Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WIU to beep my horn at this woman?

18 replies

supersop60 · 27/02/2018 17:50

You'll probably want a diagram.
I was driving today and rounded a corner to see a small child heading for the road (literally one step from the kerb). Her mother was about 8-10 feet behind her, standing still, Talking on the phone in one hand, buggy in the other.
I stopped and beeped my horn to get her attention. This made the child stop and look at me, thankfully. The mother screamed at me "I can see her!"
I shouted back, completely uselessly through the closed window, "But you can't stop her"
I then drove on, with her gesticulating at me in my rear view mirror.
Was I unreasonable?

OP posts:
KnockMeDown · 27/02/2018 17:52

No, I think you did the right thing.

DeathStare · 27/02/2018 17:54

No you did the right thing.

Julie8008 · 27/02/2018 17:57

Apparently whoever is on the road first has right of way, especially if it is cold.

Jemma2907 · 27/02/2018 18:01

Not unreasonable at all! I had this happen a few months ago. Mum with a buggy and texting on her phone as I came to the end of my road which is a t-junction. Her 3 year old was about 5 metres ahead of her in a world of his own and just dawdled straight into the road (I'd seen him coming and was already coming to a stop). He then just walked back and forth in front of my car while the mum was oblivious! I wish I'd have beeped my horn now come to think of it. Wouldn't have wanted to scare the child though, it's not his fault his mother isn't paying attention!

Saz1995 · 27/02/2018 18:02

I would have done the same and beeped at the silly cow. Get off your phone and pay attention to your child.

PilatesSuck · 27/02/2018 18:27

You did the right thing. I once saw a toddler fall in the road. Poor parents were distracted by the other toddler tatrumming and looked away for just a minute. Luckily the car stopped turning in time.

Stupid twat the mother giving you attitude. She is lucky you did beep. The poor parents whoose toddler fell were distraught.

overnightangel · 27/02/2018 18:28

Definitely did the right thing, this is the reason cars have horns

PhelanThePain · 27/02/2018 18:32

It’s what horns are for. Drawing attention to a hazard. Your car was a hazard her child was about to come into contact with .

TheLastSoala · 27/02/2018 18:44

Heading for the road, or heading into the road?

Maybe she trusted that her Dd would stop at the kerb, as mine would.

Legwarmersareohsoeighties · 27/02/2018 18:52

My son is v v road savvy! My DH trained him to stop at curbs from really young (I mean months! But walking months!) By the the time he was 2.5 I trusted he knew to stop at curbs and by 3 or so I wouldn't have worried being a few feet behind him. Perhaps this lady's little one knew to stop? No harm in a polite little peep just in case - but not your place to make assumptions or shout through your window

SteamyBeignets · 27/02/2018 18:55

Apparently whoever is on the road first has right of way, especially if it is cold.

Grin
Original poster
supersop60 · 27/02/2018 19:17

legwarmers I had no way of knowing whether the child would stop or not. I came round the bend to see a toddler walking at a pace to the edge of the pavement. One more step and she would have been in the road. She was still moving. And mother would not have had time to rescue her- she was too far away.

OP posts:
Original poster
supersop60 · 27/02/2018 19:18

I wonder what would have happened if I had made the assumption that she would stop?

OP posts:
WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 27/02/2018 19:23

YANBU, but don’t tell that to the OP who just walks across because she doesn’t want to wait.

Seems there’s more than one person out there who happily puts their children at risk and then blames others when things go tits up.

OhBeggerItsMorning · 27/02/2018 19:37

I have always taught my children to be careful about how they behave beside roads\how they approach roads, telling them that drivers don't know what they are thinking or are going to do. Eg. If they walk towards the curb fast it can give drivers the impression they are not going to stop and can scare drivers, therefore they need to take extra care. If they look like they might just step out, whether or not they are intending to, I would rather a driver beeped their horn as a warning just in case!

For me, I would prefer someone beeped an unneeded warning than risked a child stepping out in front of a car.

YANU for sounding a warning, better safe than sorry.

Oooeeeerrrrrindeed · 27/02/2018 19:47

You used the horn to alert the child and the completely unattentive mother to your presence. Seems reasonable.
It is always risky to be on a phone whilst handling children next to roads. She obviously didn't like her blatant disregard for safety being pointed out.

Legwarmersareohsoeighties · 27/02/2018 22:15

OP, I'm not disagreeing that you were right to be careful and give a little toot of the horn! I also think the lady was in the wrong to gesticulate. However, I don't think it was right to feel cross with mum (on the assumption her kid was going to walk out when she might not have been) and to have shouted back through your window which probably inflamed the situation. However, I get horrible road rage so am in no place to judge!

DalekDalekDalek · 28/02/2018 10:14

I had a similar situation a few months ago. I was driving in a supermarket car park and approaching the entrance to the shop. This little lad comes belting out of the door and into the road. Obviously I was driving very slowly but still only just saw him in time. Mum (I assume) comes out of the door on her phone and starts yelling at me and then at other people on the pavement for not stopping him. All the time continuing her phone call. I was a bit Hmm

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread