Am i in the right?

Colbaker

Colbaker

Colbaker

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8 Dec 2004
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Location
Paignton, Devon
Just had a bit of an argument with a neighbour.

She was parked on the right with her passenger door open but not fully opened so I kept driving as there was enough room to pass, when I got to about the rear of her car she fully opened her door (it is a larger 3 door door) but I still had room to drive round her so I did, only then noticing she had opened the door for her passenger who happens to be an elderly neighbour, she proceeded in shouting something at me and giving me a dirty look (not the older lady she was silent through the whole issue), I ignored it but then parked up outside my house got my son out and started walking to my house.

The neighbour was walking past me mumbling under her breath something so I turned around and she started shouting at me about having no respect for the elderly. I must admit I probably overacted slightly and told her to shut up as she was opening door into a road with a car driving on it and that I was more than a normal car doors width from her anyway but she proceeded on winding me up so I ended up just going indoors.

Am I in the right here or was I wrong?
 
I'm pretty sure it's normal behaviour to wait till a car has passed until you go opening doors rather than expect them to stop and wait for you, at least that's what I've always done.
 
Matt82 said:
do you drive a 4/5 door car? sounds like 3 door envy
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LOL I think that must be what it is.

Surely she w should have waited until I had passed before opening the door, I always wait for road to be clear before strapping my boy into his car seat.

I expect a visit from her idiot husband later as well.
 
When I was loading paving slabs into a car through the rear doors in a quiet car park, I had some woman park so that her rear door would open into where I had the pallet of slabs - she then asked me to move the pallet of slabs so her mother could get out, I asked why she couldn't just park where it was quiet and I wasn't working and she started shouting at me calling me a horrible man. Stupid woman.
 
If she was that concerned for the safety of the passenger she should have either parked on the correct side of the road, or turned her car around so that the passenger can get out onto the pavement.
 
Colbaker said:
I must admit I probably overacted slightly and told her to shut up as she was opening door into a road with a car driving on it and that I was more than a normal car doors width from her anyway but she proceeded on winding me up so I ended up just going indoors.
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I like your style :D
 
What a tool. Opening a door when the road isn't clear. Dumb bint. You're right, she's wrong.
Good work telling her to shup up, she needed to.
 
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misdirected agression from her IMO, she probaly realised how stupid she was and you got the brunt of it

if hubby does pop around, give him a scenario like "if it was an unrestrained energetic child or pet in the rear and she opened the door onto traffic what could have happened ?"
 
It makes me cringe when people do this. I use to work with a guy that wasn't too bright and he use to swing the door open without looking. I brought it up with him a few times and he continued to do it. Bearing in mind we worked in quite a dangerous environment and had weekly safety briefing due to the amount of near misses and occasional death.
 
It's a bit difficult to comment without knowing the layout and size of the road but she shouldn't have parked facing against the flow of traffic, I would agree that if the road wasn't clear she shouldnt have even opened her door, and that if the road becomes unclear whilst her door is open and she is getting people out she should check what the other vehicle is doing and make sure its safe to alight.

On the other hand as the driver of the other vehicle you shouldn't assume that they know you are there, if the road ahead isn't clear you shouldn't be making progress.
If a parked car I am intending to pass has its door partially open my first thought would be "is somone going to come out of that car and do they know I am here". Given that information I would be adjusting my speed and positioning accordingly.
 
Hate the elderly when they play the age card. Just if not worse than the race card imo. Situations like this where they think they are always in the right is annoying.
 
As above it's difficult to know.

The last time I saw someone getting out I did wait but then my road is very narrow.

If you're more than a doors width that sounds fine unless she needs to stand right in the road to unload her passenger (possible if it's an old person?) but that's probably her problem.

Call her a coffin dodger and threaten her with an artificial hip :/
 
Never argue with stupid people. You did the right thing by telling her to shut up. If her or her husband visit to discuss the matter, tell them to shut up again. You can use all the logic, legislation and literary finesse you want but nothing will make your point valid in their eyes. They're old. That means they're right.
 
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