Road Rage in Carpark

Pipp

I had a bit of an experience on Saturday in a Shopping centre car park that frightened the bejaysus out of me. Because of this I wanted to warn any women on their own that frequent such places to make sure the central locking is on.
Ill explain: I was driving into a car parking space on the ground floor of this multi storey car park. As usual the blooming car park just isnt big enough to reverse in.
Anyway, I drove into the space, had a good old look around to see any people walking etc.. I looked around three or four times and no sign of anyone. So I reversed out to straighten the car up a little and leave enough room for me, and the occupants of the cars on either side to get in and out easily.
I'd reversed about half the distance I needed to and a guy walks behind the back of my car. So, I stopped immediately as you do to wait until he passed.
So, this is when it got very weird.
I looked right at him and gestured that I had seen him. I think he thought that I hadnt and that I was going to hit him. SO, he shouts at me to watch where I was going and again I gestured and mouthed that "I saw you".
So he walks on, and turns around again and by that stage I had reversed all the way out to drive back in to the space correctly.
He shouted at me again, and I ignored him.
Then he runs like a mad buffalo back at my car and starts yanking at the passenger door to get in. I swear he looked like a psychopath, f*ing and blinding, calling me all kinds of names under the sun. When he realises that the central locking is on (Thank God) he bangs the roof of my car a couple of times and walks off, still calling me names.
This whole thing scared the life out of me and I hate to think of what he would have done if he could have gotten into the car.
I waited a few mins for him to go and went in to the shopping centre, I got too nervous that he would find me so I left and went home and promptly burst into tears. Ive been nervous all weekend afraid Id see him again.
I couldnt find any security at all in the car park.
The only explanation I can come up with for his reaction is that he misunderstood what I was saying to him.
Anyway, ladies, please put your central locking on, women on their own are more vulnerable targets for loonies like this one. I did nothing wrong to warrant such an over the top and aggressive reaction from a complete stranger.

Noopti

Sounds like a horrible incident.
Maybe you should have reported this to the shopping centers customer service desk/security.
They might have CCTV in the car park that could have recorded the incident. I'm not sure the legal ramifications of his actions, but surely if he tried to forcefully gain entry to your vehicle without your permission and in an aggressive manner it would break some sort of law?

TURRICAN

as u say urself alooney,and therses no shortage of them.dont worry about him
he is only a coward to pick on a woman anyway.
there will always be sombody good around to help ya

ambro25

Sounds like a druggie, tbh

Jumpy

Walk behind a car with reverse lights on = idiot.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Wimmin making a bollox out of reversing/parking drives me nuts everytime too.

Alun

Jumpy wrote: »

Walk behind a car with reverse lights on = idiot.

Agreed, but it's mind-boggling how many people do it. The strange thing is that these people are (mostly) drivers themselves and should realise the dangers, but they still on insist on walking right behind cars who they have just seen pulling into a parking slot and who will in all probability need to do a quick shuffle to straighten up.

Personally in such situations I'll try and walk right down the centre of the 'aisle' to make myself as visible as possible, and if I see a car that looks like its manoeuvring into or out of a space, I'll stop and make sure I've made eye contact before either letting him out or moving on.

gyppo

Hi Pipp,

As another poster said, maybe you should have reported this to the security company/customer services agent. This kind of behaviour is totally unacceptable, and whoever this person was, and however justified he felt, he is totally out of order. You should ask about whether this area was covered bu cctv. Also, I'd check for any damage he might have done to your car (ie by banging on the roof).

Also, try and ignore the smart-arse comments some people feel they must make.

wil

Sounds like a nutter.
I wonder should there be a change in law to allow justifiable culling of ablebodied/minded adults who walk behind/in front of a car after it commences in to a space.

The amount of times people walk in front of my car while parking. Even if I am squeezing in to a space barely 6 inches longer than my car, they still try.
Its an extreme laziness thing I associate with pedestrians here more than other countries.

Pedestrian law of straight lines - I can see it over there, so thats the route I will take regardless of danger to life or limb.
Pedestrian law of Vehicular immunity. Pedestrians may cross the road while lookig away from direction of traffic because this guarantees immunity from collision with car.
If not, they sue you anyway

A word of advice though, if you are in the wrong and being admonished, a simple sorry should be enough to diffuse a potential rage situation.
Too many (and women are every bit as bad as men) immediately adopt the FO attitude not matter how blatantly wrong they are. Nobody is entitled to say anything to them, even if your head was hanging off as result of their actions.

Its almost like a drunken night club scene with bravado, fists and F's flying and not the slighest consideration of the safety of others.
And "Get a life" is not a clever reply when asked why did you try to kill someone.
Its just sad, typical, but sad.

gyppo wrote: »

Hi Pipp,
Also, try and ignore the smart-arse comments some people feel they must make.

But take heed of justifiable comments that more people should make in the interests of road safety.
Irish people are great at saying sorry until they get behind a wheel.

coolhandc

sorry to hear that OP.i wonder would he have been so brave if you were a man the size of one of the international rugby players!

louie

I don't think so. The turkey got his chance to show-off.

The best way to treat "idiots" like him is ignorance. Don't let yourself go nuts over it, the world is full of "brave hearts" like him.

richie_rvf

Sorry to hear of your awful experience - I really think you should at least report it to the Gardai, there should be some form of surveillance at the car park.

Maybe he was just having a really bad day but it is still uncalled for.

Richie.

prodigal_son

Jumpy wrote: »

Walk behind a car with reverse lights on = idiot.

Not at all, putting it in reverse doesn't give you the right of way.

Person who puts in in reverse and expects people to get out of their way = Big feckin eejit who deserves to be dragged out of the car and beaten.

I worked in an underground car park when i was a young lad, and you just cant stop and wait for people in reverse to pull out and do what they want. Its stupid to even suggest it. Granted if they have started moving, fine you give way.. But the car driver is the one that could kill someone, they are the one that should pay attention, they are the one that should reverse slowly and gladly stop to allow people to pass.

People quite often put it in reverse and the lights come on, a couple of minutes before they decide to pull out...

The original poster did the right thing, reverse look every where, go... see someone stop..

cantdecide

Did he do damage when he hit the car?

OP, it's up to you to avoid the loonies. Idiots are everywhere and you're life will be much easier if you assume everyone is an idiot and take preemptive action.

In a car park specifically, you can't start looking out for people soon enough- you should be keeping your eyes open for people and other cars' movements long before you find a space. It's simple planning ahead. I keep trying to explain this to my mother who frequently finds herself embroiled in little skirmishes because she thinks her plans are everyone else's problem.

Also- in a carpark, the circumstances change in the blink of an eye. Don't spend 5 mins waiting for someone to come along. If the space was there, you should have been parked up before he had the chance to sneak up on you.

As a motorist, you must always willingly yield to pedestrians and not just cos you're a nice person. I don't want to be argumentative but you may or may not be telling us there was a bit of 'come on, come on' in your body language- if there was a little there, you weren't doing yourbest to avoid a confrontation.

I don't condone for a second what he did, he should be locked up for that kind of explosion but my advice is be (or continue to be) sensible and the explosions won't be directed at you.

Esel

Bad experience, but not road rage!

yeah-boy

prodigal_son wrote: »

Not at all, putting it in reverse doesn't give you the right of way.

Person who puts in in reverse and expects people to get out of their way = Big feckin eejit who deserves to be dragged out of the car and beaten.

You think a full grown man should drag a woman out of her car and beat her up. Get real. The man should of walked around. I know not ideal but courteous. If it was me and I was a woman, Id ring a man I knew and go in looking for him and kick 7 shades of sh*t out of the druggie scumbag for screamin at a woman, tryin to gain entry to her car and then bangin on her roof. He was a fuppin toerag OP, dont get yourself down about this animal.

cazzy

Sorry to hear about your experience
Theres no reason for anyone to act like that
Clearly he was a little unbalanced to loose it like that
I always keep my car locked

Pipp

cantdecide wrote: »

Did he do damage when he hit the car?

OP, it's up to you to avoid the loonies. Idiots are everywhere and you're life will be much easier if you assume everyone is an idiot and take preemptive action.

In a car park specifically, you can't start looking out for people soon enough- you should be keeping your eyes open for people and other cars' movements long before you find a space. It's simple planning ahead. I keep trying to explain this to my mother who frequently finds herself embroiled in little skirmishes because she thinks her plans are everyone else's problem.

Also- in a carpark, the circumstances change in the blink of an eye. Don't spend 5 mins waiting for someone to come along. If the space was there, you should have been parked up before he had the chance to sneak up on you.

As a motorist, you must always willingly yield to pedestrians and not just cos you're a nice person. I don't want to be argumentative but you may or may not be telling us there was a bit of 'come on, come on' in your body language- if there was a little there, you weren't doing yourbest to avoid a confrontation.

I don't condone for a second what he did, he should be locked up for that kind of explosion but my advice is be (or continue to be) sensible and the explosions won't be directed at you.

Thank you for all the replies.
He didnt damage the car thank goodness.

I take your point cantdecide, he might have misinterpreted me looking at him as being confrontational.
Anyway, never mind, I just posted to warn everyone that there are lots of crazy people out there so be on your guard.
Thanks again.
Pipp

Zulu

yeah-boy wrote: »

The man should of walked around. I know not ideal but courteous.

No, he was grand until he started shouting etc.. As the other poster said, because you're in reverse doesn't give you the right of way.

If it was me and I was a woman, Id ring a man I knew and go in looking for him and kick 7 shades of sh*t out of the druggie scumbag

oohhh, you're big and hard and scary. I wouldn't like to cross you <shudder> :rolleyes: Cool man.

He was a fuppin toerag OP, dont get yourself down about this animal.

That's about the only thing I'd agree with from your post.