted at an old lady pushing a zimmerframe? unless you innocently wandered onto the path of the local speedway then what right did he have to go racing past and expect everyone to bow out the way to him?

DH does that, Salmotrutta. He specialises in chasing down ParcelForce trucks that have cut him off :).

Have now calmed, thanks all

And I'm almost definitely not going to go back and hunt him down.

I think on balance you should have poked a stick in his spokes. That'll larn him good.

Am very impressed by a two year old riding a bike almost on her own

YANBU he's clearly a miserable twat

Two year old? Bike? WOW.

Anyway, as for wanky wankerson on the bike - he's just a nobbo. Take no heed. Ignore him and instead practice the fake laugh that is often emitted from the Mum when their child swears. It has a high, tinkling sound, followed by an embarrassed cough and a "well!".

HTH.

Oh no, don't be impressed- she may be able to swear like a navvy but she's rubbish at physical stuff. She has just learned to ride a bike. With stabilisers