Witness to Dangerous Driving - what should you do?
Discussion
This morning I saw the most horrific dangerous rush-hour driving. Man in Focus is 'racing' man in Golf down the A308 around Windsor.
This is a very busy two-way road, and these guys were overtaking like lunatics, forcing oncoming traffic off the road. In the 3 minutes I witnessed this stuff, they almost hit each other twice (inches apart), and almost caused a pile-up on the other side of the road (smoke from tyres as oncomings cars locked up trying to avoid rear-ending each other)
As a good citizen, what should you do in this situation? Dial 999? Take their registrations and report it later?
Anyone taken action in similar situations?
This is a very busy two-way road, and these guys were overtaking like lunatics, forcing oncoming traffic off the road. In the 3 minutes I witnessed this stuff, they almost hit each other twice (inches apart), and almost caused a pile-up on the other side of the road (smoke from tyres as oncomings cars locked up trying to avoid rear-ending each other)
As a good citizen, what should you do in this situation? Dial 999? Take their registrations and report it later?
Anyone taken action in similar situations?
(which wasn't the case). So much for trying to preempt/spot crime.Not much you can do. If you phone the police they'll say you have to go into the station and make a statement – after which they'll 'keep a look out' for the cars and nothing more.
Happened to my girlfriend the other week, when a Puma driver deliberately tried to run her off the road. Police aren't interested unless there's an easy option – they wouldn't even speak to the driver becuase 'he'd probably deny it.'
Happened to my girlfriend the other week, when a Puma driver deliberately tried to run her off the road. Police aren't interested unless there's an easy option – they wouldn't even speak to the driver becuase 'he'd probably deny it.'
I once saw some w**nker in a hatchback throw a glass beer bottle out of his car when it was moving, shattering in the middle of the road.
The police said I could make a statement and they would 'have a chat' with the driver if time was available, but they were happy to radio the reg number to their units - the tossers may get picked up for something later on. At least the BiB were keeping an eye out for these prats.
Apparently, if the driving looks like drunk driving, the police will take it more seriously.
The police said I could make a statement and they would 'have a chat' with the driver if time was available, but they were happy to radio the reg number to their units - the tossers may get picked up for something later on. At least the BiB were keeping an eye out for these prats.
Apparently, if the driving looks like drunk driving, the police will take it more seriously.
Just after Christmas I followed a driver who was overtaking up to 6 cars at a time, overtaking on blind bends and crests of hills. I phoned the police & gave them the car reg, the model & colour & told them exactly where we were. The operator told me she could see on a map where we were.
I followed this guy along 1 road for 45 minutes, when we turned off I told the police which new road we were on & that he was now swerving violently across the road. Another 10 minutes and he turned off. I was following this guy for nearly an hour telling the police exactly where we were & no response whatsoever.
Different if I was driving down the M4 at 80mph and they'd seen me!
I followed this guy along 1 road for 45 minutes, when we turned off I told the police which new road we were on & that he was now swerving violently across the road. Another 10 minutes and he turned off. I was following this guy for nearly an hour telling the police exactly where we were & no response whatsoever.
Different if I was driving down the M4 at 80mph and they'd seen me!
It seems the police are not hugely interested when you phone them. Last year I caught up, then followed, a car down the motorway that was driving very erratically. Speed anywhere between 60 and high 80s, veering from lane to lane, though most of the time straddling the white lines. My passenger called the police with a desciption of the car, the reg. no. (and also the same for our car as a Tuscan may easier to spot at speed than the erratic Honda) and told them it looked like the driver was possibly drunk, stoned or falling asleep. They said they had been called already by a number of other drivers. 25 minutes and a few near misses for matey's Honda and some innocent overtakees we called the police again. We told them a precise location but we had to peel off for some petrol. When we rejoined the motorway we were caught in a tailback. We finally made it to the front of the jam and there were 2 cars on the hard shoulder and 3 battle weary cars in the outside lane. Luckily none were majorly mangled so I hope no one was hurt. Unsuprisingly there was our Honda pal.
I know the police are not supposed to be as keen as their TV counterparts to get involved in car chases but I'm sure a 5 car pile up and a major delay for thousands of others was not the ideal outcome of this 'crime' reported by so many.
Incidentally a large part of this journey was through Northamptonshire. A county where road safety is a priority judging by how keen they are on speed cameras and their obvious contribution to road safety (especially the hidden ones). . . . .
I know the police are not supposed to be as keen as their TV counterparts to get involved in car chases but I'm sure a 5 car pile up and a major delay for thousands of others was not the ideal outcome of this 'crime' reported by so many.
Incidentally a large part of this journey was through Northamptonshire. A county where road safety is a priority judging by how keen they are on speed cameras and their obvious contribution to road safety (especially the hidden ones). . . . .
One fine day, not long ago, I was driving home (in the Golf) along the A329 Bracknell to Ascot Road. I noticed a large black Merc with private plates swerving behind me as though to overtake. He almost forced me off the road at the Running Horse roundabout. He was so close I couldn't see his plates, and he was very aggressive. He eventually passed me on a busy stretch of road, and proceeded to hassle the driver in front of him. I rang a 
friend of mine, who told me I could submit a statement, and explained the procedure after that. I didn't bother because we agreed the it wouldn't get anywhere. What is an honest and careful driver to do?????
friend of mine, who told me I could submit a statement, and explained the procedure after that. I didn't bother because we agreed the it wouldn't get anywhere. What is an honest and careful driver to do????? 
Yet we all too often see those yellow signs asking for witnesses to road accidents where a death has occured. Surely prevention is the better policy.
If you have the reg details you can add it to www.baddriving.com - you never know.
If you have the reg details you can add it to www.baddriving.com - you never know.
Police will deal with complaints like this but it has to be done in the correct way. That means the evidence comes from the person that saw the bad driving otherwise there is no evidence. If you want it dealt with then you have to attend a Police station, make a complaint and then give a statement. This will in all probability lead to a day (at least) hanging around a court foyer waiting to give that evidence.
Most people cannot be bothered to do this and worry about the guilty party finding out where they live and suffering reprisals. Needless to say that if action is taken against an errant driver under these circumstances then no disclosure of any addresses are given to the defendant or his lawyers.
If you have the details of the two vehicles that you saw on the A308, mail them to me, I will visit you and take a statement and I will deal with them personally. You must do this soon as they are subject of NIP and there are now only 14 days left for me to dispatch these notices. You must understand that it will in all probability lead to you being called as a witness to court!
Most people cannot be bothered to do this and worry about the guilty party finding out where they live and suffering reprisals. Needless to say that if action is taken against an errant driver under these circumstances then no disclosure of any addresses are given to the defendant or his lawyers.
If you have the details of the two vehicles that you saw on the A308, mail them to me, I will visit you and take a statement and I will deal with them personally. You must do this soon as they are subject of NIP and there are now only 14 days left for me to dispatch these notices. You must understand that it will in all probability lead to you being called as a witness to court!
CarZee said:Get out of the way of nutters on a mission!
RiverGirrl said: What is an honest and careful driver to do?????
Last time that happened to me it was on the M25 in *very* heavy traffic. The car behind was tring to rearrange my rear bumper for a while before the driver shoved his police badge into the windscreen and started gesticulating at me!
Just wish I had taken his reg down as he continued to do the same to all the cars in front and came close to causing a number of accidents...
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Last time that happened to me it was on the M25 in *very* heavy traffic. The car behind was tring to rearrange my rear bumper for a while before the driver shoved his police badge into the windscreen and started gesticulating at me!
Just wish I had taken his reg down as he continued to do the same to all the cars in front and came close to causing a number of accidents...
You could always phone the police with a descrption of the car, driver, details of when it happened etc. There should be a log of who was driving that day.
Then again, it could just be a freak carrying a police badge for a laugh.
Saw something like this the other day on my way to Kent: in slow traffic, an unmarked blue Volvo estate driving down the hard shoulder with the blues flashing. A little further on and he's queueing on a slip road behind everyone else. Can't have been in such a hurry after all.
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