Outspoken

[laurence2]

I dropped my youngest son off at school this morning, and whilst waiting at the traffic lights, a car pulled up next to me, i looked at the driver {male} who i noticed had no seat belt on, even more alarming, he had a little boy in the back of the car {approx 3 years of age} who wasen't strapped in also, not even a child car seat, so i got him to wind his window down, and laid down the law to him regarding seatbelts responsibility etc, he replied, what are you a ''Copper''. i said no, your worst F in nightmare if you answer me back again like that, at this point he drove off, i did'nt have a chance to get the number plate.

Are you outspoken like me, or do you think i should of minded my own business, i did'nt give a XXXX about him, but a child in the back not strapped in peeved me big time.

Your comments would be appreciated

[4getmenot]

Well I wouldn�t just go up to a stranger and tell them I don�t like their dress sense, but there are certain things I don�t like, If I see people dropping litter I tell them to pick it up, nowadays though you do have to be careful but I guess you don�t have time to think if something bad is happening. One night while me and my mate were driving back in to town I watched a man kick a woman in the head and then grabbed her by the hair and rammed her head into a skip. I asked my mate to turn round but she wouldn�t, so I got out the car and followed this man with another friend for help. I made sure what I�d seen wasn�t just my imagination and when I saw him hit her again I shouted �you barsteward� he turned round and said �keep out of it� I continued following him and shouting more and he came over to start on us. It�s a long story but somehow I managed to start a big street fight, my mate got hit with a baseball bat, the bloke went home and held his children at gunpoint until police arrested him. But after all that I wish I hadn�t bothered as the stupid woman took him back.

[laurence2]

bednobs,
nice try trying to deflect the blame, your comments are appreciated, but when you clearly lable me has hitting or stabbing you i take offence,

And as a matter of interest, if i told you that your child wasen't belted up, what would your resonse of been?

[4getmenot]

and I think if someone in a car next to me shouted at me and I was in the wrong for breaking the law and putting a child in danger it would make me wake up. If he thinks its threatening behaviour then he could go to the police but at the end of the day which is worse.

[bednobs]

lol, but your question isnt about the rights and wrongs of seatbelted children, you question asks what we think about your behaviour this morning, to which i have replied. Also, how do i know you wouldn't hit or stab me? You say you wouldn't, but hey ho, you seem like you find it hard to control your temper (from your question and answers), so how do i know?
i don't really understand you "deflect blame" comment Blame for what?

[serendipity1]

rw?

[Eve]

It's sad but i can see the fear aspect these days.

I've witnessed a few incidents on a bus when people have tackled others about their behaviour.

One ended up in them being beaten up badly including with part of a metal bar (partof the bus), bus was full of blood and they had to go to hospital.

Another ended up with the people tackled threatening to find his 12 year old daughter and rape her while she was sitting there. The poor little thing was inconsolable all the way home.

Another ended up with both commentor and comentee going through a glass window.

The sad thing is it's almost normal up here, you can tell the people who aren't locals as they're the shocked ones. I'm glad i live in the city centre now and don't have to take them anymore.

It can happen anywhere these days and, and I don't mean personally to your circumstances, I'm talking generally, i think many people would rather get the hell away than risk anything happening to them esp while with a child.

[Octavius]

Your question is really about you being outspoken. I suspect you all want us to congratulate you and let you feel like a �real� man.

I agree with bednobs. Aggressive and threatening behaviour from you, without any real provocation seems to have cancelled out what could have been a very noble deed. Lucky for you he probably wasn�t the sort of person who would get out of his care and attack you (doubt he cared much for the kid so that element wouldn�t have held him back if he was).

If you don�t like opinions then don�t ask for them, and if your question is really about the morality of an unrestricted child in the back seat of a car, then perhaps you should rephrase it. I for one would also confront the driver, but I wouldn't use abusive language, just constructive language.

[happygam]

Yes...I would be grateful if someone informed me if I was doing something - us people are in a rush these days...so things can genuinly be forgotten!!

[4getmenot]

And while I�m on a rant, I live above an Indian on a corner and park out the front, when I came out my flat the other day someone had parked in front of me on the double yellow lines near the junction. I could have easily got out but I thought no this person should not be parked there and is making it difficult for people pulling out the junction, well my mate went in and asked very nicely for them to move and the wife came out while the husband sat at the window of the restaurant shaking his head and tutting at me. I wanted to go in there and ram his head in his food, I may not be the best driver in the world but they were breaking the law!

[happygam]

Laurence probably wasn't aggressive...just pointing out a fact...that may have provoked the driver...who then provoked laurence...different people react in different ways to things...thats how it is..we have laws for reasons..especially driving ones...but so many break them...ie, using mobiles...the near misses that I have seen due to people doing this...and I be some accidents are caused by mobile usage at the wheel...people need to know that they are breaking the law - sad thing is - they know they are!!

[4getmenot]

It is a shame as some people are told not to tacle things because of the consequences sometimes and yet other times children win awards for tackling people with knives, so what are you meant to do

[laurence2]

Octavius & bednobs in agreement, Oh i see, you two are right.

Have you both just got out of bed, if so wake up and smell the coffee, i did ask for your comments, its just that you both seem to have blinkers on when it comes to the driver and his child, its not a case of if i'm a ''Real'' man as you put it Octavius, you two give me the distinct impression that if an old lady was being attacked you would,

1. Turn a blind eye
2. Say the old lady ask for it because she had an handbag on show

Its all about opinions, but you two seem to want to save yours for me, well forgive me for not getting to upset, if a driver who did'nt give a damm about his 3 year old, i don't think he would be losing much sleep on me swearing at him

[bednobs]

of course we want to give you our opinions, you asked for them!!!! And you asked for our comments on your behaviour NOT the opinions of unseatbelted children. You seem to get upset about people making assumptions about you, but them you go wildly making assumptions about others!

[4getmenot]

I've often shouted at people on mobile phones too. Maybe The bloke could have found you threatening but I�d like to see him go back to the mother of his children upset saying this t0sser had a go at me for not wearing a seatbelt and littln not having one. I think you did the right thing even if it may have been a bit much in a spare of the moment way.

[happygam]

Your right 4getmenot, as a society, we can't win...let the beggars get away with and turn a blind eye...or step in and say something/do something...but I suppose that is how scary our country has become - sad fact...if I thought it was right to say something, I would..the people that hit back, or are abusive back - know they are wrong....!! I think it depends at the time, none of us were there, so we don't know - but one day, it could happen to any of us....

[4getmenot]

Ho Hum

[4getmenot]

yep as I said happyglam when I stuck up for that woman wish I hadnt bothered

[Octavius]

Are you even reading my answers?

My point is that yes, you were right to carry out your civic duty in reminding this person of their obligations to the safety of their child. You were wrong however to stoop to abusive and potentially threatening behaviour.

If thinking, from my answers (??), that I would shy away from an old lady being mugged because I am a wimp makes you feel better, then go for it.

[4getmenot]

Ok oct if an old lady was being mugged how would you deal with it? Because I cant think of a way I could deal with it without being aggressive or threatening, because they would get a good sharp kick in the knackers and if it was a girl I�d have em. :-)

[Lonnie]

Without reading the other posts, (too many), I think you did the right thing, it weasn't a question of being outspoken, you were worried about the childs safety. Good for you.