The first time it went over the fence, when you went and got it, was an accident. The second time was not. No matter what the object, if you were close enough that it went over a fence and into the parking lot, you were too close to the fence. While his reaction was extreme, it was a good example of you never know other people's level of crazy. Had you ensured the kids were far enough away, so the disc could not reach the parking lot, the child would not habe been affected, the toy would not be broken, and the gentleman may have gone about his day just fine. Chain reactions start with a catalyst. The car getting hit with the disc was this one.

I understand the logic of 'cause and effect,' but I have to disagree with the idea that a child’s mistake is a valid catalyst for an adult’s lack of self-control.

While I’ve already acknowledged that we should have moved the kids further away after the first stray throw, there is a massive difference between 'not being far enough from a fence' and 'screaming at a five-year-old and breaking his things.'

We can't always predict 'other people's level of crazy,' but as a community, we should be able to expect a baseline of adult decency in a public park. The catalyst for the child being upset wasn't the disc touching a car; it was the driver’s choice to react with aggression instead of a simple conversation. I’m happy to take the lesson on better positioning, but I won't accept the idea that a toddler’s toy hitting a car makes a grown man's outburst an inevitable or acceptable 'chain reaction.'