General Chat

Jut popped to the shops and parked at the kerbside. A family were walking on the pavement coming towards me. As I pulled in the husband hit his hand on my wing mirror. The family were very angry, knocked on my window and when I got out berated me for what happened to the husband saying "It could have been one of our children". Now I didnlt mount the pavement, there were no yellow lines, it was a perfectly legal manoeuvre. The woman added "he's alright but I just want you to know" to which I replied "What do you expect me to do" Now in my opinion it was his fault and I could quite easily have counteracted by saying "Your husband hit my wing mirror" I telephoned the police and got the incident logged in case they decide to take matters further - the police assured me I had done nothing wrong. What is it with some people?!

Fight or flight response. ;)

You get a major fright / pain, your adrenaline pumps. You have to do *something*.

If he'd walked into a lamppost, his first reaction would have been to kick it, too. Or berate the person who put it there, or the person who didn't warn him to watch out for it.

Calm dispassionate concern is about the best response, as if any of us are usually able to manage that when being berated for something that wasn't our fault.

I think cops and such must get trained in that, but somehow I usually find I get even more peeved when I'm on the receiving end of it. ;)

If your car was moving when the mirror hit his hand then I'm afraid it is your fault although you did nothing illegal it's your responsility to ensure that no part of your vehicle comes into contact with a pedestrian.

Sorry Ann but that's how the law would look at it should an injury have occured.

A mate of mine who is a van driver did exactly the same thing some years ago only the vans mirror struck a pedestrian who was standing at the kerb on the head, it caused a nasty gash on the pedestrians head and knocked him out, he had to go to hospital in an ambulance, my mate was done for driving without due care and attention.

Ron
www.genealogyprinters.com

thanks for that - it was really upsetting and I was quite unprepared for the onslaught - with hindsight I should have just ignored them and walked away

well Ron I explained the incident in detail to the police and they said it was his fault, not mine!!!!

That's what my mate said Ann but they still summonsed him.

The police said that part of the vehicle (mirror) was over / on the pavement so he was to blame.

Ron
www.genealogyprinters.com

I think that might be the distinction - it doesn't sound like Ann o' GG's mirror was on the wrong side of the curb. Kerb, if you prefer. ;)

it wasn't over the pavement

I think it must have been a shock for all concerned (((hugs)))).

oh I see what you mean Janey, I wrongly assumed by Ann's post, the mirror was over the pavement (although she hadn't mounted it) It hadn't occurred to me that the husband's hands had been swinging over the road as he was walking.

Also there was the point that he had hit Ann's mirror and not that Ann had hit him :-)

Sometimes I think pedestrians ought to done for walking without care and attention.

I think cars have an advantage Christie, when pedestrians bump into cars we don't normally cause that much damage :-) although I do take your point.

You know, though, pedestrians can give drivers terrible frights when they do stupid things.

I've been known to do 'em myself. The odd time of just stepping out into traffic without looking, we've all done it. You're in the wrong, and you know it, but then the driver yells at you (really because you've given them a fright), but you've had a fright too, so you need someone to yell at ...

If it weren't for all that adrenaline the human race wouldn't have survived, but sometimes you wonder how we survive *with* it!

I know Janey :-) that's why I understood where Christine is coming from. I feel sorry for drivers who think they could have killed someone because of the absentmindedness of a pedestrian.

However, (and I have no good reason for believing this - it's a silly defence) I always think that pedestrians have a natural right to be there because they were here before cars. I really believe this when I see cars speeding down the road and I can't cross the road for 10 minutes or so, cars always think they own the roads lol (as opposed to people :-) ).

I don't mind cars so much when I'm in one though :-)

Ann,

That must have been nerve wracking for you,

Last week when I went to the Doctor's my son took me and on the way back we had to pass a school, across the road from the school is a bus stop and to the left of the bus stop is a pedestrian crossing. There is a lamp post on the pavement next to the pedestrian crossing.

As we were driving down the road we saw two young boys about nine or ten, standing next to the bus stop but they did not show any signs of wanting to cross the road.

Just as we approached the crossing one of the little s***s stepped off of the curb and made as if to run across then stretched his arm out and swung around the pole. My David braked so fiercely that if we were not wearing seatbelts we would have hit the windscreen. The little s***s were doubled over with laughter. I pulled off my seatbelt got out the car and when they saw me they took off.

I was so very very angry that I was prepared to give them both a smack and to hell with the consequences. My David was as white as a sheet and it took awhile for him to compose himself as his hands would not stop shaking.

Lindy :(

the pupils at our local high school use the zebra crossing outside the school with no consideration for motorists at all - they just step out without looking

what's a tarquin alert? sorry for being a bit dense.

Thanks Island :-)

looking back on it.Daddy was a pillock!!!!

We went to Selsey just now to get a take-away for my dad's tea.(That's how well I look after him!)

Outside the restaurant is a slip road which is clearly designated one-way.As I sat in the car waiting for OH to come out,some daft old trout came driving round the corner toward me,the wrong way,squeezing between the two rows of parked cars,whilst still chatting on her mobile phone which she held with one hand!