Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not have a clue what I did wrong?

206 replies

Stationclare · 29/06/2020 20:40

Back story
Inexperienced driver, not massively confident, but getting there.
Journey to work is horrible. Inner city. Dodgy aggressive drivers.
There are a few routes that i can take but I take the shortest and most familiar. There is one part I hate.
Anyhow, I always stay in the left hand lane but at this one part there are sometimes parked cars so I move to right hand lane. This was the case today. I indicated and moved over.
Next thing I heard police sirens behind me. I thought shit.
Did I do a dodgy manoeuvre? I didnt see the police prior to this btw.
They then moved into the left lane next to me. The officer driving, mouthed at me " are you fucking stupid?".
Well I feel fucking stupid. Now im thinking was he trying to get past and i Didnt let him out and didn't pay attention as i was too busy trying to keep safe on that dodgy road.

OP posts:
MobLife · 29/06/2020 20:43

It sounds like you made a manoeuvre without checking your mirrors.....

Original poster
Stationclare · 29/06/2020 20:47

I'm sure I did. As I looked to see if car behind was letting me in!! Doubting myself now.
If that's the case I will be mad at myself as always careful despite dodgy drivers weaving in and out. And police not spotting them!

OP posts:
Shitonthebloodything · 29/06/2020 20:48

Sounds like you didn’t check your mirrors and maybe swerved too far out.
I never indicate to go around parked cars as long as the road is clear enough for me to do it. Could they have throught you were indicating to turn?

MrsMcCarthysFamousScones · 29/06/2020 20:48

I didnt see the police prior to this btw

Were they in your blind spot then? Because if you moved over then heard sirens I’m thinking they were already behind you, especially if they then appeared on your left-so they undertook you? Did you check all your mirrors and blind spot before indicating and pulling out?

and didn't pay attention as i was too busy trying to keep safe on that dodgy road

If you aren’t paying attention then, sorry, but you aren’t safe.

Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 29/06/2020 20:51

He swore at you?
So was there another car behind you when you pulled into the right lane and that car let you in, or do you mean you checked your mirrors to make sure there was no car behind you in the right lane? And if there were cars parked in the left lane, and that's why you moved into the right lane, how did the police drive up your left side?

Russellbrandshair · 29/06/2020 20:51

I think it’s very unprofessional of the police to swear like that whilst on duty. Imagine how uncouth that sounds “you’re fucking arrested mate!”, “could you fucking pull over madam?”
“Could I see your fucking driving licence sir!”
Urgh.
You don’t expect the police to sound like ruffians

FTMF30 · 29/06/2020 20:52

Seems like you didn't check properly before changing lanes but that doesn't justify the police talking to you like that. It's completely unprofessional, unhelpful and intimidating.

slipperywhensparticus · 29/06/2020 20:52

Were they directly behind you or?

AlwaysCheddar · 29/06/2020 20:54

So you didn’t check your mirrors and almost caused an accident ....

Aquamarine1029 · 29/06/2020 20:54

It sounds like you cut off the officer. Do you frequently check your mirrors when driving, even if you're staying in the same lane? You should be. You need to be aware what or who is beside, behind, as well as in front of you. A very quick glance every several seconds is all it takes. Don't be a tunnel vision driver.

Patsypie · 29/06/2020 20:56

He shouldn't have sworn at you but you don't sound like the safest driver either...

Quietheart · 29/06/2020 20:58

I think your last sentence sounds correct.

They weren’t there when you pulled out if the car behind had to let you in, but you probably didn’t check your rear view mirror to see them coming up behind you and if they put their sirens on it was probably for you to move out of their way. How long were they behind you for them to have to pull into the left and did you force them to undertake you?

PinkiOcelot · 29/06/2020 21:03

Very unprofessional of the police officer. You don’t expect that.

Ohyesohyeah · 29/06/2020 21:08

What speed was this all happen at? When the police car pulled onto the left side of you were you stationary or still driving? Are you sure he mouthed that? If you were still driving at even 20 or 30 mph, could you have even taken your eyes of the road long enough to look at him and work out what he was mouthing?

Original poster
Stationclare · 29/06/2020 21:11

Don't think I'm unsafe! I do check mirrors.
On that stretch of the road im mostly aware of keeping to the left and not getting anywhere near the knobs racing on the left.
I had to move from the left lane as cars were blocking it. I indicated to move over and the police weren't behind as a red car let me in. Unless they were behind him.

They probably were as the red car then turned off and the police car was directly behind me. They had sirens on and then moved to the left lane that was now clear and I would have moved back over this point .
I'm shocked the dickhead policeman swore though is this even ok?
I certainly an not allowed to swear at people in my job!
Why didn't they just pull me over?

OP posts:
ConstanceSalinger · 29/06/2020 21:11

So a police driver, presumably in a hurry if the blue lights are on, undertook you, then slowed down enough to mouth obscenities at you, before what? Speeding off to their emergency? Or were the lights and siren just for you?

If the police car was able to undertake you, you probably shouldn't have been in the right hand lane. Apologies if I've interpreted this wrong!

How long do you think had they been behind you before you noticed them?

Quayyy · 29/06/2020 21:12

are you 100% sure he said that? That’s impressive Lip reading skills to pick up those exact words from a moving car, especially when also watching the road...usually when someone mouths something in a car you see them mouthing but cannot pick up exactly what they said, I wonder if you’ve turned it into that in your head...

ConstanceSalinger · 29/06/2020 21:12

Sorry cross post!

diddl · 29/06/2020 21:19

It all seems to have happened so quickly that I don't see how you could have seen what (if anything) was said at all.

Wouldn't they have been indicating that you should have pulled over?

vanillandhoney · 29/06/2020 21:20

How do you know what he mouthed at you when he was driving past and you were both moving? Confused

MobLife · 29/06/2020 21:20

Ok so now the sirens were on....that was your cue to stay in your lane and out of the way, even if it meant coming to a halt
Because there's an emergency
Which is also why they didn't pull you over, because they were on their way to an emergency

AranciaRosso · 29/06/2020 21:21

Did this happen?

crispysausagerolls · 29/06/2020 21:23

Do you check your blind spot? Every time you change lanes etc or pull away you are supposed to do mirror mirror shoulder. For some reason a lot of people skip the shoulder part - although it’s arguably the most important!

AranciaRosso · 29/06/2020 21:23

Anyway I'm pretty sure that all in-car business is recorded these days so you should have no problem retriving proof if you enquire at the Police Station - then the officers can be dealt with accordingly

Original poster
Stationclare · 29/06/2020 21:24

No sorry after the sirens went on and I saw ten behind, they immediately mived to the left labe which was now clear. Then we approached lights .
So they stopped directly next to me. So this was a 39 mph road but now stationary when he mouthed at me. Was very clear.
That's Why I don't think they were attending an emergency.
They turned left then at 're lights
Does this make sense?

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread