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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to wonder what on earth I did to prompt this reaction (driving related)

62 replies

ihateminecraft · 23/02/2016 16:12

I was just driving DD home from school, a journey I do every single day. I was driving down the local High Street in slowish moving traffic, probably 15-20 mph max. I did notice that a big white X5 was behind me all the way down the street. I then signalled to turn right into a side road and moved to the crown of the road. Suddenly, I heard a loud, aggressive BEEEEP. I was puzzled as I knew I'd performed a very normal manoeuvre that I do every day so turned round in time to see the X5 go past with driver guestering at me aggressively (the windows were tinted so hard to see the gender). Unless I'm being really thick, I've no clue what I did wrong. I signalled in good time, the traffic wasn't moving quickly and my positioning didn't prevent them from passing me. I can think of nothing I did prior to turning off to provoke such a reaction as I was merely driving for less than half a mile along a straight road at normal speed for the flow of traffic. I did note down the number plate as I half considered reporting them for intimidating, aggressive driving (but probably won't).

SO, is this person a massive dick or am I a shit driver???

OP posts:

Karls88 · 23/02/2016 17:10

As suggested, I would check your lights. Otherwise, sounds like a classic case of BMW driver. (I drive a 3 series ).

A similar thing happened to me the other morning. Driving down a road approaching a mini roundabout. I can only turn left or go straight across. As I was going straight across, no need to indicate, correct? Driver pulled up to the round about (almost didn't stop) from my left, so I had the right of way. I saw him stop sharply, throw his hands in the air and then beep at me for not indicating when I went straight across (there was not traffic from my right). I'd just forget about it, some people have serious anger issues.

amarmai · 23/02/2016 17:15

the pattern i'm reading is male drivers being aggressive to women drivers.

Almostfifty · 23/02/2016 17:17

Some people are knobs, pure and simple.

I was once leaving the petrol station, and stopped for a car that was already driving out. I'd stopped in plenty of time once I saw it, (had a car blocking my view so driving slowly) but the passenger didn't seem to think so and started yelling, screaming and gesticulating at me.

I was totally bemused and burst out laughing. That didn't endear me to her.

CottonSock · 23/02/2016 17:19

Someone beeped me and waving arms last week at a roundabout as I didn't pull out. I couldn't see to pull out safely (i may have given him a finger in anger..). Then he pulled alongside and opened window to tell me he was letting me know if was safe to pull out. Slightly embarrassing, but who would do that!?

Wardrobespierre · 23/02/2016 17:24

I had the same today. Driving in a 20mph zone, indicated right in plenty of time and slowed steadily. The prat in the BMW behind me had been tailgaiting me for at least 3 miles and was really pissed off with doing the speed limit. He clearly hadn't seen or couldn't see my indicator as he was practically getting biblical with me. He slammed on his brake, tooted, frothed and screeched off. Wazzock.

OurBlanche · 23/02/2016 17:26

It wasn't me. My BMW hasn't moved all day

ElasticPants · 23/02/2016 17:28

To get to my gym there is a narrow road that runs through a golf course. It's only wide enough for one car and has several mini lay-bys for car to pass each other.
This morning an arsehole in a brand new range rover refused to reverse to the wider bit to let me get past. His rear wheel was literally two metres away from it. After a standoff I caved in and drove over the golf course. I've consoled myself with the knowledge his car is too big for him to drive properly

mumofsnotbags · 23/02/2016 17:32

Just to prove it's not all men... I had a young girl recently fly up alongside me on the motorway (only 2 lanes) I was in the left hand lane as I was coming off at the next junction which by this point was approx 50 feet away, I didn't know why she'd slowed down next to me but when I finally looked over shes screaming at me and waving her hands telling me to either hurry up or slow down so she could get in....I kid you not on the motorway in rush hour traffic she couldn't be bothered to pull behind the car after me as there was nothing in that lane for miles, so instead speeds up to try and overtake me.. even my mum and ds who were with me couldn't figure out what she was playing at.

Then at the bottom I get the whole waving the hands thing, screaming at me through the windows like it was obviously my fault for going at 70mph... we sat there laughing at her for a while which only riled her up more because honestly it was so surreal,, people like that don't believe they are ever in the wrong, and hopefully one day she'll have a massive wagon up her bum going 90mph doing the same thing to her.

BabyGanoush · 23/02/2016 17:33

I had that last week.

Turned out my indicator did not work

Still the idiotic screeching tyres and gesturing (from the 4x4 driver in my case) mean the stupid driver was much too close to me, so that me slowing down slightly before the turn (my brake lights did work) made her almost crash into me

FindoGask · 23/02/2016 17:35

It's really very difficult to say what, if anything, you did wrong without having been there! Obviously you've told us your own recollection of the incident but that might not be 100% accurate. On the basis of your story, yes, the man is an obvious dick. But his story might be different.

MadamDeathstare · 23/02/2016 17:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BaggyPantz · 23/02/2016 17:38

I was waiting in the left lane at a busy roundabout, to take the 2nd exit (standard 4 exit roundabout). Some guy in a monster of a vehicle pulls up in the right lane, I figure as he's not indicating to go right, he's going to try and nip in front of me to take the 2nd exit. I'm used to this twattish behaviour at roundabouts, so we pull out at the same time but I held back slightly to avoid collision. Oh but he only goes and turns LEFT! Yes, turns left from the right hand lane, cutting in front of me and nearly colliding with the driver behind me also turning left. Then has the audacity to beep at me after I held down the horn at him! WTAF?!

Canyouforgiveher · 23/02/2016 17:44

Yesterday morning a hipster twat with one of those old testament jump on the bandwagon beards aggressively pushed out of a sidestreet in front of me (had to brake not to hit him) in order to get into the opposite lane of traffic-and then had to sit there in front of me, holding up my lane of traffic, unable to move as there was a stream of traffic going in the other direction (which was why I didn't wave him out). ass.

sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 23/02/2016 17:48

Im an audi driver and proud. Never had an accident in 12 years of driving. No points on my license, stupid generalisations.

HSMMaCM · 23/02/2016 17:48

Dash cams are your friends. Some cut dh, DD and me up in their car, slammed their brakes on in front of us and then when we had the temerity to overtake, zoomed past us again, blocked the WHOLE road and jumped out to assault dh. All on dash cam and awaiting a court case. He denied driving the car when the police went to question him and was apparently a bit gobsmacked to see his face and hear his words on film. He had a toddler in his car with him as well !!!

A lovely M&S driver witnessed the whole thing and is also cooperating with the police investigation.

boredofusername · 23/02/2016 17:49

It is worrying isn't it. My father told me to drive as if everyone else on the road is an idiot, and I'd be ok. My mum told me that if I didn't drive too fast, and knew where the brake was, I'd be ok.

I think both pieces of advice are worthwhile.

Sometimes I worry that my indicator isn't working because people do things like in the OP's scenario. But it does work. And as I mentioned yesterday on the learner driver thread, I do think the car has an invisibility cloak of some kind.

Lane discipline at roundabouts is awful. And people have no idea how to indicate. If you turning left, you indicate left. If you are going straight on, you indicate left as you get to your exit. And if you are going right or to a 4th or 5th exit, you indicate right until you pass the last exit before the one you want, and then switch to the left indicator. But most people don't bother doing the switch to the left so you don't know if they are actually going right, or going all the way round. (I was told once that in New Zeland you are not allowed to go all the way round a roundabout - can anyone tell me if that's true, and if so, what do you do if you miss your exit)?

LifeofI · 23/02/2016 17:50

This happen to me because i choose to stop at traffic lights but the dri er instead scraped my car on the right wbilst hurling abuse at me.
I can bet the x5 was on the phone texting and didnt notice u stoping so beeped you because thsy are thick
Thats all it is

boredofusername · 23/02/2016 17:50

I mean New ZeAland!

Vanderwaals · 23/02/2016 17:57

I think I met his wife. Driving the same car.
Tailgating along a NSL road.
She must of beeped her horn 100 times.
I was not going slow!

Niklepic · 23/02/2016 18:11

I live on a road that's just after where the main road turns from 40 to 30. I had some utter belling tailgating me all the way down the main road, who obviously thought I was indicating for no reason whatsoever, and then proceeded to overtake me just as I was turning right into my street. How he missed me I have no idea. He then beeped at ME!!!

Niklepic · 23/02/2016 18:15

*bellend, not belling. Phone not letting me swear. Fucker!

jellycat1 · 23/02/2016 18:19

Am I missing something? OP doesn't say anything about an Audi?? She says X5!! And people can be dicks in every make of car so
It's a bit silly to say people who drive one make are all dicks. I HATE people who aggressively beep at other people particularly the absolute second the lights change. Aagh! It makes driving unnecessarily stressful. It doesn't sound like the driver was trying to be helpful OP but I'd comfort yourself with the thought that you'll never see them again. They probably have hypertension if they have that short a fuse!

biscuitkumquat · 23/02/2016 18:27

Happened to me today too.

Was waiting to turn into an Industrial Estate, but there was a car coming towards me & there wasn't room for us both, so I flashed the oncoming car.

Van behind me was not happy with this, and went careering round me, beeping his horn.

He was not happy that I then followed him into the Industrial Estate, then followed him into the car park of the company he worked for. He was then, even more unhappy when I parked right beside his van.

He scuttled into the workshop area really quickly, but not in time to see me go into Reception to speak to the Workshop Manager, who'd asked me to come in because he wants me to buy some equipment from them.

Squigglybear · 23/02/2016 18:32

How about this...driving down the motorway and a car comes steaming down the inside lane flashing headlights at people to move them aside, goes into the middle lane squeezing through a gap between two cars from the middle to outside lane. You would have thought it was an undercover police car but poor driving skills and poor road craft suggested otherwise.

LimitedSedition · 23/02/2016 18:34

Driving whilst female. I got so much hassle it was unreal until I swapped my car for one with a relatively heavily tinted rear window. Hardly had any since. Even DP has commented on it. If I get another car with no tint I'm getting some put in, it really has made a difference.

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