Reported a coach driver to the Police

breszh

Had an incident this morning, on Whitehall Road in Leeds, I was coming away from Leeds and just approaching the bit where the train track crosses the A58 - http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en ... &z=16&om=1

At this point the road narrows and there was standing traffic in the opposite direction. The coach came past me at high speed, probably not speeding as its a 40 zone but still a 25mph difference to my speed. He didn't slow and had no room to move out due to the standing traffic, needless to say he came within a foot of my right arm. Too close for comfort at that speed.

Anyhow, a few hundred metres down the road I caught him up, stuck at the right turn into Dixon Lane and I was a bit annoyed so decided to have a word.

I told him he came really close to knocking me off, "so?" was his response. I asked him if he couldn't have just slowed for a few seconds to avoid coming so close "No, not really" was the response. I told him that at that speed he could have killed me, "F*** off" was the reply. I realised I was wasting my time by this point so went round the front nearside corner of the coach to get his plate, he then turns his wheel and moves the coach forward, pressing its corner against my leg with a view to pushing me over. I quickly got out of the way and embarassed myself with language as bad as his - I could have lamped him for what he did, I was so angry.

Anyhow, on my way past Pudsey Police Station I decided to report him, I had his reg so it seemed like a good idea. The Police can't charge him with anything but they have said they will pay a visit to the firm, locate the driver and warn him about his future conduct, which I'm happy with.

So, if you're round Leeds, watch out for a white coach, no livery, with reg plate P867PWW, he couldn't care less whether you live or die!

Sorry for the long post, needed to vent spleen!

mailmannz

Couldnt charge him with anything? How about dangerous driving for starters???

Mailman

Lbaguley

And you can add assault to that too

DavidTQ

Anyone prepared to use a vehicle as a weapon and driving that dangerously should not be allowed on the road.

Eat My Dust

DavidTQ wrote:

Anyone prepared to use a vehicle as a weapon and driving that dangerously should not be allowed on the road.

I must admit that once I tried to take a drivers head off with my bike. He was trying (feebly) to attack me. I swung my bike around and missed his face my mm's. Talk about taking the wind out of someone's sails!! :oops:

breszh

mailmannz wrote:

Couldnt charge him with anything? How about dangerous driving for starters???

Mailman

The Police told me that because I wasn't injured and there was no damage that there was nothing they could do. I suppose I would have needed witnesses to hold up a dangerous driving charge against him. I'm satisfied with the "word with him" line, hopefully he'll think twice before he does it again.

By the way, I googled the plate, its a local firm who do school runs! Nice.

BentMikey

How about writing to the company with a complaint, as well as offering to copy the local schools on the sort of driving they might expect if they hire from them.

mailmannz

Yeah, as BM says...write and complain and dont settle for a fob off!

Also, surely there were witnesses on the bus (then again, I guess now its a bit late unless of course some of them have written complaints to the company about the drivers driving too???).

But...write and complain because if others have the company may very well take action against the driver.

Mailman

dirk_van_gently

Definitely write, find the right channels to go through, the schools bus service at your local authority would be a good place to start. after all they are entrusting childrens lives to this prat.

I had an icident with a White pick up driver some time ago, road resurfacing types.
I didn't know the company they were contracting to, but where I work it could only be one of a handful. So I wrote via email to the local contractor companies on our site. Most of these companies though not involved, and not implicated went out of their way to track down the culprit.
He doesn't work on this site anymore.

dirk_van_gently

BTW how do you google a registration number? sounds like very powerful information.

nwallace

VOSA are responsible for PSV company licensing. They are obliged to investigate reports of activities not conductive to the possession of a PSV licence (for the company).

Poor behaviour of drivers may be enough to get the company investigated.

The legal details of a vehicle must also be placed in a position visible to those outside of the vehicle (usually the nearside side skirts) failure to display such info is another VOSA disiplinary thing.

Bus Geeks seem to be able to trace the location of buses around the country, I visited an internet group of them to get information about local bus services that seemed ot be totally unavailable form the companies, suddenly i was being asked for fleet numbers of anything i spotted that was unusual.

Cunobelin

Calm, polite,structured and factual letter to the Company.

Ask how this attitude fits in with their "duty of care" to the public and what steps they are going to take to prevent a recurrence.

Send by recorded post to the Managing Director, copied to the local depot.

Flycatcher

All good advice. Mine would have involved a baseball bat and a balaclava.

Let the forum know what responses you get but I'd certainly follow some of the other's advice.