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?

I think that was a hit and run if he was just going to drive off after driving over a child’s foot!

In that case I think I might have called the police, your DH is being pathetic. Someone drove over your child, it’s a big ducking deal!

He was attemptign to leave the scene of an accident without giving his details. I believe this is legally necesary when someone is injured. Fortunately, she was ok but he wasn't to know that.
If it wasn't appropriate I'm sure the police would have said so when you rang but since they agreed it was a police matter and sent someone out I'd say you were definitely not being unreasonable.

OK, now we need a diagram. Also, why was she getting out of his car to get into yours?

I think you did the right thing, OP. As you say, there was a crime happening right then and there, the guy wasn't going to give you details and if you'd told the police not to attend he could have then just denied it all.

This. I wouldn’t trust an 8 year old to open a door themselves in a car park!

She had every right to ask for his details. He had injured her child with his vehicle. He was actually obliged to report this incident to the police himself and if he didn't want to give her his details he was obliged to supply them to the police.

It’s absolutely bizarre how many people on this thread are insisting he didn’t run her over. He did! She screamed at the time, said he did and her heel/ankle has a 5cm by 2cm scrape on it

I’m utterly appalled by the minimizers here. Someone injures a child with a car and was going to leave the scene without giving details or reporting to police, which is a whole nother crime in itself!

JFC

Who do you think she needs to give these details to? Couldn’t possibly be the police, could it??

And you think the police need to come rushing down on a blue light to take the details? 🙄

The other driver was a prick but you and DH were also negligent. You should have seated your child before getting in the car yourself, especially when there is a driver in the car next to yours.

It’s a good thing dc isn’t more hurt.

Three cars in a row:

|DH| |man| |me|

DD got out of DH’s car and came over to mine, round the front of the man’s car (he was facing forward and not reversing). Had I been DH I would have seen her across to my car, but he didn’t. To be fair the guy had been sitting there for ages, engine off so it was unexpected that he moved when he did

You child was not injured at an emergency level. Injury is blood gushing and danger of life. She had a little bit of a scraped skin. Please don’t do this

as others have said you could report on 101’or similar with the registration and leave it up to the police to deal with

Well ….. his tyre scraped against her heel and/or foot.

Not sure I’d call that “run over” but semantics are a personal thing.

I just can’t imagine if o was in a situation where I thought my child had been run over and possibly had broken bones that I’d be even able to register taking the other patrons details, let alone arguing with them and calling the police.

My focus would have been on my child. Not the bloody Highway Code!

Why won't you say whether you took her for an X-Ray or not?

Someone drove over the back of my foot in very similar circumstances and the police definitely felt it was of interest. I believe they charged him. Of course you don’t brush off someone driving over YOUR CHILD! What on earth are you all thinking? He refused to give his details so 999 sounds reasonable to me. Take photos of the foot now and next time (Hopefully there isn’t a next time ever) photos of the scene and man. I’d pop her to the minor injuries for an X-ray mine damaged my already scarred Achilles and hurt for absolutely ages.

What is the relevance of that? People can be and regularly are charged for careless driving etc when their negligent driving causes an accident. They are also liable for damages for injuries caused.

I called the non emergency line when there was three horses loose in the road. They took so long to pick up I was about to hang up. They told me I should have called 999. One persons emergency is another's non issue.

He was about to do a hit and run surely? If he'd clipped and damaged your car and not stopped that's a hit and run. You have zero proof either once he gas gone. No one gives out cctv for a prang.

If I'm in two minds now I don't call the police after the horse incident because I doubt myself.

Totally agree. Plus, I've run the non emergency number around about 5 times in the last year at various times of day (I manage a venue) and the waiting time has never been less than 20 minutes. I waited 45 minutes one time.

I have never ran over a child in a car park in 30 odd years of driving. I check my mirrors and my surroundings before I move. Surely you do this?

why relevant?

No it was not an overreaction. There had been an accident, your dd was injured and they got mouthy it could have easily escalated.

I sincerely hope your DD is OK. Maybe the numbskull will look next time!

In a crowded carpark it's the drivers responsibility to make sure they don't run over or hit anyone. Every time.

Because it’s done from being called a scrape of skin to “run over foot”

At 8? Really?

I don't think I have ever got in a car before ensuring all my children were in. I certainly wouldn't have let an ,8 year old open the car door herself when the driver was sitting in the closely parked next car.