Would you report a bad driver to police?
Would you report a bad driver to police?
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CoolHands

Original Poster:

21,276 posts

212 months

Monday 19th December 2011
quotequote all
If you saw someone driving really terribly would you contact police on the non-emergency number? (101). A short while ago I was on my way home and three lads in a vehicle went straight through a red light - but WELL late to the point where I think / thought it must be a stolen vehicle; they're drunk; or the driver's 16 years old or something (looked young from what I could see).

I caught them up (as I was on my scooter) and they were driving very erratically and nearly took a cyclist out as they suddenly swung a left into a side road - he nearly caught her (the cyclist) back wheel. It (their driving standard) was really poor to the point of being dangerous really.

I know the police can go round and have a word, but normally I dislike the idea of this as some members of the public think anyone who drives or rides quick is 'dangerous' etc. so I don't like the idea of the police haranguing someone (like me) who simply drives quickly etc. But in this case they genuinely were (IMO wink) Plus this is in London so the police probably won't visit until next month tongue out

XitUp

7,690 posts

221 months

Monday 19th December 2011
quotequote all
Yes.

Someone in a Honda HRV (is that right, the soft roader thing) nearly wiped me out on the A16 roundabout at Louth. Seemed drunk. My mate rang the police, gave them the reg number. We followed them for a bit, no police showed.

soad

34,070 posts

193 months

Monday 19th December 2011
quotequote all
XitUp said:
Someone in a Honda HRV (is that right, the soft roader thing)
Nearly. It's Honda CR-V.

DavidHM

3,940 posts

217 months

Monday 19th December 2011
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soad said:
Nearly. It's Honda CR-V.
Beardy thread diversion, could be either, both soft roaders, with the HRV being even softer.

Ari

19,717 posts

232 months

Monday 19th December 2011
quotequote all
To report an incident (near miss, running red light etc) no. It'd be your word against theirs, the police wouldn't be interested.

To report an ongoing situation (very obviously drunk driver) then I would. And did once, although it took four or five calls before they intercepted (I'd tell them where he was going, they said they were on it, we'd go past the place and I'd have to call them again).

He was scarily drunk though, weaving into oncoming traffic (fortunatley all low speed stuff). They called me later to thank me and say the guy was massively over the limit, which didn't surprise me.

CoolHands

Original Poster:

21,276 posts

212 months

Monday 19th December 2011
quotequote all
Oh well, I did. He ran a red light which is a proper traffic violation, not just my opinion of his driving. There are quite a few cctv cameras on that road so they could probably check if they feel so inclined (I gave the time it happened etc as well).

Chicane-UK

3,861 posts

202 months

Monday 19th December 2011
quotequote all
Would depend on what I saw, the traffic conditions, etc. If I genuinely believed they were intent putting peoples lives in danger, then I would call the police. However if they were just being idiots and a bit careless then I wouldn't!

marcosgt

11,361 posts

193 months

Monday 19th December 2011
quotequote all
Define 'bad'.

If someone was involved in an accident and drove off, I'd report them.

If they just cut someone up or jumped red lights, it's my word against theirs and the Police aren't interested in the least.

M.

Shotgun Rider

816 posts

187 months

Monday 9th January 2012
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I did once, this time last year. I was in the back seat of my sister in laws car, the last of 3 cars when a Rover 600 caught us up. He attempted to overtake us several times on a road which has no overtaking opportunities at all. Not happy with just having a look, he would pull to the other side of the road and sit there, going round corners with half his car over the white line.

He passed us and the car in front on a short straight in a 40mph zone narrowly avoiding a gritter lorry. He then pulled out and passed the first car on a bend. I was already on the phone to the police by then but I doubt that they could have got him even if they tried as we were only a few miles from Carmarthen and as soon as we reached there he could have gone anywhere!

If anyone from the area is on here, this happened on the road from Cynnwyl Elfed to Bronwydd in Carmarthenshire, past the Rock & Fountain pub.

12gauge

1,274 posts

191 months

Monday 9th January 2012
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Depends. We all have slip ups now and then. No ones a perfect driver.

They'd have to be driving deliberatly bad over a long distance for me to call the police.

Blue Oval84

5,336 posts

178 months

Monday 9th January 2012
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I made a 999 call a few months back, following a car that was veering all over the place, getting close to the car in front then coming to almost a stop in front of me, nearly clipping the kerb. He was either pissed, or an outstandingly crap driver.

I followed them and gave the Police a running commentary via hands free, he ended up following the car in front into a housing estate (didn't realise they were together until this point). The Police hurtled into the estate about 40 seconds later and made their stop. Never found out what happened though! frown

onyx39

11,339 posts

167 months

Monday 9th January 2012
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I had a case about 10 years ago when I was cut up and almost forced into the central reservation on the M3 by an arse in a 4x4.

Saw red and followed him, (whilst on the phone to local plod, it was legal back then.) found out where he lived, registration etc etc. The officer I spoke to requested I come into make a statement, but when I arrived at the station, the Civilian SDO basicly told me to go away because it was "clearly a case of cat and mouse"..

Big Rod

6,252 posts

233 months

Monday 9th January 2012
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If I were to report the examples of dangerous/suspect drunk on my daily 60 mile round trip commute I'd never be off the phone!

Andyjc86

1,149 posts

166 months

Monday 9th January 2012
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I did once, I phoned them up, they sent out a 4 page document for me to fill in, I filled it in, sent it off. Got a reply back saying thanks but theirs nothing we can do about blah blah blah, basically wasted my time.

The guy was doing about 70 in a 30, before doing a handbrake turn in our street. I went to have a word, but he left me in a cloud of tyre smoke. Never saw him again (or saw that car anyway).

Marf

22,907 posts

258 months

Monday 9th January 2012
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Have done and would do again.

Rawwr

22,722 posts

251 months

Monday 9th January 2012
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Would do and have done. I even had the police controller on the phone asking me to continue following the mong - as long as it was safe to do so - until the traffic car had caught up.

stackmonkey

5,081 posts

266 months

Monday 9th January 2012
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I have done and would do again.

McSam

6,753 posts

192 months

Monday 9th January 2012
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Rawwr said:
Would do and have done. I even had the police controller on the phone asking me to continue following the mong - as long as it was safe to do so - until the traffic car had caught up.
I like that they do this. I'm quite sure it's also legal to use your phone, in your hand, if you're following and keeping the police informed about a dangerous driver or situation.

I've never had to, but I would.

mcdjl

5,614 posts

212 months

Monday 9th January 2012
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I did. I was leaving the M69 late at night to join the M1 when i realised the car ahead was going significantly slower than 70 before the slip road and weaving from fully across the hard shoulder to the 2nd lane. This carried on round the slip road with them nearly touching the barriers on both sides, at which point we phoned the police. As we passed the Leicester forest services just north a police car happened to pull out. As we finished giving the call centre our location and telling them about the police car along side us he lit his lights up and went after the weaving car...who stopped half a mile down the road. No idea what the outcome was.