To take a picture of a young sh*t throwing a snowball at my car ...

[Bumblelion]

To get things straight first, yesterday, I went to the park with my children and their friends (ranging from 16 to 7) and had a great time sledging down the hill on a sledge and rubble bags (they are fantastic, especially if coated with cooking oil - super speedy).

One thing I do not like is young children (well, boys of about 13-16) throwing snow balls at my car. We all know that tightly compacted snowballs can feel like hard ice and can hurt as much.

Today when driving some young lads threw a snowball at my car. Luckily my window was shut (about two years ago I had my window open and the snowball came in and it bloody hurt when it hit the side of my face). I drove round the green where the boys were (not on purpose, I had to drive that way to get back on my normal road), I then pulled over, put on my hazard lights, got out of my car and started taking photos (zoomed in) on my camera. I felt a bit like a teenager taking those horrible pictures when something bad happens (a child gets beaten up by another child, say) but I wanted to 'scare' these kids (and, yes, they were kids - although my younger two are younger than they were).

I hope I scared them (not because I am bully) because they turned their backs and then started running across the other side of the green.

I feel a bit of a bully but they need to realise that snow balls can cause serious damage.

It put a bit of a downer on yesterday when we were at the park and, yes, sometimes it got a bit lairy with everyone going down the hill at the same time from opposite sides but everyone was in good spirits and were all friendly to each other.

oh you said 'public place', sorry

DH and I were sitting in our living room last night when there was an almighty great bang which scared the living daylights out of us. We could then see what looked like a huge snowball sliding down the window. We worked out that it wasn't a snowball (we have a long front garden and there was no one in sight (they wouldn't have had time to scarper), so figured that it was probably a quantity of snow which had dropped from a high tree.

The point I am making is that snow (particularly compacted) makes a tremendous noise when it hits glass and, if you're not expecting it, it can be a huge shock - very dangerous if driving. I have had to have words with lads throwing snowballs at cars as I'm sure they often don't realise the potential consequences.

Can you identify any of the boys from your photos:?

I cannot identify any of the boys, nor would I wish to.

I am only hoping that by taking their photos and not using them (only took photos to 'prove' my case) (and by turning their back, they knew they did wrong) and them thinking I could post it on Facebook (an open forum) they would think twice about doing this agin.

Their actions were stupid, selfish and potentially dangerous. I don't get why some people think it is not big deal and they should just be ignored / let get away with it with no comment, never mind consequence. Taking photos - not illegal, not immoral, at least sends the message you are not happy and that its not all a big larf. How on earth are they ever going to learn anything if everyone looks the other way?

I'm sure that they are probably stewing quietly somewhere, worrying that there will be ramifications - which is exactly as it should be. I have an 11 year old, who easily passes for 13 or 14. Even at 11 he knows that you simply do not throw snowballs at cars - as do all his friends.

send the photos to all the local schools, see if any teachers recognise them. or to the local constabularly.

there are so many idiots around don't see why they should get away with it.

"I really don't think in the grand scheme of things snowballing a car is a big deal."

Would you say that if it was someone you knew who needed an emergency op to save his sight because of someone snowballing his car.

Or it was your friend who lost control and smashed into a wall or worse.

It's common sense that it can be dangerous and TBH a snowplough or gritter are slightly different to a car

In my time I have known a teenage girl (16 I think)collared by an off duty policeman whose rear windscreen she broke with a compacted "snow"(ice)ball. her mum tried the "but she was only doing what kids do" route in the local paper, but public opinion was much in favour of the copper!

I have also known a 14 yr old boy blinded by a snowball containing a piece of gravel. Thrown by a very good friend of his, who i am sure, will NEVER allow his kids to throw snowballs in that sort of aggressive manner.

I reckon OP did the right thing, whether she intends to use the photos or not. They might think twice if they thought someone would be up the school with photographic evidence so they can be ID'd and their parents informed.

BTW - bus companies use video cameras on school buses all the time to deter those who would behave badly/trash the bus - its great when they are called to the head with their parents and deny it till they are blue in the face, then get shown the vid!

Yes you are right Tamarto.
I was envisging a snowball hitting a car driving awat ie from the rear . I am very surprised that a 'normal' snowball would break a car window though.If you are talking about solid ice or a stone in a snowball then that is completely different.

Yes you are right Tamarto.
I was envisging a snowball hitting a car driving awat ie from the rear . I am very surprised that a 'normal' snowball would break a car window though.If you are talking about solid ice or a stone in a snowball then that is completely different.

Is it. Do you really think every or indeed anyone who throws them at cars checks first to see what the 'snowball' comprises of?

The kids yesterday were doing it straight into the windscreens as they were trying to turn into the high road, also into the windscreens of the cars driving down the high road. They weren't breaking the windscreen but they were obscuring the drivers view.

DH is a trucker and called the police yesterday about some kids standing on the verge of a dual carriageway lobbing snowballs at bloody girt trucks!! The impact of it hitting the windscreen could make the driver jump and lose control on icy roads. Carnage could have resulted from a so-called 'teenage prank'! So you ANBU.

"I am only hoping that by taking their photos and not using them (only took photos to 'prove' my case) (and by turning their back, they knew they did wrong) and them thinking I could post it on Facebook (an open forum) they would think twice about doing this agin."

Are you for real? If a bunch of lads full of bravado thought you were going to post photos of them on Facebook they would be completely chuffed. And wtf has facebook got to do with this anyway?

Kids chucking snowballs from the side of a dual carriageway is completely different, they shouldn't be there in the first place.

YABU. and a bit over the top.

It's dangerous - YANBU

Perfectly reasonable imo - I once witnessed a group of teenage lads behaving extremely aggressively to an old man waiting at a bus stop, completely unprovoked. They were full of bravado, thought they were completely untouchable, and were showing off to each other getting worse and worse. I'd seen them come past the stop with similar behaviour every day for weeks.

I walked over, took a picture on my mobile, and they were so shocked. They all ran off, and there was no further trouble - having that evidence, for the police if necessary, was all it took to make them think twice.

I wouldn't have done it if they were much older though, or in a less public place, because they could have turned nasty.

YANBU - I saw a group of yobs deliberately throwing snowballs at passing cars yesterday, jeering when they hit them (lads of around 17).

I don't accept that this is 'normal' teenage behaviour. I don't know anyone of my friends that did this when we were younger. Fundamentally, that kind of behaviour carries risks, shows disrespect and also has the potential to damage property. If a ball of ice hits your car at speed, it can scratch/dent the bodywork - essentially criminal damage.

I have no problem with photos being taken of culprits. Those that are bleating about a minor's right to privacy - well, if they're so worried, they shouldn't be perpetrating criminal behaviour in a public place. Also, should we not be worrying about responsibilities before we start worrying about rights

if it was a group of girls throwing snowballs would you still call them "young shits"op?

bet you wouldn't

No she would most likely have called them little bitches.

What is your point?

yanbu, it can shock the driver and could cause an accident, if they are doing it because it is so much fun, then they should be having a snowball fight between themselves.

YANBU - this happened to me twice yeaterday. Hoodies both times!!

They found it hilarious when they scared the lone blondey! I noticed they weren't throwing them at men or groups, just cars with single females. Bet most of their parents would say it's just teenage behaviour. It is dangerous, bloody scary and the police take it quite seriously. I didn't see the second one coming and the LOUD impact made me swerve slightly when I jumped. If it'd been icy on the road I could have crashed. I think a large chunk of the teenagers in my local area have no concern for consequences and no respect for others!

OP I "overreacted" too - I reversed at speed and told the offenders they could have been in trouble if I was off duty police - they just said "what for a f...ing snow ball?" and threw another one

kids do things like this when they feel lke they can't be identified. you were tight taking a photo of them.

dd has had 10-ish yr old girls throwing rocks at his crane driver as a construction manager. he did the same and told them he'd call the police. cue tears and begging not to.

We had an update on the kids throwing snowballs at cars today.

Police came into DD's school to talk to YR5s and Yr6s about asbos (so dd says)

Apparently there were over 100 kids hanging about in the park. In the morning everyone was having fun but by afternoon a minority of them were throwing snowballs with rocks in them at the cars and buses and people. Police had over 200 phone calls complaining and they took it very seriously.

Ha, well at least you have the pics to identify them!