A bit of a long winge I'm afraid.
Last night I walked from Dunstable to Luton, and as I was walking along the road, in a residential area with shops and parked cars, I heard a fast car. Looked left and saw a sports car hurtling down the road. To my right a young Asian woman was crossing the street. He slowed in time, but I remember feeling surprisingly frightened and uncomfortable at what I had witnessed. Anyway, the car turned right, and then reappeared at a junction and stopped. So I crossed over the road, and had a work with the driver. He was a young lad, about 20-ish, in a new looking Nissan 350Z. Nice car! I told him that I thought his driving was dangerous. He said his foot slipped. I told him that if he couldn't control the car he shouldn't be in it. I told him it was a public road, and that racing should be on a race track. He was saying sorry all the while. But it was obvious he was showing off to his mates and probably would son forget the minor embarrassment of being 'told off'. I reckon he is too young and foolish to be in such a car. Lord knows how such a young lad comes to be in such a car. I reckon his dad must be rich.
Anyway, I got his registration. Would others here have done anything? Would you report him? An IAM observer told me he would report dangerous driving to the DVLA or the police. To be honest I can't see the point. The police here are over stretched, and probably do not want to hear from a 'busy body' with no other witnesses.
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sad thing is Leif, although what you did is to be commended and in theory we all ought to do it.....the trouble is you're just as likely to receive a mouthful of abuse...or worse, have someone get out and kick the living daylights out of you
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It could be one of those situations where a high performance car is hired out, then 'sub-let' to mates for a fee, thus recouping the several thousand pounds outlay. Downside is hooligan driving, no insurance, high risk of accident to 3rd parties. Its the police job to sort out their priorities: no nned to second- guess that, but if they're not made aware they can't act.....
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Do report dangerous driving, even if there is no independent witness and you doubt that the police will respond. They may not be able to do anything in direct response, but what if it triggers "that's the third report we've had about that one . . . tell the traffic boys to keep a look-out" response, then some good has been done.
I reported lunatic driving a some months ago and received a letter signed by two sergeants explaining that a witness was needed but also assuring me that the information would not be ignored. So few people bother to take the trouble to report that it's bound to make some sort of impact.
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Thanks for the responses. Abuse does not bother me - too commonplace round here and I'm getting used to it - and I could outrun most potential attackers.
I rang the police, and they told me that they cannot (obviously) take action on the basis of one report, but they will enter the details into a database, and if he is in future stopped by the police, they will see the report, and it will help build a picture of the person. I guess if they get a series of reports, and a traffic offence, they might just visit and have a little word.
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please report it, the police want you to.
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Bit of a generalisation, not all of us young guys are not responsible enough to drive powerful cars.
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Bit of a generalisation, not all of us young guys are not responsible enough to drive powerful cars.
Who made a generalisation? He was young and he was foolish. He can't have been driving for more than a year or two, so lacked experience, and his attitude was totally wrong. FWIW the IAM observer who gave me advanced driving lessons passed his IAM test not long after passing his ordinary driving test.
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www.thisisworcester.co.uk/display.var.1282173.0.mi...p
this is what happens when young lads show off - lucky lucky escape
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Drive Your Way - If anything can, TerraCan
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I'm middleaged and been knwon to be foolish ;-)
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Is the A449 the road going up to the Motorway ?
If so that is a very fast Dual Carriageway
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He was young and he was foolish.He can't have been driving for more than a year or two, so lacked experience, and his attitude was totally wrong.
At least he said sorry to you!! so his attitude cant be all that bad?, where I live you probably would of got a kicking for going to "have a word", knife getting pulled on you possibly a gun (and that you can't outrun!), im pretty certain you wouldn't of got an apology thats for sure!. I really do admire you for actually doing something about it, I'd probably do the same, but in some cases you have to think to yourself if it's really worth the hassle of saying anything to them? It can lead to a whole lot a trouble for yourself. In this day and age leave it in plods hands and hope they actually do something or do actaully make a note of it.
Lee
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At least he said sorry to you!! so his attitude cant be all that bad?, where I live you probably would of got a kicking for going to "have a word", knife getting pulled on you possibly a gun (and that you can't outrun!),
I live in an Asian area (largely Pakistani), and to be honest I would rather live near poor Asians than poor whites. There's no violence, no abuse, no mugging. (It's odd that some people avoid living near Asians. Cheap property and safe.) I do agree that in some poor white areas it would be madness to take issue with someone. Then again, do we give in to fear? A polite word with someone being a bit daft might do some good, and can't really do any harm.
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I live in an Asian area (largely Pakistani), and to be honest I would rather live near poor Asians than poor whites. There's no violence, no abuse, no mugging. (It's odd that some people avoid living near Asians. Cheap property and safe.) I do agree that in some poor white areas it would be madness to take issue with someone. Then again, do we give in to fear? A polite word with someone being a bit daft might do some good, and can't really do any harm.
I live in an area called Crumpsall / Cheetham Hill in Manchester and it has a large Pakistani community I have lived here most of my life (28 years), my best friend is actually Pakistani and we have grown up together. I really don't think race has anything to do with, if somebody would have a go at you or not?? Round my area, Pakistani, White or Black would probably have a go at you if you decided to have "a word" with them over anything. Unfortunatley where I live there is crime, abuse and things can be violent over the smallest of things (usally from the younger scallys). My point was, maybe it's not worth risking yourself over somebody speeding down a road?? Fair play to you for not giving into fear, but race is NOT an issue here.
Lee
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Hi there, See my previous post on death by dangerous driving. I feel that the police do not really want to know until it is to late, very sad situation. Crazy u.k. !!! Cheers. Graham.
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Hi there, See my previous post on death by dangerous driving. I feel that the police do not really want to know until it is to late, very sad situation. Crazy u.k. !!! Cheers. Graham.
In my case I can understand their response. There is no point going round to the young lad's house and asking "Now then, now then, were you on the night of the 23rd of March driving dangerously Sir" because he will say no, and that's that. Maybe if I had found a second witness, then it might have been enough to justify 'a visit'. In your case, well it is more complex. It might be that they regularly get such reports and 99% are a waste of time, so they have decided only to act when there is a strong suspicion e.g. a garage attendant keeled over from the alcohol in a customer's breath, and the customer then wobbled out of the garage shop and drove off. After all, if the coppers spend all of their time chasing up potentially spurious reports, then they cannot take care of more urgent matters, and we complain. It's a bit of a catch 22.
As one ex-copper said to me, if you want better policing, you'd better be prepared to pay more tax. (I guess there is the issue of whether or not there is too much paperwork, and too many government directed targets, but I'm not qualified to comment on that.)
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A small point perhaps, but I don't think the type of car makes a huge difference - he'd probably still drive like an idiot (and maybe still at 50mph if not 60mph) in a 1 litre Fiesta.
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Should have reminded him what happened to "Prince" Naseem Hamed.
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What could you possibly have reported to the Police? Your guesstimation of the drivers speed, your dislike for his style of driving or jealousy of the car he had? He slowed for a pedestrian who went on to the road despite a car heading their way and then politely put up with your views on his presence on the road. Any report filed straight in the bin.
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Little bit harsh.....
It's pretty easy to tell someone is going above 30.... and maybe the pedestrian didn't expect someone to be hurtling that quickly?
"Put up with".... ah of course!!! No-one is allowed to disapprove of anyone's bad behaviour these days are they?
Cos we all "know our rights innit....".
I weep, I really do.
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PS I believe Max Power have a discussion forum. Maybe you should go on there and bemoan how oldies are, like, totally out of order not wanting yoof to drive round like prats?
Respeck.
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What could you possibly have reported to the Police? Your guesstimation of the drivers speed, your dislike for his style of driving or jealousy of the car he had?
That was a pretty crass posting and loaded with assumptions.
We all know full well when a car is going well over the speed limit. On seeing the car I exclaimed out loud "Jesus Christ", or rather a version of that as I could not believe what I was seeing. It was blatant disregard for the safety of other people. The pedestrian was halfway across before the car appeared. The sight of the car going at such speed frightened me. And no I do not frighten easily. I am often described as placid or calm.
And regarding being jealous, I could right now pay cash for a brand new Nissan 350Z if I so wanted. (Not an idle boast.) If others want to spend money on a nice motor, good for them. I loathe the politics of envy. So please don't make that kind of crass accusation. But if they do have a powerful car, they should drive it with due respect for the safety of other road users. I am sure you agree with that.
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It's pretty easy to tell someone is going above 30....
Stevied, yes I guess you are right but I remember someone around me have waving their hands at me to slow down when I was doing under 30. I had been too lazy to change gear and therefore the revs were higher than normal. I think that the lady in question decided I was speeding due to the sound of my engine
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Yes, fair point... I am not saying people are always right, but I bet your immediate reaction wasn't one of "how dare she say that" more likely slight exasperation!
That's what separates the wheat from the chav...
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What could you possibly have reported to the Police? Your guesstimation of the drivers speed, your dislike for his style of driving or jealousy of the car he had? He slowed for a pedestrian who went on to the road despite a car heading their way and then politely put up with your views on his presence on the road. Any report filed straight in the bin.
I tried once this year to report some dangerous driving. The West Midlands Police reaction was that they were not interested unless there had actually been an accident.
I don't like your characterisation of Leif's account, but I think that no matter how solid his report was, there's a fair risk that it'd end up in the bin :(
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There is simply little you can do in these situations. Only last week I was at a shopping centre unloading UncleR Junior when a battered old Escort (with no rear bumper) complete with drainpipe exhaust came flying round the corner. The driver then drove up every aisle handbrake turning and then hurtling up the next one until finally parking (illegally). It was tempting to explain that there are people with buggies etc. around (I got out of the way sharpish) but I would have needed to be prepared to put my fists where my mouth was to 2 chavs in their early twenties. Something I wasn't prepared to do because I just can't imagine them thanking me for the advice and adjusting their driving in the future (that and my other half would probably have gone mad if I'd got in a ruck...)
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I'd have reported it, ideally with witnesses. RTA applies on supermarket carparks: probably under CCTV watch too. Something similar happened on doctors surgety approach. Had the verbals, including "I've paid me road tax" , but the local police promised to have a word with the driver later, after I complained. Silence is assent to this stupid behaviour.
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NowWheels, I had some success late last year with a local numpty and his ridiculous 106 (if I knew how to link article I would tell you! Will try and work it out). Our local policeman was very helpful and sympathetic.... they have had numerous complaints about people on the same stretch of road/local car parks.
To be fair, much as it pains me to say it, the noise doesn't bother me that much, it's the driving style.... there is a young bloke near me who has a Sierra Cosworth that's modded, and I am sure he rags it on the open road, but he is the most considerate driver in town, even if he has a rather noisy exhaust! HE and his brother have spent a lot of time and money on this car, not my cup of Darjeeling... but for once I will say "each to their own". : )
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