[Howard Treesong]

[ QUOTE ]
Some of you guys I guess think we're robots that don't have emotions and won't react in pretty human ways to something. I will be pretty calm and collected when people drive like normal people even if they don't stop at a stop sign. I'm not an idiot and contrary to some belief I'm not a life nit.

But this kid didn't even slow down to take that turn. It's not a matter of "just missing a stop sign" regardless of whether it's an accident or blatant disregard. I couldn't care less which of the two it was, no one should EVER be taking a turn at full speed, particularly in a residential neighborhood.

If you don't have kids, you have no hope of understanding the emotional reaction that takes place here, but try to put yourself in a parent's shoes for one second here. Your kids are out playing. Some kid rockets around a corner at a speed fast enough that if your kids are out in front of him, he has no hope of stopping in time. You have less than one second to get him slowed down to make sure he doesn't continue driving wrecklessly and hurt someone if your kids happen to be in his path (cause you can't see it's a kid when he comes tearing around that corner, you have no idea which house he's going to, so who knows what his path is).

You think you're gonna react calmly to something like that?

I don't think so. Every parent I know blows their lid, screams at them to get them slowed or stopped, and will not be calm when speaking to them. Human nature, and I'm not apologetic for it.

- C -

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not a question of whether you were justified in being angry. Of course you were. It's a question of which approach is more effective at that moment. Next time, take some deep breaths, cool your jets, and handle it in a way that's most likely to prevent your kids from getting run over.