WIBU To call 101 about the man who drove at my kids on the pavement to get onto his drive?

[YouveGotRedOnYou]

Hi Everyone,
This is my first post, I'll try to keep it short and sweet. I've just picked my DD1 (6) up from school with my DD2 (3) and DD3 (5 months). As we were walking home the two older girls were walking with DNe (9) on the pavement, close to the wall as always, a couple of steps ahead of me and DSis, DD2 was holding DNe's hand.I was pushing DD3 in the pram. There are a few dropped curbs along this road and the kids are always sensible.
A man suddenly starts turning into the drive from the opposite side of the road as the kids are walking across it. We call out to him to stop but he keeps going. I had to run at him to get him to stop.
I'm afraid I shouted at him a little bit because it really scared me. His argument was that he was holding up traffic.They were walking normally, it wasn't a junction, they were on the pavement.
Surely as we were on the pavement we have right of way? We were already by the entrance to the drive when he started driving at us?
WIBU to call 101 to report him for dangerous driving?

Pedestrians have priority on the footpath

I was disappointed by the attitude of the police. I think a minority of drivers believe that because their vehicle would win in an altercation, the child should make way. I have responsibilities as a parent with regard to teaching my child about road safety. People that buy houses on a busy road/ drivers on a school run should drive safely. We have the same problem with regard to people driving into or reversing out of the road. Driving and parking within the school car parks are like unbelievably awful.

GrimmaTheNome - I think you are right. Don't drive or reverse your car into children is too obvious.

I would call 101 as he needs to note that he is in the wrong, even if nothing more comes of it.

[Law RTA 1988 sects 2 & 3 as amended by RTA 1991]
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.

Being late for school is not an emergency.

With regard to parking on the footpath: Department for Transport states that "A local authority can make a traffic regulation order (TRO) to prohibit footway parking on a designated length of highway or over a wider area. This means the Council can target problem areas rather than applying a blanket ban". Does this contradict the fact that vehicles must be driven onto the pavement to park there?

We also have a large pavement area not far from the school. There are double yellow lines,so people park up fully on the pavement! What happened to common sense and consideration?

YouveGotRedOnYou, I hear you.

I bet you were really shaken up. Better that the driver caused a small inconvenience to other road uses than he killed or injured a child. Some drivers will never understand this concept

YANBU.

Makes me spitting mad, that drivers are so focused on not inconveniencing themselves they force pedestrians into dangerous situations. (Not all I hasten to add!)

The pavements are wide enough to accommodate a parked car here as well Red which means that I have to push my buggy in the road because people are too lazy to walk round a bloody corner!

someone did the pulling right up onto the pavement thing on the corner near school. as i wwas manouvering round this car on the pavement with ds, he got under my feet and tripped me up. I sat on the bmw's bonnet.

YANBU.

"Holding up traffic" is a rubbish excuse to drive at a pedestrian. Especially because if they hit the pedestrian, all the ambulances and police cars would cause a lot more traffic disruption than them waiting an extra few minutes to turn across the road would.

I'd be calling 101 if that happened to me. The police may not prosecute, but even if they just go round to this man's house and ask him about it or tell him off, it may make him think twice about driving at pedestrians in the future.

did you ring them?

I sent an email to community patrol, it seemed like a more appropriate course of action once I'd calmed down a bit. Waiting for a response.

You are in the right, of course, and the driver should be told off, etc

But... children are more difficult to spot, particularly if there are other parked cars or passing cars obstruct a view.

I prefer to walk with the children, rather than a few steps behind or ahead, as I am easier to spot, being taller.
Particularly where there are dropped curbs.

You're right Lueji and normally the girls are walking with me but its a very narrow pavement and if people are walking towards you it's pretty much single file and I want them in front of me so I can see them.