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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Can someone tell me why I was hooted?

61 replies

milly848 · 29/11/2018 21:28

It's bugging me....

I got in my car tonight, which was parked in a quiet, woody residential road. My car was parked on the right hand side. It was facing the 'wrong side' as I had earlier turned around before parking.

I turned my headlights on. I then looked, and waited for the road to clear. A car driving towards me then hooted me a lot of he drove past.

I am so confused - me engine wasn't on, I wasn't even moving, yet I was hooted? Did I do something wrong, parking on the other side of the road? By turning my headlights on? Any insights appreciated.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 29/11/2018 21:29

I presume you dazzled the oncoming driver

Did you have full beam on ?

BettyCrook · 29/11/2018 21:30

alerting you to their presence? one way and you are facing the wrong way? why are you so bothered by it??? have you just started driving?

Original poster
milly848 · 29/11/2018 21:31

No, only dipped headlights.

It wasn't one way but parking is only allowed on one side of the road

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 29/11/2018 21:32

You probably shouldn't have parked facing that way

MemoriesOfAnotherFuture · 29/11/2018 21:32

Have you checked whether you have a headlight out? Could’ve been alerting you to that. Though probably flashing their own lights would have been more usual.

Bambamber · 29/11/2018 21:33

Probably because they saw headlights going in their direction on the their side of the road.

I was the other car in the same situation when driving home from work at midnight the other day. I was dazzled by the headlights and couldn't tell straight away the car was parked up rather than moving towards me in my lane. It is annoying but not hoot worthy

CluedoAddict · 29/11/2018 21:33

It is an offence to park the wrong side of the road. You probably dazzled him.

DrDillWithIt · 29/11/2018 21:34

He might not have been able to tell you were parked and not moving towards him.

Shadow1986 · 29/11/2018 21:34

Sorry I don’t quite understand - so as the car approached, you were on his side of the road, facing him? With lights on? If so I’m guessing the same that you either dazzled him or confused him being on wrong side of the road. Without seeing the road and surroundings it would be hard to tell. I would have parked the other way round I think.

Fatasfook · 29/11/2018 21:36

You dazzled them. Very rude.

Bigonesmallone3 · 29/11/2018 21:36

It probably caught them of guard to have a car facing them on there side of the road..

Original poster
milly848 · 29/11/2018 21:38

I don' understand how it could dazzle, everyone has their dipped headlines on at 7pm in November Confused it wasn't full beam

OP posts:
Rachierach11 · 29/11/2018 21:42

I have been told that headlights point slightly to the left when on. No idea if this is right as have never checked but that would explain the hoot. If you were parked to the right of the car and facing them then your headlights would have dazzled them

badlydrawnperson · 29/11/2018 21:43

It is an offence to park the wrong side of the road.
No it isn't. It's a theoretical offence to park facing the wrong way unless you leave parking lights on, but no-one enforces it.

I don' understand how it could dazzle, everyone has their dipped headlines on at 7pm in November confused it wasn't full beam
Dipped car lights have a beam pattern that throws light upwards to the left so you can see cyclists, pedestrians etc - this is fine when everyone's on the proper side going the right way, but when you are the same side and facing out into the traffic it can be VERY dazzling to others - especially if you have a car with higher up lights like a 4x4, and HID or LED headlights.

Zucker · 29/11/2018 21:44

They probably thought you were driving on the wrong side of the road!

Lockheart · 29/11/2018 21:44

The OPs already said her lights were dipped, so she couldn’t have dazzled them.

OP - if you weren’t in a designated parking space then you were parked illegally, as it’s illegal to park facing traffic at night, so perhaps that’s it. If you were in a designated parking space, you were fine.

MaMaMaMySharona · 29/11/2018 21:44

I can’t imagine he’d have been dazzled by dipped headlights, and if he was he’s in for a scary drive home!

He probably just thought you were driving towards him and freaked out. Or perhaps he’s just very sensitive 🤔

badlydrawnperson · 29/11/2018 21:44

I have been told that headlights point slightly to the left when on. No idea if this is right It is absolutely correct for 99% of cars

badlydrawnperson · 29/11/2018 21:45

as it’s illegal to park facing traffic at night,

No it isn't - why do people keep repeating this bollocks?

Lockheart · 29/11/2018 21:46

@badlydrawnperson - it is an offence if you’re not in a designated parking space, you’re facing the traffic, and it’s night.

www.saga.co.uk/magazine/motoring/cars/using/motoring-offences-you-could-be-fined-for

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee · 29/11/2018 21:46

It could have been something else. Maybe there was something in the road or something. You shouldn't have dazzled him but maybe you were on a wee bump in the road and your lights we higher than they should be.

You aren't meant to park facing the traffic at night time so maybe he was just the type to think a good hooting would teach you a lesson.

Personally I wouldn't worry about it but in future I'd make sure not to park at night facing traffic.

CluedoAddict · 29/11/2018 21:46

@badlydrawnperson My husband's work colleague had a fixed penalty notice for doing just that.

Rule 248. You MUST NOT park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless in a recognised parking space.

OddBoots · 29/11/2018 21:47

I have found the lights of cars quite dazzling when the car is in the wrong side of the road because of the light angling. I wouldn't beep but it is very annoying and could be dangerous depending on the angle.

Lockheart · 29/11/2018 21:48

@badlydrawnperson here’s another link - from the RAC - if you honesty think it’s “bollocks”. Someone needs to read up on their Highway Code.

www.rac.co.uk/drive/features/driving-offences-you-didnt-know-were-illegal/

KatieKittens · 29/11/2018 21:49

The other driver hooted to alert you that you were on the wrong side of the road!