You don't know that, as my wife would say "women are the worst drivers" Seriously, even though by law she may not be the one at fault, people do stupid things such as standing on their brakes for no reason. I understand you're trying to be consoling, I get that.
She was sitting at a stop light and the dildo behind her decided not to stop.
Anyway, to each his own. That guy has to (presumably) pay at least a portion of the bill to get the car fixed, you don't. Also, it's never as good as it was before it was damaged. You also don't know what kind of day they were having, and do you know 100% what was said before you wandered up? Was there a cell phone conversation you weren't privy too?
I had been down at this neighbors house for over an hour. I was there before she left for the grocery store and was there when she returned. I can confidently say that they were having a fine day prior to this incident.
Personally I can't stand nosy busy body neighbors jumping into the middle of every and any situation that transpires in the front yard/drive way.
Neither can I, had I not been there when she returned I wouldn't have had anything to say about the matter.
Why are concerned over this in the least? It's no skin off your back or money out of your wallet? Why the rush to "git all up 'n yo neighbors bid-niz"?
Because I don't like to hear a man treating a woman like $hit because she was in an accident that was of someone elses fault. I didn't come running down the street trying to save her from the world. I told him to shut up so that he could calm down and not knee-jerk react to the situation and say things/treat his wife in ways that he'd regret later (which he has already apologized to me and his wife for his initial reactions). I don't go butting into everyone business, just the same as I don't want someone worrying about mine. Point is, they are friends of mine and I feel that if the situation were reversed he would have done the same thing. Isn't that something friends do, intervene when someone is out of line?[/quote]
Though I understand your point (somewhat), maybe I should have been more clear. These are friends of my wife and I's, they have been neighbors for over 5 years and we're down hanging out with them a lot. We go to concerts together, our kids play together, etc. Had this been someone that I didn't really know, things may have been different, may not have. My biggest issue is the fact that this is not common behavior for this guy. It's not how he handles himself regularly, nor is this how he usually treats his wife. This is the biggest reason I had something to say. I too have been out of line for one reason or another in my past and wish that I had someone (a friend) to put me back in check before I did something that I would regret later. I understand that the car will never be the same, trust me as my wife has decided to tangle with semi before and they didn't total the car. Reguardless, the car is just a car, money is just money, but the person in the car IS what matters.
They never forget!! I have been married 26 years this November. I still hear about things I said,did or neglected to do in the 1980's.
The only thing I don't like concerning the OP is that a man law was broken. No man should show up another man in front of that man's wife. Now, she (the neighbor) will recall this years down the road, as I said, but she will also remember how "cool" the OP was and that her "jerk" husband did not size up to him.
Now, it would have been better to pull the guy to the side and talk to him, allowing him the opportunity to save face sooner, but hopefully it's not too late. As it goes now, she will always see the OP as being a bigger man, in that particular instance. Just make sure, in this close relationship, she doesn't start touching you and laughing at all of your corny jokes more that normally.
Though I understand your point (somewhat), maybe I should have been more clear. These are friends of my wife and I's, they have been neighbors for over 5 years and we're down hanging out with them a lot. We go to concerts together, our kids play together, etc. Had this been someone that I didn't really know, things may have been different, may not have. My biggest issue is the fact that this is not common behavior for this guy. It's not how he handles himself regularly, nor is this how he usually treats his wife. This is the biggest reason I had something to say. I too have been out of line for one reason or another in my past and wish that I had someone (a friend) to put me back in check before I did something that I would regret later. I understand that the car will never be the same, trust me as my wife has decided to tangle with semi before and they didn't total the car. Reguardless, the car is just a car, money is just money, but the person in the car IS what matters.
don't want your wife to think you're a jerk, simple answer really. Don't act like one. The OP had nothing to do with this man being a jerk, he was handling that all to well on his own. Last I heard, guys don't like their friends pulling them off to the side to point out what they are doing wrong. If he doesn't know by now how to treat a woman, I doubt the OP can teach him.
The only thing I don't like concerning the OP is that a man law was broken. No man should show up another man in front of that man's wife. Now, she (the neighbor) will recall this years down the road, as I said, but she will also remember how "cool" the OP was and that her "jerk" husband did not size up to him.
Now, it would have been better to pull the guy to the side and talk to him, allowing him the opportunity to save face sooner, but hopefully it's not too late. As it goes now, she will always see the OP as being a bigger man, in that particular instance. Just make sure, in this close relationship, she doesn't start touching you and laughing at all of your corny jokes more that normally.
I have to agree that I should've pulled him off to the side and addressed the issue there. It wasn't like I belittled him or made myself a bigger man. I just told him to shut up and that things were going to be okay, yada, yada, yada. It just really upset me that he got his priorities screwed up over something like this. After I came home and vented on here, I walked back down there and the first thing he did was offer me a beer and we talked about things. We (my buddy and I) are fine.
from the beginning! I wasn't trying to belabor the point or down you in any way.
BTW, my wife usually backs into something within the first two to three months after purchasing a new car (1991, 1995, 1998, and 2003). This is no exaggeration! I've never blown up over this and even remember laughing in 2003. I got her a SUV (she likes to call it a truck) in 2009 and it's remained dent free.
The only thing I don't like concerning the OP is that a man law was broken. No man should show up another man in front of that man's wife. Now, she (the neighbor) will recall this years down the road, as I said, but she will also remember how "cool" the OP was and that her "jerk" husband did not size up to him.
Now, it would have been better to pull the guy to the side and talk to him, allowing him the opportunity to save face sooner, but hopefully it's not too late. As it goes now, she will always see the OP as being a bigger man, in that particular instance. Just make sure, in this close relationship, she doesn't start touching you and laughing at all of your corny jokes more that normally.
don't want your wife to think you're a jerk, simple answer really. Don't act like one. The OP had nothing to do with this man being a jerk, he was handling that all to well on his own. Last I heard, guys don't like their friends pulling them off to the side to point out what they are doing wrong. If he doesn't know by now how to treat a woman, I doubt the OP can teach him.