To think this is actually really entitled parenting?

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

Seen this post from several people this morning outraged at the walking couple

www.facebook.com/672995864/posts/10158029908925865/?d=n

Now I am in no way condoning the disgusting language of the man in question. But the dad showed such an entitled attitude. He didn't tell his DD to slow down even when she was on the heels of the couple. She could have hurt them if they'd been elderley or disabled, and you can't tell from behind. He didn't practice social distancing - even if the couple had moved they'd have been way less than 2m apart from them, unless they threw themselves into a bush. And when his DD fell off the bike, rather than comfort her he spent the time arguing with and blaming the couple while she cried on the floor.

I've taken my kids to paths like this during lockdown and have said if someone is walking ahead we have to walk behind them with the bikes until we can pass them safely or the paths get wider. This is while teaching them to cycle, and just because they have momentum it doesn't mean they shouldn't stop - surely that's part of learning to cycle, knowing when to judge the safety of themselves and others?

I suppose i also hate this trend of social media vigilantism whereby people want to share faces of those who've slighted them, usually with a huge amount of bias and very little context. And the general public seem to lap it up! I am hard of hearing and I hate cyclists coming up behind me when I walk as unless they bellow "excuse me" I simply will not hear them. I wouldn't be pleased if a child bashed into me and then I got yelled at by the parent for not having good hearing and eyes in the back of my head.

It's quite astonishing that you think shouting excuse me entitles you to pass. It's a request not an order, and those who are in front of you don't need to move out of the way just because you shout it or ring a bell. Especially as in this case they have nowhere to move to.

Actually, that's quite true. Imagine if the couple posted on social media complaining of a child ramming into the back of them while they were on their dog walk? None of that incident needed to happen at all and it looks a bit of a bloody stupid path to take a very novice cyclist on.

The parent should have told his daughter to slow down and wait for a safe space to pass - instead he encouraged to cycle between two pedestrians.
The guy who kicked the bike was awful, but that must have been a shock.

Are you really saying that if someone is moving slowly on a path, they can just continue to do so and not move over to let people past who are moving faster than they are, whether faster walking, cycling or running?

In this situation, yes. There was nowhere for them to move to, and there's no evidence that they even heard the shouts of excuse me.

the dads a dick.
how did he know if they could hear? my dh (and adult ds) wouldn't hear.
it was the dads responsibility to look after his child. not 2 randoms who were minding their own business. as he has reported it to the police. hopefully the police will tell him that and get him to take the video down.

Oh thank goodness. I’ve seen this earlier this morning and everyone was critical re the walkers. Whereas I thought the man should have told the child to wait (where was social distancing!!). The lady was pointing at a clearing a little bit ahead, they were clearly going to get in there. The father went in guns blazing straight away. He was rude and is obviously teaching his child to be the same. So, due to his judgement and because he told his child to keep going, his six year old ends up on the floor crying while he starts a row without picking her up! Total knob!

It's quite astonishing that you think shouting excuse me entitles you to pass. It's a request not an order, and those who are in front of you don't need to move out of the way just because you shout it or ring a bell

So you honestly think that it's fine to block a path and not let other people past?

Ok then. Next time I am out for a run on my local canal towpath and a cyclist comes along behind me and says "excuse me" I will say "not letting you past because Mumsnet tells me I don't have to".

How to make friends...not.

My first thoughts were why the hell not put your phone down and help her when she’s clearly wobbling and unstable?!

Very entitled parenting.

The man was very rude and out of order but the parents are not teaching good manners to the child. She shouldn’t be going up peoples heels...it’s not all about her. She needs to be gently taught how to be more considerate of other road users. I doubt that will happen though!

Mind you the real issue about this whole scenario is that someone bothered to film it and put it on Facebook.

How sad.

And even sadder that I am now commenting on it.

Social distancing out the window too. The girl made contact with the pair of them and unless Dad was zooming in he got up close.

I haven’t seen the video and I refuse to add to its view count. But the very fact he was videoing at the time and then posted about it on facebook tells me that IMO this was deliberate and that he’s an arsehole. If the couple had moved out of his way he wouldn’t have had anything to put up there, but given they couldn’t he IMO deliberately let his daughter cycle up behind them and did nothing about it because he wanted his moment of fame on facebook/YouTube.

If there’s a video about it from the beginning then clearly it was a setup because he suspected what the outcome would be and wanted it to be so.

If a video is started part way through then the video is clearly of more importance than what is actually happening.

What is it with people needing to video their every move and then putting it on facebook?

Good God! Yes, YANBU. I can't abide the way that people feel they have some sort of right to barge past other people.

In that particular case, where the hell were the pedestrians expected to go? It's a narrow path!

The child should not have been cycling on a public path if she doesn't yet know how to slow her bike down or how to stop it. She's clearly used to having the world give way to her. She has a great deal to learn!

My DH is deaf, so he never hears any "excuse me"s or bicycle bells or people shouting out "I'm behind you" anyway. The bikes simply have to stop if he's in the way.

Mind you the real issue about this whole scenario is that someone bothered to film it and put it on Facebook.

That would be the child's father. The one who told her to keep going and didn't bother comforting his upset child, because he was too busy arguing with the couple.

Someone in FBK said the man if the child should call the police 😂👮😂👮😂👮😂👮😂 ffs.
The couple were not going to move so get off your bike and say excuse me please, may I come through.. No need for drama

That kid shouldn’t be cycling ahead if she is not ready. More practice in a different area needed.

The fact that the parents don’t comfort her shows that it’s all about the argument, for them.

I'd have been really shocked if I was walking along chatting and something barged into me. Don't know how I'd respond but swearing likely to be involved.
Someone shouting excuse me wouldn't register as so many people chat on their mobiles when out walking. Would have heard a warning bell though.
An older person could easily have been knocked off balance and broken a hip and the father would have been responsible as hadn't been properly supervising his child.

@cologne4711 to be fair, this path is not really wide enough to pass people on a bike or even a run. I've had occasions where I've just had to slow down on a run before because there's not really anywhere for people to go. Most people move out of the way (or perhaps go in single file) but some expect you to wait and I don't really have a problem with that, we're all out for different reasons I suppose.

What a horrible video for so many reasons.

Absolutely the language wasn't necessary (from the male half of the couple), but saying or shouting 'scuse me' doesn't mean you have a divine right for the world to step aside.

The bad experience of the young girl was created by the parent over enthusiastically reveling in his daughter's progress on the bike.
It could all have been avoided by explaining to his daughter to slow down, or walk awhile as they 'shared' the path with pedestrians.

Of course we all think 'awww poor little girl' for falling off a bike. But that's emotional blackmail to somehow tilt judgment in his favour.
Well no, sorry, I'm on the side of the walking couple who were imposing anything on anybody.

I actually can't understand the dads mindset of "keep going", surely as a parent you guide your child to stop in these situations? Regardless of the couple there was a very high risk she was going to become unbalanced and fall off the bike.

The child should not have been cycling on a public path if she doesn't yet know how to slow her bike down or how to stop it. She's clearly used to having the world give way to her. She has a great deal to learn!

She looks like she's slowing down, the dad told her to keep going.

I feel really sorry for her.

For all the father knew, this couple could have been deaf or wearing headphones listening to music. What he should have done was tell his daughter to stop as soon as she started wobbling, which was well before she rode into them.
Taking a small child on a narrow path to ride a bike that they cannot control is asking for trouble! I hope the police point that it to him.

If someone clearly hasn’t heard you on such a path you get off your bike and give them a dirty look! Not this nonsense!

Makes me angry

For the people saying Where are they supposed to go?

It's very simple, they get in single file on one side and the father and daughter can go past. Social distancing can't be adhered to at all times

If people have a problem with this then they shouldn't walk in areas which are very narrow

Regardless of them being on bikes. What would the couple have done if two walkers came up behind them walking faster? Just expect them to stay behind them for the next thirty minutes?

If you've got a problem with social distancing don't put yourself in situations where you can't distance

I walk my daughter on specific pavements that are very wide so we can distance easily. The couple clearly heard the father shouting but decided to be awkward

Why did he leave it so late to say 'excuse me' a 2nd time? After no response the first time why didn't he tell his daughter to slow down and use her brakes? If she is new to it I'd take her somewhere quieter and with more space.
Having said that, the couple do seem to purposely ignore them and walking in a place like that and with a dog, you'd expect to walk parts slightly off track so you'd just split and stand as far back either side as you could, yes, even if that means you're leaning into some bushes, that's what nature is, it won't harm you for 5 seconds.
Seems convenient that dad is filming it though.

We were out with ddog the other day on - not even the main footpath - but a side footpath amongst the trees. We go there to keep out of peoples way so DDog can go off lead and have a snuffle round. Then a 6/7 year old came hurtling down the path on his bike, closely followed by his DF - bloody good job we were all at the side at the time otherwise we'd have been knocked over. I saw them again in another spot a few days later up to the same tricks. Zero hoots given about anyone else who might be elderly or didn't notice them.

In this case I agree with people posting above - teach her on the flat where there are less people - until she's confident and able to stop. I wear earpods when out walking the dog, somebody feebly echoing " Excuse Me" would not cause me to stop - if he'd shouted "Please Move" then maybe i'd be more likely to act. Plus it looked like he had plenty of time to catch up and prevent the incident in the first place.