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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To the person who just drenched me in freezing cold water

100 replies

partypartypartytime · 04/12/2023 12:05

AIBU unreasonable to say to the person driving their 4x4 through the puddle next to the kerb absolutely drenching pregnant me and my one year old with freezing cold water which is how we got to walk home the rest of the way:

Go Fuck Yourself! You absolute selfish twat. I hope your car breaks down and you spend the next three hours standing in the rain on the side of the road. And once more FUCK YOU!

OP posts:
Wavyline · 04/12/2023 13:03

aswarmofmidges · 04/12/2023 12:37

If you can't avoid spraying a pedestrian I believe you should stop and wait until you can pass by safely

You really can't do that if you're on a road with traffic. You could slow down, as long as you give the drivers behind plenty of warning.

Fieldofbrokenpromises · 04/12/2023 13:06

aswarmofmidges · 04/12/2023 12:37

If you can't avoid spraying a pedestrian I believe you should stop and wait until you can pass by safely

^this is true and actually the law. I drive a big 4x4 but I don’t drench pedestrians

Fieldofbrokenpromises · 04/12/2023 13:06

Wavyline · 04/12/2023 13:03

You really can't do that if you're on a road with traffic. You could slow down, as long as you give the drivers behind plenty of warning.

Show quote history

You absolutely can.

user1497207191 · 04/12/2023 13:08

@HellInABasket

I'm sure there are some cnts who do it on purpose but its possible it was an accident. sorry you had such a horrible experience.*

Even if an "accident", it's still unacceptable and shows the driver wasn't aware of the road conditions, didn't care about splashing a pedestrian, etc. Probably oblivious in their own little World. That still makes them an inconsiderate, if not dangerous driver. In some ways, it'd be better if they did it on purpose and were a dickhead as at least they were paying attention and aware of what they were doing. The oblivious drivers are worse, in my opinion, as you really need to be concentrating and aware of what you're doing.

LuvSmallDogs · 04/12/2023 13:09

There are some horrid drivers out there. On various school runs I have had my wrist hit by a wing mirror causing a bruise, been splashed by puddles (like you), had a driver speed through a red light outside a primary school, had to go in the road with a buggy numerous times, seen a car move itself along the pavement nearly hitting a child who was on the pavement...

Summermeadowflowers · 04/12/2023 13:11

@HellInABasket i don’t think many people do it intentionally, but irrespective of whether it’s on purpose or not the pedestrian (and baby in this case) are still wet!

Trickedbyadoughnut · 04/12/2023 13:14

Bet not a lot actually get fined, but it's nice to imagine they'll get their comeuppance one day:

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/drivers-splashing-pedestrians-face-fines-of-up-to-5000/

Yiayoula · 04/12/2023 13:15

Nothing useful to add, but glad you’re both home, dry and cosy now.
Hopefully the collective Bad Karma vibes from the MN vipers will ensure he runs out of petrol or has a puncture …….

EvilElsa · 04/12/2023 13:16

That's shit, I'm sorry.
It was probably an unthinking mistake -to drench a one year old is something that even people who find these things hilarious would draw the line at. They either didn't think it would happen, totally misjudged (I.e. crap driving) or just didn't see you. My niece was nearly run over by someone blindly driving over a pelican crossing -no ill intentions just not paying attention at all. Shouldn't happen when driving obviously as it's incredibly dangerous but it does happen unfortunately.
Glad you are home and dry now. I remember coming out of the gym once and getting absolutely drenched by a passing bus going through a puddle -my trainers had to go in the wash as they were full of grit and they were never the same!!

hairbearbunches · 04/12/2023 13:16

Believe in karma.

I almost came a cropper with a dick on a pushbike when walking my dog down a rural lane last week. He had no bell, lots of lycra and was going way faster than a car would have. Probably doing about 40mph. In fact, I only heard him because his wheels were making a noise he was going that fast. Managed to get dog into side of road as he whizzed past us.

Called him a prick, and then karma stepped in. As he rounded the bend, some lady in a mini was driving slowly - looked like she was trying to find a house - in the middle of the lane and he very nearly ploughed into her bonnet.

Karma is a bitch, and I love her😉

Yiayoula · 04/12/2023 13:18

@hairbearbunches 🫶🫶🫶

BiscuitsandPuffin · 04/12/2023 13:19

Fieldofbrokenpromises · 04/12/2023 13:06

^this is true and actually the law. I drive a big 4x4 but I don’t drench pedestrians

Show quote history

It's not the law. The law was outlined in the link previously, with the sensationalist headline claiming "fines of £5000" for breaking it, when the article goes on to say it's actually £100 and 3 penalty points unless you're too stupid to pay it.

Slow down through a puddle, absolutely, but coming to a complete stop on some of the roads around me with puddles as far as the eye can see is not "actually the law" and would be undue hesitation which is illegal.

Also really annoying for anyone trying to get anywhere and embarrassing for pedestrians if your saviour complex meant they were put on the spot to hurry past the puddle to ensure the poor sods behind you could travel down the road.

Basic physics says you do not need to stop at a puddle to avoid splashing a pedestrian.

Mouldyfoodhelp · 04/12/2023 13:20

I feel sorry for you OP but also as somebody who has had multiple drenchings I can't say whenever it rains and there's a puddle a small part of me doesn't want to exact revenge on an innocent pedestrian.

I never have though.

WhycantIkeepthisbloodyplantalive · 04/12/2023 13:22

I unfortunately drenched a lady and her child the other week. I had just pulled out of T junction and there was a Parked car on my side of the road about 10 m down, I pulled in front of car as soon as possible to get out of other side of road and went straight into a huge puddle which drenched poor lady and child. There was literally no way of seeing the water before hand (it also was not raining).

I felt terrible and I could see the lady shouting at me in the rear mirror. It was a complete accident however. Obviously still very unpleasant for pedestrians, but sometimes it is unavoidable and not everybody is trying to be a knob, it's just an unfortunate happening.

LondonLass91 · 04/12/2023 13:22

Someone did this to me definitely on purpose when i was 8 months pregnant. Bastards.

Summermeadowflowers · 04/12/2023 13:24

@Mouldyfoodhelp what? Grow up Confused

Ap24 · 04/12/2023 13:29

If you did that round here you would likely get something back through your window.

Cattiwampus · 04/12/2023 13:30

It happened to my son a few years back. 4x4, young bloke driving…and his GCSE geography teacher in the passenger seat, looking horrified as she watched a pupil get swamped in a tidal wave.
So he sat in double geography, huge and autistic, dripping and squelching and glaring at her. For almost two hours. She apparently kept squeaking at him, and he just glowered at her. She was mortified. And guilt-ridden.
He told me later that he didn’t want to say anything, because it wasn’t her fault.
Being autistic, his facial expressions were limited, and his default was brooding menace. So he looked ready to disembowel someone when he was merely present and concentrating.
He was still pretty damp when he got home.

Original poster
partypartypartytime · 04/12/2023 13:30

LuvSmallDogs · 04/12/2023 13:09

There are some horrid drivers out there. On various school runs I have had my wrist hit by a wing mirror causing a bruise, been splashed by puddles (like you), had a driver speed through a red light outside a primary school, had to go in the road with a buggy numerous times, seen a car move itself along the pavement nearly hitting a child who was on the pavement...

That's absolutely terrible!

OP posts:
Kirstyshine · 04/12/2023 13:32

WhycantIkeepthisbloodyplantalive · 04/12/2023 13:22

I unfortunately drenched a lady and her child the other week. I had just pulled out of T junction and there was a Parked car on my side of the road about 10 m down, I pulled in front of car as soon as possible to get out of other side of road and went straight into a huge puddle which drenched poor lady and child. There was literally no way of seeing the water before hand (it also was not raining).

I felt terrible and I could see the lady shouting at me in the rear mirror. It was a complete accident however. Obviously still very unpleasant for pedestrians, but sometimes it is unavoidable and not everybody is trying to be a knob, it's just an unfortunate happening.

Why didn’t you stop and apologise? You could have offered them a lift.

totallyaddictedtocheese · 04/12/2023 13:34

This happened to me and my baby recently too. The man driving was laughing as he sped up to soak us. Idiot. Imagine finding out that your husband/boyfriend got his kicks by splashing pedestrians though. What a loser.

Iheartmysmart · 04/12/2023 13:38

The zebra crossing by me is so badly placed that every time it rains the puddle pretty much goes from one side of the road to the other, obscuring most of the crossing and ensuring anyone waiting to cross the road gets absolutely drenched by passing cars who seem oblivious to the need to stop.

Brefugee · 04/12/2023 13:43

FallingAutumnLeaf · 04/12/2023 12:29

Hard to answer.
Did they actually have space to pull out? Or was something coming the other way? Blame the council for not getting the drains unblocked.

There is a road near us that we actually walk the long way round to avoid when it's been raining, as the traffic usually has no choice but to drive through the puddles, and even slowing down, pedestrians get sprayed.

then they should wait - not drench pedestrians

OneTC · 04/12/2023 13:43

Once popped out for lunch at work and was walking along minding my own when a bus drove over some booby trap bucket shaped pot hole which emptied actual litres of dirty brown water all over me, and me alone, despite being on a busy pavement quite far from the actual pothole.

I went home

CoQ10 · 04/12/2023 13:46

partypartypartytime · 04/12/2023 12:35

They did indeed; right lane completely empty. They could have also slowed down (approaching red light anyway). Straight road if remotely looking out front window will have seen us.

And yet decided the way to go was to cover us in dirty ice water. Absolute dick.

Did they stop at the red light?
I would have knocked on their window and told them a massive piece of my mind. That is so inconsiderate and shitty.