To call the police on this family?

[catofdoom]

I live on a dirt road. It's single track and very windy. This particular part has a sheer drop off to the ocean.

Driving home with ds yesterday afternoon and out of nowhere two kids (between 10 and 12 I think) jump out at me and start pelting my car with water balloons. Trying to get them through the driver's window. (Luckily they didn't.)

They are my next door neighbours. They're only here for a month in the summer though.

It scared the absolute shit out of me. How I didn't crash in to a tree or go off the road I don't know.

I stopped and told them what a horrible thing to do it was and how dangerous it could have been. They laughed at me and ran off.

I drove home, turned around and drove back to go and speak to their parents (I'd seen the car home.)

Coming back they did it again!

I carried on past their house to go and sit further up the road and have a think. DH then came home and they did it to him too! He got out of the car and they ran off, their Mother was outside, dh told her what they'd been doing and she walked off and slammed the door in his face.

Turns out they did it to my brother in law the day before. They've been sat by the road with a big bucket of water balloons for a couple of days. Their Mother must have know, the only windows of the house and the porch look down at the road.

Anyway, so since we've had no apology. If it were my son I'd have marched him round there furious to apologise.

I want to lodge a complaint with the police (I've already spoken to the local policeman but he's not on duty until tomorrow night.) DH thinks we shouldn't stir things up. I think they could do with a talking to, I'm annoyed their parents clearly don't give a shit. Plus, if it happens again they could cause a nasty accident.

So I guess it's more of a - what would you do?

Also, we're in the States in an extremely low crime area (one burglary in 10 years) so I won't be wasting police time, they'd actually be thrilled to have something to do rather than sit on the side of the road trying to catch speeders.

Or you could pull out a huge Nerf Water Gun and soak the fuckers 😂😂

Report, how stupid of the kids and parent.

Super soaker them until they cry... but then again I'm mean...

Can we not start with the anti American sentiment please?

Good luck with that, OP; it appears to be a much loved sport among some MN posters - often those who'd go ballistic should any other nationality be stereotyped

As for your question, it's hard to see why you wouldn't report this ...

Yep need reporting - some people need their parenting done for them

I’d probably brake, grab their bucket/ balloons and lob them over the drop tbh.

But informing the police of the danger would be more sensible!

Definitely call the police, I would advise them to come in a unmarked vehicle and see the little sods faces when they realise they have just thrown water balloons at a police officer!

Talk to the Police, definitely.

They do need reporting to police, perhaps the mother is beyond caring, they sound awful brats

Another vote for reporting them to the police. I assume they're also littering by leaving spent balloons all over the place which are a risk to local wildlife.

If the family is black and in America then the question 'will the police shoot them?' is not an irrelevant question.

Can we not start with the anti American sentiment please? It happens way too much on Mumsnet and is pretty ugly.

Really?

Inform the police - this could have potentially fatal consequences, and the parents aren't prepared to take any responsibility.

How much of their month there do they still have? Is it the whole of July? It's just you will have to be prepared for some escalation in their behaviour - might not happen, but equally it might.

However if you don't do something there is good chance that someone will suffer a serious accident.

Def report.

Btw- how come they're only there for a month?

Also, anti Trump sentiment and opposition to the racism that still exists in many parts of the US are not instances of anti-American sentiment. Many Americans share these views.

I would report it too

You would be right to report it, the police will have a serious talk to the kids and that usually does the trick. However, even though the mother shut the door on you she may well speak strongly to them, probably tell their dad who will do the same.

I hope it doesn't again, it was dangerous but kids seem to do all sorts. I remember years ago boys throwing stones on railway lines, phoning the fire brigade (from school pay phone), when there was no fire, etc. A neighbour was a fire station chief and went to the school to talk to them (he was kindly, a father himself), explaining how bad it was, taking a fire crew out for nothing when they could have been attending a real fire.

They just don't think of consequences and get carried away in the moment. I'd go ballistic - not violently but would certainly let them know how wrong they were.

Definitely call the police, I would advise them to come in a unmarked vehicle and see the little sods faces when they realise they have just thrown water balloons at a police officer!

Yes! Do this!

Can we not start with the anti American sentiment please?

Good luck OP, MN hates Americans, just as much as dogs and Tory’s.

I don’t see any reason why police shooting kids would be any more likely than it would in the UK.

I expect your local officer friendly would drive by and just have a casual conversation with the kids and that will probably be enough

I'd definitely report them. If they jump out and you panic and hit one of the little shits with your car, you'll be in a heap of trouble. I'd be seriously worried your family or a visitor could end up over the edge of the drop, which is far worse than the damage reporting some kids could do to their family. They sound truly awful and you must be counting down the days until they leave.

So some posters think that the police should never be called out by a member of the public in America in case they shoot someone.
So how do you think that would work out eventually?

Definitely report (although they sound like kids who wouldn;t be bothered about being spoken to by the police - but worth a try !)
They could cause a terrible accident - there's a spate round where I live at the moment of kids dropping things onto cars from a bridge over the dual carriageway - incredibly dangerous.

With your husband not wanting to stir things up - how would he feel if someone has an accident and a person ends up getting injured or killed by these kids and something could have been said. I suggest your BIL also complains - the more people who do the more likely the police are to deal with it I imagine.

The parents sound useless.

Good luck OP, MN hates Americans, just as much as dogs and Tory’s.

Tory's whats?