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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Terrible driver on the school run - WIBU to call 101

43 replies

biscuitkumquat · 08/09/2015 12:45

On the school run this morning.

Most morning drivers use the outside lane to try to skip the queuing traffic turning left, then cut back in, not always safely.

This morning, a driver decided to force their way into the too small space in front of my car when the traffic in my lane had started moving, no indicators, just tried to move really quickly & hoped that there would be enough space.

I had to slam the brakes on & do a proper emergency stop or I would have hit them. (Luckily the driver behind me was slightly further back or he would have been in the back of me)

My DC got an awful fright, as did I.

When I got to work, I called 101 to report the incident (took the reg number), and the police are coming to see me tonight to get a report, after which they will, presumably, go to speak with the other driver.

My DH thinks IABU, as they were maybe just running late, and I should have just accepted that no-one was hurt, I should have expected that someone would try to do that, and put it down to experience.

OP posts:
Junosmum · 08/09/2015 12:48

YANBU. Some people are dicks. The other driver probably does it regularly.

We've all got in the wrong lane before but we're not all dicks about getting back in the right one.

winterinmadeira · 08/09/2015 12:51

Yanbu- in fact I'm pleased that you reported it. It could have caused a nasty accident.

DriverSurpriseMe · 08/09/2015 12:53

I hate that kind of dickish queue jumping.

They could have sat there indicating until some mug person let them in, not try to ram themselves into a gap without warning. Good for you for reporting.

Original poster
biscuitkumquat · 08/09/2015 12:57

We were shunted years ago when DC was very young, by a driver pushing in, so I'm usually quite happy about letting people in (so they don't just hit me!) But, I got a real fright this morning & luckily I was paying attention.

I didn't think I was BU, but DH is much more laid back than me!

OP posts:
TenForward82 · 08/09/2015 12:57

No. I got into a road rage incident with a woman who did a speedy unsafe u-turn in my office car park, without stopping, and expected me to get out of the way. Presumably she was in a hurry too.

In my and your example, nobody got hurt only because we were vigilant and stopped in time. Why should we have to constantly plan for people driving insanely?

Spartans · 08/09/2015 13:00

Yanbu. I have done it before, a couple of times.

This once happened to me going to work. It was a collegie of mine in a company can. I reported him too. Really shuck me up. My reasoning was that if he caused an accident and I knew he drove crap, I would feel bad.

allnewredfairy · 08/09/2015 13:05

YABU to report it to 101. I might have been tempted to fire off an email of complaint to the bus company though. I think the police have enough to do without investigating all the cut up traffic in the roads..

Original poster
biscuitkumquat · 08/09/2015 13:13

allnewredfairy It wasn't a bus, it was just a regular car. But yes, you're absolutely right, if it had been a bus, or a car/van with signage I would've done that.

OP posts:
Gruntfuttock · 08/09/2015 13:16

"YABU to report it to 101. I might have been tempted to fire off an email of complaint to the bus company though."

WTF? Confused

GloGirl · 08/09/2015 13:20

I say YABU, lots of near misses happen on the road, I'm surprised the police are following it up.

KinkyAfro · 08/09/2015 13:23

Glogirl so you're OK with lots of near misses then? What happens when one hits, would you be so blasé then?

Tywinlannister · 08/09/2015 13:25

Yanbu. They may find this person has no license. Happens all the time here. Years ago my old car was hit by a woman who begged me not to report her as she had no license. I wish more people reported this kind of thing.

LokiDokey · 08/09/2015 13:25

I say YABU, lots of near misses happen on the road, I'm surprised the police are following it up

Have to say, I agree. There must be thousands of these incidents a day. I'm sure the Police have better things to be doing with their time and ultimately even if they do visit the other driver I suspect their reply will be 'I didn't do that'. It wont go any further and is frankly a waste of time and paperwork for an already overworked force over a near miss.

TheHouseOnTheLane · 08/09/2015 13:28

Loki I think that's exactly the attitude which contributes to the many, minor and serious road accidents we see in the UK. People are terribly complacent!

OP YANBU!

Original poster
biscuitkumquat · 08/09/2015 13:30

I wouldn't have reported this had it simply been a near miss, but this driver caused this situation by deliberately being in the wrong lane to skip the traffic unless of course they were new to the area, and didn't see any of the many, many signs, then didn't indicate, forced their car into a space that wasn't there, then didn't acknowledge it. That makes it deliberate in my view.

OP posts:
Lweji · 08/09/2015 13:31

YANBU at all.

Sometimes I wish I had a camera on the front of my car.

19lottie82 · 08/09/2015 13:34

Lweji..... You can get one (dashcam) for under £15 on eBay!

Original poster
biscuitkumquat · 08/09/2015 13:37

Can it be used as evidence 19lottie82?

That sounds like a great idea. Although knowing my luck, someone would break into my car to steal it.

OP posts:
ineedabodytransplant · 08/09/2015 13:38

I have dashcams front and rear.

People drive like dicks becasue they don't expect to be reported. They expect to get their own way and everyone else can piss off.

Good on you OP.

ineedabodytransplant · 08/09/2015 13:38

Suppose rear camera isn't technically a 'dashcam' Grin

Oliversmumsarmy · 08/09/2015 13:50

Given the queues and traffic around here this is how most people drive. I am a bit shocked you actually called the police. If the police came out to every incident of this sort the system would grind to a halt. Try driving in central London when you have pedestrians playing chicken, trying to avoid the buses and taxis pulling out from the bus lanes and everyone else trying to get a few feet ahead or pulling in because some one has decided to do a right turn. I suppose I have got used to this and what you describe happens to me daily.

tiggytape · 08/09/2015 13:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DrivingMissLazy1 · 08/09/2015 13:56

I'm quite surprised that the police are attending. There's no damage caused, just a case of bad driving. It's your word against the other driver. I would have probably shouted "wanker" and carried on with my day.

It's a job getting the police to attend burglaries around here Confused

KinkyAfro · 08/09/2015 14:04

just a case of bad driving? Just? I take it you haven't been hit by one of these bad drivers then? One of these bad drivers pulled out of a side road and hit me side on, on the passenger side, pushing me into oncoming traffic on the other side of the road. I was extremely lucky not to have been killed and will probably never fully recover from my injuries.

tigerscameatnight · 08/09/2015 14:17

Yanbu a lorry did this to me a few years back when now exh was driving. We ended up half way up a roundabout to avoid crashing .

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