My 16 year-old daughter was run off the road
By FloatingGum
@FloatingGum (346)
United States
April 12, 2007 1:07am CST
Now, I'll be the first to admit I was surprised two weeks ago when she actually managed to pass her road test. I didn't feel she was ready to drive and she'd failed once already. But she passed and she had already bought a 1994 Chrysler Concorde, so she started driving on her own.
Today while I am waiting at the bus stop for my son, she gets driven up by friends of ours and I could see she had been crying. She had left our houe to go meet a friend and while driving out of our development, another car came up behind her real fast, riding her bumper. In her inexperience, she tried to speed up to get him off her bumper and he stayed right on her tail. Keep in mind, we live on not too great dirt roads. She makes a turn to go out of the development and either he tapped her or she just lost it and went off the road. He didn't even stop to see if she was all right.
Now, I lectured her that she was wrong to speed up - she should have either stopped and let him go past her or just slowed down. If he hit her from behind then it would have been his fault and I;m sure her car could have taken it.
Since he was coming out of the development too, there's a good chance we'll eventually figure out who it is. There are 400 homes here right now but only a minimal that are here year round.
What would you do?
2 people like this
7 responses
@ShadyGrove (996)
• United States
12 Apr 07
wow ~ good to hear that she was ok, other than being shaken up and all.
I would call the police and report it as a hit/run or driving dangerously - whatever they'd call it. Did she think they hit her at all? I would file a report though just in the event you do find out who it was there will be a legal record of the event.
Maybe she should spend some time just driving around with you in the car to give her more experience time. Dirt roads can be harder to learn on than paved ones. Is she allowed to have other kids in the car with her yet?
Oh, the wonders of motherhood have entered a new phase for you! :o) Hang in there!
2 people like this
@FloatingGum (346)
• United States
13 Apr 07
They are only allowed one person under 25 not related to them in the car at this point. That goes for six months which is their probationary period. I worry that making a report will go against her license since there were no witnesses and we can't prove that he tapped her, if he did.
I just don't get the mentality of forcing someone off the road and not stopping at all...
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
12 Apr 07
I would not be upset with the way she handled it, I would calmly explain to her what she should have done. I would also see if she can give a good description of the car and report them. I am sorry she had such a scare. Maybe it was a good way to get her to be very alert to things that are going on around her and how important it is to watch what everyone else is doing. Get a little good out of the situation.
2 people like this
@FloatingGum (346)
• United States
13 Apr 07
I am glad she got a lesson with no one getting hurt and no damage done, that's for sure.
@freak369 (5113)
• United States
12 Apr 07
I've had this happen to me in the past and I didn't handle it very well. Point blank. I slammed on the brakes, put it in park, reached for my baseball bat and asked the other driver if he or she had a problem with my driving ethics. I am not suggesting that others follow my lead, just stating what I have done in that situation. Mosy guys can't handle a chick confronting them let alone one that's six foot tall and swinging a bat.
She really needs to try and remember anything about the other vehicle in case anything comes of it. Color, size, model .. anything. That way, if in a month or so, the vehicle is spotted, you will have it written down somewhere.
At least she is ok and no worse for wear. At the end of the day, you have to take stock in the important things in life and remember one thing ... it could always be worse.
2 people like this
@FloatingGum (346)
• United States
13 Apr 07
I agree - no harm was done to her or the car, which was good. I am upset with the other driver, but with her as well. I know last year I saw this girl speeding and she went off the road. WHen I came up to her, I stopped and made sure they were all right and had someone coming for them.
I would never dream of following someone so close like he did. And I can't understand not stopping and making sure they were all right. He deserves a baseball bat upside his head, IMO!
@chaygylmommy (2470)
• United States
12 Apr 07
I would definately contact the police and make a report...I am assuming she knows what kind of car...the color and all that? Make a police report and try to figure out who this person is. He/she needs to get in trouble...they could have really hurt someone.
2 people like this
@FloatingGum (346)
• United States
13 Apr 07
They are on probation here, so I am worried if we contact the police it will go against her and her driving record. I agree that he needs to get in trouble, but proving that something happened when no one seems to be sure exactly what would be difficult. The police around here are ridiculous.
@kelly60 (4547)
• United States
13 Apr 07
If you have not filed a police report yet, you should. She should give them whatever information she can about the other car. Even if she cannot give them a full description, any information she can provide could help them to track down the car.
In the mean time, I think you did a great job by telling her what better decisions she could have made. As an inexperienced driver, she needs that positive reinforcement from you.
Personally, when people tailgate me, I get the irresistible urge to hit my brakes... I would love to slam on them, but just keep tapping them gently as a warning to back off. If that does not get them to back off or go around, I slow down more and more. Usually they will get tired of driving so slow and go around.
1 person likes this
@FloatingGum (346)
• United States
13 Apr 07
Well, I told her better that he hit her from behind than she ends up off the road like she did or plowing into someone else. Then it's definitely his fault! Her car would take it, that's for sure.
1 person likes this
@kelly60 (4547)
• United States
15 Apr 07
I'm glad she is alright, and hopefully she will remember what you told her if anything like this happens again.
(Hopefully it won't happen again though)
@lafavorito (2959)
• Philippines
13 Apr 07
I'm glad that your daughter is all right and probably shaken up a little. Don't go too hard on her ok, because as you said she just passed her exam and maybe she panicked when the other care hit her bumper. I think it's better if you file a polic report and look out for the car that run her off the road.
1 person likes this
