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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this driver was a twat

241 replies

PunkrockerGirl · 04/12/2015 22:01

Driving home about 6pm, very busy main road, 30mph speed limit.
A cat ran out in front of me, I braked, the car behind went right into me.
I got out of the car to a tirade of abuse and that if anything happened to the baby in the car I would be responsible Confused
I gently suggested that she had been driving very close to me right up my arse but just got screamed at.
I asked if they'd called the police and they said that they had. In the meantime, I called dh and ds to come and be with me. The police didn't turn up because they hadn't been called. Loads of incensed and abusive relatives turned up instead.

My dh and ds came, police were called and (rightly so) an ambulance to check the baby over (who was beaming and being bounced up and down by the outraged mother when dh went to see if they were ok).
Anyway, I feel very shaken up but glad that nobody was hurt.

Anyway, aibu to think if you drive so close to the person in front that you can't stop in time when they brake, then baby or no baby on board, you are driving like a twat.
And to say you've called the police when in fact what you've done is called loads of relatives to swerve up and intimidate the person you've bashed into is about as low as it gets.

OP posts:
LunchpackOfNotreDame · 04/12/2015 22:17

If the same happened and you were on your driving test you'd have failed. To slam the brakes on or swerve puts you and others at serious risk of harm.

Samcro · 04/12/2015 22:18

Wombatinabathhat Fri 04-Dec-15 22:06:06
But you called your relatives rather than the police as well confused

WHAT SHE SAID

Slowjog · 04/12/2015 22:18

That cat could have been anything. A small child or an elderly person. It doesn't really matter why OP stopped, what matters is that the driver behind left no stopping distance.

Hoppinggreen · 04/12/2015 22:18

Someone ran into the back of me when I braked on a country road to avoid a rabbit - I know I shouldn't have braked but I was inexperienced and reacted instinctively. The police came and when I told them what happened they said it wasn't my fault as I should be even able to stop dead without someone hitting the back of me. Insurance paid out to me as well and I got a small amount of compensation for being hospitalised with concussion.
Obviously braking suddenly isn't ideal but legally I think that it was the other cars fault

LunchpackOfNotreDame · 04/12/2015 22:18

Tbh irrespective of the whys and wherefores she went in the back of you so on the insurance claim she's to blame.

Samcro · 04/12/2015 22:19

i think the op needs to get her story straight

PolterGoose · 04/12/2015 22:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AtSea1979 · 04/12/2015 22:20

I'm confused, why did you need the police? Was the car written off? Why didn't you just swap insurance details and drive on?

Owllady · 04/12/2015 22:20

If you go into the back of some one, you are always at fault

LunchpackOfNotreDame · 04/12/2015 22:21

Swerving and stopping for small wildlife and cats puts you and others at risk and could land you with a dangerous driving ticket if you're really unlucky.

Obviously if a dog, person or fuck off big bit of livestock steps out you swerve or stop!

Slowjog · 04/12/2015 22:22

Why?

PolterGoose · 04/12/2015 22:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Brokenwardrobe · 04/12/2015 22:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pissedglitter · 04/12/2015 22:22

Polter I took my test 3 years ago I didn't do an emergency stop
Was told it's no longer a requirement

Owllady · 04/12/2015 22:23

You are allowed to do an emergency stop if you are going to hit an animal Confused I sometimes think I've walked into the twilight zone on here!
If someone hits you from behind, it's their fault!

I know because I've done it poor woman

PolterGoose · 04/12/2015 22:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Nishky · 04/12/2015 22:24

lunchpack no way would braking suddenly get you a dangerous driving 'ticket' -whatever that is

Raxacoricofallapatorius · 04/12/2015 22:25

Emergency stop is still part of some tests. You are still taught it and some tests still ask you demonstrate it but time and traffic constraints mean it's not universal.

Owllady · 04/12/2015 22:26

The person I went into the back of (coming off a motorway sliproad) went into shock and I had to catch her and get her out of the road. It's horrible :(
I'm not sure why people are so harsh/shouty. Accidents happen. We don't need to shout at one another

NorbertDentressangle · 04/12/2015 22:26

Those of you saying to the OP "but you called your relatives too and not the police", the OP was told by the other driver that the police had been called.

"I asked if they'd called the police and they said that they had"

Marshy · 04/12/2015 22:28

Of course you weren't in the wrong! You braked suddenly because something ran out in front of you and the person behind was too close or too fast or both and couldn't safely stop. Totally out of order to blame you for any resulting injury to her passenger, whether or not a baby.

LunchpackOfNotreDame · 04/12/2015 22:29

If your actions to avoid a cat cause an accident then you run the risk of being done for dangerous driving.

I've been on the receiving end of being rear ended (I was stationery at traffic lights driver was watching the road ahead rather than the road in front of them and got me at between 30 and 40mph) it's nasty and shakes you right up and I have every sympathy for the op.

I'm just also playing devil's advocate

pictish · 04/12/2015 22:31

Lunchpack - you're just plucking this stuff out of your bum the air.

LunchpackOfNotreDame · 04/12/2015 22:31

No I'm not.

Nishky · 04/12/2015 22:32

Once again lunchpack -no you wouldn't

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