Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Your Dad is a terrible driver!

65 replies

Massy · 21/07/2024 16:17

I was out on my bike this morning, and met a driver who did a 3 point turn in front of me. He did not notice me until I rang my bell, right next to his window. I pointed out that as a cyclist, my life was in his hands and he wasn’t looking.

Anyway my parting gambit ‘your Dad is a terrible driver, was addressed to his 2 children in the car, aged about 10 & 12. It made me feel better. He said it was wrong to talk to children like that. Your thoughts?

OP posts:
cansu · 21/07/2024 16:20

Why are you acting like a 10 year old kid?

KrisAkabusi · 21/07/2024 16:22

There were two kids in the car and you were acting more childishly than both of them!

Waiting for this to be a reverse.

StellaSmile · 21/07/2024 16:26

YABU

Not his kids fault he didn't see you.
If you spoke to my kids like that I'd tell you to fuck off and I'm usually quite a mild person!

FourToTheMFingFloor · 21/07/2024 16:28

Why bring the kids into it?! You sounded very petulant.

Cas112 · 21/07/2024 16:31

Get a grip, what do the kids have to do with it

fuhb · 21/07/2024 16:34

Leave the kids out of it

LostTheMarble · 21/07/2024 16:35

This must be a reverse. If you saw him doing the turn then you evidently had plenty of time to stop. You had no right to bring the children into it.

Gcsunnyside23 · 21/07/2024 16:44

So you could see that he was in the middle of a manoeuvre and you still ploughed on knowing he couldn't see you (actually putting yourself in a dangerous situation). It's manners to wait and make sure someone can see you. Also speaking to his kids was a dick move. Cyclists like you bake it hard to stick up for other cyclists on the road

LlynTegid · 21/07/2024 16:46

Your comment should have been 'your dad needs to get his eyes tested'. Then taken the registration and reported it to the police via the 101 number.

You might save the two children being injured in a crash.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 21/07/2024 16:49

YABU. Why on earth drag the children into it?! There was no need for a parting gambit. You had already made your (valid) point.

GalileoHumpkins · 21/07/2024 16:54

They're too young to understand your attempt at a cutting passive aggressive comeback. Why did it make you feel better?

TonyeKnausgaard · 21/07/2024 16:57

Outrageous to have slagged off a dad to his children. There's no need to try and hurt their feelings to spite him.

Also, I don't understand what you were doing so close to the car. Why did you go up to the window to ring the bell? I'm not clear on what exactly happened.

Eeeden · 21/07/2024 16:58

Well you behaved like a yob.

MrHarleyQuin · 21/07/2024 17:00

Why did you carry on cycling if you can see a car making a turn in the road ahead? Just fucking wait.

IdLikeToBeAFraser · 21/07/2024 17:01

You do rather sound like one of those cyclists the rest of us hate. Clearly he should have been looking more carefully before performing a 3 point turn if it was dangerous. But getting his kids involved? Just weird.

Do you always lecture people's children when they make a mistake?

CatMum27 · 21/07/2024 17:04

Look, maybe he didn’t see you and it was a genuine mistake. No one is perfect. Maybe he was a bad driver who couldn’t care less. There are awful drivers, cyclists and pedestrians out there. Having a go at his kids is daft on many levels. It’s not their fault any more than it’s your kids fault you’re rude to small children. But as long as it made you feel like a big person I guess? 🤷‍♀️

Sirzy · 21/07/2024 17:07

Your life was in your own hands too why carry on when you can see he is mid manoeuvre?

he may have been wrong but doesn’t sound like you were doing a great job either!

PonyPatter44 · 21/07/2024 17:09

I've read this before.

GoodnightJude1 · 21/07/2024 17:09

No need to say anything to the children.
That’ll probably play on their minds for ages now….

but as long as it made you feel better 🙄

Sux2buthen · 21/07/2024 17:09

They're just going to have thought you were an idiot to be honest.
Kids rarely take sides of strangers over their parents

LordEmsworth · 21/07/2024 17:11

Yeah OP, why didn't you just let him run you over? Your fault really for being in the road. The entitlement is astonishing.

MrHarleyQuin · 21/07/2024 17:11

Maybe he saw the cyclist and thought she would stop for a car turning instead of putting herself in danger trying to squeeze past and riding up to his window to be beligerent.

buckeejit · 21/07/2024 17:11

Of course yabu ffs

Hesma · 21/07/2024 17:12

You’re a twat for trying to upset two children!

EKnaring · 21/07/2024 17:13

Sorry but I think you need to grow up, OP. There was no need to bring the kids into it and as someone’s pointed out, they probably just thought you were strange and will obviously take the driver’s side.

I also think you are also responsible for your life, and it isn’t ’in the hands’ of the driver solely - the set up isn’t clear because as others have said, surely you’d have been given some time if you’ve observed the car doing a manoeuvre to stop/reassess your situation? I’m not saying the driver was in the right by the way, as it’s very possible they were being careless but think your post indicates you were also at fault