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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To refuse to speak to this person until I receive an apology

233 replies

ToffeePennie · 01/01/2025 18:03

This person has hurt me by slowly driving directly towards me whilst I was walking in a field, then hitting me. I clipped my right hip/knee and ankle on the car, but I did not report it as there were no witnesses and I was the only person injured (and my injuries were “brushed off” by the rest of my family as I was perfectly fine, apart from a few scrapes and bruises).
This took place at an event we attend locally about 4 years ago. I did not want to spoil the event for my children, but resolved that until the family member who hit me apologised, I would not speak to them, I would ignore them.
This person is elderly (90s) and their child is very aware and was told at the time. I was informed the person “is elderly and therefore we should cut them some slack, they probably didn’t even see you, or feel the bump of the car”. I firmly believe this takes the mick and they should have been told what they had done, if, they really didn’t know.
Said family member absolutely should not have been driving and a month after hitting me, they had another “little accident” where they drove into someone’s wall very very slowly and had their licence removed from them. So there’s not much more I can do about it. Note: this is not the sort of family member where I have any rights to intervene, nor does my DH.
However, being forced to be around this person over the festive period has made things more awkward again, and it’s now where I am pointedly ignoring them.
AIBU or Not?

OP posts:
Drachuughtty · 01/01/2025 18:05

I'm confused tbh.

SabbatWheel · 01/01/2025 18:05

If they were driving slowly did you not have time to get out of the way? Sounds all a bit of a drama tbh.

September1013 · 01/01/2025 18:05

It sounds like it was an accident and it was four years ago! And they are no longer driving.

Honestly I’d just let it go, why keep on carrying bad feelings about it?

AquaPeer · 01/01/2025 18:06

Of course YANBU. Why won’t they apologise?

Tbh I don’t think it’s a massively big deal but they should obviously say sorry, ignoring them seems reasonable punishment for that

CapybarasAreJustGuineaBigs · 01/01/2025 18:08

Why were they driving around in a field?

SausageRoll2020 · 01/01/2025 18:08

So there's a possibility that they don't know that they hit you and have literally no idea why you aren't speaking to them? If so YABU.

You could have gone through the proper channels or spoken to them at the time. It's 4 years later and they are in their 90's, even if they knew what had happened at the time they might not remember now and just think you are being rude for no reason 🤷🏻‍♀️

Soonenough · 01/01/2025 18:08

Let it go. At 90 years old you won't have to talk to them very often anyway. Demanding apologies is the one way to ensure that feuds are kept going. You know damn well that they didn't really mean to hurt you or knock you down. Unnecessary drama.

ChippedIkeaFurniture · 01/01/2025 18:09

So to summarise, you want the 90+ yr old who slowly bumped into you with their car 4 years ago to apologise? And until then you are ignoring them? For 4 years? Do they even know what happened?

Melodyfair · 01/01/2025 18:09

Apologies for sounding crass but I can’t imagine this scenario, how did nobody notice this?

Thegoatliesdownonbroadway · 01/01/2025 18:10

What a way to start the New Year. Move on.

Italiangreyhound · 01/01/2025 18:10

I'm sorry this sounds horrible. I would not want to talk to them either.

The family who brushed this off were totally wrong and had this person run over and killed someone it would have been an avoidable tragedy.

So, I 'voted' you are not being unreasonable.

However, holding on to this feeling is maybe not helping you.

Could you talk to a counsellor so you can process this and move on.

You will not necessarily ever get an apology and at some point this person will die, you will have a choice to let the anger go then, or hang on further. You are not wrong to be angry even after 4 years but I am not sure it will help you.

user1471505494 · 01/01/2025 18:11

This reply has been deleted

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Trallers · 01/01/2025 18:12

It sounds like everyone else thinks they didn't really do it on purpose, plus didn't even realise it had happened.

You don't quite buy that and think even if they didn't know it happened they should have been told so they could apologise to you at the very least.

Not unreasonable at the time to want that, but 4 years on surely they haven't the foggiest why you'd be cross with them and would find it even more baffling to have it explained and an apology demanded now.

I'd be more annoyed with the people who belittled you being injured at the time. Unless there's more to the story and they think you stood there on purpose or something (I'm not saying you did).

Curtainqueen · 01/01/2025 18:12

I fail to see how ignoring them resolves anything? What if you never get the apology you are holding out for? Ignore them forever?

Pigeonqueen · 01/01/2025 18:13

4 years ago?!

Wow. Just let it go now.

Howmanyshoeboxesdoesittake · 01/01/2025 18:14

If this is for real then I think you are being rather unreasonable to be honest holding on to this grudge for for years and spectacularly missing the point.

If you were not hurt the only thing that matters is that this person is not driving any more and that is now the case.

They are elderly, they probably didn't intend to hurt you, and an apology would be nice but what would it really achieve now?

Do you always hold on to resentments like this for so long? If so your life is going to be very hard. I would forgive and forget for your own sake so you can move on.

steff13 · 01/01/2025 18:14

The person was at least 86 four years ago. So I'd be willing to buy they weren't aware of what they were doing. That's an age where it's maybe not advisable for someone to be driving. If they were moving slowly, why couldn't you get out of the way?

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 01/01/2025 18:15

Are you quite sure that this was deliberate?

Baileysatchristmas · 01/01/2025 18:16

Are you farmers? edit coz I've realised you said it was a car - I don't understand how you can think you're getting an apology after 4 years anyway?

MabelMora · 01/01/2025 18:16

Why were they driving in a field? Did they think you were a scarecrow?! You've held onto this for four years? So many questions.

Ralphschocolate · 01/01/2025 18:16

SabbatWheel · 01/01/2025 18:05

If they were driving slowly did you not have time to get out of the way? Sounds all a bit of a drama tbh.

Agree with this. If they were driving slowly and you were walking, why didn't you move?

Thepurplepig · 01/01/2025 18:17

How old are you? Older than the five years you are behaving I suspect. If I’ve got this right. An elderly person drove into you at low speed and caused a minor injury. They shouldn’t have really been driving and have since had their licence removed.

You have the arse ache because they haven’t apologised. Have you asked for an apology from this person directly? They’re 90 years old FFS. They’re not going to go out of their way to say sorry for something they probably don’t even remember doing

SalmonEile · 01/01/2025 18:17

MabelMora · 01/01/2025 18:16

Why were they driving in a field? Did they think you were a scarecrow?! You've held onto this for four years? So many questions.

The OP says this happened at an event so I’m thinking the field was being used as a car park for the event.

purplecorkheart · 01/01/2025 18:19

The reality is you are not going to received an apology. The odds are the driver is unaware that an accident took place
Even if they are they will not take the blame, you will have been in the way, there was something wrong with the car etc

They may not even remember that day.
You could be mad at their children for dismissing the incident but I suspect that they are feeling guilty but it is very hard to get a driving licence removed from an elderly relative.

To be fair they could be angry at you for not reporting so the licence could have been removed.

BotterMon · 01/01/2025 18:19

In the words of Elsa.....

4 years ago FFS and you weren't badly hurt.

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