Worth reporting this 'driver'?
Discussion
Driving North in the outside lane on the M6 yesterday lunchtime I had this muppet come up behind and tailgate for a while despite me merely keeping to the 2 second rule behind a line of traffic which was doing 60 odd mph. After a few minutes he decided to undertake me (still doing 60 odd) and suddenly swerve back in so close he nearly hit me as shown:
Is it worth reporting this sort of thing and submitting the footage, i.e. when someone has deliberately driven dangerously, or would the police not find this worthy of attention?
And before anyone asks, at no point was I lane hogging (can't stand that).
Is it worth reporting this sort of thing and submitting the footage, i.e. when someone has deliberately driven dangerously, or would the police not find this worthy of attention?
And before anyone asks, at no point was I lane hogging (can't stand that).
V1nce Fox said:
Could you have moved into lane one briefly to let him pass?
Don't really see why he should be let past? I'm wanting to travel faster just as he and everyone else is in that queue, but God knows why he thinks he has more of a right to do so than the vehicles queuing in front of him.Flumpo said:
Can you not post the video?
Without seeing how quickly you are closing on the car further up in lane 2, then it’s hard to tell. Is there a reason you didn’t pull into the empty looking lane 2?
Although that doesn’t excuse or condone what seems a very dangerous manoeuvre by the van.
Just thought I'd get a quick flavour of whether people thought it was a drop in the ocean or whether it's worth taking things further. Also very annoyingly my camera changed files halfway through his manouver so I'd have to splice the files together somehow and then work out how to upload it (never done that before) which is a potentially futile effort if this is deemed a non-event.Without seeing how quickly you are closing on the car further up in lane 2, then it’s hard to tell. Is there a reason you didn’t pull into the empty looking lane 2?
Although that doesn’t excuse or condone what seems a very dangerous manoeuvre by the van.
Pothole said:
Don't bother sending the footage anywhere, you're clearly just jealous he got in front of you. You didn't follow the basic rule and move over when you weren't overtaking anyone. He didn't "nearly hit you" you were behind him, so any collision would have been your fault.
I wanted to overtake, but there are no more lanes to the right. Are you saying the solution to me wanting to go faster is to move to the left?kestral said:
LOL. If you were not blocking the outside lane how could he pass on the inside!
You should have moved to the left.
I shouldn't bother reoprting anything because it looks like you will be reoprting yourself
Do you let everyone who stands behind you at the supermarket checkout in front of you? If so I'm amazed you haven't starved to death.You should have moved to the left.
I shouldn't bother reoprting anything because it looks like you will be reoprting yourself
Jasey_ said:
If you're doing 60 you aren't obeying the 2 second rule from that still.
I suspect if you were to submit your footage there's a fair chance you would be be as likely to be charged as white van knobber.
Forget it and get on with your life
The van originally in front with the high vis had braked just before the I suspect if you were to submit your footage there's a fair chance you would be be as likely to be charged as white van knobber.
Forget it and get on with your life
in the white van tried to cut in which made things even worse.I agree I should just move on given the even more insane things that go on out there. It just really winds me up the way some people think they can bully their way past everyone else because they think they are more important. It would be more forgivable if they were just plain thick (seems likely based on a couple of comments on here).
One guy further up said he thought I was jealous he got in front of me. I can assure him it was either that or he would have driven into me, or I'd have gone up the back of the high vis van. There's no way you can stand your ground with idiots like that without becoming an idiot yourself.
That steering wheel attendant will come unstuck one day..
Red Devil said:
VeeFource said:
Is it worth reporting this sort of thing and submitting the footage, i.e. when someone has deliberately driven dangerously, or would the police not find this worthy of attention?
Entirely up to you whether to do so. The link has already been posted above.
The location is in the West Midlands Police area.
One thing to consider. You state you were doing 60mph.
If it was the case in that frame there is no way you're 2 seconds back from the Motorway Maintenance van.
Flumpo said:
Can you not post the video?
If the OP is going to take this further, no. See the FAQ link above. It would be advisable to delete the pic from here as well.
Trevor555 said:
I think some people have been harsh on the OP.
If that van driver did that to an unmarked Police car what do you all think would happen?
^^This^^If that van driver did that to an unmarked Police car what do you all think would happen?
I think maybe the idiot had decided I was hogging the lane because I'd maintained a 2-3 second gap previously but then that was important given he was so close to the back of me. Either that or he's just a total imbecile.
I think I'll just leave it now. He'll get his comeuppance one day and my misses is getting fed up of me being hung up on it.
ghost83 said:
Middle lane was clear you were hogging the outside lane which is an offence!
What on earth are you on about? If the middle lane is clear AND the outside lane was also clear in front of me, only then would I be hogging. I was travelling at the same speed as the vehicle in front of me with the intention of wanting to travel slightly faster. It's called being in a queue and by the sounds of it, you're as bad as the van driver if that's your logic of how roads work.Moving into the left lane is not going to get me going faster is it, unless you're advocating doing it to undertake people which is an offence.
Some Gump said:
Ahh, the cause of a lot of pain for a certain subset of cyclists, and more recently dashcammers.
Sometimes, you have to make decisions on the road. Sometimes, you have to decide on whether being "right" or being safe takes priority. Happens every journey at roundabouts - people pulling out ahead of you. Do you slow down, or crash? This is easy to choose. What about when you have right of way but matey boy in the white Q7 decides to barrel on regardless? Pick confrontation or let some tit with a lease "win"
Imo this is exactly your scenario. Bellend behind being a bellend. You can choose to either avoid the aggro, pull in and get.on with your journey with less stress, (but that lets him "win" because he's bullied you out of the queue), or you can keep to principle of being right, and he stays behind you.
Now, you've had double aggro because not only did he stress you out in the first place, but he also won with the undertake. Now you want to tell the referee because you didn't want to lose. Also he's an ahole.
What you need to do is remember that the game has no prize. That victory or defeat is worth literally zero. When you get aggressive bellends like this just let them through, let them get on with it and pile their misery somewhere else. It makes no measurable difference to your day.
What led me to this zen like view? I got fat a few years ago and started road cycling. Every other ride i have the choice of being in the right but bleeding, having a massive argument about it, or just rolling my eyes and enjoying my day. I tried the 2nd option once, but the bloke was a fking idiot so it was a waste of time. I'm yet to try the first option but i'm never that fond of bleeding so will probably avoid it.
Tl;dr? Bellends will always be bellends. Just let them get on with it.
As a cyclist and motorcyclist I have absolutely no issues with letting them past if I'm in a car, which after all is taking up the entire lane so I can enjoy the comfort of heating and air con etc. So I will always move over to let them past.Sometimes, you have to make decisions on the road. Sometimes, you have to decide on whether being "right" or being safe takes priority. Happens every journey at roundabouts - people pulling out ahead of you. Do you slow down, or crash? This is easy to choose. What about when you have right of way but matey boy in the white Q7 decides to barrel on regardless? Pick confrontation or let some tit with a lease "win"
Imo this is exactly your scenario. Bellend behind being a bellend. You can choose to either avoid the aggro, pull in and get.on with your journey with less stress, (but that lets him "win" because he's bullied you out of the queue), or you can keep to principle of being right, and he stays behind you.
Now, you've had double aggro because not only did he stress you out in the first place, but he also won with the undertake. Now you want to tell the referee because you didn't want to lose. Also he's an a
hole.What you need to do is remember that the game has no prize. That victory or defeat is worth literally zero. When you get aggressive bellends like this just let them through, let them get on with it and pile their misery somewhere else. It makes no measurable difference to your day.
What led me to this zen like view? I got fat a few years ago and started road cycling. Every other ride i have the choice of being in the right but bleeding, having a massive argument about it, or just rolling my eyes and enjoying my day. I tried the 2nd option once, but the bloke was a f
king idiot so it was a waste of time. I'm yet to try the first option but i'm never that fond of bleeding so will probably avoid it.Tl;dr? Bellends will always be bellends. Just let them get on with it.
What I do have an issue with however, is people (in a lane filling vehicle) thinking they have more of a right to be in front of others whom were there before they were, even though those people are also in the same position of wanting to travel faster.
I understand your point of better to be safe than right which is the only reason my car is still in one piece. But surely if everyone makes life easy for these morons then they'll be more inclined to do it and more will join them in thinking they can freely take advantage of everyone else trying to get somewhere.
The reason I created this post was I was unsure where to draw the line on whether to do something about it. If he had an NIP land in his pigeon hole at work then he might think twice about doing something like that again. But as ever there are bigger fish for the police to fry and hopefully karma will get him one day.
Edited by VeeFource on Saturday 20th July 08:15
roadsmash said:
OP, show us the fking video.
What's the point? I've described exactly what's happened and everyone who's given an intelligent response is saying to let it go.king video.Some of the responses on here based on that image means it's just going to end up with more stupid comments about how I should be using the Inside lane to get past people which I really can't be bothered to reason with. Also if I upload it on here I can no longer submit it if I do change my mind (see earlier post).
Mike335i said:
VeeFource, I see it as you 'defended' your position and ended up arguing with an idiot and losing. Now you want to punish him for it. You know it won't change his behaviour, we all know you can't fix stupid.
But look at it this way:
If you had let the van past, you could have avoided the whole situation and the idiot would have been someone else's problem, but instead you chose to stand your ground. You could see this as fair or right, but I see it as failing to be the more mature person. You could have de-escalated the situation, but you chose not to.
Generally in life, if the words "why should I...?" come into mind, it should act as a trigger to reflect on one's own decision making.
Do you move over to let everyone who comes up behind you past when you're in a queue of traffic? If so I'd imagine you'd never get out of the inside lane on a road like the M6.But look at it this way:
If you had let the van past, you could have avoided the whole situation and the idiot would have been someone else's problem, but instead you chose to stand your ground. You could see this as fair or right, but I see it as failing to be the more mature person. You could have de-escalated the situation, but you chose not to.
Generally in life, if the words "why should I...?" come into mind, it should act as a trigger to reflect on one's own decision making.
berlintaxi said:
If they have a single item, yes, but then I'm not an ahole who thinks he owns the road.
But not if they don't? Do you think you own the isle your queuing in then? Cause there's no fecking difference in this situation.hole who thinks he owns the road.It's a queue of traffic and barrelling down the middle lane and forcing your way into the outside lane is just blatant pushing in. If someone did that to you in the supermarket queue are you telling me you'd be fine with it?
Some Gump said:
Re read your own posts in this thread. They're all about who wins and who loses.
When the prize has zero value you'll realise that whatever your actions were, whatever you do next you net result is a loss - either with time or anxiety.
Just be the bigger man and move on. The existence of this thread displays the butthurt. Why? Because you got overtaken by a nasty man in a van? Just think that through. It really makes no difference to your life.
Your post above says you're annoyed by people who think they can push in. Bad news: he can. He did. there was space to your left, he used it and now here's photographic evidence of it. tomorrow he'll do it to someone else. Someone else will do it to you next week.
Don't become part of the correlation between dashcam ownership and short man syndrome. The van bloke will be frustrated as hell because if everyone kept left he could get to whatever job he's late for. But they don't. So he gets wound up, and drives like a tit in a white van. Say you shop him? Makes no difference. 1000 other tits in white vans are sat in a layby eating ginsters ready to take his place.
The root cause of your problem is traffic volume and society's failure to keep left. You can't do anything about either. Why get wound up about things you can't control? Just move on and rise above the stress. there's one thing you can control: Modify your own driving to compensate that 10% of people can't drive properly, have st observation and decision making skills, or are just pricks. Don't think that you failed to keep the ahole behind you, think that you successfully avoided a hazard. Commuting gets much less stressful!
Good post. I fully intend to move on once posters like berlintaxi understand (if that's even possible) why moving into the middle lane when in a queue of traffic makes no sense.When the prize has zero value you'll realise that whatever your actions were, whatever you do next you net result is a loss - either with time or anxiety.
Just be the bigger man and move on. The existence of this thread displays the butthurt. Why? Because you got overtaken by a nasty man in a van? Just think that through. It really makes no difference to your life.
Your post above says you're annoyed by people who think they can push in. Bad news: he can. He did. there was space to your left, he used it and now here's photographic evidence of it. tomorrow he'll do it to someone else. Someone else will do it to you next week.
Don't become part of the correlation between dashcam ownership and short man syndrome. The van bloke will be frustrated as hell because if everyone kept left he could get to whatever job he's late for. But they don't. So he gets wound up, and drives like a tit in a white van. Say you shop him? Makes no difference. 1000 other tits in white vans are sat in a layby eating ginsters ready to take his place.
The root cause of your problem is traffic volume and society's failure to keep left. You can't do anything about either. Why get wound up about things you can't control? Just move on and rise above the stress. there's one thing you can control: Modify your own driving to compensate that 10% of people can't drive properly, have s
t observation and decision making skills, or are just pricks. Don't think that you failed to keep the ahole behind you, think that you successfully avoided a hazard. Commuting gets much less stressful!I can see your point about not getting het up when idiots do stupid things. But it doesn't mean I'm going to live in the inside lane doing 56mph for every busy motorway journey like berlintaxi does. Or smile at the chap who's decided he's next at the checkout in Tesco's.
berlintaxi said:
It's spelt aisle, my opinion of you as an ignorant arrogant ahole seems justified.
Apologies I'm not a shopping related spelling wizard. If you're ready to call someone an arrogant ahole seems justified.hole based on their ability to spell words unfamiliar to them then that says a lot more about you than it does me. Some of the best engineers I've met are rubbish at spelling. You might be surprised to learn that people can be intelligent in different ways, but I won't judge you for that as I suppose you could be clever in ways that haven't revealed themselves yet.berlintaxi said:
,did you enjoy your last day at school before the summer holidays yesterday?My description of you as arrogant is based on your driving not spelling, your poor spelling shows your ignorance.
Edited by berlintaxi on Saturday 20th July 09:29
Good diversion tactics by the way, in not answering my earlier questions and focusing on my spelling skills.
JonnyJustice said:
So you’ll happily drive at 60mph in the fast lane, when other lanes are progressing more quickly.
Read the original post. Others are not progressing more quickly. I was keeping up with traffic in my lane and there was a gap in the middle lane the idiot van driver used to undertake me with and force his way back in the outside lane.garyhun said:
I’d just take on board the comments and leave this thread alone OP. You’re getting all wound up over nothing.
This (and the fact I will no longer be able to ever submit the video to the police) is the reason I'm not going to upload it on here. If people decide I'm not telling the whole story then that's up to them, I couldn't care less as I know I've given all the details. But based on all the agro just a still image seems to provoke it's completely not worth having a whole video posters like berlintaxi can jump on to criticise me for using windscreen wipers in an overly dyslexic manner.Flumpo said:
Op - I asked to see the video early on, as from your description and photo it looked like you were lane hogging.
But I wanted to give you benefit of doubt and see the video. You decided you were not going to report it, but you’re now not willing to show the video in case you change your mind.
Forget reporting it as nothing will happen. Post up the previous 10 mins video. This will clearly show your motorway behaviour and if you are indeed a lane hogging moron or justified in your driving.
I’m still giving you the benefit of doubt, but if you don’t I’m going to have to assume, like the majority on here. That you have poor motorway skills and need a pass plus session on motorway driving.
Post the video or you’re coming across like a teenager who claims he has a girlfriend in another town who no one knows and goes to a different school.
However, as I originally said the van driver is a bell end and shouldn’t have done what he did.
So prove you’re right and shut up the doubters.
Sorry but I don't need to prove anything. I'm fully aware asking for opinions on something which I've only given half the story on is utterly pointless. I've had responses based on the information I've provided which has answered my original question. I appreciate you may think I'm hiding something, but unless I upload my entire journey on here (he could well have been someone I'd had an altercation with in a petrol station half an hour previous for all you know) there will always be sceptics. And given I've been criticised for my spelling and supermarket queue analogies I'm sure I'd spend the rest of my life on here defending who I am as a person rather than people giving useful opinions on that van muppet's manoeuvre.But I wanted to give you benefit of doubt and see the video. You decided you were not going to report it, but you’re now not willing to show the video in case you change your mind.
Forget reporting it as nothing will happen. Post up the previous 10 mins video. This will clearly show your motorway behaviour and if you are indeed a lane hogging moron or justified in your driving.
I’m still giving you the benefit of doubt, but if you don’t I’m going to have to assume, like the majority on here. That you have poor motorway skills and need a pass plus session on motorway driving.
Post the video or you’re coming across like a teenager who claims he has a girlfriend in another town who no one knows and goes to a different school.
However, as I originally said the van driver is a bell end and shouldn’t have done what he did.
So prove you’re right and shut up the doubters.
As usual on PH, it's the few keyboard warriors that ruin it for everyone else trying to have car related debates, so apologies but I don't want to get dragged yet further into that.
Flumpo said:
Some Gump said:
Op,
Don't post the video. There's no upside. Just.go to "my stuff", click the black x and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
I’ve changed my mind, this is a better idea. Too much hate on ph as it is. Don't post the video. There's no upside. Just.go to "my stuff", click the black x and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
can't remember said:
Christ on a bike. Look how sharp everything is. Look at the vans wheels. That's not 60mph, it's basically standing traffic.
That's why you're not getting the video.
Urghh, why did I check this thread again?! It's a good camera (thank Aldi).That's why you're not getting the video.
Edited by can't remember on Saturday 20th July 12:04
Here's 4 seconds earlier..
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff