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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:
INeedToEat · 01/03/2017 11:21

I was driving down a road in London yesterday when a van pulled out (from a parked stationary position) in front of me causing me to proform an emergency stop.

I called him a cock womble and drove off.

Job done.

BeMorePanda · 01/03/2017 11:29

INeedToEat this happens to me almost daily weekly driving in London.

I use dickhead though - donut when the DC are in the car.

KateDaniels2 · 01/03/2017 11:30

navy had the op not made up a load of nonsense and said 'i had to emergency brake today and it shook me up', of course she would have had a different response.

NavyandWhite · 01/03/2017 12:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Whatthefreakinwhatnow · 01/03/2017 12:39

sympathy for an emergency stop?! I've heard it all now! 😂

KateDaniels2 · 01/03/2017 12:50

No one said she shouldn't be shook up. But ranting about the driver and intructor breaking the law, making up stories about giving people whiplash being an offence is unreasonable and, quite frankly, ridiculous.

kali110 · 01/03/2017 13:00

Op just forget about it. Dump his reg in the bin and move on, seriously.

TisMeTheLadFromTheBar · 01/03/2017 13:03

The learner probably didn't check their blind spot before moving off.

Megatherium · 01/03/2017 13:20

How do you know the car had dual controls? it's not a requirement for learner drivers.

NavyandWhite · 01/03/2017 13:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PageStillNotFound404 · 01/03/2017 13:33

You had time to beep? The times I've had to perform a true emergency stop (as opposed to a bit of sharp braking), there hasn't been time to take my hand off the wheel to hit the horn.

It's definitely not illegal to drive on without stopping if you've caused someone else to ES (driving instructor in the family).

It does shake you up when someone shoots out in front of you. I can still remember the absolute stomach churning horror I felt when a young boy on a bike flew out onto the road from behind a high hedge while I was driving on an unfamiliar road. Luckily I was paying attention and doing slightly less than 30 so I was able to stop, but the "what ifs" that played through my mind afterwards were awful and I was shaky as hell for the rest of the - thankfully short - journey. So YANBU to feel shaken, but YABU to make up laws to try to justify your outrage. We were all learners once, they didn't cause an actual accident, and anticipating hazards and reacting appropriately - including performing an ES - are just part and parcel of driving.

KateDaniels2 · 01/03/2017 14:33

Kate, the OP isn't the first person to vent about something that other posters deem ridiculous and she won't be the last. Surely that's one of the benefits of a public parenting forum eh?

Who said she is the first? Whats that got to do with anything? The point is that she is being unreasonable and ridiculous. Not to be shaken, but the taking down a reg number and declaring leaving the scene as illegal etc.

IamFriedSpam · 01/03/2017 14:42

Obviously OP was being OTT (that was established ten pages ago) but she was obviously shaken up so there's no need for 12 pages of people laying in to her (and taking so much pleasure in it too!).

NavyandWhite · 01/03/2017 15:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

KateDaniels2 · 01/03/2017 15:36

I am not in a horse Navy just seems you dont like people rolling over when you post.

mrsBeverleygoldberg · 01/03/2017 15:39

Why is this thread still going?
If only everyone's problems were as small as doing an emergency stop and no one was hurt!

Megatherium · 01/03/2017 16:18

The thread has continued largely because OP keeps coming back and insisting she was right and going on about the whiplash that she didn't have. If she'd acknowledged at an early stage that it wasn't a big deal and that it isn't illegal to fail to give your details after an emergency stop, the whole thing would have died an early death.

NavyandWhite · 01/03/2017 16:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

1969angep · 01/03/2017 17:32

That's just daft why would they stop??? I daresay you've caused people to stop suddenly before and may not have even been aware, particularly when you were a learner yourself. You'll be expecting them to give you apology flowers next 😂

northernshepherdess · 01/03/2017 17:48

Did you carry out the emergency stop correctly? Was the engine running or were the keys in the ignition at the time you wrote done the plate number? Because this can now get you 6 points and a £200 fine.. did you get out an apologise to all those who were behind you at the time or were held up by you pulling over to write down the number?
Shit happens... there was no harm or loss and currently this kind of offence is not covered by legislation...

Cubtrouble · 01/03/2017 17:55

OP you seriously need to consider if you should continue owning a car and driving.

I'd like to know how you got the learners reg number. Were you moving at the time?

Bearing in mind it's a learner you should have been giving him ample room in the first place because learners make mistakes and do things without looking- you know being a learner.

Which I'll assume you once were? I'm slightly puzzled as to why you think it's illegal to carry on after making you emergency stop and what you think actually constitutes an emergency stop.

If what you are planning is to somehow get this person to pay up for fictitious whiplash for a bit of heavy braking seriously consider that surely it would then be YOU commiting the crime of fraud.

pollymere · 01/03/2017 18:03

Emergency stops are designed for that very purpose. I had two cars pull out on me just today, I honked my horn at one of them but I certainly didn't expect either to stop. Sorry but I think you're overreacting.

Craigie · 01/03/2017 18:05

You are over sensitive because you are traveling with a young child. A learner caused you to apply your brakes. There was no accident. Nothing to see here!

BoobleMcB · 01/03/2017 18:17

I have a couple of questions:

  1. What happens if you get whiplash on your driving test from a required emergency stop manoeuvre?

  2. If the instructor had used his dual controls, it would have been to perform an emergency stop, so you'd still have had to stop quickly surely?

  3. where is this article you keep referring to? And who paid her the compensation, could it in fact have been the person driving the car she was in?

DontTouchTheMoustache · 01/03/2017 18:21

I think the key thing to remember op is that a learner driver pulling out like that will undoubtedly have done it by accident whereas many experienced drivers do it to be arseholes. It's shit when it happens buy it was a mistake.

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