View Full Version : Who can I report a driver to?
On my way back today I came very very close to being knocked into a dual carriageway due to an impatient driver. What's the best way to report them? I have their reg number and video evidence which is below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3f4oouCJHA
I don't normally do this but this was way out of order.
And yes I hit the limiter again but this really s*** me up hence the delay between it happening and me reacting.
andrewsmith
16-12-13, 07:26 PM
A1 northbound on Westrn Bypass at rush hour!
Sorry mate thats the normal on that junction, that 10 mile section is like that.
Anyways that section does have cameras on it, report it to the Police
fizzwheel
16-12-13, 07:29 PM
Isnt this the sort of thing that the non emergency 101 number is for ?
Or just pay a visit to your local cop shop with a copy of the video on CD for them.
littleoldman2
16-12-13, 07:38 PM
Or just pay a visit to your local cop shop with a copy of the video on CD for them.
Absolutely. Do this before the nugget injures someone.
littleoldman2
16-12-13, 07:41 PM
BTW is this in the 50mph limit section ?.
andrewsmith
16-12-13, 07:42 PM
BTW is this in the 50mph limit section ?.
Its in the middle of the restriction
If you report this to the police be prepared for apathy, it is very difficult for them to convict on video evidence alone.
I had a van pass me on my pushbike very close across double whites while I was travelling at 20mph forcing an oncoming car onto the opposite pavement, all caught on camera. I went to the local police station, they would not even look at it, I then gave it to a friend whose a Special, he passed it onto traffic and they said they didn't think they would be able to convict without the person in the oncoming car being found as a witness, unfortunately his reg could not be read from the footage. To be honest I wouldn't bother trying again, all you can hope is Darwin gets them without doing too much damage to anyone else...
Jackie_Black
16-12-13, 09:28 PM
I'm not sure what happened there like, to me I reckon he thought you were pulling onto the main carriageway and had a mare. I think I would have been at least as upset as you!
Red ones
16-12-13, 10:03 PM
Did you also have the left turn indicator on?
As bikers when we filter though traffic do we not get as a close to another vehicle as that in the video?
Did you also have the left turn indicator on?
No. I had the right turn indicator on. I stay central there to give me a little extra time to react as people are always cutting across without looking to leave the A1.
Last thing I expected was a car squeezing through a gap that wasn't even big enough for a car. From the looks of the video they were pretty much on the grass verge as they passed.
As bikers when we filter though traffic do we not get as a close to another vehicle as that in the video?
A couple of differences though, the outcome of any contact is rarely going to end up in our favour and we are much more aware of where the edges of our vehicle are.
Red Herring
16-12-13, 10:39 PM
No. I had the right turn indicator on. I stay central there to give me a little extra time to react as people are always cutting across without looking to leave the A1.
Last thing I expected was a car squeezing through a gap that wasn't even big enough for a car. From the looks of the video they were pretty much on the grass verge as they passed.
I don't see what the big deal is. You're going down a slip road that has two outcomes, keep left and take the next exit, or keep right and join the main carriageway. Your indicating right but stooging around in the middle of the lane and quite clearly there was room on your left otherwise he would have clipped you. As someone has pointed out we filter past cars that dither around in front of us, reverse the positions and I'm sure you would have passed him.
If you want to avoid that happening again next time you see a vehicle coming up on your inside like that just move over to the right and give them more room. You had plenty of view to your right towards the main carriageway so all you want to avoid is being between a vehicle on the main carriageway (for the reason you say) and a vehicle to your nearside. It's just a question of timing.
Oh and to answer your original question feel free to take your complaint and video into your local police station. It quite rightly won't go anywhere, but if it makes you feel better.....
Specialone
16-12-13, 11:04 PM
I don't see what the big deal is. You're going down a slip road that has two outcomes, keep left and take the next exit, or keep right and join the main carriageway. Your indicating right but stooging around in the middle of the lane and quite clearly there was room on your left otherwise he would have clipped you. As someone has pointed out we filter past cars that dither around in front of us, reverse the positions and I'm sure you would have passed him.
If you want to avoid that happening again next time you see a vehicle coming up on your inside like that just move over to the right and give them more room. You had plenty of view to your right towards the main carriageway so all you want to avoid is being between a vehicle on the main carriageway (for the reason you say) and a vehicle to your nearside. It's just a question of timing.
Oh and to answer your original question feel free to take your complaint and video into your local police station. It quite rightly won't go anywhere, but if it makes you feel better.....
I understand where you're coming from RH and I agree mostly with everything you post on here, but I disagree regarding this, it was pure impatience, there was absolutely no reason or gain for that car to buzz him that close.
Ok, he could've commanded his lane a bit better but that driver only had to wait 2 seconds before he was in the lane he was planning, if you're unsure of the intentions of the bike or vehicle in front, you dont overtake.
I agree about it not bring a prosecutable offence but in terms of good driving, it leaves a lot to be desired and the driver is a **** IMO.
And, it wasn't two lanes there, it's one, he was indicating right so a tiny bit of patience and the op would've been out of his way.
I don't see what the big deal is. You're going down a slip road that has two outcomes, keep left and take the next exit, or keep right and join the main carriageway. Your indicating right but stooging around in the middle of the lane and quite clearly there was room on your left otherwise he would have clipped you. As someone has pointed out we filter past cars that dither around in front of us, reverse the positions and I'm sure you would have passed him.
If you want to avoid that happening again next time you see a vehicle coming up on your inside like that just move over to the right and give them more room. You had plenty of view to your right towards the main carriageway so all you want to avoid is being between a vehicle on the main carriageway (for the reason you say) and a vehicle to your nearside. It's just a question of timing.
Oh and to answer your original question feel free to take your complaint and video into your local police station. It quite rightly won't go anywhere, but if it makes you feel better.....
Thank you for your constructive criticism but there wasn't enough room for the car to safely pass. You can see that just after they pass me they are moving off from the grass verge and when they are beside me the shadow from my mirror shows just how close they were. That part of the road is 1 lane and I was in the centre of it so I don't see what the problem is there?
If people can get away with driving like this even with video evidence then what does it actually take for the police to do anything about it?
I understand where you're coming from RH and I agree mostly with everything you post on here, but I disagree regarding this, it was pure impatience, there was absolutely no reason or gain for that car to buzz him that close.
Ok, he could've commanded his lane a bit better but that driver only had to wait 2 seconds before he was in the lane he was planning, if you're unsure of the intentions of the bike or vehicle in front, you dont overtake.
I agree about it not bring a prosecutable offence but in terms of good driving, it leaves a lot to be desired and the driver is a **** IMO.
I don't see how I could have commanded that lane any more. I was basically in the center of it?
Specialone
16-12-13, 11:11 PM
I don't see how I could have commanded that lane any more. I was basically in the center of it?
If it was me mate (not having a dig btw, on your side) I would've been more right, if that's the direction I'm heading, road positioning is very important especially on a bike, I get why you was central but if you was right, the buzz by that t**t wouldn't have give you any cause to be alarmed, just giving my opinion, but I'm still on your side with this one.
Red Herring
17-12-13, 12:09 AM
I'm not saying the car driver was in the right, they were impatient and were pretty inconsiderate towards you, but their driving was nothing that unusual and the situation was completely avoidable. Why do you feel the need to "command" the lane? You can clearly see from their position behind you what their intention is and by attempting to block them are you being as inconsiderate towards them as they are towards you? Yes it's only one lane but there's plenty of room for a car and motorcycle and as I said earlier, had your positions been reversed you would have thought nothing of filtering past with that much room available. Two wrongs don't make a right and in my view our courts have more than enough on their plates without having to sort out an argument over who was more wrong than the other, especially as you've both survived unscathed and maybe a bit wiser for next time....
DarrenSV650S
17-12-13, 12:34 AM
From the video alone it looks as though the car just didn't see you, didn't have time to brake, and got past you as safely as they could. Did you see them approaching in your mirrors? How fast were they approaching you?
It's difficult to tell if they made a mistake through lack of observations, or if they were just trying to get past you as quickly as possible.
Had the positioned been reversed I wouldn't have been stupid enough to squeeze through a gap at +40mph with only inches to spare.
I was in the center of the lane but at almost the speed limit. Due to that slip road being on a curve I couldn't see if the carriageway was clear in my mirrors until I was further down the road. As I mentioned earlier, cars can shoot across that right lane to get to the exit, they also speed up the inside lane at more than the speed limit so I wanted to make sure that it was clear. Had it not been icy I may have been a little quicker getting onto the carriageway but I already had a couple of minor slips on my way there due to the weather and cold tyres.
There are things I could have done different, as there always will be when watching something back.
Incidents like this are the reason I always have a camera rolling when I'm out.
Haircut
17-12-13, 12:42 AM
I cannot believe some of the replies I am reading here, indicating right is a signal of intent and not an open invitation, nobody has the right to the tarmac you are occupying.
And of course the car saw him, they would have to be Mr Magoo not to!
People need to take a deep breath when driving\riding unless they want to take themselves or someone else to the grave quicker, why save 5 seconds with the undertake just to get to the next queue of traffic?
The driver is a tool but I cannot see you getting anywhere with a complaint, if he was seen by a following police car then yes they would pull him and have a word but I doubt they would do anything retrospectively.
From the video alone it looks as though the car just didn't see you, didn't have time to brake, and got past you as safely as they could. Did you see them approaching in your mirrors? How fast were they approaching you?
It's difficult to tell if they made a mistake through lack of observations, or if they were just trying to get past you as quickly as possible.
I can't see how they wouldn't have seen me. I had lights, a fluorescent jacket and my bike isn't exactly quiet. There was some distance between me and the car ahead and the carriageway was clear ahead of me so I shouldn't have blended in with anything.
Red Herring
17-12-13, 01:29 AM
Aren't I the unpopular one...!
Carry on as before mate, sorry if I said anything that upset you. Do please keep using the camera, it makes crash investigation a whole lot easier with stuff like that to help.
Just remember that people who are dead right are just as dead as those that were dead wrong. The driver in the car was wrong and out of order, and nothing you, I, or any number of coppers out there does is going to remove every driver like that from our roads. The trick is not to be victim to their mistakes or behavior, you had the option not to be but decided not to take it. Your decision, your responsibility, your consequence. I think you need to chill out a bit, but I seem to remember we've been there before.....
I'm not saying the car driver was in the right, they were impatient and were pretty inconsiderate towards you, but their driving was nothing that unusual and the situation was completely avoidable. Why do you feel the need to "command" the lane? You can clearly see from their position behind you what their intention is and by attempting to block them are you being as inconsiderate towards them as they are towards you? Yes it's only one lane but there's plenty of room for a car and motorcycle and as I said earlier, had your positions been reversed you would have thought nothing of filtering past with that much room available. Two wrongs don't make a right and in my view our courts have more than enough on their plates without having to sort out an argument over who was more wrong than the other, especially as you've both survived unscathed and maybe a bit wiser for next time....
As in by doing what ? riding a little more to the left so no one can undertake you ?.
Aren't I the unpopular one...!
Carry on as before mate, sorry if I said anything that upset you. Do please keep using the camera, it makes crash investigation a whole lot easier with stuff like that to help.
Just remember that people who are dead right are just as dead as those that were dead wrong. The driver in the car was wrong and out of order, and nothing you, I, or any number of coppers out there does is going to remove every driver like that from our roads. The trick is not to be victim to their mistakes or behavior, you had the option not to be but decided not to take it. Your decision, your responsibility, your consequence. I think you need to chill out a bit, but I seem to remember we've been there before.....
This thread seems to have turned into why it was my fault rather than what actually happened.
You tell me to chill out but I can guarantee you I am probably one of the most chilled out people you would know. Yes I may give it some throttle but I never shout, swear or chase someone down because of their mistakes. I just carry on.
You seem to be very quick to judge someone based on a video and almost sound as though you want something to happen to me.
Anyway I'd rather not let some impatient asshat cause any falling out so this will be the last I speak of this.
Specialone
17-12-13, 06:06 AM
Aren't I the unpopular one...!
Carry on as before mate, sorry if I said anything that upset you. Do please keep using the camera, it makes crash investigation a whole lot easier with stuff like that to help.
Just remember that people who are dead right are just as dead as those that were dead wrong. The driver in the car was wrong and out of order, and nothing you, I, or any number of coppers out there does is going to remove every driver like that from our roads. The trick is not to be victim to their mistakes or behavior, you had the option not to be but decided not to take it. Your decision, your responsibility, your consequence. I think you need to chill out a bit, but I seem to remember we've been there before.....
RH, nobody is knocking your opinion, your opinion is more valid than most, again, I totally get where you're coming from, like I said, I probably would've been more to the right had it been me.
Oh, I fully agree about being dead right and still being dead, at the end of the day it's survival, cars are bigger and stronger than us, nothing will change that, keep away from them as much as possible.
Red Herring
17-12-13, 10:18 AM
This thread seems to have turned into why it was my fault rather than what actually happened.
You tell me to chill out but I can guarantee you I am probably one of the most chilled out people you would know. Yes I may give it some throttle but I never shout, swear or chase someone down because of their mistakes. I just carry on.
You seem to be very quick to judge someone based on a video and almost sound as though you want something to happen to me.
Anyway I'd rather not let some impatient asshat cause any falling out so this will be the last I speak of this.
Mate, I don't want to fall out with anybody either and I'm sorry you feel I'm saying this was all your fault. I'm not, but I am saying you could have avoided being in any danger from the other drivers actions.
You started by asking who you could report this to and I said it really wasn't worth your time doing so because it wasn't that big a deal, and it wouldn't go anywhere. The discussion then turned to why and it is basically because in my view you contributed to the outcome, although I do accept both your, and others view, that this is harsh.
You say you never get worked up and chase people down but if I remember correctly that is exactly what you did last time we had this discussion. You don't want to be judged on a video but that is exactly what you are seeking to do to the other driver. I don't want anything unpleasant to happen to you, but I've been around this environment long enough to know that riders who don't ride defensively eventually come to grief, and having a video camera won't bring you back....
I've said on here before that people who post up footage of road incidents and promote discussions like this do us all a huge favour. It allows sanctimonious know it alls like me to sound off and upset people, and it gives younger less experienced riders the opportunity to sit back, enjoy the show and maybe think about what they might have done in the same situation. :smile:
Red Herring
17-12-13, 10:23 AM
As in by doing what ? riding a little more to the left so no one can undertake you ?.
No mate, by riding a little more to the right and letting them past without incident. The last thing you want is a car driver up your chuff when you get to the point in the slip road where somebody from the main carriageway might pull across in front of you, (which is exactly what the OP was worried about). You want to keep as many options open as you can, and not being able to brake or swerve to the left wouldn't leave you many.
Red ones
17-12-13, 10:57 AM
Calm down guys! ;-)
The driver is an a*** or very short sighted.
Many riders would ask the question "What could I have done to avoid the issue"
It's not a criticism, it's self preservation.
Personally I would get in that right lane as soon as possible so cans can see me as early as possible and aholes like the driver in the vid can do what they did.
Sir Trev
17-12-13, 01:15 PM
Calm down guys! ;-)
The driver is an a*** or very short sighted.
Many riders would ask the question "What could I have done to avoid the issue"
It's not a criticism, it's self preservation.
Most of us meet someone like this driver, sometimes more often than we'd like. There is a Celica driver near me that does this to me when I'm in the car - uses the verge to overtake as I'm pulling into my quite narrow driveway. When I see him now I pull in and just let him pass as it's just not worth the hassle of the insurance claim if it's third time unlucky.
Just because it's your "right of way" or only meant to be one lane you really want to live another day. Much as it pains me to let winkers like that feel they have gotten one over me it beats having a table for one in the morgue.
No mate, by riding a little more to the right and letting them past without incident. The last thing you want is a car driver up your chuff when you get to the point in the slip road where somebody from the main carriageway might pull across in front of you, (which is exactly what the OP was worried about). You want to keep as many options open as you can, and not being able to brake or swerve to the left wouldn't leave you many.
Who has time to join the carriageway safely at speed and check for cars (that shouldnt be undertaking anyway) behind you?? A look back would have been done earlier when the punto wasnt there, judging on his speed.
The car is in the wrong, end of really. But as others have said, it may not be worth reporting based on experiences ive had with minor incidents and the police before.
Red Herring
17-12-13, 07:52 PM
Are you seriously suggesting a vehicle can come up behind you like that and you not be aware of it's presence?
ChrisCurvyS
17-12-13, 07:59 PM
Not that it should matter but the solid white lines had only just ended when that pr*ck came past, so the OP could only have legally moved into the right lane a split second earlier.
You see bad driving all the time but it's usually due to honest mistakes or doziness, whereas this looks like a blatant disregard for someone else's life.
Why not send it to Motorcycle News as a question for their legal column? Sure they'd love it and at least you'll get an expert opinion - there was a similar question a few weeks back and the resident solicitor said the police can and should take action.
You might even get a nice bit of biker community backlash that might lead to the driver being IDd or the car bashed in.
Yes, you idiot. How do you think alot of accidents happen?
Red Herring
17-12-13, 08:53 PM
You have watched the video haven't you?
Crashes happen because people either are not paying proper attention, or they make a misjudgement. I don't think anyone is suggesting either applies in this case.
Who has time to join the carriageway safely at speed and check for cars (that shouldnt be undertaking anyway) behind you?? A look back would have been done earlier when the punto wasnt there, judging on his speed.
The car is in the wrong, end of really. But as others have said, it may not be worth reporting based on experiences ive had with minor incidents and the police before.
1) AFAIK that is not undertaking. a Slip road is a one way road. On a one way road there is no such thing as an under or overtake (same as on a roundabout and in any one way system)
2) look at the video between 13-15 seconds and look in the mirrors. You can clearly see headlights that are very bright and close behind. Look in the mirror at 15 seconds you can see the car in the mirror-this is from the view point of the camera on the other side of his helmet.
As Trev has said, along with others. Better to be wrong and alive than 'dead' right.
Use it as a learning experience, and you'll know to watch out for it next time.
Ok well it may not technically be an undertake, but thats a single width piece of road joining the carriageway, so that space is designed for use of one vehicle. Yes in the vid you can see headlights, that doesnt mean that you expect someone to come up on you that fast and pass you. You may see that and anticipate them slowing down. Yes, you could move across in case they werent planning on slowing and yes that would potentially save yourself trouble, but at the end of the day you shouldnt have to in that situation.
Red Herring
17-12-13, 09:11 PM
Stu, there's a huge difference between what you "should" have to do, or not to do, from a highway code, legal point of view, and what you should do in the interest of good roadcraft and safety. I think everybody without exception has said the car driver was out of order, the discussion is around what the Op could have done to avoid being put at risk from it.
Stu, I wasn't saying the car driver was right to do it. Only that from what I could see in the video, I would have seen the car, anticipated the move and given the car more room thus removing myself from the danger zone.
Stu, there's a huge difference between what you "should" have to do, or not to do, from a highway code, legal point of view, and what you should do in the interest of good roadcraft and safety. I think everybody without exception has said the car driver was out of order, the discussion is around what the Op could have done to avoid being put at risk from it.
^ what he said. No digs, helpful advice.
Im not saying there isnt more he could have done more to avoid it, however im being realistic in saying in that situation, personally i would possibly be in his situation aswell whilst looking at traffic while i was trying to join. I appreiciate that being a capable rider is reacting to what could happen aswell as what will, but it would be nice if some of these cagers opened their eyes now and then ;)
I know I said I wasn't go to say anything further on this but you are now suggesting that I didn't bother looking in my mirrors. I did and when I did the car was what I would call a safe distance away. I was checking my mirrors just before you see the headlights, I then slightly turn my head to make sure nothing was along side me. Only when I looked back and the car was parallel that I realised and swerved right.
Just in case you were wondering. The car wasn't visible in my right mirror otherwise I probably would have noticed a car up my a***.
I'm in the same mindset as a lot of you in that I would rather remove myself from the situation regardless of who's right and wrong.
Jackie_Black
17-12-13, 11:52 PM
Dunn-y a lesson learned mate, at least you're still here! Just treat everyone on the road like they are trying to kill you and you have half a chance!
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