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

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Lost my temper and swore at a group of kids today

54 replies

Hotsummer2022 · 17/07/2022 17:11

I was driving home earlier and decided to stop by my local Costa to grab a drink. I drove down the hill into the retail park where a group of kids/teenagers (looked to be around 14-15) were messing around in the street. I stopped to let them cross and they walked back onto the kerb. It didn't look like they wanted to cross and were just messing around so I proceeded to go and they walked back into the street so I had to slam on my brakes again. They did this a couple of times so I asked them if they wanted to cross or not as otherwise I needed to get past them and they just started laughing. By this point there were a few cars behind me waiting to go so as I went to go again the kids did the same thing. I put my hand out to let them cross and finally they did (a few behind the car and a couple in front) and then I heard a big thud. They threw something at my car (no idea what it was and I've checked now that I've got home and there's no obvious damage) but by this point I was really annoyed. I kept my cool and finally they walked off but as I went to turn right into the drive thru I realised they'd dumped a huge cone in front (I know it was them as I'd seen one of them carrying it when I was driving down the hill but didn't realise they'd put it there with all the commotion) and I had to slam on my breaks again and the car behind me nearly went into the back of me.

I heard them all laughing as they were walking off so I really lost my temper and shouted out the window "you fucking bunch of brats" and everyone was looking at me. The kids just walked off and didn't say anything back. I immediately felt embarrassed and I'm really annoyed at myself now that I let a bunch of kids wind me up so much, but at the same time if I'd of hit them with my car it would of been my fault even though they were messing around in the street, and then to throw something at my car too. There was just no need for it at all. I was their age once and granted I messed around with my friends but I knew better than to mess around in the street where there were cars and I didn't throw things at my people's cars either, and they could have caused an accident putting the cone in front of the drive thru also.

In hindsight I shouldn't have lost my temper and I'd probably be really upset if someone spoke to my kids that way. I did tell the Costa staff that they'd dumped a cone in front of the drive thru and cars were having to stop because of it but they weren't interested. Have you ever lost your temper with a group of teenagers? I can't be the only one surely. Kids eh!

OP posts:
Pootles34 · 17/07/2022 17:14

Of course yanbu - if my kids were being such little shits I'd welcome someone bollocking them. Of course, they won't be bothered they'll think it was hilarious, but yanbu.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 17/07/2022 17:14

I think it was fine and I wouldn't be upset if someone called my kid a fucking brat if they were acting like a fucking brat. A dangerous fucking brat at that !

Lollypop701 · 17/07/2022 17:15

Sorry but they deserved it. Perhaps not your finest moment but I would have done the same.

kids do not have any comprehension of the carnage they sometimes cause, including the cost. If this was my child I’d go mental at them.

sparky1038474 · 17/07/2022 17:15

YANBU

ComDummings · 17/07/2022 17:17

If my kids were doing that I’d be glad someone had the balls to tell them off to be honest. They were being a bunch of dickheads.

LoisPlane · 17/07/2022 17:18

In hindsight I shouldn't have lost my temper and I'd probably be really upset if someone spoke to my kids that way.

Would you really?

If I found out my Ds14 was one of these kids I'd be telling him to be thankful he didn't end up with a clip behind the ear, not annoyed someone had sworn at him!

MessOfEyelinerAndSpraypaint · 17/07/2022 17:20

This is why I don't drive cos i'd've driven into the ignorant little fuckers after the second time. Hilarious.

mycatisannoying · 17/07/2022 17:22

Don't blame you at all, OP. What a shame it would be if one of them had a nasty - but not life threatening - accident.

Cheerybigbottom · 17/07/2022 17:22

Yanbu

Absolutely enraging and dangerous behaviour from them, you held yourself back admirably I think

SirChenjins · 17/07/2022 17:24

The fucking brats deserved it, quite frankly. If any of my teens had behaved that way and someone called them that I’d have shrugged, told them they deserved it and more, and would have grounded them without screens.

MikeWozniaksMoustache · 17/07/2022 17:24

I’d have called them worse than brats tbh. And if my kid was doing something like this, I’d be happy if they got a bit of a bollocking tbh.

Soubriquet · 17/07/2022 17:28

If I found out any of my kids did that, they would be called worse than a fucking brat.

You weren’t in the wrong Op. they are

StoneofDestiny · 17/07/2022 17:28

You were remarkably restrained! I'd be mortified if one of mine did that and I'd support the drivers outburst. Unfortunately swearing is so common now it wouldn't even register anymore!
did you not catch the hooligans on your camera?

Hellocatshome · 17/07/2022 17:31

If my kids acted like that I would think they deserved to be sworn at and to be honest they were lucky it was you they did it to and not some other people or they might have found themselves more than sworn at!

Trinity65 · 17/07/2022 17:35

Hotsummer2022 · 17/07/2022 17:11

I was driving home earlier and decided to stop by my local Costa to grab a drink. I drove down the hill into the retail park where a group of kids/teenagers (looked to be around 14-15) were messing around in the street. I stopped to let them cross and they walked back onto the kerb. It didn't look like they wanted to cross and were just messing around so I proceeded to go and they walked back into the street so I had to slam on my brakes again. They did this a couple of times so I asked them if they wanted to cross or not as otherwise I needed to get past them and they just started laughing. By this point there were a few cars behind me waiting to go so as I went to go again the kids did the same thing. I put my hand out to let them cross and finally they did (a few behind the car and a couple in front) and then I heard a big thud. They threw something at my car (no idea what it was and I've checked now that I've got home and there's no obvious damage) but by this point I was really annoyed. I kept my cool and finally they walked off but as I went to turn right into the drive thru I realised they'd dumped a huge cone in front (I know it was them as I'd seen one of them carrying it when I was driving down the hill but didn't realise they'd put it there with all the commotion) and I had to slam on my breaks again and the car behind me nearly went into the back of me.

I heard them all laughing as they were walking off so I really lost my temper and shouted out the window "you fucking bunch of brats" and everyone was looking at me. The kids just walked off and didn't say anything back. I immediately felt embarrassed and I'm really annoyed at myself now that I let a bunch of kids wind me up so much, but at the same time if I'd of hit them with my car it would of been my fault even though they were messing around in the street, and then to throw something at my car too. There was just no need for it at all. I was their age once and granted I messed around with my friends but I knew better than to mess around in the street where there were cars and I didn't throw things at my people's cars either, and they could have caused an accident putting the cone in front of the drive thru also.

In hindsight I shouldn't have lost my temper and I'd probably be really upset if someone spoke to my kids that way. I did tell the Costa staff that they'd dumped a cone in front of the drive thru and cars were having to stop because of it but they weren't interested. Have you ever lost your temper with a group of teenagers? I can't be the only one surely. Kids eh!

No you were not Unreasonable

If my Kid was acting like a little brat and got shouted at it wouldn't bother Me

Jsy7 · 17/07/2022 17:37

I doubt they will care very much and will have heard worse than that.

teenagerinlove · 17/07/2022 17:38

100% agree with PP. I have a teen and if he was behaving like that I'd be very happy for someone to have a go at him.

Dolares · 17/07/2022 17:42

I don't blame you. I appreciate it doesn't make you feel any better though. We had a similar game of chicken with a group of teenagers a while back and DH just slowly crept forward rather than stop start with the brakes. He got called a c*nt for his troubles, but he wasn't going to play their game and risk being rear ended by another car. If they know that you're not going to stop they soon get out of the way!

AhaLyn · 17/07/2022 17:44

Well they were being fucking brats.

Dobbysgotthesocks · 17/07/2022 17:44

I'm afraid I would have taken photos of them to send to the police and put on social media so their parents might be made aware of what their brats were doing.
Kids like that shouldn't be out unsupervised if they can't behave

Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious · 17/07/2022 17:47

They were fucking little brats and I'd have probably called them worse. I wouldn't be annoyed if someone shouted at my kid if they behaved like that. Why would anyone?

Rahrahrahrahannoyed · 17/07/2022 17:48

YANBU. They were fucking brats and needed telling. So dangerous

WhatNoRaisins · 17/07/2022 17:48

I wouldn't feel bad for them at all personally

MistyGreenAndBlue · 17/07/2022 17:49

They were lucky
My ex would have mown them down. He cant be the only one.

Threetulips · 17/07/2022 17:52

I wouldn’t care if they deserved it to be fair! If they came home whingeing my first question would be ‘what did you do?’

better sworn at then run over.