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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To have a rant about a man!

64 replies

TheDetective · 29/10/2011 21:32

I can't believe I let rip at the guy who came to fit a tracker in DP's car yesterday . Was I being unreasonable however...!

Guy sent from insurance company to fit the tracker as DP has a limited mileage policy. He turned up at 1250 (due between 1300-1700) and I leave for work at 1300. I looked out the window just to make sure he hadn't parked across the drive - as people coming have a habit of doing... he hadn't parked there. Got on with getting ready for work, and glanced out the window 2 minutes later, to find he had pulled DP's car on to the last metre of the drive, and the rest of the car was on the pavement completely blocking it from all pedestrians. He had then parked his car directly across DP's, on the main road. Anyone trying to walk past had to cross a busy main road.

Shouted for DP and told him to tell the man to move the cars, as I was about to leave for work, and he would make me late (plus it was blocking the pavement). He told the guy - response was to say 'ok, just switch the cars around'. DP said this wasn't possible as he wasn't insured for my car (I was getting my uniform on before leaving at this point). The guy tells my DP 'it doesn't matter, you're only moving it off the drive' (on to a main road!!!!!). Quite reasonably DP refused. DP came back to me to tell me what was going on. I said to him to tell the man to move the cars now, and gave the man a VERY valid reason for why he must move them now and not prevent me from getting to my work. He went back out to tell the man, and he still didn't move the cars. At this point I was 30 seconds away from walking out the door, so sent DP again to tell the guy he must move now as he was going to prevent me from getting to work on time.

He still didn't move!!!!!!!! I came out the house and literally let rip at him . Can't remember exactly what I said, but needless to say he got the sharp end of my tongue - which is totally not me. His response was he hadn't moved the cars because I hadn't come out the house yet!!!! Its a main road, it takes time to back off the drive, and he had 2 cars to move!!!!

I think he was being completely unreasonable in blocking my car in, and blocking the entire pavement on the main road (which is illegal). He was unreasonable to be asked 3 times in 10 minutes to move the cars, and not to do so. I am going to complain to the company. Who was being unreasonable?!

BTW, before any one asks - my car lives on the drive because that's what I declare on my insurance - dp's is parked on the road because that's what we said when we took his insurance out. The car was parked with the side he needed to do the work towards the pavement - so no excuse for needing to move the car for safety. Anyway - what would he have done if we had no drive?!

Sorry for the rant - It really has annoyed me - rudeness and ignorance get on my nerves!

OP posts:

benandhollyandgaston · 29/10/2011 22:20

You can't remember what you said but you let rip at him and he got the sharp end of your tongue, yes?

And you want to know if you doing that was a proportionate response to his shortcomings?

I think you were being unreasonable. And rude. And probably made yourself look a bit of a dick.

Does that help?

troisgarcons · 29/10/2011 22:20

You didnt say he had boy-racer loaded insurance.

Ah yes I remember this OP now. DP isnt allowed to have any financial say in the house. Its hers alone and bequeathed to DC and any subsequent children she might have.

201
Do not reverse from a side road into a main road. When using a driveway, reverse in and drive out if you can.

[[
www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070340]]

MrBloomsNursery · 29/10/2011 22:22

WTH? Please tell me you're not a teacher, or you don't work with children....

Original poster

TheDetective · 29/10/2011 22:32

No I don't work with kids why?

And Trois what do you mean boy racer insurance? Ummm, I hate to tell you that the whole point of this particular tracker is to 'earn' miles and reward good drivers, to encourage young drivers to be safe responsible motorists. There is no such thing as boy racer insurance.

And just because I feel like letting you know 201 is guidance, this one below however is law because it says you MUST NOT...

145
You MUST NOT drive on or over a pavement, footpath or bridleway except to gain lawful access to property, or in the case of an emergency.

OP posts:

Original poster

TheDetective · 29/10/2011 22:36

The highway code works on guidance and law, some points are guidance and should be followed as far as possible, but are not illegal. Some points are illegal and where it states MUST NOT, these are the ones which must be adhered to.

So 201 is guidance, 145 is law.

The man fitting the tracker was breaking the law as he drove over a pavement, and was blocking the whole of the pavement, and was not gaining lawful access as he was unable to actually get more than 1m of the car on the drive (so the bonnet basically!)

OP posts:

TheSecondComing · 29/10/2011 22:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

TheDetective · 29/10/2011 23:20

Hehe! That made me giggle. No I'm not really, but I am good at finding things...

OP posts:

squeakyfreakytoy · 29/10/2011 23:23

ahhh

Store Detective/Security Guard

DontGoCurly · 29/10/2011 23:25

You know the thing about telling the Insurance company where you usually park (on the road/on the driveway) it just means usually. It doesn't literally mean you aren't insured if you park elsewhere.

OP, I think you are being very letter of the law rigid. Most people do bend the rules slightly in situations like this!

ThatsNotMyBabyBelly · 29/10/2011 23:35

I'm confused.

Why couldn't dp have moved his car, and the tracker guy moved his car, and you then drive out? Why did you want tracker guy to move both?

ChippingInAutumnLover · 30/10/2011 03:08

ThatsNotMyBabyBelly - because he's just an ickle bubby boy whose only just got his big grown up licence and he's not allowed to do any manouvres that you don't do in a driving examination because the little love hasn't been taught to do them...

TheDetective please tell me what you do for a job.

CalmaLlamaDown · 30/10/2011 03:28

I feel a bit sorry for your DP to be honest - you sound like you boss him about from the OP?

Catonkey · 30/10/2011 04:58

YABU. The bloke fitting the tracker was also a bit U. How did he react to your ranting btw? Don't complain to the company, you had your say, he's probably already told his bosses about it in a "you'll never guess what happened to me today" story - complaining is likely to be a pointless exercise and will only serve to wind everyone up even more.

Unclench.

SevenOfNine · 30/10/2011 05:23

Sorry, but what on earth is going on?!

How is she being unreasonable? I realize that some of you may think she over-reacted however if I asked someone to do something three times then had to do it myself I'd be cross. I wonder how many people would snipe at their partners if, say, they were asked to load the dishwasher at a certain time but didn't. You'd end up being inconvenienced because you'd have to do it, and the tea would be late, making everyone hungry and a bit annoyed.

It's the same principle. This bloke had no need to move the car in the first place, but did. He had no reason to delay you for work, he did. He had no reason to refuse your first, second or third request to move the cars. He did.

What baffles me is why he moved the cars in the first place? If the car that needed work on was to the side of the house with the correct side facing the pavement then I don't see why it needed to be on the drive in the first place.

And he shouldn't have blocked the pavement - what if a mother with a buggy came along? Or an OAP on a mobility scooter? Would he be sending a sympathy card if someone was run over because they were crossing the street unnecessarily?!

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