What to do about dangerous driver?
Discussion
Not sure there is an answer to this one.
We move house middle of the year, rural area and the road I use to get to/from the motorway is around 8 miles for me, it's a great road but in a car there's only 1 maybe 2 safe overtaking spots (on a bike there's plenty), lots of blind bends, off camber sections with single/double white lines, plus no street lights (it's in the country).
Last week on the commute home I notice a car appear in the rear view mirror at pace, I'm in a 2-3 car queue with nowhere to overtake and even if there was you don't make that much ground up anyway, this car (new 1 series beemer) proceeds to over all 3-4 cars, wrong side of double whites, blind bend in the dark. The cars in front all eventually turn off so ultimately I end up catching him up until he turns off.
At the weekend the other half mentions an idiot in a blue 1 series, sounds like the same guy doing the same antics on the same road, but this time overtaking 3 cars and a waitrose delivery truck, again blind crest and just manages to pass before an oncoming car appears over the crest.
Now there's nothing I can really do about this, I could phone 101 or whatever number it is, but will they care? At some point he's going to kill himself or worst case kill someone else with these antics.
We move house middle of the year, rural area and the road I use to get to/from the motorway is around 8 miles for me, it's a great road but in a car there's only 1 maybe 2 safe overtaking spots (on a bike there's plenty), lots of blind bends, off camber sections with single/double white lines, plus no street lights (it's in the country).
Last week on the commute home I notice a car appear in the rear view mirror at pace, I'm in a 2-3 car queue with nowhere to overtake and even if there was you don't make that much ground up anyway, this car (new 1 series beemer) proceeds to over all 3-4 cars, wrong side of double whites, blind bend in the dark. The cars in front all eventually turn off so ultimately I end up catching him up until he turns off.
At the weekend the other half mentions an idiot in a blue 1 series, sounds like the same guy doing the same antics on the same road, but this time overtaking 3 cars and a waitrose delivery truck, again blind crest and just manages to pass before an oncoming car appears over the crest.
Now there's nothing I can really do about this, I could phone 101 or whatever number it is, but will they care? At some point he's going to kill himself or worst case kill someone else with these antics.
Keoparakolo said:
Which one’s the dangerous driver, the one driving “at pace” then overtaking, or the one who gets overtaken then catches the other driver up?
As this is PH, then obviously the OP 
BrettMRC said:
Report via 101 or online for your local force.
^ This, ideally backed up with dashcam evidence.Keoparakolo said:
Which one’s the dangerous driver, the one driving “at pace” then overtaking, or the one who gets overtaken then catches the other driver up?
What a bizarrely daft thing to say. Have you REALLY never caught up with a car that’s overtaken you, by just driving normally? Other traffic tends to exist by the way, not sure if you’ve noticed...
My rule of thumb is never use dashcam footage of idiots (I'd be onto the police all day long) but only in an actual incident. That said, if you did here that the driver had caused serious injury or death due to his driving then you're going to feel bad, especially if he crashes into family or friends.
paradigital said:
Keoparakolo said:
Which one’s the dangerous driver, the one driving “at pace” then overtaking, or the one who gets overtaken then catches the other driver up?
What a bizarrely daft thing to say. Have you REALLY never caught up with a car that’s overtaken you, by just driving normally? Other traffic tends to exist by the way, not sure if you’ve noticed...
Even if the overtaking car had put half a mile on the OP, which is very easy if they’re travelling at 70ish and you’re doing 40 behind a dawdler then catching them is going to mean getting a real shift on to catch them up.
I just thought the OP having to say he caught him up was a bit weird, either the other driver wasn’t going that fast, or the OP really got a wriggle on. None of that excuses the stupid overtake, but then we all know of places with double whites that our powerful cars could easily overtake a dawdler or two and get back in safely. I’m not saying it makes it legal, but pretty certain the OP was breaking the speed limit to catch the other driver. Seems a bit like anyone who is slower than me is a menace and shouldn’t be on the roads, whereas anyone who is faster than me is a menace and shouldn’t be on the roads.
Some roads have traffic lights and or junctions where you can catch up with a car that has overtaken, or they may have been suck behind someone with even less of a chance to overtake (which seems unlikely in this case).
To OP I would report if you want to. I have reported a car that overtook at about 40-50 mph in a 30 and over a pedestrian crossing, I sounded my horn to alert the pedestrian who was about to cross (and who I was stopping for). No idea if they got the driver but I hope so.
To OP I would report if you want to. I have reported a car that overtook at about 40-50 mph in a 30 and over a pedestrian crossing, I sounded my horn to alert the pedestrian who was about to cross (and who I was stopping for). No idea if they got the driver but I hope so.
Keoparakolo said:
If someone overtakes me, then they’re usually long gone. That’s not because I’m a slow driver, it’s because of simple maths. The OP was 3rd in line, he had to wait for them all to turn off then he could speed up. How fast would he need to go to catch a guy who was happy to overtake people on a blind corner? Why would that driver suddenly slow down and sit behind other cars?
Even if the overtaking car had put half a mile on the OP, which is very easy if they’re travelling at 70ish and you’re doing 40 behind a dawdler then catching them is going to mean getting a real shift on to catch them up.
I just thought the OP having to say he caught him up was a bit weird, either the other driver wasn’t going that fast, or the OP really got a wriggle on. None of that excuses the stupid overtake, but then we all know of places with double whites that our powerful cars could easily overtake a dawdler or two and get back in safely. I’m not saying it makes it legal, but pretty certain the OP was breaking the speed limit to catch the other driver. Seems a bit like anyone who is slower than me is a menace and shouldn’t be on the roads, whereas anyone who is faster than me is a menace and shouldn’t be on the roads.
I think you are trying to make an extremely simple situation as complex as you can. I suspect you wear a trilby and own string backed driving gloves.Even if the overtaking car had put half a mile on the OP, which is very easy if they’re travelling at 70ish and you’re doing 40 behind a dawdler then catching them is going to mean getting a real shift on to catch them up.
I just thought the OP having to say he caught him up was a bit weird, either the other driver wasn’t going that fast, or the OP really got a wriggle on. None of that excuses the stupid overtake, but then we all know of places with double whites that our powerful cars could easily overtake a dawdler or two and get back in safely. I’m not saying it makes it legal, but pretty certain the OP was breaking the speed limit to catch the other driver. Seems a bit like anyone who is slower than me is a menace and shouldn’t be on the roads, whereas anyone who is faster than me is a menace and shouldn’t be on the roads.
Wooda80 said:
eybic said:
It's often "safer" doing this sort of manoeuvre in the dark as you can see headlights in the distance, perhaps that's what the driver was thinking??
Especially if you turn off your own headlights too, to make the oncoming ones more easily visible.Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff