Peoples attitude to broken down cars!

[Deleted User]

Had a weird experience the other day !!!

Was driving along and smoke started billowing out of the bonnet (see my other posts for full story). Anyway, decided to get past some parked cars and pull over as quickly as possible by the side of the road close to a junction (because road was a bit wider here). Didnt consider it wise to attempt to pull out into main road.

So, put hazards on and got out of car pretty sharpish. Obviously, my breakdown did cause 'some' problems with the traffic.

So, stood at side of road, phoned RAC on mobile.

During the call I noticed an old fella standing on the other side of the road waving at me frantically and looking really upset. I told the RAC person to hang on and shouted over to him.

He came running over, screaming in my face, swearing, about how stupid I was to stop the car there just to get out and use my mobile phone!!!!! Unbelievable.

I told him I'd broken down and was on the phone to RAC to come out and sort the problem out but he kept on. In the end, had to get nasty with him to get rid of him so I could speak to the RAC !!!!

Never ceases to amaze - I've seen this before! Dont people understand that if you're cars sitting there with hazards on its likely you've broken down and you;re not sitting there for the fun of it !!!!

danothy

[quote=[Deleted User];discussion/3660387]Had a weird experience the other day !!!

Was driving along and smoke started billowing out of the bonnet (see my other posts for full story). Anyway, decided to get past some parked cars and pull over as quickly as possible by the side of the road close to a junction (because road was a bit wider here). Didnt consider it wise to attempt to pull out into main road.

So, put hazards on and got out of car pretty sharpish. Obviously, my breakdown did cause 'some' problems with the traffic.

So, stood at side of road, phoned RAC on mobile.

During the call I noticed an old fella standing on the other side of the road waving at me frantically and looking really upset. I told the RAC person to hang on and shouted over to him.

He came running over, screaming in my face, swearing, about how stupid I was to stop the car there just to get out and use my mobile phone!!!!! Unbelievable.

I told him I'd broken down and was on the phone to RAC to come out and sort the problem out but he kept on. In the end, had to get nasty with him to get rid of him so I could speak to the RAC !!!!

Never ceases to amaze - I've seen this before! Dont people understand that if you're cars sitting there with hazards on its likely you've broken down and you;re not sitting there for the fun of it !!!![/QUOTE]

What ... a ... spoon. I feel for you.

Azari

Reminds me of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doHWn84loBc

Badger_Lady

I get abuse all the time driving my 1972 VW bus if we're in heavy traffic or at a busy junction and it stalls (which, oh yes, happens a lot particularly in winter or in the first half hour of a journey!).

It always starts up again but the honking horns and waving / swearing that a 6-second pause can invoke :rotfl:

My attitude to them is always, "Take one look at my vehicle. It's an antique. Either respect that or clear orf!"

pinkteapot

I've had this. We once broke down when we were about the enter a roundabout. Car conked out when we went to pull away (no, it wasn't a stall ), so we were right in the flow of traffic. Put hazards on. People didn't really start trying to go round us until we put the bonnet up. I think they just thought we were using hazards instead of indicators...

NBLondon

[quote=[Deleted User];discussion/3660387]Dont people understand that if you're cars sitting there with hazards on its likely you've broken down and you;re not sitting there for the fun of it !!!![/QUOTE]
Maybe it's over exposure to the sort of driver who uses hazards to mean "I'm just nipping to the cashpoint but can't be bothered to find a parking space and walk back." so a genuine breakdown is a surprise...

[Deleted User]

NBLondon wrote: »

Maybe it's over exposure to the sort of driver who uses hazards to mean "I'm just nipping to the cashpoint but can't be bothered to find a parking space and walk back." so a genuine breakdown is a surprise...

LOL. I thought this guy was honestly going to come over and start a fight with me! He was FURIOUS.... I think what had happened was that he was parked legitimately down the road a bit opposite so felt pressured to move his car because mine was blocking the other side a bit!

But surely benefit of the doubt and all that. If a cars stuck there with hazards on, at least allow it cross your mind that they might not have done it purposely!

Personally, I would have chinned him if he'd started (I'm a big lad) but it worries me that someone could behave like this if, say, it'd been my Mrs and son in the car.

barbiedoll

Round my way, it's accepted behaviour to just stop in the middle of the road, have a chat with your mate in the car going in the opposite direction and ignore all of the horns and swearing that comes your way. It's also acceptable to stop your car in order to hoot at a girl/woman walking down the street who may have caught your eye, and then let us all have the pleasure of listening to your attempts to chat her up. You don't even need to bother to put your hazard lights on! :mad::mad:

ThumbRemote

Badger_Lady wrote: »

I get abuse all the time driving my 1972 VW bus if we're in heavy traffic or at a busy junction and it stalls (which, oh yes, happens a lot particularly in winter or in the first half hour of a journey!).

It always starts up again but the honking horns and waving / swearing that a 6-second pause can invoke :rotfl:

My attitude to them is always, "Take one look at my vehicle. It's an antique. Either respect that or clear orf!"

So you drive a car that stalls a lot, and expect everyone else to deal with it because it's an antique?

Your car, your choice to drive, your fault when it stalls and inconveniences others.

pulliptears

One of the best moments of my life - I was 18, driving a crappy old Metro on rainy winter evening and broke down right outside the local fire station. Half a dozen uniformed Firemen came and pushed my car into a side road then took me into the station to make some phone calls and gave me a cuppa.

Try as I might I never did manage to break down there again **sigh**

Badger_Lady

ThumbRemote wrote: »

So you drive a car that stalls a lot, and expect everyone else to deal with it because it's an antique?

Your car, your choice to drive, your fault when it stalls and inconveniences others.

Roadworthy, MOT'd, taxed - everyone else's responsibility to live with it