Friend does something dangerous, what do I say?

[LollipopChaos]

I go out occasionally with a friend who I like very dearly. We're both nearly 50. However she has this habit which scares me a bit. She doesn't drive so I always drive. But whenever we arrive at our destination she swings passenger door of car open to get out whilst the car is still moving to park up. It means that I have to finish driving with the door wide open to park properly. This puts extra stress on me to nail parking the car in a space in one attempt.

I feel it would be telling her off to say don't do it, but I just find it dangerous, not to mention the car starts beeping like crazy as a warning that the door is open!

How can I politely advise my friend to remain calm in seat with belt on until the car has come to a complete stop and the handbrake is safely on?

😂

slam your brakes on next time - then after she’s face planted your dashboard, say you thought a cat had run under the car/ her opening door looked like a cyclist in your side vision/ the noise the door opening made you think you’d hit something blah, blah or you could just say Oi! Wait for me I’m giving you a lift! Dim CF

Surely you could just lock the doors when you get in? On my car if I (as the driver) press the central locking button it locks all doors including front passenger and my own.

Or just tell her: "please don't open the door until the car has stopped, it's dangerous"! She's being an idiot with the potential to damage your car door and the car next to you, or risk herself tripping over and getting ran over!

My six year old can’t drive either, but he understands he can’t get out of the car when it is still moving…

Stick her in the back then. She doesn't sound mature enough to sit in the front anyway.

Christ, I've have said something the first time. Probably "What the fucking hell are you doing you lunatic?" but I I'm not quiet about stuff like that.

She's behaving like an overexcited spaniel, so what you say is:

SIT!

And for fuck's sake don't carry on parking while she's got the door open. That makes you nearly as dangerous as she is. She sits, she refastens her seat belt, she closes the door. You tell her that if she ever tries that again she's walking in future. Then you move.

😂😂😂 You guys have made me giggle, thank you!

To poster above, yes once she opened door in the carpark so I stopped completely and she got out and then I just finished the parking. I really wished she'd just wait!!!!!

when she sits down and clips her seatbelt let her know that as you are driving her in the vehicle that you pay for, she must agree to pay for any damages done to, or caused by her weird and dangerous habit of opening the door before the car has stopped.

I'd be telling her next time she gets in the car that if she opens the door again before I'm fully parked she'll be finding her own way there in future. What's the point of being friends with someone if you're on eggshells and can't tell them their behaviour is totally daft and dangerous. It's not like this is a personal choice or an ethical conundrum it's a safety requirement. I tell my 6 year old safety rules aren't optional, she's a grown up if she can't stay in the car till it's stopped I wouldn't be driving her places anymore.

Op, I'm honestly quite alarmed that there is any levity in this thread, especially from you with the laughing emojis, because this issue is extremely serious.

Do you really not appreciate that her absolutely insane behaviour could literally cause a fatal accident that you could be held responsible for as the driver?

I feel it would be telling her off to say don't do it

YES, it would be telling her off because you NEED to. She sounds like an idiot to be honest. Who does this? Throws their door open before the car has fully stopped/parked? What on earth?

Can you lock the doors? I tell my kids to wait until the engines off. She's behaving like an idiot tell her

JESUS, SHUT THE DOOR!

should suffice

This is what you need to say!!

😀😀😀

🙈
Lucky she is not a dog or the chocolate is a no no

Give her a little spiel at the beginning of the journey, in the voice-tone of an airline pilot:
"We will be cruising at an altitude of zero feet; the weather at [insert destination name] is currently mild and sunny; passengers are reminded not open doors while the craft is taxiing in the car park."

Or, the rolled-up newspaper is also a good idea. Seriously, tho, just tell her: "No! Stay! Bad friend. Bad!"

Yep, make her sit in the back and put the child locks on. Tell her why.
Alternatively, if you have an estate car get a dog cage and stick her in that.

Not driving in not an excuse. You trying to give a reason for behaviour which doesn’t need one.

When she starts moving to get out, just speak up and tell to wait a second until you’ve stopped moving.

Is it perhaps because she's larger than average and worried about squeezing out of the door if you're parked next to another car? It's the only possible explanation I could think of for somebody to do this. She could be embarrassed and too awkward to say that she'd like you to let her out where there is more room.

Do an emergency stop when she does it and if she complains of any injury tell her that her trying to leave a moving vehicle in a 'abandon ship' manner, startled you so you quickly stopped.

Then offer to take her to A&E to get her broken nose looked at.

I would say it in advance - hey Jeannie, when we get there can you keep the door shut until I have finished parking?

Don't park with her in the car! Pull up to one side, let her get out and go and park the car.

I’d say “bloody hell Debbie! Are you trying to kill us both? Shut the bloody door. I’m trying to park here!”

Thank you, that's actually a good suggestion and would try that.

I always park where there's car parking spaces either side as I don't like door dents from other cars.

No she's not large person.

To person above, we are talking the last few feet of the journey as we enter the parking space.

I am sorry you were offended by laughing face, but some of the comments made me smile. But I do totally get this is not acceptable behaviour from my friend, so was just asking for advice if anyone else had come across this.

I second this. It's not a matter of not being a driver, but common sense and perhaps a sense of physical safety. 🌹