Some kids deliberately squirted water in my eyes as I drove past the garden they were in?

Question

They are aged between 11 and 13 and should know better. I had my 15 week old son in the car and feel that they could have caused an accident. I spoke to the mother of the lad who's garden they were in and she just didn't seem bothered. I drove back past about 5 mins later and they were still playing with the super soaker. I feel that unless something is done, they could cause an accident. Do you think I would be wasting the time of the police if I called them? Or does anyone have any good ideas on how to deal with the situation (sensible answers only please). Thanks.

Answer 1

I absolutely would have called the police.. it sounds petty but you are correct, it could have caused an accident. Rio is missing the point, having water squirted in your eyes while driving causes your attention to be distracted and not being able to see is dangerous even if just for seconds.

Answer 2

I would disagree with those who pooh-pooh'ed your scenario as if it was an over-reaction or a meaningless event. Most states have vehicle code laws that cover that kind of thing. There's a reason for it. Throwing or in your case (discharging water) at the occupant of a vehicle, especially a moving vehicle, can cause an accident. It's a misdemeanor in California, and it's a felony if the act causes injury.

It doesn't take much to distract a driver from the road ahead, Even an instant of blindness or distraction can result in a mishap and injury. If it happened, the mother of those kids would rue the day her name was ever on a grant deed as the owner of her home, because civil liability could be heavy and a plaintiff's attorney would drool over the prospects of collection.

As an example, I will give you the vehicle code wording for the California law below

As far as what to do? I think you'd be very disappointed if you reported the event and hoped for some sort of effective police intervention. The mother has already decided nothing is wrong, no matter who tells her otherwise. If it were me I'd grit my teeth and put it behind me.

The section:

23110. (a) Any person who throws any substance at a vehicle or any
occupant thereof on a highway is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) Any person who with intent to do great bodily injury
maliciously and willfully throws or projects any rock, brick, bottle,
metal or other missile, or projects any other substance capable of
doing serious bodily harm at such vehicle or occupant thereof is
guilty of a felony and upon conviction shall be punished by
imprisonment in the state prison.

Answer 3

You should have called the police. They are a hazard and they deliberately tried to harm you. You can insist that the police write a report so if they continue doing this and cause an accident there is no question of that it wasn't a one time deal.


You did the right thing in speaking to the mother. Unfortunately this is a woman that doesn't want to take responsibility for what her kids are doing. Next time just pick up the cell phone and call the police.

The people that are writing above are wrong about water not being able to cause eye damage. It would depend on how far away for the car they were and the pressure coming out of the hose.

Answer 4

How do you KNOW it was deliberate and can you prove that?

They must have been VERY good shots to hit you in the eye whilst you were driving past!

If you have genuine concerns, phone your local police - on the non emergency number - explain what happened and what your concerns are and that the mother seemed not to care - and ask them if they could just go and have an informal chat with the mother and the lads and point out the possible consequences of their actions should they cause a serious accident.

Answer 5

i think that you have tried to sort the problem out by talking to the mother
this may sound bad but at the end of the day you have been assulted if you feel the need you must tell the police thay will look in to this and yes this could have caused an accident
i dont want to spoil the fun thay are having but the mother dont seem to be bothered the police will be bothered

Answer 6

Rio Fantastic obviously can't read properly, it's not the super soaker that could have injured people, it was the fact that a car was being driven, when the super soaker was fired in the driver's face, possibly causing loss of control of the vehicle.
A TV show was filming celebrities, in the pretence of interviewing them. When the microphone, that was held toward them soaked the celebrity with water. Of course most of the victims did not find it funny. There were several charges filed against the TV company.
It appears that the boys in this incident may have been in the position of being charged with this, in the same way that a driver can be prosecuted, for soaking pedestrians by deliberately driving through a big puddle.

Answer 7

If you happen to notice these kids are not doing playing with the sqirt guns anymore, then that means they were spoken to about it. Often mother's will be over sensitve and ACT like they don't care..

But you are right that one day, there could be an accident.. So do see the police first.. You HAVE to try and if that doesn't work.. just find antoher route I guess if you can..because I'd hate to think of you and your baby in that accidnent.

Oh what about talking to neighbors and such?? I wonder if any of them have had the same problem?? Is there a neighborhood watch type thing in your area? I'm brainstorming.. I don't know what else to do if the police don't listen to you...

And report that person above me for calling you a pansy.. I mean you are right... it could have caused an accident!!

Answer 8

leave it this time but if it happens again i would try having another word with the mother and tell her they could of caused an accident by doing this but be calm the police wont do anything unless an accident has been caused i think if your calm and point this out to the mother she will understand and have a word with them other than that i can't see much more that you can do sorry i hope this helps

Answer 9

I understand why you're annoyed about what happened, but if you call the police about a couple of kids with a water pistol, they're going to laugh their asses off. I *seriously* doubt they'd actually do anything.

It doesn't surprise me that the mother didn't do anything. For most parents these days, it seems that as long as their kids aren't bothering *them*, they don't care what they do.

Warn your friends and family about them, and drive another route/keep your windows closed. The warm weather will soon stop and the brats will go inside to sit in front of their Playstations for 15 hours a day instead.

Answer 10

She could have been startled by the water and had an accident ,don't be silly she has every right to be upset.I wouldn't have been as nice as you were to the mother and I would have told her that if she couldn't control her children then the police can.She had her baby in the car and you are just blind not to see what could have been very bad situation had she wrecked the car do too the kids stupidity.I would have called the police and filed a complaint then maybe that stupid mother would make her kids behave...What happens when they throw rocks the next time!!

What wonderful parents you are going to make,boys don't have to be brats to be boys,maybe that's why so many remain boys all their lives and never become men.shame on you.

Answer 11

WE ARE THE POLICE, WE WEAR A PATCH WITH YOUR CITY'S NAME ON IT.....YOU PAY OUR SALARIES....WE ARE HERE FOR YOU......and on a personal level....talking to some punks and their unatentive mother would be a golden opportunity to provide some community policing and explain to the kiddos that they had just commited assault by contact and explain to the mom that if she didn't want to receive a $50 ticket, then she better put that stupid soaker away and advise her that if her Kiddos caused an accident she would be equally liable in civil court and then thank you for bringing the safety of your neighborhood to our attention.....there is no reason for you to feel uncomfortable driving to or from your house.......GIVE THE COPS A CALL, THAT IS WHY WE WENT THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE ACADEMY SO WE COULD DEAL WITH WIFE BEATERS BURGLARS, THIEVES AND DRUG DEALERS........FOR YOU AND YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE.........POLICE = SERVICE........"TO PROTECT AND SERVE"..........remember?