Crossing the road when there’s not a green man

[JabbyMcJabFace16]

I’ve just had possibly the strangest interaction of my life and just need some opinions on it.

I was at a pretty busy junction that I cross everyday, twice a day. I know that between the first two sets of lights, there is a thirty second pause which is long enough for me to cross the road in. I went to step out during this pause when a woman stood next to me put her arm across me and said, quite pointedly “I don’t think so! We only cross when we see a green man, don’t we [child’s name]. She then held her arm across me until the green man came up.

I do understand that it’s important for parents to teach their children road safety, but I also know this junction so well and it’s absolutely freezing tonight. I was stood there for a good 3 minutes longer than I needed to be because this woman wouldn’t let me go.

AIBU to think this is just going too far?

What!? She was so out of line. As an adult you can choose when you cross the road (as long as you don’t do so in a way that is dangerous to you or others). It’s not your responsibility to “set an example” to other people’s children.

She was being unreasonable. I get that we all teach this to our own children, but that’s her business and nothing to do with you. If I was in this situation and I decided to cross, I’m quite happy for the parent to tell their child ‘That lady is doing something dangerous’ or ‘that lady has made a silly decision’. Tell the child whatever you like, but don’t restrict my freedom of movement thank you very much!

Like I’ve said, it’s really affected me this week and I don’t know why. To the point I’m in the gym and shivering despite being mid workout because I just cannot get warm.

The woman was CRAZY.

Its perfectly normal and acceptable to cross without waiting for the green man.

In fact it feels like a win when you do.

You do not exist to 'teach' kids anything.

If you don't want to get sworn at, don't put your hand on strangers. Good lesson for her kid.

YANBU, she's bonkers. DD asked a couple of times why others crossed while we waited; we said everyone has to make their own decisions and consider the risk, including us as not everyone obeys the traffic lights.

I'd never have dreamed of stopping anyone else from crossing!

(If I'm out without DD and there's a parent and young child waiting, I'll wait too, because DD always liked seeing other people wait so I'm paying it forwards 🤣, but DH doesn't and absolutely no one is obligated to).

That is so cheeky.
We don't have jaywalking rules in the UK (though an increasing number of people seem to act as if we do) so we can cross when we consider it safe.

I never cross until green man one, because it is a bad example to kids and two because I've seen people do this following others and they aren't as quick or fit, or may have hearing or visual difficulties- its just generally a bad idea. Are any of us in such a rush that we can't wait?

In this weather? Absolutely

Even if it’s not cold you don’t exist to teach other children life lessons 🤷‍♀️ I find this thread so strange!

While I understand the mother’s POV, I also understand yours OP. And she was setting her kid a terrible example physically blocking a stranger from going about their business, which while not following the ‘rules’ wasn’t actually unsafe or illegal.

No still won't...especially in this weather! When more accidents are likely....?

It was an empty junction

😂
Are you for real!?
Yes we should set a good example but attempting to physically restrain other members of the public because you dont approve of their behavior, how do you think that's likely to work out.
No-one would try that with me.

Yes some of us are in that much of a rush and whether we are or not it’s our choice to make our own judgements to cross as we are adults.

Its not just children. There are also adults who may think its safe to cross who might not be as great seeing or hearing. I've seen a near miss from this.

Oh god you should try living in Australia. They tell people off all the time for not going with the green man
It's illegal here and they are such rules followers and tattle tales in Australia. Non of them know how to cross the road without lights. They are like dogs. If they give it a go they just madly run across, they never learnt how to do it.

Like you say thats your choice. But its not mine.

Nonsense. It's their parents job to teach them road safety. The mother could, if she wanted, use the op as a bad example to the kids but that's as far as would be acceptable.

Nails it.
I used to work for the local road safety and went round schools teaching The Green Cross code. If you had seen some of the videos l had to watch of people dicing with the green man .. ( gruesome some of them ...even fatal)thinking they have enough time.. then you would certainly wait until it's safe and the green man appears.

So it always is when you cross before the lights change?

I can’t believe there are people here who think the lady was right to do that. It’s not your job to teach her children, and she certainly should not have stopped you crossing the road. She behaved awfully.

Yes

YABU for not ignoring her and crossing anyway.

I have two small children, I don’t expect people to always consider whether my children might be watching them, and change how they act.

Unrelated to this thread, but I think you might be ill.

You don't say where you live, but it really hasn't been that cold that you'd be indoors and wrapped up in bed crying with cold!

Do you live at the North Pole?