To have deliberately given this kid a fright?

[heavenisaplaceinperth]

School run this morning, I was almost at school when a boy of 4 or 5 pulled right off the pavement on his bike and directly into my path. His mum was walking along chatting to someone, neither of them noticed me. It's a small narrow road, speed limit is 20 and I was going at probably about 8mph, and pretty much anticipated that he was going to head off the pavement without even a glance backwards - I just had a feeling!

So I was prepared to brake, did sharply and although he hadn't been in any danger from me, I beeped my horn loudly anyway. He stopped, burst into tears and his mother reached into the road and grabbed him, while looking daggers at me as if I'd been at fault!!

I didn't beep just to make a point, but in the hope it would shock him into being more careful next time! If I'd been the mother I would have been so apologetic! WIBU??

I know, I generally hate it too. I'm now on my own bloody list

If you hadn't done it the mum might not have realised what had happened and he might have got run over by someone else. At least you alerted her the quickest way you could

YANBU.

Yes he needs to learn that cars can come alomg the way and won't autommatically stop for him.

I suspect the mum go frightened and her first reaction (as it is often the case then) was to get angry and clearly it HAD to be your fault

I've done it. Had to do emergency stop to miss a boy who walked out from between two parked cars. He was about 10. I stopped the car, got out and shouted at him told him he could have been killed. I was doing 20mph in a 30mph zone, had I been going any faster I'd have hit him.

Some years ago (and this is incredibly out of the norm for me) a child ran out in front of the car I was driving.

I missed him by a tiny bit and the child was old enough to know better.

I freaked out amd actually got out of my car and screamed at him I then walked to his front door (it was my neighbourhood so I sort of knew most off he kids) and freaked out at his mother who didn't punch me in the face she was actually pleased I had given him a shock.

8 months before in exactly the same location my own child had been run over and I was actually on my way back from visiting her at the HDU she was on. Obviously the mum knew this.

Both of us were picturing her child almost dead just like mine.

I think perhaps we could all learn from George Bluth Sr's way of parenting.

Just something to think about.

He'll be cautious near roads now, you've done him a favour. I'm sure once his mother calmed down she knew that too.

Needsasock, I'm so sorry . I hope your DD recovered fully?

Absolutely! Beep away. Hopefully the parent got a nasty shock too. I hate seeing tiny wobbly toddlers bobbling about on the kerbs beside busy roads while the parents are yards in front or behind, talking or tapping on phones. When did holding a child's hand become so hard? Lapse in bloody judgement. Few months ago my town's media was all over a child's death in a road accident; CCTV showed the poor thing dawdling about 5 metres behind his parent, who didn't even see the accident, which was her son simply wandering off the kerb and into traffic.

The horn is to alert others of your presence if you suspect they are unaware of it, so if anything it's precisely what it's for.

I live near a high school and there are gormless teenagers constantly wandering into the road like zombies. I use my horn every time one steps out in front of my car and I definitely would have done the same in your situation OP. Both the child and mother needed to be alerted to your presence.

I drive from the high school down a fairly narrow road with equally narrow pavements, pupils are always just strolling of the pavement in front of the car - you need the reactions of a cat and a bleedin crystal ball on the dashboard. haven't hit any yet.

More than a year, and less than five years ago, a two year old walked into my car while I was doing 20. He hit the side, was given a spin, and broke his collarbone.

I don't ever want to see that little bright coat in the mirror again, so I hoot at fucking everybody.

YWNBU

DH had a teenager bounce off his bonnet about ten years ago. The speed limit on the road was 60, he'd seen the group of kids on the pavement and slowed. Her mate ran across the road and she followed without looking. He hit her at about 15mph. Her head hit the windscreen shattering the glass.

She was ok, bruised and a hell of a headache but she was bloody lucky. The Police said DH's actions saved her life, had he not slowed and was at the speed limit he'd have killed her.
DH went through a range of emotions from guilt to anger. He didn't sleep well for some time after and I still see him flinch and slow when he sees kids at the side of the road.
My lasting memory is of DH's Police Officer uncle pulling on our drive and looking at the windscreen with long blonde hairs stuck in the shattered glass.

YWNBU - you beeped your horn, he was in the road, the mum hopefully reflected on what happened.

YANBU

About five years ago I was driving to work and saw a teenager run out of his drive, late for school no doubt as I had already dropped mine off, and ran in front of a parked dustbin wagon, at that split second a car came round the dustbin wagon and it was so quick there was no time to beep him, I just knew he would get hit by the other car, he went over the bonnet of the other car, the driver was devastated she couldn't do anything.

He was fortunately OK after a trip to A&E but I did act as a witness for that poor woman. You.

If you can horn someone, do so, always.

NYWNBU
He'll be more careful in future. He won't forget so easily.

Well done for going 8mph and foreseeing it.

I think you did the right thing. Thankfully you wouldn't have hit him but all it would take would be for him to fall off his bike and it could end up being nasty. I'd have blasted the horn too.

She did apart from some mobility and obviously serious scars