Should I have called the police?

synchronicity

Yeah when I've been worked up enough to inform the police of some a-hole driver, they normally say they'll have a word (which is fine by me). I even got a direct and sincere apologetic phonecall from someone who through a sandwich in my face. I think the po' go around their place... the uniform is enough for them to shit 'emselves (for all the shite they've done illegal) and say something like: "you know this guy could've charged you with a section 5..." OTOH, if they're not at all remorseful, the officer in question is more likely to make a note of it.

downfader wrote:

If we all had to take psychological tests before we got into cars you'd probably find the roads would empty, lol!!

Yes. Here in Spain, when I was getting my Spanish licence, you do have to 'get a medical' before you're allowed to take the final theoretical exam. It's the most ridiculuous thing... you're in and out within 3 or 4 minutes. Except I was open enough to admit that I was taking anti-depressants in one of the questionaires. That was enough for me to have to get permission from a psychiatrist to drive a car! A delay of 6 weeks!! I didn't like the 'psycho' implications, especially since I was honest enough to tell them the real deal... :x

HungryCol

I've often toyed with the idea of shouting "DONT SHOOT, DONT SHOOT" in those types of situations where passers-by can hear me loud and clear. "I could have sworn, officer, he was waving a gun at me". How deep in doodoo would he be then? That's his cumupance for being an ignorant mofo like your situation.

I never do it though cos it's be a lie and I'm not sinking to his level.

andy_wrx

Col, I think you've been watching too many American movies...

HungryCol

andy_wrx wrote:

Col, I think you've been watching too many American movies...

You wouldn't be wrong! And not the English Patient type either IYKWIM...

grayo59

I reported a bunch of four skin headed Twonks in a Y reg open top Merc last week during that warm spell.

Driver came stonking past at well over speed limit (I was doing 50 in my van) and took the filter lane ahead of me and stopped next to a guy minding his own business on a bike and shouted abuse at him then roared off. I leaned out my window and said to the cyclist "What a bunch of W**kers eh?" to which he smiled ruefully and nodded.

Anyway the four meatheads decide to intimidate a woman in a clio for the next few hundred yards before overtaking at speed shouting abuse at her.

So I reported them for all the incidents I could see - speeding, abuse, intimidation - and the chap taking the call seemed really helpful and said that it would be logged and they'd send one of the lads round to the driver to offer a few words.

Whether they did or not I don't know - but the guy on the line seemed interested to ask additional details like did I think they had been drinking.

Report 'em every time I say. And I do.

dbb

the thing to remember is that these people are still out there on the road - whether you are riding your bike or driving your car.

the difference is, when you are in your car, you just don't hear them swearing.

don't let them stop you from doing what you love!

ronstrutt

fossyant wrote:

If you've got the reg, it will get logged and may turn up other 'issues'. Report it.

With someone who acts like that there's a fair chance that he is one or more of untaxed/uninsured/unlicensed/banned from driving. For most of which offences the police can and do seize the vehicle concerned, which would probably cause him more angst than being fined. Go for it!

damage36

I'm terrible myself, if someone shouts or beeps at me when I'm holding my own on the road, I'll swear back either verbally or in sign language. Its an idiotic thing to do but I get really pissed of very fast with some things. I don't think I'd provoke someone who'd already stopped. The best one was a lady who pulled out on a mini-roundabout when I was directly infront of her car. She pulled alongside and was a few inches below me with her window open. Suffice to say, I can shout pretty loud and she got a deserved (although entirely polite) earful.
Angry people are stupid, me included.

walleyes

Report it deffo.
I had an incident not quite like that but an incident with some yooooofs in a car and nearly got into a big scrap. Finished my ride anyway and called in the cop shop on the way home. Desk copper was surprisingly helpful and I gave all details I could.
Went home, thought no more of it but at least it was off my chest.
Got a knock on the door 9.30 in the evening and it was the copper and his sargeant wanting a full statement.
Turns out these guys were wanted for other stuff as well and they got them a couple of days later for driving offences and theft amongst other things. Didn't have to go to court - they coughed up and pleaded guilty
My point being don't assume they won't care - this guy could be an ar**hole in other ways.

JGS

benji90 wrote:

... He begins to turn, I assume he hasn’t seen me so I start slowing down. He turns almost fully across the road and stops, I narrowly miss the front of his car and manage to stop a few feet past him.

Similar thing happened to me today and I had to slam my brakes on and got in a panic skid, fortunately for me I got a foot unclipped and managed to put that out to stop me. Unfortunately putting a foot out meant sticking a nice big cleat mark on the front wing of the car. The driver did apologise and admit fault though, and agreed not to take my details. I can't help thinking that if it had been night or wet I'd have been sent sliding across the bonnet of the car though.

TheDrunkMonk

I have to agree with iain_j.

You'll probably find there are people like this fellow that make up a loud but thankfully small percentage of the population. Some of them are in cars shouting at bikes, some are in pubs starting on kids half their size and I expect one or 2 are on bikes trying to bite the tires of passing cars and vans.
Try not to worry about it, get out on your bike, the chances of you meeting him again are pretty slim, you've behaved appropriately, and the guy will probably live out the rest of his life feeling miserable and wondering why no-one really likes him. Karma.

stjohnswell

I wouldn't worry about it.

nolf

It happens to everyone, worst one I've had was I was riding with a friend on a quiet country road that was long and straight with great visibility. Half way down the road a car overtakes us in what was more of a last minute swerve than an overtake, definitely doing 60+mph, slams on the brakes and gets out. We approach and slow down not sure if we want to go near him, he's mouthing off. I'm worried about my friend, she was fairly new and this guy was really pissed off. So I make as to overtake him giving the guy a wide berth, he runs at me and pushes me off mouthing off about how I should have been on the pavement. I remained completely calm, didn't say a word to him, just picked up my bike went over to my friend and watched him drive off before resuming our ride.

Anyway it put a bit of a cloud over the ride and on the way back I did stop at a police station and report it. Unfortunately no witnesses other than us, but I did get the license plate no. and gave it to them. They were sympathetic but couldn't do much, although hopefully if he does it again then a more serious case can be brought against him. unfortunately it put my friend off for quite a while but shes back into it now and no harm done, although that and countless other experiences have made me a lot more aggressive with drivers.