Close passing

secretsqizz

I had a Jaguar driver close pass me yesterday - very close pass and with acceleration - no doubt that it was intentional.
He would be a regular commuter.
Am I allowed to be beside the road side later today with camera and note book to flag him down at a set of traffic lights and invite him to the local nick for a talkng to?
If he stops of course.

asprilla

There is a website you can report him to and the police will send him a stern letter.

The Rookie

Really Asprilla? I think not! Think logically and you'll realise it would never happen, you left your wits at home today I think!

Your word against his, no action I'm afraid, and you have no power to detain him, anything you do I can only see aggravating the situation, get on with it I'm afraid.

Simon

secretsqizz

Well in that case can I eyeball him and call him a mothrfckr?

asprilla

The Beginner wrote:

Really Asprilla? I think not! Think logically and you'll realise it would never happen, you left your wits at home today I think!

Your word against his, no action I'm afraid, and you have no power to detain him, anything you do I can only see aggravating the situation, get on with it I'm afraid.

Simon

I was being mildly sarcastic, but it doesn't really translate as text.

There is a website to which you can report the driver and, apparently, the pilice do send them a letter as a result, but all it says is that they have been reported or words to that effect.

Can't remember the details of the site, although it is discussed regularly on here.

The Rookie

There are several websites to slag off other driver's, the Police however have got lots of better things to do than send out letters in responce to every whinge by a disgruntled motorists with no evidence to support it, it isn't going to happen! Supply the link witless one!

Simon

asprilla

Ask and ye shall recieve:

https://secure.met.police.uk/roadsafelondon/

It is, however, London only and I should imagine that the issuing of letters is automated.

Can't say I've used it myself, but it regulalry comes up on these boards.

The Rookie

Argh, that's the reporting side, I would imagine the info is collated and action (such as a letter) only taken when a patern emerges, which is not quite the same thing.

Simon


EDIT My apologies, you were right, eventually found the RSL homepage which their search function can't find, it says they will try and contact every driver, it would be nice to dial in a test case to see if that is really true as it seems a bizarre waste of time and money and clearly the MET's budget can be cut!

TiBoy

I had a similar experiance with a Railtrack van with 3 blokes in a couple of weeks ago, it was clearly deliberate as a mile up the road he was going round and round a roundabout, as I got close he came back up the road, slowed down and made hand gestures out of his window. I did shout back at him to advise that I had it all on camera and would be sending it to the police and Railtrack (my garmin looks a bit like a camera) he then sped off.

This is only one of a couple of instances that I have ever experianced but it does appear that some people think we are fair game to wind up.

May try the garmin/camera trick if it happens again.

spen666

The Beginner wrote:

Argh, that's the reporting side, I would imagine the info is collated and action (such as a letter) only taken when a patern emerges, which is not quite the same thing.

I fail to see what action they can take.

Where it is your word against his - unlikely to be much that can be done.

There is also the issue of the NIP - are these so called letters also NIPs? Are they issued within 14 days?


I think this is nothing more than trying t oscare motorists. All talk by the police but little to back up such a letter

asprilla

spen666 wrote:

I think this is nothing more than trying t oscare motorists. All talk by the police but little to back up such a letter

True, but this may be enough to get some drivers to consider their actions, particularly if they don't understand the legal ramifications (none) of the letter.

Take 'fines' by private parking firms, for instance. The number of people who pay these is staggering on the basis of a simple letter.

Not sure how you would measure the effects of this kind of campaign, but if it's low cost then I can't see it doing any harm.

secretsqizz

To conclude .. the pass scared the shit outta me...
tit for tat
a fist in 't mush speaks louder than a letter
Jag driver, so fat and flatulent, I stand a chance.

cyclopsbiker

I nearly got knocked off by a WVM on Holborn Circus. he scared me so much I went straight to the police station around the corner and reported him. the police man was really nice about it, advised me they can't do anything unless there was a collision etc. BUT, if anyone else reports the same driver they would investigate and if that case went to court they might contact me as a witness. they also said that they would issue his number plate out on a *insert fancy police acroynm* and if he was seen that day they would stop him and have words.

anyuser

The Beginner wrote:

Argh, that's the reporting side, I would imagine the info is collated and action (such as a letter) only taken when a patern emerges, which is not quite the same thing.

Simon


EDIT My apologies, you were right, eventually found the RSL homepage which their search function can't find, it says they will try and contact every driver, it would be nice to dial in a test case to see if that is really true as it seems a bizarre waste of time and money and clearly the MET's budget can be cut!

Can't say I am impressed by the roadsafe London site. I have made two reports in the last 12 months and never heard anything back even though I gave contact details and they say they will give you an update after 7 days.

The Rookie

I agree with you spen, although if a patten emerged they could take action, it wouldn't be easy, NIPs/S172s etc would make life very hard, but they could use previous intsnaces as sign of bad character if they could 'show' the same driver was involved (again not easy), otherwise as you say its two people with conflicting evidence so reasonable doubt is easy to achieve.

As anyuser seems to have found, it looks like the hotair excercise I kind of expected.

Simon

gaz545

The Beginner wrote:

EDIT My apologies, you were right, eventually found the RSL homepage which their search function can't find, it says they will try and contact every driver, it would be nice to dial in a test case to see if that is really true as it seems a bizarre waste of time and money and clearly the MET's budget can be cut!

I've met the officers that run the roadsafe website. A fair amount of the reports they get are from cyclists with helmet cameras, if the evidence is clear cut then they will send a letter to the the driver about their behaviour. the system is not meant for prosecution of the driver, so series incidences should still be reported the local nick.

The letters they send out follow a standard format, they state facts about road deaths and ask them to think about how they are driving, repeat offenders get a lil more.

dilemna

gaz545 wrote:

The Beginner wrote:

EDIT My apologies, you were right, eventually found the RSL homepage which their search function can't find, it says they will try and contact every driver, it would be nice to dial in a test case to see if that is really true as it seems a bizarre waste of time and money and clearly the MET's budget can be cut!

I've met the officers that run the roadsafe website. A fair amount of the reports they get are from cyclists with helmet cameras, if the evidence is clear cut then they will send a letter to the the driver about their behaviour. the system is not meant for prosecution of the driver, so series incidences should still be reported the local nick.

The letters they send out follow a standard format, they state facts about road deaths and ask them to think about how they are driving, repeat offenders get a lil more.

Does the footage feature on Poilce Camera Action?

downfader

dilemna wrote:

gaz545 wrote:

The Beginner wrote:

EDIT My apologies, you were right, eventually found the RSL homepage which their search function can't find, it says they will try and contact every driver, it would be nice to dial in a test case to see if that is really true as it seems a bizarre waste of time and money and clearly the MET's budget can be cut!

I've met the officers that run the roadsafe website. A fair amount of the reports they get are from cyclists with helmet cameras, if the evidence is clear cut then they will send a letter to the the driver about their behaviour. the system is not meant for prosecution of the driver, so series incidences should still be reported the local nick.

The letters they send out follow a standard format, they state facts about road deaths and ask them to think about how they are driving, repeat offenders get a lil more.

Does the footage feature on Poilce Camera Action?

You can submit footage, I'm told, as a private individual to programs such as this. I think they blank out plates and faces. You cant legally recieve payment for it though or else you need to inform the information comissioner and register some stuff.

spen666

Asprilla wrote:

spen666 wrote:

I think this is nothing more than trying t oscare motorists. All talk by the police but little to back up such a letter

True, but this may be enough to get some drivers to consider their actions, particularly if they don't understand the legal ramifications (none) of the letter.

I agree with you on this.

Take 'fines' by private parking firms, for instance. The number of people who pay these is staggering on the basis of a simple letter.

Not sure how you would measure the effects of this kind of campaign, but if it's low cost then I can't see it doing any harm.

The harm is that motorists simply ignore the law even more when they realise how little enforcement this is

Jay dubbleU

D lock ?
Pannier buckles down the side when he stops at the next lights ?

downfader

Jay dubbleU wrote:

D lock ?
Pannier buckles down the side when he stops at the next lights ?

Or write "peado" in the dirt on the back of his car*.

*joking, dont do it honestly

shm_uk

I don't really care how close I am passed so long as nobody knocks me off.

Maybe it's because I don't give motorists the benefit of any doubt and therefore pretty much expect them all to pass too close, so am quietly relieved when they don't rather than freaked out when they do :?

Or maybe I'm just blisfully naive. Or plain weird. Or an idiot.


However, I have never yet been deliberately targeted like some previous posters...
That's a whole different thing.

And I've never yet actually been knocked off my bike...
I imagine my attitude might change if that should ever happen.

downfader

shm_uk wrote:

I don't really care how close I am passed so long as nobody knocks me off.

Maybe it's because I don't give motorists the benefit of any doubt and therefore pretty much expect them all to pass too close, so am quietly relieved when they don't rather than freaked out when they do :?

Or maybe I'm just blisfully naive. Or plain weird. Or an idiot.


However, I have never yet been deliberately targeted like some previous posters...
That's a whole different thing.

And I've never yet actually been knocked off my bike...
I imagine my attitude might change if that should ever happen.

I think the point with close passing that drivers dont get, and some cyclists, is that there is increased risk should you tumble for other reasons.

I have read letters and reports in the local rag about drivers who got it wrong as a cyclist has slipped on deisel in the rain, or hit an unforseen pothole, patch of ice.... The results have been pretty bad for the person on the bike.