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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Driver caused me to emergency stop and just drove off!

319 replies

MamaMoose1 · 28/02/2017 13:31

Hi,
I've just returned from going out with my 20 month old daughter in the car. Whilst driving along a road, a learner driver pulled out in front of me, causing me to emergency stop, the driver just carried on and swiftly drove away. Am I being unreasonable to be shocked that the driving instructor in charge didn't get out to see if we were ok, or even awknowledge what had happened. We are ok and I have his reg no.
Thanks!

OP posts:
steff13 · 28/02/2017 21:55

This feels like much ado about nothing. I've been driving since I was 16. Over 20 years (!). These things happen. It's startling at the time, but certainly nothing to dwell on.

Original poster
MamaMoose1 · 28/02/2017 21:58

Northernlurker-It's all done and forgotten about now, yes I was shocked at the time, wouldn't anyone else be? I have no need to further comment on this. Maybe the getting out of the car was an over reaction, but as I said, I would make sure the person was ok personally.

OP posts:
AwaywiththePixies27 · 28/02/2017 21:59

It's not the drivers position to control someone else's lack of awareness.

This isn't strictly true though is it? Most people will tell you 80% of driving is about being aware of dangers surrounding you (hazardous perceptions?) - child running into the road to catch his football out of nowhere, the car at the side of you on their mobile phone when they shouldn't be edging ever so closer to you, the car that tries to cut a coach up whilst on a roundabout which tails off in different directions on to a dual carriageway, or the other one who doesn't bother to indicate until the very last second and then hits the pedestrian who thought it was safe to cross. It's why there's such offences as 'driving without due care and attention'.

Apparently (never been on them but had a a friend or two on them) this is also a big segment of what you learn if you get sent on a speed awareness course like my friends did.

Original poster
MamaMoose1 · 28/02/2017 22:01

Awaywiththepixies-Because there was no braking involved on his behalf, he just carried on.

OP posts:
VelvetSpoon · 28/02/2017 22:01

You do NOT have to stop if you cause another driver to do an emergency stop, only if there is a collision.

No damage means no visible damage. You can't claim for whiplash unless there's been some damage caused by a collision. You don't get whiplash from an emergency stop!

Original poster
MamaMoose1 · 28/02/2017 22:02

Selfobsession-Give up? People are asking questions?

OP posts:
Llanali · 28/02/2017 22:02

Yes, it sort of is the drivers responsibility to control other people's lack of awareness.... this is defensive driving. It's the reason you should always be creating "time and space" around your vehicle.

You say it was difficult to see what was going on to the left as you were looking ahead. This is why as drivers, peripheral vision is paramount. And why the theory test contains the hazard perception section.

I appreciate this has made you anxious, but I'm afraid you are being totally unreasonable, and making up laws isn't really on. It's embellishment to back up your story.

I drive 40-60k miles a year, in a variety of vehicles including towing and large vehicles. As constructive advice, I recommend you arrange some follow on training; I do a defensive driving refresh annually.

gobbelinothewitchescat · 28/02/2017 22:03

OP - why was the stop so violent that you could have had whiplash, if you were only going at 28 mph? And actually yes - when you are an experienced driver you should be anticipating what other people (learners, children, drunken fools who got behind the wheel of a car despite being over the limit) could potentially do. Of course it's frustrating to have to constantly be aware and anticipate other people's actions, but the alternative is some inexperienced driver or small animal will veer out in front of you or run across the road and you'll end up hitting them. We all get angry at people that cut us off or pull out in front of us, but when I'm driving I'm in charge of a car. It's big and powerful and it can kill people. I make it my business to know what other people in charge of these cars are doing, to avoid killing them and also avoid being killed. I'm still going to be dead - even if the accident wasn't my fault - unless I'm anticipating what could happen and avoiding it. It sounds like you did the right thing - identified a hazard, avoided it, lived and didn't squash anyone or anything. What exactly are you hoping for? Compensation from the driving instructor for causing you to have to use your hazard perception skills that you were tested on when you got your license?

Original poster
MamaMoose1 · 28/02/2017 22:03

Velvet-Not true, I suffered whiplash as a result of an emergency stop and there's an article online, where a woman caused whiplash due to emergency stop, where there was no damage involved.

OP posts:
Llanali · 28/02/2017 22:04

And no, it wouldn't shock me at all. When you regularly drive 6 hours a day, or more, then no, not much shocks me.

Watching a curtain side HGV fly into a dyke/drove during Doris last week did mind you! :)

Original poster
MamaMoose1 · 28/02/2017 22:05

Gobble-Who said the stop was so violent and I never said i had whiplash!

OP posts:
Original poster
MamaMoose1 · 28/02/2017 22:06

Llanali-That's where were all different, you see!

OP posts:
AwaywiththePixies27 · 28/02/2017 22:06

OP what are you honestly expecting from this? Do you want to report the instructor? Or the Learner Driver? Or are you just venting?

They're normally adorned with dash cams and I'm guessing he made a judgement that it was safe to carry on, and will more than likely be able to prove it either way if a complaint is made, given you said it was only you and LD on the road.

Would you mind linking to the case where the woman managed to get £2,000 compensation simply for doing an emergency stop?

tinglyfing · 28/02/2017 22:08

Link to said article?

Llanali · 28/02/2017 22:10

So if the stop wasn't violent, then there's even less reason for the other driver to have stopped because it's not even a consideration that you might have been injured.

Yes we are all different- I was answering your question that "wouldn't anybody?" Be shocked. And no, no one I know would.

Whisky2014 · 28/02/2017 22:11

In the real world no one stops to check if all is ok after an emergency stop. The 1 case you keep referring to seems like they got a judge on a good day if there was no actual collision. Can you link to this article?
My partner had to slam on the brakes twice today due to other reckless drivers. We thought "what a twat" at each incident and carried on our way. What a fucking fuss. You seem really naive. There was no accident...move on.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 28/02/2017 22:11

where there was no damage involved.

Was there a collision though?

Where is this article?

VelvetSpoon · 28/02/2017 22:11

Sorry, you're wrong.

No visible damage is not the same as no damage. You can't claim unless vehicles collided, because no reputable medical expert would assert that whiplash could result from a collision where vehicles were entirely undamaged. It just doesn't happen.

This is what I do for a living, so I'm quite clear on this.

Who told you that you had whiplash after an emergency stop (where there was no collision? It can't have been a medico legal expert. If it was your GP, I'd suggest he or she is using the term incorrectly.

Llanali · 28/02/2017 22:13

All I can find in google is a testimonial from a nowinnofee lawyer saying they got their client a couple of grand from whiplash after an emergency stop.... but they were awarded from the person who promptly
Slammed them behind, not the muppet who caused the driver to emergency stop...

Happylandpirate · 28/02/2017 22:13

The woman who performed the emergency stop may well have received compensation but that is down to a solicitor taking on your claim, it is not illegal and no laws have been broken. The learner driver did not break the law by driving away, it is not illegal to drive away from a near miss!!! The police would not be interested and would not take any action.

gobbelinothewitchescat · 28/02/2017 22:14

OP - you said you were shocked they didn't stop, it was illegal to continue driving after causing someone to brake so harshly they suffered whiplash. So the logical conclusion is you braked so hard you are at risk for whiplash - hence they should have stopped and checked you were ok. Also, when these articles refer to no damage the no damage is a a result of contact between the cars. As an example, someone drove into the back of me at a roundabout last year. They didn't brake in time (pity they didn't use an emergency stop....) we both stopped and inspected the cars and determined there was no damage - we did this because we had made contact with each other. I don't stop and assure other drivers there has been no damage when we pass near each other without making contact, or I brake behind them, it's a ridiculous concept. Where would it end?

Wondermoomin · 28/02/2017 22:17

Sigh it's one of those...

OP: AIBU?
Almost everyone else: YABU
OP: you're a bunch of bitchin bullies

Look, these things happen. A lot. If you think it's worthy of posting on MN or FB or anywhere else, you're clearly an inexperienced driver. More will come, and you'll get more used to anticipating it, dealing with it, and getting on with your day without having to post anywhere about it.

Much worse has happened to me where I've had to take evasive action - I'm lucky because I've had quite a bit of advanced driver training and I'm not at all sanctimonious about it but you have to get used to anticipating other road users' actions and responding accordingly and not feeling the need to go on about it afterwards.

GotToGetMyFingerOut · 28/02/2017 22:18

It could of been a driving test. If it was the person would fail.

I had to do an emergency stop last week on a multiple lane large roundabout as the guy to my right cut into my lane with no indicating, so close to me that if I hadn't I'd of went in the back of him and the person behind me wouldn't of went into me and so on possibly. I just swore under my breath and carried on. Yes it's scary what 'could of' happened. But it didn't.

Tonka4 · 28/02/2017 22:18

Emergency stop? You mean braking heavily, right?

Out of interest did the ABS cut in during braking?

F1ipFlopFrus · 28/02/2017 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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