To not let this go

[Sleepdeprived42long]

Out on daily walk with DH and DSs(8 and 6). Walk involves going over aqueduct. Narrow path but enough for people to pass in opposite direction. Just as we are approaching end (probably about 5m away), elderly man on a motorised quad, turns into path over aqueduct starts coming towards us. There is no room for us to pass him. We stop and he stops. He says to us to climb up onto railing at edge of path (not water side) to get past. I say no-it’s icy and it’s not safe for my children (gaps between railings). He says that he does this every day and that’s what everyone does. I say he can reverse and then we can get past and he can go on his way. He says he can’t reverse. (I admit I’m starting to get a bit pissed off by now!) I threaten to call police as I don’t think he’s allowed a quad bike on the path anyway. He says he’s not moving. My kids and DH are getting upset now so I say we will walk back along aqueduct and he will just have to follow us-which is what he did. I took a picture of him following us-although taken without permission obvs.

I hate confrontation but I would never do anything that I though would be unsafe for my kids. My DH says let it go but I’m so annoyed at this man-if I thought it was a one off fine but he says he does it ‘every day’.

YANU-you should let this go.
YANBU-you should take this further (I could report to path owners-they are public body- I don’t think Police would be interested tbh)

Or her.

@pictish

Personally I would have just hopped over like he suggested...and if I felt my kids were unsafe I’d stay put and wait for him to pass before going back on the path. I think he assumed you’d get out of his way as most people would. Quad bikes don’t have a reverse gear.

Put in neutral and push backwards

@pictish I’m not sure if you’re understanding the scenario. There was nowhere to stay put and wait for him to pass. It was up on railings or walk back they way we came (which is what we ended up doing). The path was only as wide as the quad bike.

Who’s going to speak to him about his attitude? Seriously, what planet are you on? It might be his land.

It wouldn't bother me if my DH hadn't said anything to back me up, I'm mouthy enough I don't need him jumping in.
The man was an asshole though.

If it was a quad bike being used antisocially - which I would say it was from your description - then the police will probably be interested. There is rarely a right of way on footpaths for quads or trail bikes.

Pictish you’re being weirdly arseh about this.

Arsey!

The man sound like a prick. You can email the police these days. They wont take a blind bit of notice but you can get it all out and it may be considered if something else happens. Sounds like you did a good job of sticking up for yourself, I'd let this one slide with dh THIS TIME.

I do get it. I’d have gone up on the railings till he passed. I know I must seem like some mad, crazy person but there you have it.

Sorry I apologise if I seem arsey.
I just don’t know who you all think this is worth reporting this ‘incident’ to? The police won’t care...the land owners won’t care. Who else is there?

I would have carried on walking and climbed over him

I probably would have staged a sit in. And wait for him to reverse. Even if it was bucketing down with rain.

DH needs a good slap too.

How old are your children OP?
2yrs and 4yrs - YANBU
25yrs and 27yrs - YABU

Is there a Facebook page or similar for this particular aquaduct?
It may say on there what is/isn't allowed to ride over it.

I do feel quad bike man should have waited and "given way" to oncoming traffic ie. your family, if you were part way across before he set off.

Your DH should have stood his ground more.

Also, you don't know that he couldn't walk

@pictish

Sorry I apologise if I seem arsey. I just don’t know who you all think this is worth reporting this ‘incident’ to? The police won’t care...the land owners won’t care. Who else is there?

Like I said, the police where I am would definitely try and address this.

What he's doing is not only dangerous but illegal.

www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/riding-quad-and-scrambler-bikes

I would report it on 101.

Thanks for all your replies everyone. Have spoken with DH and we are all good now. Re ‘reporting’ the incident, I’m going to sleep on it and see how I feel in the morning.

I read the post as an elderly man on a mobility scooter at first!

Yeh I can completely understand how annoying it was for you. If someone had a pushchair or had a physical disability preventing them from climbing on the railing, what on earth would he have done then.

Do speak to the Police.

In likelihood they'll at least call him and tell him not to drive the quad on the path and certainly not to expect people, especially those with children, to put themselves at risk so he can pass.

Does your olice have a twitter page. Ours does and is always asking about quad bike problems.

You need to get yourself a similar model and meet him on the bridge.
Take warm clothes and enough food.

So there's like a small ledge with railings that he wanted you to climb onto & you'd have to hold the railings to stay on the ledge?

If his bike is too big to allow anything/anyone to pass in the opposite direction then he should just not go on there?

This is MN, you MUST log it with 101