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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be SHOCKED that I was attacked this morning by a 90yr old man!!!!! And they say its TEENAGERS that are the HOOLIGANS!

72 replies

MsF · 01/07/2009 13:53

To be fair...technically.... I was 'in the wrong'...I had parked on his 'white lines' outside his driveway...but had NOT obstructed his driveway.

I had taken DS to see the Paediatrician opposite tghis mans house.

I did realsise what i had done...but thought that it was OK as he could still use his driveway.

So...I admit i was wrong.

However, what he did to me was so scarey- and had my autistic son screaming/crying....and 2 neighbours came out to restrain this man- as he was shouting- pulling at my car door- pulling at my open window.... and trying to grab me out of the car.

he said he had called the police- and did not want me to drive off . he threatened me....

and he says he is in his 90's.

so now i don't know whether to laugh or cry...i am dreading the newspaper headlines this week..."Man in his 90's dies of a heart attack after road rage at mum driving a ford Ka" (!!!!!)

I was shakey for about half an hour- and one of the neighbours offered to act as a witness should i wish to press charges of assault!

I shall not be doing that.... however...if he did call the police...and if they do contact me to slap my wrist...then i shall say what happened.

I can honestly say that the shouting on eastenders was NOTHING compared to the anger of this man!!!!

OP posts:

saadia · 01/07/2009 13:57

blimey , am speechless.

zeke · 01/07/2009 13:57

OMG! Sounds like a horrible experience. I'm sorry

traceybath · 01/07/2009 13:59

Oh dear - do you think he'd read about that ex-boxer in his 70's who beat that burglar up the other day?

People are very very funny about parking though.

Hope you're feeling calmer and your DS is ok.

Interestingly if neighbour offered to act as a witness i bet this is not the first time this gentleman has acted oddly/violently.

LaurieFairyCake · 01/07/2009 14:01

Not surprised, there are idiots of all ages.

Sorry for you, it must have been terrifying.

I would press charges for assault if I were you as if he is suffering from early dementia it might help to raise it and he could get some help. It would be awful if he did this to someone else.

Original poster

MsF · 01/07/2009 14:01

Needless to say...I will NEVER park so much as 1 inch over someone's white line ever again!!!!

OP posts:

Original poster

MsF · 01/07/2009 14:02

I am crying tears of relief here- that you are all posting what i have been feeling.

OP posts:

OrmIrian · 01/07/2009 14:04

Stupid man! Hope your and your DS are OK now.

Original poster

MsF · 01/07/2009 14:05

what's 'funny' when i look back is for a few seconds i was listening to his rant...and about to apologise etc...and then he rushed towards me- so i tried to get in my car- and thats when he hung on to the door/open window...and at that moment these 2 neghbours ran across the road-

i though about dementia as my mum's neighbour had it and he was agressive towards strangers.

OP posts:

QuintessentialShadow · 01/07/2009 14:05

I bet this happens all the time, and the old man must be pretty fed up with people parking on the white lines by his drive.

I guess he just saw red at another person not caring about the roadmarkings, which are there for a reason?

Who are you to decide if you can enter his drive or not with your car parked there?

The law is there to tell us what we can and cannot do. And road markings are not open to interpretation.

It is like entereing a one way street from the wrong end thinking "oh well, I cant see a car coming, so I might as well enter"

duchesse · 01/07/2009 14:06

May I suggest that he might be a little...addled? I don't know if that would help come to terms with it.

ZZZenAgain · 01/07/2009 14:08

I take it this was a village in Cambridgeshire

Hate that kind of thing. He sounds pretty fit for someone in his 90's. Bit batty maybe?

Original poster

MsF · 01/07/2009 14:08

according to the council white lines are not like yellow lines...they are advisory not compulsory no parking.

And he would have had to pay to have them painted by the council.....

so as i said...I WAS IN THE WRONG.... but as i am forever telling my CHILDREN just because someone annoys you does not make it ok to hurt them

OP posts:

bigchris · 01/07/2009 14:09

I agree with QuintessentialShadow, we have this problem where I live , people park outside our house all the time to pop over to the shop over the road
they don't park across the drive but often is is hard to get out and to actually see around their bloody car to get out

I am shocked someone would suggest you call the police on him!!

bigchris · 01/07/2009 14:09

did he hurt you though?

QuintessentialShadow · 01/07/2009 14:11

But, you deliberately did something wrong, didnt you? You saw the white lines, by this mans drive, yet you still chose to park there, didnt you? You ignored the white lines because it suited you.

Would a larger vehicle, such as an ambulance, be able to enter with your car there? Or would it be more difficult for an emergency vehicle to gain access?

duchesse · 01/07/2009 14:11

Oh he may have been angry, but come on, his reaction was completely disproportionate. The fact that his neighbours came out to restrain him suggests to me that they are alert to episodes like this, and it may not be the first time he's done this. I wouldn't bother reporting him- if his neighbours are keeping an eye on him they will probably do the necessary when needed.

minouminou · 01/07/2009 14:12

An old woman swung her heavy shopping bag at DS in his pram, missing him by a few cm a while back.
I was merely overtaking her on the pavement, having asked her several times, in my CBeebies-presenter-voice, if we could scoot past, as "DS is really looking forward to getting to nursery....giggle giggle", and she'd refused point blank to move 6 inches to the left.
I went bats**t, and followed her home discreetly (as she was round the corner from nursery), the called the community support officers, and she was referred to social services, as she obviously wasn't well, and it turned out she was v isolated and in the middling stages of dementia.
Report the incident, do, it seems you're more than willing to 'fess up your parking misdemeanour, and this guy probably needs help.
It IS distressing, especially when it upsets your children, and taking tihs kind of action is really good, because you're not getting revenge, but taking the higher ground and helping someone.

QuintessentialShadow · 01/07/2009 14:13

His behaviour may be OTT, but he would not have attacked the op if she had not parked on the white lines outside his drive. He attacked her (and possibly others before her) because they were being a nuisance ignoring the white lines outside his drive.

Rhubarb · 01/07/2009 14:14

Sorry, but you don't own the patch of road outside your house. You may ask people not to park outside your house, but you can't enforce a no-parking zone there.

If you were on the road and had allowed access to his drive, then you did nothing wrong. If he was that arsed, he should have put up a sign outside his drive. Even then he cannot stop people from parking there so long as they are not blocking access to his drive.

You did nothing wrong. And the fact that the neighbours offered to act as witnesses, makes me think that this man is quite often very unpleasant. I wouldn't wait for the police to come to you, I would go to them with the details. He may do this to someone else and cause that person harm.

QuintessentialShadow · 01/07/2009 14:14

"and taking tihs kind of action is really good, because you're not getting revenge, but taking the higher ground and helping someone. "

How is she taking the higher ground by reporting an old man for being pissed off that she parked in a way that could potentially obstruct his drive???

rolledhedgehog · 01/07/2009 14:15

Not really the point whether she parked incorrectly or not is it? She admits she did anyway. Are we now able to attack people who commit parking crimes now then because I would be forever running out of my front door for fistcuffs!

limonchik · 01/07/2009 14:15

"His behaviour may be OTT, but he would not have attacked the op if she had not parked on the white lines outside his drive. He attacked her (and possibly others before her) because they were being a nuisance ignoring the white lines outside his drive."

It's your own fault if you annoy someone and they attack you then?

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 01/07/2009 14:16

So it is OK to go berserk and attack someone because they are being a nuisance, QS? Not in my world.

Rhubarb · 01/07/2009 14:16

"Residents experiencing difficulties with vehicles parking across their dropped kerb access can apply for a white line 'H' marking across their driveway. This is a white line which is painted across the access parallel to the kerb and which has short end bars perpendicular to the line.

This is meant to show drivers this is an area where they should not park as they are likely to cause an obstruction. Unfortunately these lines have no legal standing and as a result drivers cannot be fined for parking on them but if the Police are called to deal with the matter the presence of the white lines would strengthen their case for taking action."

Original poster

MsF · 01/07/2009 14:16

To clarify....

i have a tiny BRIGHT RED ford KA...hardly a huge four wheel drive---

and he has a huge double fronted house - double driveway ...with a very long white line that goes right from approx 4ft either side of BOTH his driveways...and continues in front his house...

we're not talking about a single driveway where as i know (cos it happens to us...we live 4 doors from a shop)...people park right up to the drive meaning you have to manouever several times to get out.

no....we're talking about a tiny poxy KA in a space that would comfortably hold 6 cars...AT LEAST

however...he pays the line marking so i guess it is his right to choose who parks in his 'private car park for 6'....

just shocked how he attacked me. I dread to think how he'd react if somone bummpend his bumper at tyhe traffic lights!!!

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