WHILE cycling with my daughter one Sunday afternoon I had to pop into Somerfield supermarket, and as we generally cycle along the cinder paths we approached Mengham from the St Leonard's end.
My daughter, who is nine is not that confident on the roads, hence the fact we use the cinder paths.
She was not about to take to route past the Rose in June as the junction can sometimes be busy, and then you have to get into the middle of the ro
ad to turn into Mengham.
So as it was quiet we slowly cycled in, and then got off our bikes by the jewellers and walked in. From behind me someone shouted, very loudly, "no right of way!"
And as I looked around there was a policeman on his bike, he shouted so loudly he actually made my daughter jump.
I pointed out that we were now walking with our bikes and again he shouted "You have to teach them while their young!"
He then continued his conversation about us with a lady who was sitting on the bench outside the mobility shop.
Annoyed as I was at his manner and total lack of professionalism he was, at the end of the day, correct. I can be honest about that, yes, I was in the wrong totally.
But the way this policeman dealt with us was disrespectful, rude and arrogant. As a mother I was not about to risk taking my daughter the other way.
The funny thing was when I came out of Summerfield a shop alarm was going off and where was the policeman… gone!
What a surprise that may have been a little too much for him to deal with.
No it's much more productive to intimidate mothers and their children, who are trying to enjoy this beautiful island we all live on.
Hence my daughter's take on it that the policeman on the bike was "really rude mum. Why didn't he come over and speak to us nicely?"
As a parent I'm trying desperately to bring my children up to be respectful of others. Sometimes it's very very difficult to bite the tongue.
Amanda Green
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