to think this woman was a cow and hope karma gets her?

[sprinkles77]

I was waiting to cross a small side road where it meets a main road where there is a give way sign. Raining hard. DS in push chair. A woman in 4x4 whizzed up to the junction at speed then screeched to halt as the traffic was not letting her out. DS and I were soaked due to large puddle. Obviously we were already wet, but not with flithy water from the ground, just the clean stuff straight from the sky. As she pulls away I noticed a "baby on board sign". You would have thought she'd have a bit of sense and either 1) not sped up to the junction, knowing that she'd have to wait for at least a moment before she could pull out, and / or 2) have a bit of sympathy for a fellow mother out in the rain. Hoping next time she's parked (probably badly) at the supermarket someone else's DC accidentally - on - purpose opens a car door and scratches her Chelsea tractor!

I've noticed some drivers do this on purpose. I was once waiting at a kerb to cross and this guy actually swerved to get the puddle in order to splash me...he hit the kerb and didn't splash me at all, merely left me slightly bemused as to his bizarre driving till my more clued up friend standing beside me pointed out what he had been trying to do...wanker!

But yes I hope Karma bites your woman on the arse OP.

How horrible for you, do you know, i have seen the Police pull someone over for driving through big black puddle and soaking pedestrian.

I wondered what happened , perhaps some law-enforcement MNetter can enlighten us.

It is actually an offence to splash a pedestrian whilst driving:

Under section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, it is an offence to perform a clear act of incompetence, selfishness, impatience or aggressiveness which causes inconvenience to other road users.

The Crown Prosecution Service specifically include: "driving through a puddle causing pedestrians to be splashed" in its description of this act.

Hope it doesn't happen to you again but if it does report it!!

Rachel, That's something I never knew!

So what do you do in the event of a puddle, pedestrian, oncoming traffic dilemma?

I try to avoid puddles when there are pedestrians, but sometimes for safety it isn't possible due to traffic speed etc.

IIRC a woman failed her driving test a couple of years ago for splashing a pedestrian.

I got splashed a few years ago while out running- absolutely soaked! It didn't actually bother me that much, but I did amuse myself for the next few miles with thoughts of getting the registration number, having someone do a check to find the address then being at the house waiting for them with a large bucket of water when they got out of the car: "Remember me? I'm the runner you soaked on Harlow Moor Drive! Surpriiiise!"

Rachel thankyou, nice to know.

fuzzled I also drive, and agree that it often is not possible to avoid the puddle (not advocating anyone swerve into oncoming traffic for example). But slowing down as she approached the junction would have been safer in the dry too, and how much more so with the risk of skidding in the wet?

RachelHRD now you mention it, I remember someone telling me the same. Suspect the police wouldn't be interested though!

I got soaked by two cars/vans driving through puddles while I was our running yesterday. Both times very deliberately. I wasn't that bothered as only idiots like me go for a long run in the pouring rain, but I'm pretty bemused as to why someone would do something so unpleasant.

fuzzled - you would slow down if you safely could, if you genuinely couldn't avoid the puddle, you wouldn't be acting incompetently selfishly, impatiently or aggressively, would you?

I once accidentally drenched two high school boys walking home.

In my defense the drains must have been blocked for there to be such a big puddle. So I blame the council. I did stop, wind down the window and apologise to them profusely, which they seemed to accept. I would have offered them a lift home if I hadn't had the car full of DCs.

I would have had so much more sympathy if you had told the story without mentioning that she drove a 4x4 or used the phrase "chelsea tractor". Does it make it worse that you were soaked by someone with money and a large car?
Same soaking happened to me walking down a narrow road last week - wasn't thrilled but am not judgmental enough to be irked by the particular type of car. If you were soaked by a bus, as I have been, would that be ok?

Actually, I disagree with Auroraday. I think it does make it worse that you were soaked by someone with a sense of entitlement than say someone who hates the world because they have it hard. I can empathise with that more.

So, whilst I don't believe in karma (too many innocents suffer) I do understand your anger.

auroraday,

do you drive a Chelsea tractor by any chance?

If i wrote what the Op put I would say some old tart in a 4 x 4. Or some old fart in a Merc, or some little shit in a Corsa. What would you put. Someone in a car doesn't get the anger across properly

I think it's Sweden, where if you splash someone you are required to pay for any dry-cleaning as well as any fines etc. (Suppose only if you get caught though)

auroraday it doesn't make that much difference what sort of car it was. Except perhaps bigger wheels = even bigger splash. Bus would have been worse I suspect!