View Full Version : What would have you done... (to mobile phone car man)
I was filtering though the traffic at the A3 road works Guildford this morning north bound. When I went past a dark salon observed a man on his mobile phone, we where doing about 25-30 mph. So I rolled off the throttle so I was next to him and gave him a few dirty looks, wasn't sure what else to do.
I did thing about pulling in front and back firing the bike but then I remember with the baffle in this Scorpion can won't back fire.
Should I have tapped on his window, risking him getting startled and swerving into me?
Any other suggestions? (one that won't get me arrested please)
i think what you did was about right, anything else may well have been dangerous or stupid. i know he is being dangerous and stupid by using his mobile phone but two wrongs dont make a right. maybe a quick beep of the horn and hand to head in phone jestuyre with a shake of the head at best if it was safe.
this is one of my pet hates btw...phone users in cars
andy
My advice would be not to do anything. The last thing you want is some gorilla to get out of his car at the next set of lights and start some aggro. If you've a good memory then take a mental note of his number and then report it at your local plod shop, just take a book with you as service is none too quick and be aware that they'll do anything they can to do absolutely nowt.
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fizzwheel
17-03-06, 09:43 AM
My advice would be not to do anything. The last thing you want is some gorilla to get out of his car at the next set of lights and start some aggro. If you've a good memory then take a mental note of his number and then report it at your local plod shop, just take a book with you as service is none too quick and be aware that they'll do anything they can to do absolutely nowt.
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Thats what I would do as well
I'd go as far as the hand gestures, but that's about it. Remember there are some nutters out there. Besides, if you distract someone whilst the are on their phone, how likely are they to be concentrating on the road now? In effect, you could make the situation worse. I'd also think about getting a bit of distance between you and them!
Stay safe :)
Nothing, just rode past tutted, rolled eyes, and carried on with my journey!
I do need to get a bigger horn.
Though I wasn't to worried about someone ****ing me. Since becoming a father and husband I'm much more of a aggressive(assertive?) person so I recon I'd have chinned him if he tried anything. I was every timmed, would avoid most things, strange how these things change you.
But I think dirty looks and may be rev of the bike or a beep of the horn is enough.
I do need a bigger horn.
why, been getting complaints from the laydees? :wink:
sorry for the smut, carry on!
DanAbnormal
17-03-06, 10:31 AM
I think I would have done the same; gave a look and then moved on. Not worth getting into any trouble over. Next year he'll get points on his licence if he's caught with the phone, so with any luck...................
Peter Henry
17-03-06, 10:49 AM
Very wise to tread carefully in these situations as Jonboy suggests. You do not want the whole situation to generate in to a major confrontation. 8)
Ward8124
17-03-06, 11:14 AM
meh i usually kick the wing mirror on the way past or shout at them, rev engine hand gestures the lot. Don't care if there are nutters out there......im one of them and i dont do people on the mobys while driving. :twisted:
I normally just pull up along side and give it a few thousand rpm. Makes ME feel better, dunno if it works.
DanAbnormal
17-03-06, 11:49 AM
meh i usually kick the wing mirror on the way past or shout at them, rev engine hand gestures the lot. Don't care if there are nutters out there......im one of them and i dont do people on the mobys while driving. :twisted:
But then they could do you for damage of some sort if they get your plate number. And you'll probably find that if there are any other cars drivers about they would side with the guy on the phone as we already have such a bad rep to most cage drivers. I have smashed a wing mirror once but only bacause a driver deliberately moved over so I could not filter through stationary traffic. But then he also crushed my elbow so I think I had a right to.
I normally just pull up along side and give it a few thousand rpm. Makes ME feel better, dunno if it works.
Would have done that too, but we where still moving...
I normally just pull up along side and give it a few thousand rpm. Makes ME feel better, dunno if it works.
Would have done that too, but we where still moving...
Thats what the clutch is for :lol:
I do this if the person is all over the place (in my way ;) ) while on the phone, clutch in bang it off the limiter then add plenty of distance between us.
Dan
SVeeedy Gonzales
17-03-06, 12:14 PM
An activated 130dB rape alarm, smoke bomb or paintball grenade lobbed through an open window or sunroof works well.
But I've been told not to do it again. :evil:
I normally just pull up along side and give it a few thousand rpm. Makes ME feel better, dunno if it works.
Would have done that too, but we where still moving...
Thats what the clutch is for :lol:
I do this if the person is all over the place (in my way ;) ) while on the phone, clutch in bang it off the limiter then add plenty of distance between us.
Dan
Ditto
Ward8124
17-03-06, 12:22 PM
meh i usually kick the wing mirror on the way past or shout at them, rev engine hand gestures the lot. Don't care if there are nutters out there......im one of them and i dont do people on the mobys while driving. :twisted:
But then they could do you for damage of some sort if they get your plate number. And you'll probably find that if there are any other cars drivers about they would side with the guy on the phone as we already have such a bad rep to most cage drivers. I have smashed a wing mirror once but only bacause a driver deliberately moved over so I could not filter through stationary traffic. But then he also crushed my elbow so I think I had a right to.
Very true mate but how many drivers you know have a pen and paper handy plus a good memory?.....either that or he gets off his mobile to call the cops but they wont be interested i a broken mirror.....plus im normally gone pretty quick on the throttle after i commit this act but have no worries i only said kick and not smash :lol:
DanAbnormal
17-03-06, 01:23 PM
Ahh, I see. Mind you they probably wouldn't even notice!
You run the risk of criminal damage, and thus a criminal record. Although it might sound like a reasonable thing to do as their behaviour warrants it, in reality the best advice IMO is to ignore it, and stop trying to police the streets.
Although it's technically illegal, the cops simply don't want to know.
What would be good would be to start a website where pictures of drivers on their phones were displayed together with their reg numbers:
www.idiotdriveronthephone.co.uk
A sort of passive-aggressive stand that might embarrass people into not doing it through it being socially unacceptable (very much like drink driving is today).
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I normally just pull up along side and give it a few thousand rpm. Makes ME feel better, dunno if it works.
Would have done that too, but we where still moving...
Thats what the clutch is for :lol:
I do this if the person is all over the place (in my way ;) ) while on the phone, clutch in bang it off the limiter then add plenty of distance between us.
Dan
Dan, you dont look the agressive type ;)
GSXR Carlos
17-03-06, 01:38 PM
An activated 130dB rape alarm, smoke bomb or paintball grenade lobbed through an open window or sunroof works well.
But I've been told not to do it again. :evil:
:winner:
I normally just pull up along side and give it a few thousand rpm. Makes ME feel better, dunno if it works.
Would have done that too, but we where still moving...
Thats what the clutch is for :lol:
I do this if the person is all over the place (in my way ;) ) while on the phone, clutch in bang it off the limiter then add plenty of distance between us.
Dan
Dan, you dont look the agressive type ;)
Im slow enough without them idiots slowing me down :lol: :lol:
DanAbnormal
17-03-06, 01:53 PM
[quote="Sudoxe
Dan, you dont look the agressive type ;)
I too think that Dan is a very passive name. Maybe I should change my name to 'butch' or 'snarler' to better suit my appearance! Or perhaps Monkey-Boy would be best! Although I'm really a soft git until pushed to the edge. :D http://upload4.postimage.org/20807/monkey_boy.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/20807/photo_hosting.html)
Balky001
17-03-06, 02:00 PM
To be honest, I think poor road manners is it's not worth getting upset about (well, apart from the occassional chainsaw massacre outburst I have unfortunately been a party to - but that another amusing (and misinterpreted) story I'll tell you about another time!)
I like Jonboy's idea of photographing those car phone users and posting them on the internet but I wouldn't like neighbourhood spies photographing anything I did on my bike that wasn't 100% legal so I can't condone it. Anyway, I find high velocity air rifles more effective than cameras although that's another (amusingly high jinked) story......
DanAbnormal
17-03-06, 02:05 PM
Trouble is how in the name of Elvis's underpants do you take a picture of a car in traffic. I can only think that you would need to get your mobile phone out and use the camera but then you see the dilemma there. I would say a BB gun would do the job as they are pretty harmless but give you a nasty tang but as my mate got 9 months in one of her majesties establishments for showing one in public I would think otherwise!
Balky001
17-03-06, 02:12 PM
Trouble is how in the name of Elvis's underpants do you take a picture of a car in traffic. I can only think that you would need to get your mobile phone out and use the camera but then you see the dilemma there. I would say a BB gun would do the job as they are pretty harmless but give you a nasty tang but as my mate got 9 months in one of her majesties establishments for showing one in public I would think otherwise!
You don't take it when your riding, you stand at the side of the road making out you are filming a documentary on inner city paving formations. The bang, you got them. But I think you need to be very concenred about this sort of thing to spend a whole day filming passers by. Unless you think of the camera as a sighting scope...
Yes stand there in a fluoro vest and just snap away - I honestly might do this, not cos I think it'll make any difference, but I just know I'm going to feel a whole lot better :lol: .
.
Yes stand there in a fluoro vest and just snap away - I honestly might do this, not cos I think it'll make any difference, but I just know I'm going to feel a whole lot better :lol: .
.
How about building a gatso type device which detects RF interferance...Hmmm wheres Mr Squid and his electrickery.....
Dan
DanAbnormal
17-03-06, 02:23 PM
Hmm, I stood at the roadside once in my bike gear and flouro vest and every car that went past slowed right down. Not a bad idea but I just could not be arsed.
Ceri JC
17-03-06, 03:03 PM
My advice would be not to do anything. The last thing you want is some gorilla to get out of his car at the next set of lights and start some aggro. If you've a good memory then take a mental note of his number and then report it at your local plod shop, just take a book with you as service is none too quick and be aware that they'll do anything they can to do absolutely nowt.
.
Wot he said.
Sadly, I've given up contacting the police at all. As Jonboy says, they will do anything in their power to avoid getting involved and even if they take the details, you can bet nothing comes of it. I reported someone running a red light at 60, in a 30, who nearly had me off, then proceded to throw things out of the window, swerved out to try to knock me off during an overtake, etc. the chances of them acting on a tip off regarding a mobile phone while driving is nil.
The answer is that there should be more traffic cops who spot this sort of thing themselves and reprimand those concerned. Unfortunately for some reason the powers that be (whilst they conceed that driving a car/riding a bike is the most dangerous thing most of us do) somehow see traffic policing as unneccesary and far less important than, for example, prosecuting a lad who has had a few too many beers from taking a leak up against a wall in an alley.
DanAbnormal
17-03-06, 06:56 PM
[quote=jonboy]
The answer is that there should be more traffic cops who spot this sort of thing themselves and reprimand those concerned. Unfortunately for some reason the powers that be (whilst they conceed that driving a car/riding a bike is the most dangerous thing most of us do) somehow see traffic policing as unneccesary and far less important than, for example, prosecuting a lad who has had a few too many beers from taking a leak up against a wall in an alley.
The best post I've read in a long time and could not agree more. I commute 25 miles on the M25 every day and can sometimes go days without seeing a patrol car. I know there are undercover one's but not that many.
I didn't write that! :lol:
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meh i usually kick the wing mirror on the way past or shout at them, rev engine hand gestures the lot. Don't care if there are nutters out there......im one of them and i dont do people on the mobys while driving. :twisted:
Do you ever stop to think of the effect your actions have on the rest of us that are following? :?
Tbh, if you can't ride in London and rise above it then perhaps you should be questioning whether you should be commuting on a bike. :?
The reason I say that is because stupid, careless driving is such a common occurrence it WILL happen on a daily basis at some point in your journey.
I also say that because at the end of the day you kicking wing mirrors could see you break one and be charged with criminal damage.
You will annoy the driver making things worse for other bikes following you.
You don't do yourself any favours either riding that worked up.
You seem to think being a nutter is a good thing. So please tell me how you distinguish yourself from van man in my case? :?
Because frankly, bikers that ride aggressively do me no favours because I have to deal with the aftermath after they've ****ed off and I have an angry driver now deliberately blocking me.
Road rage, violence and agression are too common on the road now. Frankly giving it even more makes it worse.
I just shake my head and ride on these days. Its not worth losing your temper over imo. But then having been on the receiving end of a nutter I know better these days. :(
Someone summed it up to me once as the 30 second rule. Deep breath, ignore the stupid driver, and in 30 seconds after you've gone they're out of your life. Far, far less stressful that way.
Sadly this is true; there's no point in retaliation and foolish bravado, just forget it and move on - it's simply part of riding a bike.
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Tigerrrr.......
18-03-06, 01:34 PM
Well said, Lynw.
Couldn't agree more.
Biker Biggles
18-03-06, 02:33 PM
I agree with that too.Live and let live.If you want to be a Policeman join the Police.There's another thread on shopping cars with no tax on them and IMHO the same applies.You can get very worked up over the minor misdemeanors of others but who really cares?Not me :!:
timwilky
18-03-06, 03:34 PM
I have been tempted to try one of those boxes that are supposed to block mobiles. I would have it fastened to the bike and permanently on. Just think a 50 yd mobile free zone round me. Great motorists not using their phone, pedestians no longer stepping out because they are on the phone. But. hmmmmm won't that make them more phone concious as they attempt to look at their phones, whilst they work out where thier call has gone.. hmmm sound like I might prefer them half awake and using their phones than totally dumb and attempting to dial whilst I am around.
Although on my journey from hell home last night I overtook an X5 who was doing 50 in the middle lane of the M6 using his phone and clear in the 1st lane for about 600yds, so that is where he should have been. Gave him a blast on the horn. He looked. I indicated the phone and gesticulated in a manner to indicate what I thought of him. 2 fingers and he continued to gas no doubt telling someone that he was the victim of road rage. Oh to be a copper.
inform the police - nothing comes of it as we all know too well.
hand gestures, retaliation of any kind and you run the risk of some hyped up attitude swerving slightly to their great amusement and the possibility of you losing it all together.........bigtime.
sadly its all too common thesedays. we would all like to see this kind of action lead to something like a 5 day safety course on common sense/dangers of using mobile in transit.
if nothing learned the shear boredom of their stupid actions would drive itself home. you do well to ride by safely and enjoy the day. what goes around comes around. :riding:
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