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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think the police won't care? Slight road rage

35 replies

reallifeboogie · 14/05/2024 17:23

Came up to a small roundabout. I wanted to turn right, car opposite wanted to go straight on so to the side I was on but opposite way.
I had right of way. This other car decided to go straight over as I was passing it (remember, im turning right so had to pass in front of it). I had to put brakes to prevent hitting it. I beeped my horn at them as they could easily have caused an accident.
Carried on with my journey which was down a lane to a small attraction. Realised the other car was following but didn't think much of it other than why hasn't they turned down originally (they would have had to go round the roundabout fully to get to the road).

Parked up and the other car stopped next to me which wasn't a space so I realised something was up. Woman stormed out of her car and asked me if I think its appropriate to beep my horn when her children were in the car. Huh? I said you were in the wrong, I was beeping as you could have caused an accident. She carried on that I'd scared her child. I told her to fuck off and let me enjoy my day out. No I shouldn't have sworn but there was no need for her to follow me and to cause a scene.
She then screamed at me not to swear in front of her child (child was in the car with window and door shut. Child was also in a school blazer so must have been in secondary school). Driver then got back in car, drove round the car park and then stopped and took a photo of me and my car. I asked what was she doing..she said she would report me to the police for "driving in a poor manner" and for "swearing at a minor"

Please tell me the police will just laugh??

OP posts:
Countrygirlxo · 14/05/2024 17:28

She's got no proof

hopscotcher · 14/05/2024 17:33

I think you were both a bit in the wrong - her for following and confronting you & you for telling her to fuck off when you could have just said an insincere sorry (or similar) to defuse the situation. A bit of misjudgement at a mini roundabout doesn't need to blow up like that. I doubt the police will have any interest though.

morbidcuriosity · 14/05/2024 17:36

I would say. " go for it, Ive got a dash cam so the police would probably love to see it!!!"

Princesspollyyy · 14/05/2024 17:37

Like a precious pp said, there is absolutely no proof, so police won't be interested.

TonTonMacoute · 14/05/2024 17:37

In my experience the police couldn't give a flying fuck about anything, and wouldn't do anything even if she did have proof.

GrandHighPoohbah · 14/05/2024 17:39

An apt response would be "And tell me, is it appropriate to put your child's safety at risk with your poor driving?Good day". Close doors and drive off.

Changingplace · 14/05/2024 17:40

The police don’t give a shit if your house is getting burgled I think they’ll struggle to muster any energy to care about this.

Comedycook · 14/05/2024 17:41

Just forget about it

DavidRosesEyebrows · 14/05/2024 17:48

The police don't have time to investigate real crimes, I can't see them being bothered about this.

ThisNoisyTealLurker · 14/05/2024 17:49

No proof, she was in the wrong, I really wouldn't worry about it x

interestingfailure · 14/05/2024 17:50

GrandHighPoohbah · 14/05/2024 17:39

An apt response would be "And tell me, is it appropriate to put your child's safety at risk with your poor driving?Good day". Close doors and drive off.

Edited

"Good day" 🤣

And back to the real world. I agree with the poster who said you were both in the wrong, she probably won't do anything about it and if she does the police are unlikely to track you down.

GrandHighPoohbah · 14/05/2024 17:58

interestingfailure · 14/05/2024 17:50

"Good day" 🤣

And back to the real world. I agree with the poster who said you were both in the wrong, she probably won't do anything about it and if she does the police are unlikely to track you down.

I find a slightly eccentric piece of politeness an excellent way of throwing people long enough to make my getaway 😁

Trickabrick · 14/05/2024 18:14

“Swearing at a minor” 😂 pretty sure that’s not illegal and if it is, there’s lots of us guilty of that. She’s the one who followed you in her car to remonstrate with you, really doubt the police will be interested.

BananaLlama123 · 14/05/2024 18:16

I'm quite sure that swearing in front a minor is not a criminal offence. I'd be doing a good stretch if that were the case. I don't routinely swear in front of my children but the odd one slips out if I stub my toe or something.

Ritadidsomethingbad · 14/05/2024 18:17

I bet she is literally on the edge of losing her shit.

Police won’t do shit

SherlockHomies · 14/05/2024 18:18

The police won't care.

She probably took the photo for Facebook but 'Police' sounds more important.

Macbeff · 14/05/2024 18:23

Given they’ve pretty much given up investigating burglaries, I can’t see them giving two hoots about this.

Growlybear83 · 14/05/2024 18:25

I'm wondering why you would think a child wearing a blazer must be in secondary school?

parkrun500club · 14/05/2024 18:26

My mum always says if you've time to beep you've time to brake.

You are not meant to beep as a rebuke, you are meant to beep as a warning.

People are far too free and easy with their beeping - it's particularly annoying for everyone else who's thinking "who's beeping who - why are they beeping - what have I done wrong".

Save it for situations where you really need to grab someone's attention eg they are going to reverse into your path or something like that.

The police won't care, although allegedly people have been prosecuted for beeping at traffic lights to the person in front that they've changed. I'd have thought they were too busy.

parkrun500club · 14/05/2024 18:27

GrandHighPoohbah · 14/05/2024 17:39

An apt response would be "And tell me, is it appropriate to put your child's safety at risk with your poor driving?Good day". Close doors and drive off.

Edited

Yes, I've used similar to this when I've said things like "an appropriate response would have been an apology" or similar!

rwalker · 14/05/2024 18:28

The problem is you were approaching her from right so you think you have right of way

she is approaching you from the right so she will think she has the right of way

Beeping your horn is appropriate if someone was reversing and didn’t realise you were there to alert them of your presence

beeping in this case served no purpose in preventing anything it was just a sign of aggression

Xyz1234567 · 14/05/2024 18:30

Both in the wrong. You should only ever use your horn as a warning, and why on earth would you tell someone to F off. You sound unpleasant and so does the other woman. I guess you met your match.

Kalevala · 14/05/2024 18:31

You are not meant to beep as a rebuke, you are meant to beep as a warning.

I think it was a warning. A warning that she had pulled out in front of someone and had a near miss. A distracted driver might have hit her. If someone has had to brake to avoid hitting you then you need a warning.

Kalevala · 14/05/2024 18:33

she is approaching you from the right so she will think she has the right of way

The OP would have already been on the roundabout when she entered it.

whatnnoww · 14/05/2024 18:34

Beeping is to avoid an incident not to protest at someone’s driving . I never beep at anyone - normally too busy taking evasive action .

Neither of you came out of it well , though she sounds like she’s right on the edge - be glad you aren’t her