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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

TBDO · 29/11/2018 21:49

You had the lights on, parked up on wrong side of the road. He must have thought you were driving on the wrong side when he first saw you - all he’d have seen is a set of headlights coming towards him.

LynetteScavo · 29/11/2018 21:55

Well, you were parked on the wrong side of the road...I was dazzled the other day by a car when it went over speed bumps. I'm not sure how/why but but it did. Maybe you were at a funny angle?

BalloonSlayer · 29/11/2018 21:57

Has no one mentioned dogging yet?

OP - he thought your lights going on in a parked car was a signal and his hooting was code for "not tonight I've got a headache."

Sturmundcalm · 29/11/2018 21:59

if you're on the wrong side of the road then you need to just put your side lights on until you get to the right side of the road, your lights are brighter on the passenger side than the driver side so far more likely to dazzle an oncoming car.

Dollymixture22 · 29/11/2018 22:00

I think it’s against the Highway Code to park on the wrong side of the road at night.

Perhaps this individual sees himself as a vigilante of the highways!!,

ginandbearit · 29/11/2018 22:04

Even on dipped beam your lights dazzled because you were on 'wrong' side of road ..they are designed to light up the left of the road when you are on the correct side so will hit the oncoming car when you're not .

eggstoast · 29/11/2018 22:04

Some drivers are a bit sensitive and will beep for any kind of minor indiscretion. I think most likely They thought you where on wrong side of road.
I also occasionally beep by accident and startle myself, undoubtedly confusing some poor sod that’s wondering what I’m beeping at too.

redcarbluecar · 29/11/2018 22:06

Presumably he/she thought you were on the wrong side of the road, but also presumably this was a 30 zone, so other driver could have anticipated the presence of parked cars, driven carefully and not found it necessary to bang the horn. I think you just encountered a bit of a dick, and should think no more of it.

CaliHummers · 29/11/2018 22:07

I have been told that headlights point slightly to the left when on

They do. If you take your right hand drive car somewhere where they drive on the right, you have to buy converters to re-align them. (it's just a little sticker that blocks the light, or at least it used to be). It does mean the OP's headlights, dipped or not, would have been pointing at the driver, which is why you're not supposed to park on the wrong side of the road at night.

Perhaps this individual sees himself as a vigilante of the highways!!,

Or someone who is pissed off that yet again someone is causing a hazard by disobeying the Highway Code.

wellhonestly · 29/11/2018 22:07

Were you parked between other cars? He might have hooted because he thought with your lights on you were about to move out into the road and maybe couldn't see him easily?

festivedramallama · 29/11/2018 22:11

@badlydrawnperson there you go
www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/waiting-and-parking-238-to-252

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.

PattiStanger · 29/11/2018 22:14

How do you know they were tooting at you and not a friend walking along the pavement?

TroysMammy · 29/11/2018 22:15

A wooded residential area? As above my first thought was is it a dogging area and a toot of the horn (ahem) was some type of code.

redcarbluecar · 29/11/2018 22:19

I don’t think I’d repeatedly beep someone for breaking rule 248 of the Highway Code, particularly when it’s perfecrly possible to slow down and take stock of this not very perilous situation. But perhaps Other Driver had worked out the best way to deal with it and you should luuuuuurn ya lesson:

redcarbluecar · 29/11/2018 22:19

Or dogging, yeah

Mumteedum · 29/11/2018 22:25

It'll be dazzling bluddy lights. The new led ones are fucking awful. Any incline in road or if your car higher...just horrendous. I'm sick of winter driving already...it's not even your fault. Manufacturerers need to do something

MakeItRain · 29/11/2018 22:27

I passed someone a few weeks ago parked on the side of the road facing me, with headlights on. Their lights were directed straight at me, and with the oncoming traffic headlights on the other side too, it was really disconcerting driving through it.

I imagine he tooted to let you know it was difficult to drive past you with your lights shining at him. (Your lights will have been directed straight at him, which is the reason why we need to buy headlight stickers when driving abroad.)

Jack65 · 29/11/2018 22:29

Headdlamps when dipped are angled to the left hand side of the road. When you are parked on the right hand side of the road, facing oncoming traffic, you dazzled the oncoming vehicle, who hooted because you pissed him off. When parking on the right hand side of tbe road facing oncoming traffic, leave your lights on sidelights whilst waiting to pull out. Put your lights on dip only just before you move out and only when there are no oncoming vehicles to dazzle. It is fine to park on the right hand side of the road facing oncoming traffic on roads 30 mph or less. It is an offence if above 30, (and in Florida where parking facing the traffic is illegal). I am worried about the lack of knowledge re this!

plaidlife · 29/11/2018 22:39

In the USA parking the opposite way to traffic is totally enforced, it is the only driving rule anyone seems to pay any attention to! I suspect you dazzled him and he wasn't sure if you were moving.

delboysskinandblister · 29/11/2018 22:41

Vicky1990 · 29/11/2018 22:42

You were parked on the right hand side of the road, not a problem.
You were parked on the right hand side of the road with your head lights on blinding the driver of the approaching car, that is the problem.
Do not do this again as it is very dangerous and inconsiderate of you.

delboysskinandblister · 29/11/2018 22:42

@BalloonSlayer

sorry posted too early. Too busy being dazzled by the headlights.

MrsSarahSiddons · 29/11/2018 22:47

You dazzled him/her. If you have the led lights (the blue ones) you dazzled even more. If you have a Range Rover or similar vehicle with high-placed lights you dazzled even more again. Can’t believe how appalling these lights are now, they must be causing accidents.

magoria · 29/11/2018 22:47

What everyone says about the lights.

Next time you are on a dark road pay attention to where they light up the road and you will see when dipped the light goes up on the passenger side so where he was in relation to you.

KayM2 · 29/11/2018 22:54

Sometimes drivers do strange things. If we worried about it too much we would never get to the bottom of why people do what they do. You'd need to be a psychiatrist.

As long as we are not endangering anyone, and are obeying the rules of the road as best we can, all the rest is down to the state of mind of those who over react by sounding horns, revving engines, doing one finger salutes etc.

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