Speeding neighbor almost ran over my child tonight

[Anonymous]

We were out for a family walk tonight - a car turned into our neighborhood going super fast and nearly ran over my 9 YO who was walking in front of me along the grass next to the road (we don't have sidewalks in our neighborhood). The car was seriously 5 feet from her. I was about 50 feet behind her (waiting for dog to catch up) and when I saw him coming, I yelled out and threw my arms in the air (waving to warn him). He clearly saw me and just zoomed past. The car turned on the very first cul de sac, so I followed it up the road and watched it pull into the garage of a neighboring home. I was so angry/upset that I wanted to storm up his driveway and chew him out, but didn't think I'd be able to be civil, and my kids were still with me. I don't know this neighbor at all, but I called a friend who lives across the street and verified the name of the person driving based on a description of the man and his car.

I just sent him an email briefly recounting the situation and asking him to please slow down. I tried to keep it very polite and matter of fact without any reference to the pure terror I'm still feeling as I recall the sight of his car barreling down on my tiny little 9 year old.

Was this the right way to deal with it? i thought about calling but couldn't imagine what I'd say and knew I wouldn't be able to control my emotion.

Advice? Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Ugh, that's why I HATE neighborhoods without sidewalks. Why in the world don't they put sidewalks in everywhere. It's just not safe.

Glad you're both okay!

[Anonymous]

You should have talked to him right after it happened. You might be emotional but at least that would leave an impression on him. And seeing your concern and your DD's scared face, he might think twice about it. But maybe the email wasn't such a bad idea. He probably speeds a lot and if something happens, this will be proof that he has done it before.

[Anonymous]

OP, FWIW I don't think I would email someone who does not know me. I have seen people do this and they come across as well....whackos. The recipient ends up wondering where you could have gotten their info.; or even if they fully realize how you got their info., WHY you took the liberty to use it. In other words, they may think that you feel somehow entitled, spoiled, whatever, in spite of the nature of their offense. Two wrongs don't make a right. Just my opinion.

[Anonymous]

While I can understand your concern I don't think a situation where your child is on the grass and a car drives past them 5 feet away as almost running over your child. And if it's dark keep in mind that cars often cannot see pediatricians until the last second.

That said - speeding is often an issue whether you live in a cul de sac or an apartment or elsewhere. I'm assuming emailing that person was ok, as long as you weren't too confrontational about it.

[Anonymous]

OP here-his email address is in the neighborhood directory which is printed and circulated to all. Thanks for the feedback - I guess I thought I'd come across less hysterical in an email.

[Anonymous]

Having been hit by a car when I was 10, I can understand what you went though, OP!

I think it is a great idea to write to him to recount what happened and ask him to slow down. A sober and matter-of-fact email. Not in the least stalker-like - or whatever nonsense a PP spouted.

(You could also have stormed up to his door and chewed him out, but you did not so stop worrying about that.)

[Anonymous]

PP here. I was referring to a different situation. It sounds like you did in this case was reasonable. I know there are problems with some neighbors. You were smart to document it.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's going to make any difference.

We have one a$$hole in our neighborhood who drives like a maniac no matter how many people ask him to slow down. It's been going on for years. We have even seen him flying down the street after dark on Halloween night, when everyone else in the neighborhood is creeping along at 15mph because they know there are kids walking around. Some people just don't care, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

I would never send the email. I would knock on my door and ask to talk to him.

On a side note, we have a neighbor who's always standing on her front yard yelling as the cars go by telling them to slow down. The speed limit is 25mph, we have children so we ALWAYS go 25 or slower and still she keeps waving her arms and telling us to slow down. We laugh inside but we know she has a reason to be acting like that.

[Anonymous]

We have a speed bump on our residential urban street, and I feel a smug satisfaction when a driver that speeds gets his undercarriage scraped by going too fast.

[Anonymous]

People like that won't stop until they hit someone. The only thing you can hope for is that the person isn't seriously injured or killed AND that they sue the everloving shit out of the maniac so the person can't even afford a car anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People like that won't stop until they hit someone. The only thing you can hope for is that the person isn't seriously injured or killed AND that they sue the everloving shit out of the maniac so the person can't even afford a car anymore.

This. Stupid people are, well... stupid.

[Anonymous]

why isn't your dog on a lease? aren't there lease laws in your neighborhood?

Not to condone the speeding driver, but if your dog had been on a leash you would have been closer to your daughter.

[Anonymous]

Maybe the dog was on a (long?) leash trailing behind busy sniffing or doing its business.