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?

Traumatising? That’s an insult to people who have suffered trauma

8 year old don't generally get helped into cars.

Oh… you’re trying to make her feel guilty for it happening?

What does helping an 8 year old into the car entail? Do people honestly still carry their children into the car at age 8 and strap them in?

there is no evidence to suggest that had the OP been standing with her daughter there would have been a different outcome. He drove without checking his surroundings. What could the OP have done to prevent him driving over her heel if he just started driving without warning

Some batshit responses on here OP. Hope your girl is OK. The guy sounds like a turd and a dangerous fuckhead.

Sheezus people have gotten awful.
But I repeat myself.

Of course you were not unreasonable to call the police when someone was being difficult after injuring your daughter with their car! Hope that she heals and is feeling better soon. Sounds awful for both of you.

My husband is like this too and it’s really frustrating.

Haven't read the full thread but some of the replies you've had OP... fgs!! It's really irrelevant whether he drove over her foot or scuffed it. His car collided with her, causing injury however minor, so legally this had to be reported to the Police. Sure, probably not as a 999 but in your situation, I'd possibly have done exactly the same.

Hope your DD is OK.

It’s quite worrying how many people think it’s acceptable to hit a child with a car and drive off. But then it is the weekend.

For a child’s foot that had been underneath a car wheel FFS. She had no idea whether there might have been broken bones at that point, and regardless, if you run over any part of a child’s body, then I would expect the police to be called. Even if you are giving details.

Cold. FFS.

He shouldn't have pulled off with a pedestrian close to his car. I imagine that would be a driving test fail (well running someone's foot over would be!)
Taking his reg wouldn't help if he had been drinking, which could explain a) reluctance to give his details and b) why he drove like that in the first place

I know, it’s got callous around here, but this is next level. I’m particularly noting those who also had a go about how the Mum should be feeling guilty about not watching her child getting into the car.

This. I think 999 was completely appropriate in this circumstance as evidenced by the call handlers triage of the situation and that police attended immediately.

TBH just “taking his details” would not have been sufficient in this circumstance whether he was being difficult or not. Someone has been injured, the police needed to be called and evidence gathered. He may have needed a breathalyser or similar. It’s not something to be left until later.

I think it’s worth repeating. Some complete dicks on here.

This. Why are so many posters minimising this? You did the right thing OP, and it might make him think twice before behaving aggressively to women in the future.

And your husband needs to wind his neck in. He wasn’t there. It was not his call. And the police being stretched is not your problem, you are not responsible for policing policy.

Ok, another police call operator then, tied up and delayed on response to a call from a woman being beaten by her partner. Is that better for you?

All these people saying that they would have called the non emergency police, are, I think, forgetting that the OP would have been shocked, and scared for her daughter, then faced with a man who was aggressive and refusing to give his details, I think that in that state,I would have rung 999 too, and the police obviously didn't have a problem with it, as they came out quickly and the officer on the phone confirmed that the OP had done the right thing.

It's all very well being high handed about what YOU would have done, when you're sitting nice and comfy in your bed or arm chair, but I bet the vast majority of us in that situation, would not have been thinking calmly and rationally either. The OP just wanted to make sure that this man could be traced if her daughter proved to be really hurt.

Your DD pulled her foot out from under the tyre of a stationary car?

Shes amazing OP. really amazing. As amazing as you for being able to ring police instead of dealing with your highly distressed DD.

There is absolutely no way if my child was screaming blue murder I’d a) have the where with all to remember the Highway Code or b) prioritise taking car and personal details and phoning the police.

That’s why I think YaBu. Not for contacting them but for prioritising that over your DDs distress and injury

she did deal with her daughter before she called the police.

Are you completely callous in your daily life as well? Or do you save it for people on here who’ve had a traumatic incident? Just curious.

Also, little science lesson, it depends on the surface underneath the foot as well.

Clearly you’re not just being callous, you’re actually purposely trying to distress her. Nasty.

OH was present he and the poster were both in own cars parked either side of the other drivers car - child had exited OH’s car, walked in front of the other drivers car that OH was parked next to, and somehow then got to the rear passenger door of her mothers car which was parked on the other side of the other drivers car.
both parents were comfortable with their 8 yr old walking in front of a car which had its driver in.

He wasn't concentrating was he. He should have also shown some concern.
Just ask him how he'd like his foot run over.

Why wasn’t the man paying attention?

This!

That’s not the OPs problem though. It’s the police’s job to provide enough resources, not a callers job to not call for help just in case there’s something worse happening.

It’s not like she called 999 to report her Uber hasn’t arrived or something that is a genuine piss take