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?

Why does she need "putting in her place"?! 🤣🤣🤣

I think I would have responded “I don’t think so. We keep our noses out of stranger’s business, don’t we? Asshole!” And physically moved her arm away (with nails)…

why not tell her t f off and mind her own business - that would be a good example for her kids

good girl

would you say that if a man crossed the road without the little green light?
I doubt it. This is mainly about one woman thinking she had some kind of right to police another woman - a complete stranger - in a public place.

She completely overstepped the mark thereby cancelling out any "good" she was attempting to teach the child.
Instead, she taught the child that it was perfectly okay to physically block a complete stranger's passage in a public place - it is not.

Well actually she missed the learning opportunity. Perfect time to have said to the child, Now that lady is risking her life crossing when it's not on green (!). I've always taught my two to a. wait for the green man and b. wait until the traffic has stopped.

It was NOT YOUR JOB to teach that child.

That's bizarre. I'm with you.

ROPER BIN. IT'S PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO RUIN OUR LOVELY COUNTRY.

And I have NO IDEA what that last sentence is about?! Somewhat creeped out...!

How dared she? I always set an example with the Gdcs, a ‘green man’ or a zebra, instead of just waiting for a gap, but in that case I’d have said in my best frosty tone, ‘Will you kindly mind your own business and take your arm away!’ (If I hadn’t already shoved it away and crossed anyway.).

I realise this woman wanted to use the situation as a learning point for her child, but I'm afraid if she'd physically barred me from going about my business in a public space, the only learning point she'd have got from it would be 'People will swear at you very strongly if you're an overbearing, entitled cow'.

Exactly. This is the normal, sane and non-cunty course of action.

Eh? Course I bloody would - that's why I said silly people in my post!
So not sure why you think I'd only just have a problem or say something if it was a woman 🙄

Although physically barring you - if that happened then that's a definite "erm, I beg your pardon? Unhand me right now, lady" (in other words get your fucking hands off me 😁)

I mis-read your post and thought you were supportive of the busybody physically blocking a complete stranger - my apologies

Good woman, 61. Haven’t been a girl for a long while 😁

Lovely.

Did the woman actually touch you? If so then that's assault. I'd give her a piece of my mind if i saw her again.

Is a mere touch on someone's arm assault?

She was ridiculous! Her child is nothing to do with you. If someone crosses against the lights you just say “they can choose what they do, we wait for the green man to be safe”. Children have to learn that other people have different standards/approaches in all sorts of contexts. Doesn’t mean you can’t teach them to do it your way.

A recent trip to Cork, and was surprised that virtually everyone waited for the green man before crossing, even when there was no traffic in sight. A lot of American students in Cork, so that may be the reason. They also queued up in a long snaking line in Wetherspons, instead of just going up to the bar! Cork is known as 'Rebel City'. I think the heart of rebellion has left the city.

Yes. By law any unwanted touching is assault.

Most Americans won't cross without the green man
Due to my job I often end up in city centres with people of varying nationalities
The Americans usually wait for the green man and are a bit shocked when I don't (even if its safe) but I have had to yank several Indians out of the path of oncoming traffic.

I’m with you. It’s up to her to parent her DC. She was completely in the wrong to block you from crossing.

It's not about the fine, they just like telling people off, and I am too old for people to be telling me when it is and isn't safe to cross an empty road!

Fine.

Agreed, I was thinking about this thread yesterday when I pressed the button and nothing happened. There were no other pedestrians around, so it hadn't just been on either. About a minute later (after I'd already crossed), I heard it beep behind me to say it had turned to green.

If the powers that be genuinely don't want pedestrians to cross on red men, then given them green men!

Obviously if it has just been on green you have to give cars a chance to go, but there are so many crossings where the lights just won't change. And then usually change when there isn't any traffic!