WIBU to email the school after an after-school club staff member reversed without looking and almost hit us?

[RachelWatts]

We were crossing the road outside the school. The after school club staff member was sitting in her car parked at the side of the road with the engine running while looking at her phone. I assumed she was either reading or sending a text so would not be moving her car until she'd finished.

I was aiming to cross behind her car as that was where a big gap and flat bit of pavement was as it was a driveway, and was the most logical place to cross the road, being directly opposite the gate we'd just used to leave the school.

Without warning, she reversed about three quartets of a car length as we were about to step into the gap behind her car, meaning I had to pull my older son out of the way. When she stopped, we were looking at the rear door. She still had her phone in her hand.

If I had been using a pushchair as I usually do, instead of a baby carrier, my younger son would have been hit.

I got my older son safely onto the pavement, then went to ask her if she'd seen us, but she drove off before I was able to get her attention.

Would I be unreasonable to e-mail the school to let them know and to ask them to ask the after school club staff to be a bit more careful?

I realise crossing the road near a car with it's engine running is probably something some of you would never do and think quite idiotic, but I feel as a car driver she should have bloody looked!

I do take pride in my driving BTW.
I have been driving for 29 years.

In that time I have had THREE RTAs which were non fault ( one resulting in my car being written off).

So yes, I know to my own personal cost (injury) that a moments lapse can have huge impact but it's not my place to say these other drivers should hand in their licence and drive a Noddy car at Tescos

And regarding reverse into a space - I do 99% of the time and many times some git has parked so close I cannot open my boot (One even parked 18" into my space over the line)

I doubt the school would do anything as it's not on school property , but have a word with the driver instead.

Corus exactly. Our school is a maelstrom of huge cars in the morning and all in a tiny little village street...because they CAN'T walk up the road a bit can they? Oh no they MUST park outside the school and sit with engines running while their kids are dropped off.

Btw I love your username!

70 actually our school thinks nothing of sending out texts warning people about dangerous parking etc. Most good schools WILL intervene...in fact ours got the police involved when people kept parking dangerously at drop off.

She should look where she is going when she is reversing, and not be using her phone of course - rule 202 of the Highway Code. But also, OP you broke rule 14 of the Highway Code.

Luckily I am very observant when reversing out of a space. Because sometimes in the supermarket literally 5 people will walk behind the car while I am slowly reversing- obviously with reverse lights on. Breaking rules 14 and 15 of the Highway Code.

14

Parked vehicles
If you have to cross between parked vehicles, use the outside edges of the vehicles as if they were the kerb. Stop there and make sure you can see all around and make sure the traffic can see you. Make sure there is a gap between any parked vehicles on the other side so you can reach the footway or footpath. Never cross the road in front of, or behind, any vehicle with its engine running, especially a large vehicle, as the driver may not be able to see you.

15

Reversing vehicles
Never cross behind a vehicle that is reversing, showing white reversing lights or sounding a warning.

You absolutely need to report this to the police, they will contact her and give her a good telling off.

I tend not walk behind a car with its engine running. If i absolutely have to i take a few steps back so i know im not in the drivers blind spot. If i was with children i would walk to the correct crossing and cross there.

Without warning, she reversed about three quartets of a car length

she was sitting in her car with her engine running. to me that's more than enough warning that the car is about to move.

The woman is wrong for using her phone, of course she shouldn't have her phone in her lap never mind her hand whilst driving however you cannot place the blame soley on her. You put yourself in a position where you could be hit because you 'assumed' the car wouldn't be moving just yet.
so to me you are both at fault.

If you a) think not driving into people's children constitutes an "exacting standard"

She didn't actually reverse in to someone's child. She stupidly and carelessly reversed without properly checking her mirrors and checking over her shoulder to see if anyone was in her blindspot. It was bad luck that someone was there and would have been even worse luck if she had hit someone.

I agree that she should have been made aware of what she had done so she will be more careful another time, but I still maintain the best approach would have been to thump on the car and let her know what she had done there and then.

please do everyone else a favour and hand your licence back to the DVLA.....
So you think if anyone makes any mistake at all through a moment's inattention or a bad decision then, even if none is hurt and no damage done, that is it take their license away? Wow you must be supremely confident in your driving skills.

'Without warning, she reversed about three quartets of a car length'

The engine running and the reversing lights coming on should have been a warning to you!!!

Did OP have any words with the negligent reverser at the time, or is she hoping school will do it all for her?

I can't see how it's appropriate to ask school to do it. Better to woman up & approach the driver yourself.

(occasionally negligent driver myself)

Thanks for the comments everyone.

To the person who asked if she had three hands - she was holding the phone in her right hand. I guess she must have been holding the phone and steadying the wheel with the heel of the same hand, while she changed gear with her left.

Her reverse lights came on as DS1 stepped behind the car, which was what prompted me to yank him back into the middle of the road. We were still stepping backwards when her car shot back. She must have slammed the car onto reverse and immediately taken her foot off the brake.

In case I haven't explained clearly, she was parked on the far side of the road from the school. We were almost all the way across when she moved the car.

In hindsight I should have just given her car a thump to get her attention, but at the time I was more concerned with getting out of the road and safely onto the pavement.

not the school - the police on 101.

holding a phone while driving is not 'a moment of silliness' or ;a moment of inattention'- it is the kind of stupidity and selfishness that gets people killed. And nearly did.

hopefully the cops will teach her a lesson before she kills someone. Because it may not be her.

PHONES SHOULD BE OFF IN THE CAR IF YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON TO DEAL WITH IT. END OF. No-one is that important.