Should I report - Is it even reportable?
Discussion
On my way to work this morning I caught up with a slower vehicle.
I followed him briefly whilst checking it was safe to overtake. The road is dead straight for about two miles but where I caught him there is a blind dip.
When we cleared the dip I could see a car approaching the other way a good 3/4 mile away and I could see he wasn't traveling that fast.
So I begun to overtake the car I was following. As I came along side him I noticed I wasn't passing with the ease I should have been. I took a look in on the driver and he was laughing - Obviously he'd put his foot down.
I dropped a gear to pass quicker and then back up when I was nearing the redline. I got passed him as my car was faster and the car coming the other way wasn't too near.
When I got to the island at the end of the road I had to wait for other cars. The car I had overtaken was now behind me again and when I looked at thre driver through my mirror he started laughing again. A few thoughts ran through my mind, like should I get out and have a word, but a I was running late and B I'd have looked like a few if he'd just driven off. I was also pretty angry so probably not a good idea.
So could I report him for this? (I have his number) if I do report him what is likely to happen? Also can I just ring the police and report him (obs not 999) or would I need to go in?
Thanks in advance.
I followed him briefly whilst checking it was safe to overtake. The road is dead straight for about two miles but where I caught him there is a blind dip.
When we cleared the dip I could see a car approaching the other way a good 3/4 mile away and I could see he wasn't traveling that fast.
So I begun to overtake the car I was following. As I came along side him I noticed I wasn't passing with the ease I should have been. I took a look in on the driver and he was laughing - Obviously he'd put his foot down.
I dropped a gear to pass quicker and then back up when I was nearing the redline. I got passed him as my car was faster and the car coming the other way wasn't too near.
When I got to the island at the end of the road I had to wait for other cars. The car I had overtaken was now behind me again and when I looked at thre driver through my mirror he started laughing again. A few thoughts ran through my mind, like should I get out and have a word, but a I was running late and B I'd have looked like a few if he'd just driven off. I was also pretty angry so probably not a good idea.
So could I report him for this? (I have his number) if I do report him what is likely to happen? Also can I just ring the police and report him (obs not 999) or would I need to go in?
Thanks in advance.
woodytvr said:
Oh forgot to add, he was doing 60 when I started to overtake so I was obviously braking the speed limit to overtake him - By the time I'd got passed I was doing around 100. Could this be a reason not to report the incident?
for this reason I think I would just take it on the chin to be honest.
I have had this before where someone purpously blocked me off from pulling in in time, leaving me in the lurch big time.
lets just say he soon moved over & found the kirb rather hard when I HAD to move over, I had no choice & was not going to make one either! due to timing. If the need be I would have driven into him to force him over, he decided to drive up the kirb himself. It was that or potential head on. I would do the same again if need be considering the potential.
I reported it to the police just in case, I don't know if it followed up.
In Spain its a serious criminal offence!
>> Edited by cptsideways on Monday 19th July 11:12
lets just say he soon moved over & found the kirb rather hard when I HAD to move over, I had no choice & was not going to make one either! due to timing. If the need be I would have driven into him to force him over, he decided to drive up the kirb himself. It was that or potential head on. I would do the same again if need be considering the potential.
I reported it to the police just in case, I don't know if it followed up.
In Spain its a serious criminal offence!
>> Edited by cptsideways on Monday 19th July 11:12
I had a nasty like that a few years ago which resulted in a head on crash.
I was going down a wide-ish (new made up word!) lane and came accross a fiesta doing about 35mph. I was in a BMW 1.8s doing about 45mph.
As the road was clear, I began to overtake him. When i was about 3/4 of the way past him, I realised he had accelerated like mad and was preventing me from pulling in. I dropped into 3rd and nailed it as by that time a corner was looming up about 1/4 mile away.
The Fiesta, having the momentum was keeping up (well sort of) so I started to brake. Well he braked as well.
I nailed it once more as a Clio came round the corner.
I left it as late as possible, then started to pull back into the correct side of the road.
To my absolute horror, as I watched in my n/s door mirror, the Fiesta was still hard on the gas and as I pulled in, (there was no way I wanted a head on) he applied right lock to try and force me back into the oncoming car! I felt the rub as I pulled in front of him, but continued accelerating hard in 2nd gear. As my rear end cleared him, there was nothing to left to stop his car turning right, so he careered into the path of the poor clio.
Well, the poor guy in the clio was a bit ill, but fortunately a Dr. appeared on the scene to sort him out.
A traffic car arrived, and spoke to Fiesta man for his side of the story.
He then came to me, not looking very friendly at all.
I explained to him what had happened, pointed out that there was no reason for the Fiesta, in such a situation not to take evasive action and move left off the road into the adjoing field, which was flush with the road, with no ditch etc.
I was able to confirm my side of the incident when I showed him the damage to my car, which consisted of a 10" strip of burnt rubber from the fiesta's offside tyre, deposited on my car as he applied full right lock. His Fiesta's o/s front wing and bumper, which would have been the point of impact with my car if he had his wheels straight, was unmarked. His O/S front tyre displayed burn marks to its outer shoulder where his tyre had rubbed on my bumper.
The Policeman, give him his due clicked immediately and told me not to worry, it clearly was not my fault and marched back off to fiesta man.
I never heard another thing about the incident.
So I guess the lesson is, never just cruise past a car you are overtaking, get past fast.
I was going down a wide-ish (new made up word!) lane and came accross a fiesta doing about 35mph. I was in a BMW 1.8s doing about 45mph.
As the road was clear, I began to overtake him. When i was about 3/4 of the way past him, I realised he had accelerated like mad and was preventing me from pulling in. I dropped into 3rd and nailed it as by that time a corner was looming up about 1/4 mile away.
The Fiesta, having the momentum was keeping up (well sort of) so I started to brake. Well he braked as well.
I nailed it once more as a Clio came round the corner.
I left it as late as possible, then started to pull back into the correct side of the road.
To my absolute horror, as I watched in my n/s door mirror, the Fiesta was still hard on the gas and as I pulled in, (there was no way I wanted a head on) he applied right lock to try and force me back into the oncoming car! I felt the rub as I pulled in front of him, but continued accelerating hard in 2nd gear. As my rear end cleared him, there was nothing to left to stop his car turning right, so he careered into the path of the poor clio.
Well, the poor guy in the clio was a bit ill, but fortunately a Dr. appeared on the scene to sort him out.
A traffic car arrived, and spoke to Fiesta man for his side of the story.
He then came to me, not looking very friendly at all.
I explained to him what had happened, pointed out that there was no reason for the Fiesta, in such a situation not to take evasive action and move left off the road into the adjoing field, which was flush with the road, with no ditch etc.
I was able to confirm my side of the incident when I showed him the damage to my car, which consisted of a 10" strip of burnt rubber from the fiesta's offside tyre, deposited on my car as he applied full right lock. His Fiesta's o/s front wing and bumper, which would have been the point of impact with my car if he had his wheels straight, was unmarked. His O/S front tyre displayed burn marks to its outer shoulder where his tyre had rubbed on my bumper.
The Policeman, give him his due clicked immediately and told me not to worry, it clearly was not my fault and marched back off to fiesta man.
I never heard another thing about the incident.
So I guess the lesson is, never just cruise past a car you are overtaking, get past fast.
Yikes, that is really REALLY scary. Poor Clio driver too!
In that case I would have just tried my hardest to get back in behind, even if I had to stop in the middle of the wrong lane.
Done that before myself, a large row of traffic behind one car, so I took the initiative on a small stetch to take two or three out of the equation. About 5 cars in total following the slowster. There was a gap between a couple half way along the straight but at that point an old guy in a Golf decided to closed the gap right up. I just had to stop as I was past so many cars and a car coming the other way stopped to.
My fault I suppose, nothing went wrong.
Carried on, got to another straight and began hacking away at them again. All slowly following the car. Got past four, pulled in for an oncoming car, went for the lead slow car, at which point the Golf driver had pulled out too and was RIGHT behind me. He was gunning it in a 1.8T Gti following me.
Kept up with me, who was now kinda racing. Got to "wild mans corner" (sharp right hander that drops down at the apex) where I asked my passenger where he was, couldn't see him. Well he was right on my inside around a blind right hander at 60 odd mph.
He got past and at that point I thought let him get past, if he wants to drive like that.
After another 500 yards he was trundling along like he was in no rush again, just wanted to prove a point. Looked about 55 and his partner was in the car...
Why he was so steady away earlier though, and then drove like he was possessed is beyond me... hope his wife gave him a good telling off.
Beware of these people, they hold grudges if you try to overtake, and in your case, and nearly mine, can end up causing a crash. Fookin numpties I tell you, should just lift off as the other person is overtaking and exposed to danger.
Damn scary
Dave
In that case I would have just tried my hardest to get back in behind, even if I had to stop in the middle of the wrong lane.
Done that before myself, a large row of traffic behind one car, so I took the initiative on a small stetch to take two or three out of the equation. About 5 cars in total following the slowster. There was a gap between a couple half way along the straight but at that point an old guy in a Golf decided to closed the gap right up. I just had to stop as I was past so many cars and a car coming the other way stopped to.
My fault I suppose, nothing went wrong.
Carried on, got to another straight and began hacking away at them again. All slowly following the car. Got past four, pulled in for an oncoming car, went for the lead slow car, at which point the Golf driver had pulled out too and was RIGHT behind me. He was gunning it in a 1.8T Gti following me.
Kept up with me, who was now kinda racing. Got to "wild mans corner" (sharp right hander that drops down at the apex) where I asked my passenger where he was, couldn't see him. Well he was right on my inside around a blind right hander at 60 odd mph.
He got past and at that point I thought let him get past, if he wants to drive like that.
After another 500 yards he was trundling along like he was in no rush again, just wanted to prove a point. Looked about 55 and his partner was in the car...
Why he was so steady away earlier though, and then drove like he was possessed is beyond me... hope his wife gave him a good telling off.
Beware of these people, they hold grudges if you try to overtake, and in your case, and nearly mine, can end up causing a crash. Fookin numpties I tell you, should just lift off as the other person is overtaking and exposed to danger.
Damn scary
Dave
gh0st said:
If he was going 60 then why did you need to overtake? I am not going all "anti speed numpty" on you but if you were on an NSL single then he was doing the speed limit, which is all I would ask of a driver in front of me.
Granted he sounds like a totalthough!
presumably you dont overtake anything on the motorway doing 70mph then?
If I am out in the TVR and a car is doing 60mph on a country lane I will often overtake as I enjoy a faster pace along that section of road. If I am plodding to work in a line of traffic 60mph will probably be plenty.
My Dad had a similar thing a few years back.
He was driving along a NSL road when the car in front stood on his brakes to swing into a garage forecourt with no signal or anything. Dad stood on his brakes and gave him a toot on the horn and this is where the 'fun' started.
The guy in the other car proceeded to zoom through the garage and out the far end in front of my Dad. He then slowed to about 2 mph. Dad accelerated and pulled out to pass at which point the other guy sped up, holding dad on the wrong side of the road.
Dad slowed, he slowed... Dad accelerated, he accelerated.
Heading towards a bend my Dad knew he had to do something soon to get out of this position so he booted it and got past but was carrying too much speed into the bend and caught a car on the other side of the road.
Everyone involved in the incident was OK although more than a little shaken, plus the cars were reasonably damaged.
The other guy came past a minute later and told the woman in the other car that my dad had passed him a little while back driving like a maniac!
Obviously it was just Dad's word at the time when the
showed up whereas this woman had a witness saying my father had been driving like a nutter.
Luckily a little while later a lorry came past and stopped and spoke to the BIB. He had been stopped just short of the garage in a lay-by and had seen the whole lot and told the BIB everything.
They apologised to my dad, traced the other driver and they were going to do him for dangerous driving, dunno if it was the CPS or what but in the end it was dropped...
>> Edited by TahitiBlue on Monday 19th July 13:00
He was driving along a NSL road when the car in front stood on his brakes to swing into a garage forecourt with no signal or anything. Dad stood on his brakes and gave him a toot on the horn and this is where the 'fun' started.
The guy in the other car proceeded to zoom through the garage and out the far end in front of my Dad. He then slowed to about 2 mph. Dad accelerated and pulled out to pass at which point the other guy sped up, holding dad on the wrong side of the road.
Dad slowed, he slowed... Dad accelerated, he accelerated.
Heading towards a bend my Dad knew he had to do something soon to get out of this position so he booted it and got past but was carrying too much speed into the bend and caught a car on the other side of the road.
Everyone involved in the incident was OK although more than a little shaken, plus the cars were reasonably damaged.
The other guy came past a minute later and told the woman in the other car that my dad had passed him a little while back driving like a maniac!
Obviously it was just Dad's word at the time when the
showed up whereas this woman had a witness saying my father had been driving like a nutter. Luckily a little while later a lorry came past and stopped and spoke to the BIB. He had been stopped just short of the garage in a lay-by and had seen the whole lot and told the BIB everything.
They apologised to my dad, traced the other driver and they were going to do him for dangerous driving, dunno if it was the CPS or what but in the end it was dropped...
>> Edited by TahitiBlue on Monday 19th July 13:00
shnozz said:
If he was going 60 then why did you need to overtake? I am not going all "anti speed numpty" on you but if you were on an NSL single then he was doing the speed limit, which is all I would ask of a driver in front of me.
Granted he sounds like a total
presumably you dont overtake anything on the motorway doing 70mph then?
If I am out in the TVR and a car is doing 60mph on a country lane I will often overtake as I enjoy a faster pace along that section of road. If I am plodding to work in a line of traffic 60mph will probably be plenty.
Yes I do overtake on the motorway beacause I have 2 other lanes to do so in...
However if its a single carrageway then the numpty will most likely win. If they are doing the speed limit I will do the speed limit. If they are going under the speed limit then I will overtake when safe to do so and take the chance.
I had some feckwit do this to me with an old V12 Jag... Loadsa torque. I was bimbling past him and he took a dislike to it when I was level with the front... Held me out to dry good and proper right in the face of oncoming traffic.
So help me god, at that moment I would have killed him. Braked back into my own side and then used the power to pass him. Had his Mrs in the car and both were about 55. I flipped!
Tried to stop him, but suddenly his bravery left him. Every time I stopped, he got away. He drove over grass, everywhere and anywhere but stop. Admittedly, even I wouldn't have wanted to face me at that moment but what this tried was attempted murder plain and simple.
I followed him for about ten miles before the red mist subsided. Eventually I cornered him and gave him the biggest mouthful ever. Made particularly sure his Mrs heard the bit about being a father of two young daughters...
Don't think he will be so stupid again after seeing her face.
Hanging people out to dry when overtaking is numptiism of the highest order. At the end of the day, if I am faced with a head on or sideswiping the car to my left, the car to the left gets it.
So help me god, at that moment I would have killed him. Braked back into my own side and then used the power to pass him. Had his Mrs in the car and both were about 55. I flipped!
Tried to stop him, but suddenly his bravery left him. Every time I stopped, he got away. He drove over grass, everywhere and anywhere but stop. Admittedly, even I wouldn't have wanted to face me at that moment but what this
tried was attempted murder plain and simple. I followed him for about ten miles before the red mist subsided. Eventually I cornered him and gave him the biggest mouthful ever. Made particularly sure his Mrs heard the bit about being a father of two young daughters...
Don't think he will be so stupid again after seeing her face.
Hanging people out to dry when overtaking is numptiism of the highest order. At the end of the day, if I am faced with a head on or sideswiping the car to my left, the car to the left gets it.
Okay I'll leave it then if it's just my word against his. I just thought if the police did give him a visit might just stop him doing it in the future.
Regarding the blind dip, the point about that is the reason I didn't overtake before that was because of the dip. I waited until I'd passed the dip to pass.
Gh0st - I'm not sure whether to comment or not but I will. Why do I want to do 60 on a straight road just because the car in front is? Like I said in my first post even though the guy tried to stop me passing I still got round in plenty of time - Just alittle annoyed, by the guys actions. I'd see your point if I was driving a Fiesta or something equally underpowered but I'm not.
Regarding the blind dip, the point about that is the reason I didn't overtake before that was because of the dip. I waited until I'd passed the dip to pass.
Gh0st - I'm not sure whether to comment or not but I will. Why do I want to do 60 on a straight road just because the car in front is? Like I said in my first post even though the guy tried to stop me passing I still got round in plenty of time - Just alittle annoyed, by the guys actions. I'd see your point if I was driving a Fiesta or something equally underpowered but I'm not.
gh0st said:
gh0st said:
If he was going 60 then why did you need to overtake? I am not going all "anti speed numpty" on you but if you were on an NSL single then he was doing the speed limit, which is all I would ask of a driver in front of me.
Granted he sounds like a total
presumably you dont overtake anything on the motorway doing 70mph then?
If I am out in the TVR and a car is doing 60mph on a country lane I will often overtake as I enjoy a faster pace along that section of road. If I am plodding to work in a line of traffic 60mph will probably be plenty.
Yes I do overtake on the motorway beacause I have 2 other lanes to do so in...
However if its a single carrageway then the numpty will most likely win. If they are doing the speed limit I will do the speed limit. If they are going under the speed limit then I will overtake when safe to do so and take the chance.
Overtaking in a safe manner, is perfectly satisfactory on any road, speed limit or conditions, surely?
Let me explain this more clearly.
If you are on a single carrageway road, you come up behind a car which is doing the legal speed limit. The car may be driven by a numpty, it may not. Personally I usually pull over slightly left to let the car behind know that I dont have a problem with them overtaking.
However if it IS a numpty then they will have a problem with your overtaking and try to take you out. Its pathetic, sad and a result of the crappy culture we live in. I get it even when im out on the bike (although luckily they dont stand a chance out accellerating a 600 most of the time!!
)
What I am trying to say is, if you are going to overtake someone who, in their mind, is doing something perfectly and completely legally, then they are probably going to react. Its sh!t and I dont agree with it but its gonna happen.
If you dont want it to happen, either put up with it when it does or dont put yourself in the firing line.
It would appear from your post that you did not after all have enough power to overtake if the worse were to happen as he almost "got you"...
If you are on a single carrageway road, you come up behind a car which is doing the legal speed limit. The car may be driven by a numpty, it may not. Personally I usually pull over slightly left to let the car behind know that I dont have a problem with them overtaking.
However if it IS a numpty then they will have a problem with your overtaking and try to take you out. Its pathetic, sad and a result of the crappy culture we live in. I get it even when im out on the bike (although luckily they dont stand a chance out accellerating a 600 most of the time!!
) What I am trying to say is, if you are going to overtake someone who, in their mind, is doing something perfectly and completely legally, then they are probably going to react. Its sh!t and I dont agree with it but its gonna happen.
If you dont want it to happen, either put up with it when it does or dont put yourself in the firing line.
It would appear from your post that you did not after all have enough power to overtake if the worse were to happen as he almost "got you"...
Had a similar thing t'other day:
On a two lane narrowing to one (in about 400 metres(Showing my age I know)), went to pass slower vehicle, vehicle saw me in his mirrors and dropped a gear to stop me from overtaking.
Me in a Subaru
Him in an articulated lorry!!!!!
First point, why bother?
Second point, if you don't mind driving quickly to stop these reckless morons overtaking you, why not do it all the time then they won't have to!
Lucky I didn't have the dog in the back otherwise I'd have struggled to get past him!
Dave
>> Edited by DJFish on Monday 19th July 14:03
On a two lane narrowing to one (in about 400 metres(Showing my age I know)), went to pass slower vehicle, vehicle saw me in his mirrors and dropped a gear to stop me from overtaking.
Me in a Subaru
Him in an articulated lorry!!!!!
First point, why bother?
Second point, if you don't mind driving quickly to stop these reckless morons overtaking you, why not do it all the time then they won't have to!
Lucky I didn't have the dog in the back otherwise I'd have struggled to get past him!
Dave
>> Edited by DJFish on Monday 19th July 14:03
woodytvr said:
Who is the last Para aimed at? If it's me then I suggest you re-read my post - No one nearly got me, I was just annoyed at his dangerous actions.
And so would I be annoyed at his actions. It was a childish and dangerous reaction to a perfectly reasonable overtaking move. But can you imagine reporting someone for dangerous driving when you have to freely admit that you were going over the speed limit yourself to begin with
I sense they would hang draw and quarter you in todays current "speed kills" climate. Said numpty would probably also be taken in by the "speed kills" mantra (unless it suits him to irritate others with it). What I ment by almost "got you" is the fact that you had to redline it at all! I know you may have a super-duper fast as
car and whatever but it proves my point - the numpties ARE out to get you, and they will use any excuse to do so!gh0st said:
Let me explain this more clearly.
If you are on a single carrageway road, you come up behind a car which is doing the legal speed limit. The car may be driven by a numpty, it may not. Personally I usually pull over slightly left to let the car behind know that I dont have a problem with them overtaking.
However if it IS a numpty then they will have a problem with your overtaking and try to take you out. Its pathetic, sad and a result of the crappy culture we live in. I get it even when im out on the bike (although luckily they dont stand a chance out accellerating a 600 most of the time!!
What I am trying to say is, if you are going to overtake someone who, in their mind, is doing something perfectly and completely legally, then they are probably going to react. Its sh!t and I dont agree with it but its gonna happen.
If you dont want it to happen, either put up with it when it does or dont put yourself in the firing line.
It would appear from your post that you did not after all have enough power to overtake if the worse were to happen as he almost "got you"...
My apologies for disagreeing with your original post
I fail to see the relevance of your initial post with regard to the speed limit. The only relevance to the speed limit should be:-
a) that the police wont be favourable to reporting twatish behaviour by a third party; and
b) that the speed limit MAY have a reference to surroundings and one should therefore consider whether it is a safe place to overtake. That is to say if its a 30mph limit you can be fairly sure its not safe to overtake. If its national speed limit and you know the roads then it may well be safe to overtake.
Your reply in reference to the motorway question is based on the fact that there are 2 additional lanes to overtake. So the difference between one extra lane when it is empty??
There are some people who think overtaking on a 2 lane carriageway is wrong and display their displeasure. That may be by shaking their head, fist, w*nker signs, flashing headlights or speeding up. Whether they are doing the limit for that road or not makes no difference IMO. I have had that reaction before from drivers doing anything from 25mph to 60mph on a national speed limit road.
The fact remains an overtake on a country lane requires a number of careful considerations by the driver. Not only do they include all the relevant checks for traffic behind, in front and sometimes to the side, but also to anticipate the driving of the vehicles around you and the knowledge you can safely overtake the car in front. If I am in a less powerful car I think more about the overtake than in the TVR. Generally I wouldnt bother to overtake someone doing 60 in a NSL because I am not out for an enjoyable blast but just going about my business and 60 is ok. But if I am overtaking in something less powerful I keep an eye on whether there is a gap for me to decelerate and pull back into in the event something like a sports bike rounds a bend some distance ahead at 130mph + or if the driver in front does turn out to be a tosser and accelerates to block me out.
All factors are important, the fact the bloke wanted to overtake another driver that was doing the limit is irrelevant.
Shnozz -
You are preaching to the converted. I totally agree with you.
However our view is not shared by most of society.
The basic principle of my original post was that if its going to be a problem, dont put yourself in the firing line as its usually obvious how the averidge tw@ is going to react.
On a duel carrageway / motorway it does not matter what the numpty person thinks as they only way they can stop you is to either swerve into your lane or something else more unthinkable. If they are going to resort to that kind of action then they clearly wont be living for very long. Its not going to put the other unsuspecting driver coming the other way unless the numpty decides to put you + him through the central reservation.
That is why there is a big difference in overtaking on a d/c or motorway as the risk assesment for the manuvure is much, much lower.
You are preaching to the converted. I totally agree with you.
However our view is not shared by most of society.
The basic principle of my original post was that if its going to be a problem, dont put yourself in the firing line as its usually obvious how the averidge tw@ is going to react.
On a duel carrageway / motorway it does not matter what the numpty person thinks as they only way they can stop you is to either swerve into your lane or something else more unthinkable. If they are going to resort to that kind of action then they clearly wont be living for very long. Its not going to put the other unsuspecting driver coming the other way unless the numpty decides to put you + him through the central reservation.
That is why there is a big difference in overtaking on a d/c or motorway as the risk assesment for the manuvure is much, much lower.
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