Idiot of the Day

[summerdays]

Just back from the school run and really annoyed at the idiots out there... myself and 9 year old following a slow moving lorry and about to turn off in a side road. Pick up lorry waiting in side road to turn out:
(So main lorry = Green, builders lorry (idiots) = red, myself = pink and 9 year old = blue!!

Lorry moves forward slightly so we should be able to turn into side road ... but builders lorry thinks otherwise and turns out anyway... except we are in its way so he goes to our left over the pavement. Luckily missed my son who was closer to the pavement than myself.

No I didn't get the number plate at all I was so shocked. Though I was shouting about idiots and noticed the side window was down so I hope they heard! My blood is still boiling even now. I need to calm down....

 

[mgarl10024]

Have a tea and a digestive. Don't let them ruin your day.

Edit: Thinking about it further, I was concerned that my hastily written response might have sounded flippant. I can imagine that it must have been scary seeing that builder's lorry mounting the pavement and so close to your son. It's amazing the risks that people will take to shave off a few seconds - imagine if someone they hadn't seen had been on the pavement!
What I meant to say was that you should do your best not to let them ruin your day. Try not to think about it - put on some favourite music, make a nice warm tea and de-stress. It'd be a real shame if their impatience tensed you up for the whole morning.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Sad really.

Though think of it like this - at least they went on the pavement and didn't plough straight through any of you.

Didn't get a company name or anything?

 

[400bhp]

You let your 9 y.o on the road cycle with you in rush hour?

 

[Simba]

You let your 9 y.o on the road cycle with you in rush hour?

Read "No I didn't get the number plate at all I was so shocked. Though I was shouting about idiots and noticed the side window was down so I hope they heard! My blood is still boiling even now. I need to calm down...."

So she was in the car

 

[martint235]

You let your 9 y.o on the road cycle with you in rush hour?

Why not? If everyone is behaving as they should, surely it's better to cycle the 9yo to school than to get the car out and drive them there.

If the pictures are an accurate representation, all I'd say is that I would tend to drop back to slightly behind the child and traffic side (effectively a couple of feet further back than you look in the diagram) but that's just personal opinion and shouldn't detract from your outrage at the stupidity of the driver. It's a shame you didn't get the number plate as I would certainly have reported it.

As a previous poster has said though, now it's over there is nothing further you can do so don't let it ruin your day.

 

[mgarl10024]

[QUOTE 1288898"]
..the OP is talking about the side window of the truck
[/quote]

I agree. The diagram would suggest that (or two, very thin, narrow cars!)

 

[2Loose]

Twats. 'Nuff said.

 

[monkeypony]

9 years old on public roads during rush hour. Hells Bells!

Glad there was no harm done.

 

[BSRU]

9 years old on public roads during rush hour. Hells Bells!

Glad there was no harm done.

If it is anything like Swindon's rush hour I cannot see the any real problem, especially as they are escorted.

 

[2Loose]

Quite saddened to see the '9yr old in rush hour - omg' comments, especially on here.

A presumably road aware and competent cyclist with a very competent parent cycling to school, should stand just as much chance on the roads as anyone else. OMG, people commute by bike in rush hour shocker!

 

[drbizzle2011]

Why has the topic here shifted to the apparently irresponsible actions of a mother letting her 9 year old son cycle during rush hour? I was riding 6 miles into town after hammering through the forest when I was 9 years old!
(Builder's vans are generally designed to actually steer towards cyclists by themselves, so I'm sure the careful and considerate builders actually did quite a good job of avoiding a collision!)
Good on yer I say.
If you don't give them wings they'll never learn to fly.

 

[subaqua]

why shouldn't the 9 year old be out in rush. if they are competent then the best polace for em to learn further skills is where they will need em.

I used to ride to school everyday as a kid from about 7 . that was through rush , although TBF rush in N Wales was only a few sheep and maybe a farmer

 

[upsidedown]

I wish I'd been on the roads at nine. 34 years on I might have been a half competent cyclist. Good on you.

 

[gary r]

i cycle with my 10 year old son on the roads,never in rush hour but the roads are pretty busy in surrey most of the time.I tend to cycle behind him so i can guide him on road positioning etc.