to have argued back after nearly hitting children with car on the school run?

[KarasKite]

This morning I was approaching a roundabout. There were three lanes - two with queued traffic and my lane was clear. Just before the roundabout there's a traffic light controlled pedestrian crossing, the light was green. As I approached at about 25 mph a pushchair appeared with 3 kids piled in/on from between the lanes of traffic and I had to slam my brakes on as their mum was texting and hadn't even noticed me. She glared at me and carried on. I'm heavily pregnant so emergency stops are not ideal.

I saw her again on the way back to town and again she was crossing between traffic on a busy road. I then saw her in town while walking with dd and she said I should be more careful because I nearly hit her kids and they were terrified, in a really arsey and aggressive way. I said I'm sorry they were scared but perhaps if their mum would stop pushing them out in front of traffic/cars these things wouldn't happen. She said she'll 'report me for driving dangerously' AIBU to think I didn't do anything wrong and to have argued my case?

I can't quire visualise what you mean.If you approach a light controlled multi lane crossing as it turns green, then you have to let the other lanes set off first.For just this reason-there might be pedestrians on the crossing you can't see
Is that what happened?

She's the sort who'll never listen. I don't think YWBU, but it was wasted effort on your behalf.

She can report you all she likes, no one will take any notice. I wouldn't worry about it.

I am assuming that the light was green for traffic but the other lanes were queuing so she took her chances and weaves through the standstill traffic rather than wait for the green man.

YANBU, she was being irresponsible and endangering her kids. She had a go at you, you were not wrong to point out that it was her being reckless, not you.

Not sure you should approach the lights near a crossing at that speed though - unless you could see the crossing very clearly.
The woman should not be texting if she is crossing a road with children - she must be crazy.

She's an idiot. YANBU

Sounds like you were going too fast to approach a round about with lights and queuing traffic on the other side as you had no clear vision.

Sounds like you were driving quite dangerously.

She had clear vision of the road ahead. Pedestrian should have waited for the lights to change.

It sounds to me like you were driving fine and this women was incredibly irresponsible to be crossing the road in between traffic, especially while looking at her phone.

Ywnbu, but people like that are thick, and will never see themselves as the problem.

It doesn't sound like you were driving dangerously at all, it sounds like the mother is an idiot.

I'm amazed she even recognised you again.

I'm not clear what happened. Was she crossing against a light? Or were you moving to fast, given that the other lanes of traffic were stopped (presumably as she and the kids were crossing)? If other lanes are stopped, you need to stop and check the road - even if you have a green light - as there could be a pedestrian crossing that you cannot see. Which there was.

She sounds like a fool, YANBU.

No YANBU. She took a risk and what is worse took it whilst bloody texting in charge of children.

Ah, no, I think I get it. You were approaching the pedestrian crossing, intending to stop, when they appeared - but they appeared randomly in the street before you had even arrived at the crossing.

If that's it, she's an idiot.

I'd never text when crossing the road, whether or not I had kids with me. She's nuts.

YANBU but arguing with someone like that is a waste of your time

The pedestrian crossed against the crossing lights I think. Because 2 lane of traffic were stopped due to a jam but the OP's lane was free. is that right?

It never ceases to amaze me how stupid some parents are at crossings.

The one that really bugs me is parents waiting safely on the pavement to cross with the buggy stuck out into the traffic.

OP YWNBU.

YANBU.

Sadly she will continue on her merry way too idiotic to realise her actions could have caused serious injury to her children or worse.

I see this a lot where parents push the pram out in to traffic without so much as a glance at what's coming. Drives my DH spare and he cannot grasp the level of some peoples stupidity.

YANBU. I had a lady walk out in front of me at a pedestrian crossing. It was green for me. Red man for her. She thought putting her hand up to the cars in both directions meant she could cross. She had even pushed the button. I was not going fast but had to slam on my breaks as I genuinely never thought she was going to walk into the road.

You do not have to be going fast to slam on your breaks!!

Hope you /baby are OK.

As much as the pedestrian was an idiot - when you drive you have to be prepared for things like this to happen.
If there is a crossing and you are passing queued up cars in other lanes - you cannot see everything clearly.
You cannot just merrily travel at that speed near a crossing in that situation just because your lane is clear.
You need to be extra cautious because a child could appear from nowhere on their own - These children were with an adult - but it is still not their fault that their mother is an idiot so it would be no good saying after the even that it was not your fault you killed them - she should not have crossed/been texting.
It is your responsibility to make sure you can proceed safely.

It sounds like YANBU. I would never cross my children over a road until the green man appeared/traffic lights were at red because it is just not safe to do so.

I suppose if I were on my own & in a hurry I would take a chance - but also make sure I was looking where I was going in case a car did appear!

I think the OP was driving fine - she had been driving at a speed that allowed her to stop without hitting someone who stepped out unexpectedly.

The womans an idiot. YANBU.