W181XBM - Skoda Octavia Estate, dark blue

Roastie

Driver of said car very nearly took me out when he overtook me *just* before a stationary queue (coming off AB), and then braked hard and turned left to block the bicycle sized gap running to the left lane.

I yelled as it was happening, which must have given him a fright because he yanked the wheel back right again. Just as I was passing the nose of his car he accelerated to try to knock me down. When I looked back at him it was clearly on purpose and with malice as he was raging in the car.

TBH it freaked me out a bit. So I stopped on the pavement to get him go by. No need to have him try to take me out from behind.

Once he was past I got back on with only to (surprise surprise!) find him in the ASL at Sun Gate.

Anyhow - he is a psychotic. Watch out.

gtvlusso

Probably just annoyed that he has a crappy Skoda....better than my car though and newer!

Sorry to hear about it fella, hope you are okay after a close shave.

MonkeyMonster

Glad you're alreeet Roastie and good call on the licence plate - quite memorable handily. Can you actually report it to the police as well?

Roastie

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Can you actually report it to the police as well?

Is there any point?

MonkeyMonster

Vague memories of someone saying they stack up the alerts against the plate no.?

If not, then no need of course

always_tyred

Roastie wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Can you actually report it to the police as well?

Is there any point?

No. Move on. You dealt with it well and managed better that I would have not to lose your rag when you caught up with him.

number9

Roastie wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Can you actually report it to the police as well?

Is there any point?

My local cop shop has a sign in the lobby saying "We will not accept reports of dangerous driving without independent witnesses".

there have been cases of the cops refusing to accept reports from other, unconnected cyclists, cos they're not "independent"

redvee

IIRC all the police could do is give him a producer as there are no independant witnesses unless the OP grabbed some names and addresses. If there are witnesses then careless driving or driving without due care and attention?

Giant Jon

I agree with 'number9', it's basically a word against word argument, the driver will most likely say he didn't see you, or that he was swerving to avoid you, or even (cheekily) blame you for the whole thing by making counter-allegations. All of which go nowhere, and will more than likely leave you feeling worse for trying. Personally I've had so many incidents with dangerous drivers that it's just easier to keep your eyes open and get the hell outta the way of them!!

AndyManc

DON'T "Move on" , report it.

The chances are this idiot will behave like this to other cyclists.

If you are happy with the situation on our roads then do nothing, if you want to see change then report this incident and all others.

If the police receive a number of complaints about one vehicle then they will be forced to act.

Either we all become pro-active or we will never see an improvement.

.

cjcp

Roastie - count your lucky stars it wasn't worse and move on, fella. You definitely dealt with that better than I would have done.

prj45

(well, nobody had done it yet)

Christophe3967

Bad luck mate... I'd sleep on it and then decide whether you're still upset enough to report it, bearing in mind that, as you and your bike appear to be OK, the police are unlikely to do very much about it.

I would then console myself with the knowledge that he's driving around in a proletarian charabanc that's worth less than your bike. And the pent up anger and frustration created by his own feelings of inadequacy may leave him susceptible to a wide range of ailments and conditions, such as ulcers, palpitations, raised blood pressure, erectile dysfunction, warts, incontinence...

The Rookie

AndyManc wrote:

If the police receive a number of complaints about one vehicle then they will be forced to act.

How? Why? By Whom? Its unlikely each report would be collated into something sufficient to prod them into action, even then what action do you propose they take exaclty that fits within the UK statuts?

Simon

spen666

redvee wrote:

IIRC all the police could do is give him a producer as there are no independant witnesses unless the OP grabbed some names and addresses. If there are witnesses then careless driving or driving without due care and attention?

That's a bit of a cop out by the police is it not.

If police did not stop him driving,
then only evidence of his driving was the person who reports incident. Producer requires driver to produce ins,licence etc. However police have to have grounds to suspect D was driving/ using vehicle before can issue these.

They therefore rely on evidence of V to prove this, but then say evidence of V is not reliable for careless driving



Of course the above is irrelevant if police stop d using vehicle

Wallace1492

Not so good. However, reporting will do nothing. Even if the guy gets reported 30 times, what can the Police do without witnesses? Nothing.
It will be the 1 time that there are wintesses that will be acted on, all the other cases where there are no witnesses will be irrelevent.

However, on saying that, it may well alert the Police to watch out for this vehicle, because if he has a problem with cyclists, they he probably has a problem with other things as well.

At the end of the day up to you if you want to report it. When I had an incident, I reported it, knew nothing would happen, but felt I had to do something.

afcbian

gtvlusso wrote:

Probably just annoyed that he has a crappy Skoda....better than my car though and newer!

Sorry to hear about it fella, hope you are okay after a close shave.

Nothing wrong with Skodas.............just idiot drivers :roll:

Roastie

It is probably pretty pointless to report it as a) nothing is likely to come of it and b) it is just likely to result in more aggravation for myself.

Also glad I managed to keep my temper. Once I'd got back on and rolled up behind him at the light, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't contemplated reaching down for my frame mounted big-D. But that would have achieved nothing but leave me more aggro.

It was good to vent though, thanks guys!

MonkeyMonster

The cathartic powers of the interweb!

Roastie

MonkeyMonster wrote:

The cathartic powers of the interweb!

Exactly!

number9

Not so good. However, reporting will do nothing. Even if the guy gets reported 30 times, what can the Police do without witnesses? Nothing.

During a routine patrol on Tuesday 27 October 2009 a male was seen driving a 4x4 off-road vehicle illegally around the woodland in Ansley Common, by local PCSO 6192 Phil McGuinness. The driver, who was from the Camp Hill area of Nuneaton, was issued with a Section 59 Warning, for using his vehicle in an anti-social manner, and verbally warned by the officers not to use the woodland again or he risks his vehicle being confiscated, and possibly crushed.

http://www.safer-neighbourhoods.co.uk/y ... 4x4-driver

I can see helmet cams resulting in more warnings and seizures, especially if as in the OP the vehicle is used as a weapon, which is rather more than using a vehicle "anti-socially".

salsajake

Well dealt - am thinking of getting a headcam for this reason, have reported 2 drivers in the past, but both times police have said they can't do anything without a witness. Seems camera evidence may be enough to get them to go and speak to the driver - a Muvi job is the size of a thumb and only £50, with fairly decent recording. Watched a clip on here of someone being hassled by some guys wanting the cyclists lights off him, which he used as evidence to the police and they want and cautioned the driver as a result. Still unlikely to get any kind of conviction without a witness, but often I think we just hope that someone being 'had a word with' will be a good result.

Roastie

Hmmm ... I've always thought that the helmet cam thing was a bit OTT, but perhaps I'll reconsider.

spen666

number9 wrote:

....
I can see helmet cams resulting in more warnings and seizures, especially if as in the OP the vehicle is used as a weapon, which is rather more than using a vehicle "anti-socially".

Helmet cams may indeed produce more police action. It will be interesting to see how the police/ courts react to private footage such as this.


Ironicaly police are more likely to act re anti siocial behaviour than using car as a weapon for several reasons:

1. Its easier to prove the anti social behaviour
2. there is no offence of using vehicle as a weapon, so behaviour would need to be channelled into an existing offence- eg an assault, possibly ( but a very long shot) possession of an offensive weapon

re offensive weapon.
To be off weapon, item must be :
1) made as offensive weapon - ie have no legitimate purpose - eg flick knife. Can't apply to a vehicle
2) adapted as off weapon - eg sharpening a metal comb down to a point.- putting spikeon front of vehicle? ( probably not enough to put bull bars on)
3) Intended for use as an off weapon - driving a car at someone is I would suggest intending it as an offensive weapon

I'd be suprised to see many prosecutions along these lines as it requires police/ cps etc to think outside their normal comfort zone

number9

I'm not aware of any helmet cam footage being used to prosecute drivers who threaten cyclists yet, but in Norfolk we've just had the first conviction of a chavscum for biting a WPC.

bails87

number9 wrote:

but in Norfolk we've just had the first conviction of a chavscum for biting a WPC.

Lovely. You know what needs to be done: confiscate the offensive weapon(s), and give the chav a straw instead.

Wallace1492

number9 wrote:

I'm not aware of any helmet cam footage being used to prosecute drivers who threaten cyclists yet, but in Norfolk we've just had the first conviction of a chavscum for biting a WPC.

Not heard of it either, but i have heard of drivers tempering their behaviour when they see they are being recorded. Especially those that drive for a living, so maybe having a cam, even if it not on will deter the worst of behaviour. I am going to get a cam for the new year and see what happens..... You might get to see the glories of Maryhill Road in the new year!!

spen666

number9 wrote:

I'm not aware of any helmet cam footage being used to prosecute drivers who threaten cyclists yet, but in Norfolk we've just had the first conviction of a chavscum for biting a WPC.

I presume you mean its the first conviction with helmet or similar cam footage used.

Even in Norfolk, I can't believe its the first time someone has been convicted of biting a police officer ( BTW the term WPC is I believe no longer used - its sexist apparently)

number9

Sorry, I meant the first conviction based on evidence from one of those mini cameras Johnny Law wear on their lapel, I think. And it was a head butt:

http://www.edp24.co.uk/content/edp24/ne ... 3A11%3A183

There are some hilarious Youtube clips of drivers getting out of their car to remonstrate with a cyclist. When they are evenly informed they're being filmed you see a range of emotions flitting across their face.

_jon_

salsajake wrote:

a Muvi job is the size of a thumb and only £50, with fairly decent recording.

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12666507

number9

Funny, but shocking at the same time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jclIjO_6 ... re=related