To be shaken by road rage encounter with neighbour?

[anotherdamnname]

I’ve recently moved to a quiet country lane, room for one car only.

We just met our neighbours across the road, they came round for drinks, got on very well, thought this could be a nice local friendship, plus the woman was going to introduce me to other local friends of hers.

This morning as I was driving on the lane towards our house, met this woman driving the other way. When she spots my car blocking her way I could see her start shouting aggressively, I paused then pulled forward very slightly (while trying to signal my intentions) so I could pull into another driveway and let her past, neighbour goes ballistic, starts beeping and yelling and eventually screeches off past me.

I’m not sure if she could tell it was me or not - our cars are parked off road so she probably won’t recognise my car yet, and I had the sunshade down so my face may have been hidden.

I was left quite upset by the whole thing, admittedly I’d already had a bad morning but it made it much worse and I feel it’s ruined a potential new friendship. She might have been having a bad day too, but if so she properly took it out on me

Say something or try and forget it?

I did reverse, I pulled forward slightly then reversed into a driveway. I have no idea what she wanted me to do but if I'd reversed all the way back up the road that would have taken far longer and she'd probably have exploded!
As you have all pretty much said, I've probably dodged a bullet with that one

She most probably didnt realise it was you.
She sounds like a nutcase or at least as someone with a very nasty temper. I would not mention it but keep it in the back of your head and keep distance.

See if you can get her into a conversation about the general road etiquette.

"how do you find the road, its a bit narrow, what's it like at peak hometime"

Try and prompt her into admitting she lost her shut at someone

"oh god, that was me, I didnt see you clearly, there was a really bad low sun"

*her shit

Yeah im with the others in thinking she didn't know it was you. Just wait for the mortified expression on her face when she sees your car
Not a nice experience but at least you know to keep her at an arms length now.

I would go round and say it was you.

tbh even if she didn't see who it was, she should have behaved completely differently!

What a weird woman, choosing to live on a narrow country lane then getting wound up about stuff like that. Sounds like saying nothing is your preferred option (understandably) but if she mentions it in conversation, I think I might say ‘Oh yeah that was me. I did wonder what the problem was...’

If you do say something, definitely don't ask her for driving advice or tips on the narrow lane. You handled it just fine! She sounds impatient and rude. I'd probably just leave it, but be a bit wary of her in future, as she might be a difficult neighbour.

Wonderful that you have gotten the heads up on what she's like. Probably saved yourself a lot of hassle.

Neighbour beware!

I once stuck two fingers up at a car which beeped at me. I'd had a spate of men shouting rude things at me out of passing cars and had had enough.

Turns out it was a friend of my DH! He was like this and I realised too late!

People have bad days...though hers sounds pretty terrible!

I'd ask her what the usual way to get through this narrow bit of road is. The village I live in has a road like this, and all the locals drive it the same way, taking turns and waiting for turns. You can tell when someone is lost or new or visiting. If you meet the bus theres a whole different set of unwritten rules. Just ask, it won't be long before you have it down.

If message and say Have you cheered up yet? You seemed rather grumpy on the road this morning.

Send Polly's message or say nothing, but park your car where she can see it and then say absolutely nothing and enjoy imagining her reaction

I don't think it does necessarily reflect on her as a potential friend. It wasn't very nice but people definitely lose the ability to mentalise when behind the wheel and behave in ways they wouldn't normally. I am in no way excusing her behaviour and agree that you certainly shouldn't apologise.

I wouldn’t be able to hold my tongue.

I would be clear with her that I think she is a nutter.