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to make a little sign for this woman?

862 replies

TandB · 15/04/2011 09:00

I have ranted on a previous occasion about the morning rat-run through our village so very quick summary:

Single track roads - short-cut to city - I am apparently only person who needs to go opposite direction during rush-hour - majority of people coming the other way clearly think I am unreasonable for driving through my own village and glare and head-shake at me - I am cross.

Obviously it is the holidays now, so the school run traffic is missing which makes life much easier. However, there is one woman who I see every single time. She drives very fast on a narrow, twisty road with several blind bends so I finish up crawling around corners in case she comes hurtling the other way. She flatly refuses to back up even a couple of feet to the nearest passing space, and she makes no attempt to move over so that both cars can pass without scraping through the hedge. So I finish up reversing to the next passing space with her driving about 6 inches off my front bumper with a face like thunder, and then as soon as the road widens at all, she squeezes past, glaring at me all the time and shaking her head.

Bearing in mind the following:

  1. I live here and have as much right to leave the village as she does to cut through it.

  2. I drive a very small car which causes minimal obstruction.

  3. I don't drive dangerously fast.

  4. I am the one reversing and getting off the road.

would I be unreasonable to make a little sign saying "The next time you shake your head at me will be the last time I reverse for you. I can sit here all day - how about you?"

Would probably be unreasonable to add "cowbag" at the end, I suppose.

OP posts:
duchesse · 21/04/2011 05:22

Round these parts is all narrow lanes with passing places, and you certainly do see the breadth of humanity... Mercifully most people are polite, considerate and respectful. Different friends have a technique for people who will just not give way- one set just parked his car in the middle of the lane once and started walking home (he was a few hundred metres from home), and other driver then reversed. Another friend gets out of the car and effusively and genuinely apologises for about 5-10 minutes for getting in their way, thereby delaying the other driver even more than if they'd reversed, leaving with them with the feeling they've just been conned in some way but unable to ascertain how exactly. I wouldn't recommend that approach with irascible people though.

I do heartily approve of your desire to take a stand on this one. Some people become total tossers behind the wheel of a car and need to be reminded they are human like the rest of us.

ChristinedePizan · 21/04/2011 06:36

Ooh today's the day isn't it? I bet she's gone on holiday :o

dawntigga · 21/04/2011 07:21

Definitely want to be nosey and find out what happens.

CaughtUpOnTheThreadTiggaxx

MapofTassie · 21/04/2011 07:22

Marking...

Shodan · 21/04/2011 07:32

Ooh it's Thursday isn't it.

I've been waiting!

MrsCampbellBlack · 21/04/2011 07:38

Good luck Kungfu (I was person on other thread who passed the shagging couple).

Thankfully we've moved from there and moving day was such fun - you can imagine how tolerant people were who used our single track lane as a cut-through when there were removal vans in the way Wink

We have now moved to another single-track lane and met a delightful woman on moving day who shouted at me for blocking the lane with my removal van - not sure where she thought it could go really. But rather than realise there was a big lorry in the way and reverse 5 metres and go the other way round she shouted at me - so welcoming to our new village Smile

People are just so intolerant and seriously if you use a single track lane as a cut-through well in my opinion you need to be able to reverse and expect that occasionally there may be hold ups be that farmers moving sheep or whatever.

TrinityRhino · 21/04/2011 07:39

ooooh is it today

I love the ops last post

kungfu, you are hilarious

I so hope you stop near a cow field

and the disney book, pure class Grin

KatieMiddleton · 21/04/2011 07:42
CurrySpice · 21/04/2011 07:45

What time are we expecting "contact"?

StealthyKissBeartrayal · 21/04/2011 07:46

.

hollyoaks · 21/04/2011 07:50
pallymama · 21/04/2011 07:52
Grin
TrinityRhino · 21/04/2011 07:56

wouldn't it be fab if she had a 'somehting that means you can mn in the car' and she posted WHILST there

KaraStarbuckThrace · 21/04/2011 08:02

Kungfu - wanted to wish you good luck!

Been lurking on your thread for a while Smile

I think you may be my new personal hero Grin

Take plentyo of Brew and Biscuit with you to keep you going! Maybe a few [pombear]

geraldinetheluckygoat · 21/04/2011 08:04

Oh god, I have my mum arriving at half nine, gardening to do and ds's have a friend for the day who is arrivng at 11.....I'm still in my pj's pressing refresh, someone kick me!!! She wont be back till at least nine I dont rekon if she's doing a nursery run...

52Girls · 21/04/2011 08:06

Marking my place

TrinityRhino · 21/04/2011 08:07

lol

yeah she wont be back for a bit

but she will be back Grin

DizzyKipper · 21/04/2011 08:09

I wouldn't recommend actually leaving your car to go home (tempting a thought as that maybe) - with your car alone she would be free to be as malicious as she liked with it, and not knowing what sort of person she is (besides a totally unreasonable one) I personally wouldn't feel safe leaving my car at her mercy.

TandB · 21/04/2011 08:32

I'm back!

Sorry people - massive anticlimax to report. The lanes were almost deserted so I assumed she had gone on holiday, but when I got to the village with the nursery there are traffic calming bollards (the ones with the "oncoming vehicles have priority" signs) and a car was coming through so I stopped - and it was her! She must have been running late. She still had her grumpy little moo-face on though.

I did mutter rude things though!

OP posts:
TandB · 21/04/2011 08:35

One thing that has come out of it though is that we have established that she lives quite a long way away - she was coming through the nursery village which suggests she comes from somewhere on the far side and there is a reasonable gap between villages out that side.

I am therefore feeling strangely justified in being even more angry with her. If she lived even vaguely locally she would (in my odd logic) have more of a moral claim to the road. However, in the circumstances she should think herself lucky she doesn't have to pay to use it.

[wonders about setting up a toll gate]

OP posts:
TandB · 21/04/2011 08:36

Oh and thanks for the suggestion re: MNing in the car. I do in fact possess such a magic device.

If people can bear to wait until next week I might be able to oblige with live updates.

She is not reversing.

She is still not reversing.

Reversing continues to not happen.

OP posts:
geraldinetheluckygoat · 21/04/2011 08:36

BUGGER!!!

When is the next nursery run?!"?!?!?!?

TandB · 21/04/2011 08:39

It's not going to be till next Thursday now. Should be working from home on Fridays as well at the moment but two bank holidays coming up so no nursery.

We only have 2 shots over the next 2 weeks!

OP posts:
KatieMiddleton · 21/04/2011 08:40

I fear all the bank hols are going to scupper our your plans Sad

ChippingInLovesEasterEggs · 21/04/2011 08:41

A whole week - well, I guess that gives me time to bake more biscuits :) Might even send them to you this time mwhahhhhh