To think it was not an overreaction to call the police?

[hottubwhocares]

We were out today at a family event. We were parked up in the car park of the venue and were getting in our cars to travel home. There was a man parked next to us in the (relatively narrow) bays, window down, chatting to his girlfriend. He was there when we came out and approached our car.

DD age 8 was getting into the back passenger side of our car, so on the same side as his car. I was on the other/driver’s side. As I was getting in, I heard DD start to scream. Basically the man next to us had started to move his car forward and his back wheel had run over the back of her ankle/foot.

I immediately ran round the back of the car, picked her up, helped her into the back seat and took her shoe and sock off to have a look. The top layer of skin had come off and it looked bruised so I went round to his car, said sorry, I think you have hurt her so I am going to need your details.

He and his girlfriend then said ‘Why? I haven’t done anything wrong’. I asked if he was refusing and he said he ‘didn’t even know what happened’ and started mouthing off.

So, I called 999 and of course the second he heard I was on the phone to the police, he started offering his details.

Two police cars then attended. DH is furious with me and says I completely overreacted as DD’s injury was minor (scrapes and bruises) and I ‘see the worst in everyone’. I am very upset about his lack of support when our child was hurt and upset.

FWIW I would never move my own car when a child was down the side and if I had ever done anything like this I certainly wouldn’t be mouthing off at the parent of the injured child!

So, was it an overreaction to call the police?

Huge well done to you, OP, for calling this arrogant man's bluff.

In a space as tight as that tbh I wouldn't have left the 8 year old to jump in the back on their own. I also always catch the drivers attention to make sure they've seen us if they are chatting. Why couldn't she have gotten into the back on your side? This could all have been prevented by yourself tbh. The way he reacted wasn't on but you should have been much more on the ball to begin with.

This thread is weird. It's like the competitive 'don't go to A&E, I sewed my own arm back on with a hotel sewing kit and I was just fine' threads.

Obviously he wasn't paying attention and shouldn't have moved his car. This happens in car parks far too often. You must have got a huge fright, so understandably (over)reacted. I don't think he could have gone over her foot (that would have required medical attention), though that was maybe more luck than anything else.

A phone call to police was fine, but this didn't warrant a call to 999.

If the call handler felt it was unreasonable for you to have called, they would not have sent a car and uniformed officers. Therefore the Police, themselves, felt this was a reasonable. Keep an eye on your daughter - if there is any swelling tomorrow take her for an xray as it’s still possible there are broken bones.

Yes OP but the police can be called without calling 999.

Can I just say that 999 is not solely for emergencies. It's also for offences in progress. I work in retail and the police always tell us to ring 999 when a theft is occurring. 101 if they've already left, but 999 if they're detained by security. Theft is not an emergency. OP you were not unreasonable. The man was leaving the scene of an accident which is an offence. It was an Offence in progress and you were right to call 999.

Well if you’re going to summon the police you should stay until they clear the situation. They could have indicated if they thought you had overreacted.

He literally ran over your 8 year olds foot with his car. No you didn’t over react OP. I would have done the same.

This is the type of thing the police are for, and if they didn't think it was, they wouldn't have come. Someone was driving irresponsibly, hurt a pedestrian, and was trying to leave without taking responsibility. The police may be stretched thin, but the answer isn't to just not call them unless someone is seriously injured or actually dying.

The DH wasn't even there!

Agree. Why couldn’t the child enter from the other side?

I never go near an occupied car or even enter a crosswalk, despite having legal rights of way, without making eye contact with the driver. You never know when people are distracted.

Kids should be tightly supervised and trained near vehicles that might begin motion.

This man drove his car into a child! Of course you call the police!

Yes, I have. I still think 999 was inappropriate, and it sounds to me one way but then again I wasn’t there - OP asked for an opinion on what she wrote - I gave my opinion

Did he run over her foot or did his tyre brush against the back of her heel and ankle?

Those asking ‘what could the police have done?’ I mean this may be blindingly obvious to me as I am a cop - but maybe breathalyse him? 🤔

If the dispatcher thought that it was a police matter then no other opinion is needed. Their response was so quick that it's quite clear you did the right thing.

If you had not phoned the police then he would have got away with it.
He could have been drinking or used drugs
He could have seriously hurt your daughter or someone else.
Your husband could have been furious that you hadn't taken care of his daughter had you not phoned them.
Your daughter could have had a serious injury and they could have both blamed you .
I think you did the right thing, be proud.
Your husband was not in that situation so he cannot judge.

He was

Do you honestly think that the trained dispatcher didn't obtain details of exactly what happened and what possible injury had been sustained before making their decision?

Or do you think they heard 'run over' then ran round sending all the cars and ambulances they could in a blind panic?

no

it was an emergency. He ran your child over and was not going to give details so yes it was the right thing to do and your dh is a twat happy to allow someone who hurt his child to leave

The reason she was moving from one car to another is irrelevant.

@hottubwhocares photo of injury please!

So your foot was 'accidently run over' but your daughters foot 'was involved in a collision'?