report to police??

grace72

on my way home tonight i had a close call with a renault clio (not for the first time) this driver has no concern for other road users at all. i was waiting at a set of temporary lights with the clio behind me and when they changed she was trying to overtake me. this is on a narrow backroad in hampstead where there is no room to overtake so i adopted the primary position, which infuriated her and was inches from my back wheel beeping and shouting out of her window, we reached a wider part of the road where she passed nearly clipping me, so i shouted at her asking what she thought she was doing at this point she was about 20 feet from me when she skidded to a stop put the car in reverse an floored it driving straight at me. i had to dive between parked cars or she would have hit me. she wound down her window and shouted that i am not a car so i should not be in the middle of the road. i see this woman regularly on my commute and everytime i do she is driving like a looney and this isnt the first time she has come close to knocking me off. is i t worth me reporting the incident to police? because if something like this happens again i will have trouble holding on to my temper and i could see me getting into trouble for smashing her windows. this has left me very angry and very shaky

chronyx

Sorry to hear it's left you feeling crappy.

Generally I consider reporting it to the police to be utterly futile. But, at least it will be on an official record somewhere.

grace72

just find it really dissapointing that someone is prepared to seriously hurt you because them getting to where they are going is more important than your safety. still i'll be on the bike again tomorrow

chronyx

Winner's attitude

attica

Isn't there a specific offence - using a motor vehicle with intent to kill or injure?

Did you have any witnesses?

BentMikey

Unlucky, poor you. At least you can feel good about being a normal person, whilst she's a bundle of anger and stress, and not enjoying life.

Report it to get it on record, but don't expect the police to do anything unless a number of different people report her for similar offences. I'd also get a video camera and film her visibly.

richardast

Visit your local plod and ask to report an incident of dangerous driving.
Assuming it's Met, there's a form you can take away and fill out.
Stick as much detail in your statement as you can and, hopefully, somebody will look into it.
At worst you've got it on record for future reference.

Loggerhead

I understand how you must feel. Sounds like it's only a matter of time before her unchecked behaviour causes injury to someone. Reporting the incident will help you regain a sense of control over things and make you less likely to loose your temper should anything similar happen again.

grace72

Attica wrote:

Isn't there a specific offence - using a motor vehicle with intent to kill or injure?

Did you have any witnesses?

to be honest there were people about but i was too shocked and angry to hang about tried to catch her. glad i didnt

Eat My Dust

If you see her regularly and know her commuting route, why don't you hang around busy junction and wait for her and then throw a brick through her window. I'm sure it would be possible to work out where she lives as well, once you find out, go around her place and kick the sh*t out of her husband and if she's got any kids, give them a slap about as well (I would go a bit easier on the children, but not much). That would teach her!! :twisted:

DavidTQ

Eat My Dust wrote:

If you see her regularly and know her commuting route, why don't you hang around busy junction and wait for her and then throw a brick through her window. I'm sure it would be possible to work out where she lives as well, once you find out, go around her place and kick the sh*t out of her husband and if she's got any kids, give them a slap about as well (I would go a bit easier on the children, but not much). That would teach her!! :twisted:

yah big softy, If you let people off that lightly its no wonder people treat you like a door mat If you want respect on the roads you've got to really make your point a bit stronger than that...

Gambatte

Report her.

You never know it may be the 3rd or 4th time she's been reported. Help to build up a history of complaints against her.

cee

i keep saying this, but a bit of a tickle with a d-lock usually shuts people up

gtvlusso

Sorry to hear about your near miss fella, hope you recover okay. There are some people out there who have no value of human life - they simply are scum and should be menturated upon.......perhaps I am being a little ott!

As a cyclist I have taken the "ignore" everyone approach and if I have the primary road position or need to adopt it - I do so. However, I have never come upon that kinda impatience - usually get a w@nker sign or some abuse hurled as they try and overtake in a stupid location, but I am usually around the 20-30mph mark anyway so generally people are pretty patient. I have been lucky as a cyclist so far!!!!

I must admit that my tolerance of idiocy is lower on my motorcycle.......and has resulted in motorists losing various bits of their cars and even had their keys ripped out and thrown down the nearest drain...I don't advocate this at all, but I do get angry sometimes and being knocked off a motorbike really hurts and costs!

In your situation you may be able to sue for assault - if there is CCTV footage. Assault also come under intent to assault - i.e. Just shouting abuse can be classed as assault if the plaintiff feels endangered. I would call the Police and have the car out for observations - standard procedure. if you see the car regularly then it may be the way forward....however, the driver will probably be vindictive and just run you over for the trouble that you caused them!

Any lawyers on here care to comment?!!?!

Kafka\'s Doll

gtvlusso wrote:

Any lawyers on here care to comment?!!?!

I'm not a lawyer, but the comment I would make is that more than one cyclist will have to encounter this motorist. In my experience shouting at drivers, however irresponsible they've been, doesn't make them more likely to behave better next time -- quite the opposite. The only way to make life easier for the next cyclist along is to be forgiving and diffident. It ain't easy, but no one wants a war between bikes and cars.

A meek 'I'm just trying to stay safe' smoothes things over rather better than a 'It's my right to be here and you should be more patient', I think. Just be proud of yourself for maintaining the moral high ground.

Granted, this sounds like an extreme circumstance, and if I felt like someone on the road was deliberately trying to harm me I would probably report it. But it's always wise to avoid escalating a situation, isn't it?

Sorry, bit preachy.

star_rover

cee wrote:

i keep saying this, but a bit of a tickle with a d-lock usually shuts people up

I was going to say, yes, report it to the police, but being honest, if something like this ever happened to me I'd batter their motor with my d-lock. Obviously I'd then have to change my route for the next few months.

spen666

gtvlusso wrote:

...In your situation you may be able to sue for assault - if there is CCTV footage. Assault also come under intent to assault - i.e. Just shouting abuse can be classed as assault if the plaintiff feels endangered. I would call the Police and have the car out for observations - standard procedure. if you see the car regularly then it may be the way forward....however, the driver will probably be vindictive and just run you over for the trouble that you caused them!

Any lawyers on here care to comment?!!?!

If you want to sue for assault, then police won't want to get involved as they will say it is a civil matter- not a criminal matter
If you succeeeded in sueing for assault, then any compernsation you get would be minimal as your loss is minimal

I don't think wasting time and money sueing someone in these circumstances is worth it. As it is a civil remedy it will have no effect on drivers licence and obviously there is no criminal conviction

Gambatte

At the least, reporting an assault/attempted assault on a cyclist bolsters the statistics.

If you don't report it, 'it didnt happen'.....

mailmannz

So did you get her licence plate number?

Why not get one of those fancy helmet cams so you can record her running you over?

Mailman

Chewy Cheeks

Reversed down the the road at you.

Goddammit !!!

Needs to be reported, whatever this lady see's as the next step is likely to be dangerous, sounds like a job for The Priory to me ( or wherever those exhausted Hampstead folk go).

cntl

get a helmet cam

karate monkey

They're always in such a hurry ,but then all of a sudden,they've got time to reverse at you,or give you a lecture,or whatever nonsense they feel is necessary.
Definately report her,and next time you see her point and laugh.

grace72

going to the police on friday. feel like a coward because i changed my route to avoid her. think i'm more scared of causing her some damage than getting hurt myself. helmet cam will be ordered soon