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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be stunned by the reaction dh witnessed at the war memorial today

114 replies

Northernlurker · 13/11/2011 20:45

(Sorry this is my second aibu remembrance day thread - I've got a cold, it's making me intolerant)

So dh went with my parents to the church service and wreath laying in a nearby village. I was laid low at home with myself (cold), dd2 (headache) and dd3 (slapped cheek - COVERED in spots) Two or three folks are always organised in yellow jackets to stop the traffic near to the memorial for the two minutes silence. Today this occurred and the driver of the vehicle stopped and SHOUTED 'D'you own the road??' He was politely asked to wait two minutes which he then did. Now fair enough that people could be caught unawares by the presence of 170 people in the village street but wouldn't you think when asked to wait TWO minutes you would just.....well.....wait - not shout? AIBU?

OP posts:
gordyslovesheep · 13/11/2011 20:47

not sure why the traffic needed to be stopped?

CocoPopsAddict · 13/11/2011 20:47

Well you know, people do have their own stuff going on.

E.g. he could have been on his way to the hospital where his wife was giving birth.

Etc etc.

MissPenteuth · 13/11/2011 20:48

Some people are aggressive, impatient and obnoxious. Some of those people also happen to be drivers. I hope his twattish behaviour didn't ruin the memorial service for everyone.

JamieComeHome · 13/11/2011 20:49

Some people are wankers. I try and focus on the 99% who aren't

emsyj · 13/11/2011 20:50

I've never heard of traffic being stopped for the 2 minute silence.

Tbh it feels wrong and churlish and disrespectful to say this, but I would be irked at being told what to do by an officious person who derived their authority solely from a borrowed yellow jacket.

I would still have stopped though and seethed quietly at being told what to do.

Maisiethemorningsidecat · 13/11/2011 20:51

In which case he would probably have said "my wife is having a baby and I need to get through"

I'm guessing this is a small village and you observe the 2 minute silence at the war memorial - which means no noise, which includes traffic noise, and no shouting (and looking like an idiot). Yes, we all have our own stuff going on, but for 2 minutes we can stop that stuff - unlike those whose stuff has stopped permanently as a result of war.

giveitago · 13/11/2011 20:54

I observed the silence but I didn't really now what it's for (and I'm british and middle aged). I drove up my street and there was procession about to take place but I wasn't stopped. The two non nationals I was with seemed to think my explanation for the ceremony might be incorrect (quite possibly).

I'm more than happy to observe silence but also think that others who don't want to can get about their business.

scaevola · 13/11/2011 20:54

Traffic is often stopped for parades, ceremonial events and demonstrations.

Our local branch of the British Legion marches from the war memorial outside the church back to its clubhouse annually on Remembrance Sunday and the police hold back traffic so the Parade and proceed.

idlingabout · 13/11/2011 20:54

Well the laying of wreaths at the memorial in our village would have been impossible without stopping traffic as the memorial now forms part of a mini roundabout. Highways were there to close off the roads , which were closed for about half an hour in total. No-one made a fuss. A couple of motorbikers switched their engines off and pushed their vehicles past then started up again. All the other cars had to wait.

Gigondas · 13/11/2011 20:55

didn't see anyone shouting at them but did see 2 lots of police/wardens etc directing traffic/people around open air services this morning. I don't particularly mind but did find it odd that this was required (as both of the services were actually off the road ). but to op -= yes its unreasonable to shout like that.

Original poster
Northernlurker · 13/11/2011 20:55

He was going in the opposite direction to the town and the hospital so I think the birth scenario is unlikely. The traffic is stopped because when this village built the memorial they picked a central location on a grass island bounded by three roads. Of course in 1919 there wasn't that much traffic!

OP posts:
Sirzy · 13/11/2011 20:55

If the traffic needed to be stopped it should have been the police doing it.

The route of the parade I take part in means the roads do need to be shut, and a road is shut at the cenotaph but it is done by the police.

You aren't allowed to just shut roads without it all being done officially are you?

A1980 · 13/11/2011 20:55

Sorry this is my second aibu remembrance day thread

Probably because this has been the second two minute silence in 48 hours? Does everyone need to do it twice? Perhaps they'd already done it on Friday.

People in borrowed yellow jackets have no authority to stop traffic btw. They aren't police et al.

spiderpig8 · 13/11/2011 20:56

i am not suTom dick and harry can stop traffic.I think you would need permission from the police who only do it if there is a parade for reasons of safety.YABU

spiderpig8 · 13/11/2011 20:57

I meant 'not sure' grrr

auntiepicklebottom2 · 13/11/2011 20:58

life doesn't stop, you don't know what kind of a day someone has or where they need to be.

ElphabaisWicked · 13/11/2011 20:59

I've never heard of traffic being stopped either. I would be quite annoyed myself at being forcibly stopped to be honest thought I wouldn't have shouted I would have asked politely that I be let through unless it was someone with actual authority to stop the traffic such as a police officer. Fair enough if it was to let a parade pass safely (in which case these things are usually advertised in advance) but not for any other reason.

ElphabaisWicked · 13/11/2011 21:02

In fact I'm fairly certain they have to legally advertise road closeures regardless of how temporary in the local paper/on signes in the area.

JamieComeHome · 13/11/2011 21:02

So someone's crap day justifies an inability to stop for 2 minutes and shouting at someone. If someone's that het up maybe they shouldn't be on the road.......

dementedma · 13/11/2011 21:04

traffic is always stopped here in all directions. It's only two minutes on a Sunday. The fact that it happens every year in the same place in the same time is a bit of a clue that the traffic is going to be stopped!

two4one · 13/11/2011 21:04

Sorry, I'm all for the two mins silence but see no reason why traffic should stop for it. I happened to be driving during it this year and observed it with the help of the radio. You don't have to be standing outside a cenotaph with a wreath to remember.

scaevola · 13/11/2011 21:04

Did you actually have police authorisation to close the road and a bobby there?

If not, then you were in the wrong to close the highway (ordinary public shouldn't do this unless it's an emergency).

But the driver was IMMENSELY rude to shout at a wreath-laying ceremony.

Original poster
Northernlurker · 13/11/2011 21:06

I wasn't there so I don't know about the police thing. I do know who spoke to the driver and that was an elderly village resident. Judging by the (unexpectedly) large number of people attending there will have people standing in the road too.

OP posts:
Sirzy · 13/11/2011 21:06

two4one. Often for the parades they have no choice but to stop the traffic. In our town it would be impossible to parade without doing so.

Of course you don't have to be stood outside on centoaph to remember but doing so means a lot to a lot of people.

I dont have any issue with roads closing once a year for such an event but only if done properly.

bruxeur · 13/11/2011 21:07

It wasn't 2 minutes, it was half an hour. Just so Brian from the parish council can forget his prostate for a few moments of self-important bliss.

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