Reporting bad driving - possible?

Honest John Back Room » Legal matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Tue 30 Sep 2008 21:42
Reporting bad driving - possible? - daveyjp
One for our resident BiB probably.

Is there a system for reporting a case of really bad driving through the local police force?

We all see bad driving on a daily basis. Normally I just get on with it, but when a car mounts the pavement to undertake vehicles and thus avoid waiting in a queue (this was the last of three dangerous events over half a mile) even this riles me.

If it is reported what happens?

I was behind a business colleague and he is also a witness. The event was in West Yorkshire.

Edited by daveyjp on 30/09/2008 at 21:43

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Sep 2008 21:52
Reporting bad driving - possible? - NorfolkDriver
Where's the evidence?

My ex wife thought it would be really funny to try to get me for harassment and informed the police I had been following her for ex amount of miles on such and such date.

Mr Plod comes to my house to give me a caution, I let him have his say and questioned the date/time of said incident. Remember, accepting a caution is admitting guilt.

Well, it backfired bigtime as the date she had given I proved I had been in Southend and Colchester for the day, and also that I hadnt left Colchester until 2 hours after I was alleged to have been in Norwich.

So yes, they may act on it, but it may not turn out how you would like it too.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Sep 2008 22:04
Reporting bad driving - possible? - jimbano

My ex wife thought it would be really funny to try to get me for
harassment and informed the police I had been following her for ex amount of miles

on such and such date.


WOMEN.. Don't you just love them!!!!

My friend had a similar scenario here, but it took a while for her lies to be exposed and then she was forced to pay him damages.

In response to the OP, i witnessed unbelievable driving last week.. and it was'nt until we had to stop at traffic lights, that the passenger got out, jumped into the back and then tried to calm down a small child.. i would say no older than 18mths if that.
My wife took the reg number, but we decided against calling the rozzers as we did'nt think that they would actually do anything. Don't know if we did the right thing or not??

What could the police do if they went to the guys address? Not too much i would expect if they were only there because a member of the public called them.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Sep 2008 22:06
Reporting bad driving - possible? - CGNorwich
Really bad driving

I know how you feel. Passed by three bikers doing wheelies doing approx 80mph in the offside lane of M11 south of Stansted at about 5.00 pm on Sunday. Used to stupidity on roads but this took it to a new level,
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Sep 2008 22:14
Reporting bad driving - possible? - woodster
You can report bad driving. You will have to state that you wish to make a formal complaint and ask for the name of the 'officer in the case'. Counter staff may try to fob you off in some instances and you have to be realistic about the prospect of positive action. This depends on the available evidence. You cannot expect an officer to visit and advise someone based on the word of one person. How would you like it? Officers are not there to judge events they did not witness and are not able to simply accept your word. Evidence gathering is their task. If other competent witnesses are available, and everyone will give written statements, then a case can start to be assembled. However, officers have priorities and again you must be realistic. If the driving is poor, it may not warrant an investigation. Think public expenditure and likely outcomes and you'll come to the right conclusion yourself. If it's seriously bad driving though, with proper evidence, the CPS may prosecute. Please remember, the Police do not decide on prosecutions, the CPS do. For those that criticise, sometimes that criticism is not levelled at the right authority....
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Sep 2008 22:18
Reporting bad driving - possible? - Hamsafar
They may do something but the only evidence will be your statement, and at best, they will simply be hoping that the accused drop themselves in it. Alternatively, they may already know the accused, and be glad to use your statement as 'reasonable grounds' to feel their collar.

The only problem, is that your identity will almost certainly be disclosed to the accused. e.g.
"I have in front of me a statement made by Fred Bloggs at 13:06 on September 30th 2009, I will now read the statement to you....."

(the statement will have your address on it and can be seen upside down by the accused)

Edited by Hamsafar on 30/09/2008 at 22:21

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Sep 2008 22:23
Reporting bad driving - possible? - Harleyman
Stupid, yes, and I don't condone it; but given the environment, ie nothing coming the other way and (I assume) nothing in front of them, relatively safe.

Very bad for the image of biking though, .
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Sep 2008 22:33
Reporting bad driving - possible? - Pugugly
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/7643925.stm

By sheer chance.....
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Sep 2008 23:13
Reporting bad driving - possible? - Fullchat
Now here are some proper wheelies!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud_gXPCMUDw
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Sep 2008 23:32
Reporting bad driving - possible? - BobbyG
Can just imagine his next insurance - have you got any points on your licence sir?

Yes, just the 39!!!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Sep 2008 23:35
Reporting bad driving - possible? - BobbyG
I have mentioned this before - about 4 years ago, travelling into Edinburgh on M8 in rush hour traffic. Was undertook by an Impreza which then proceeded to cut in and out of each lane, used the hard shoulder at one point as well as a slip road.

I phoned 999 as I was genuinely concerned he would cause a crash. By the time I got to the Gogar roundabout he had been pulled over by the traffic police.

Now whether they had also witnessed his bad driving, or were just using my phone call as an excuse to pull him, warn him and just delay him a bit I don't know.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Sep 2008 23:46
Reporting bad driving - possible? - Fullchat
Woodster has it right I am afraid.

Recently a van driver in our area on several occasions over a lengthy mileage drove like a right 'pink fluffy dice' causing oncoming cars to take to the verge etc. He did it so regularly that there were regular complaints including eventually an off duty bobby. With all the other complaints a 'number' was done on him and he received a conviction.

Ha ha I've found the link it was discussed on here at the time. There is some video footage.

www.honestjohn.co.uk/redirect.php?http://tinyurl.c...x
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Oct 2008 13:39
Reporting bad driving - possible? - martint123
With more pics and a plod interview news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7645153.stm
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Oct 2008 12:29
Reporting bad driving - possible? - CGNorwich
(I assume) nothing in front of them, relatively safe.

There were indeed cars in front of them and behind them so suicidally dangerous I'd say. Definitely not doing much for the image of biking, although I try not to tar all with the same brush
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Oct 2008 14:22
Reporting bad driving - possible? - Leif
Definitely not doing much for the image of biking although I try not to
tar all with the same brush



Seeing a biker do a wheelie is common place. I had a group (4-5) undertake and overtake me when exiting a roundabout which unsettled me greatly so I gave a short toot on the car horn. So they zoomed off, turned round at the next roundabout, and did high speed wheelies as they passed. I presume the main danger is to their own lives, rather than others. At least they usually wear leathers so the body is ready packed come time to sweep it up off the road.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 30 Sep 2008 23:53
Reporting bad driving - possible? - Leif
I have twice reported bad driving. On one occasion the driver repeatedly tried to overtake on a blind bend, just missing a head on. Then he crossed a dual carrigeway and drove down the wrong way, before going round a roundabout the wrong way. I took the plate, rang the local police and was told that a crash had been reported involving a car with a similar description. On the other occasion I saw a young lad in a Nissan 350Z doing an absurd speed down a residential street with shops on one side. It was frightening so I reported it. I was told that they could not act on one report, but it would be recorded, and might influence future action. I think if there are 2 independent witnesses, they might be able to act. On that last occasion I managed to speak to the driver and explain why I thought his driving was unwise.

I agree with the police approach as I would not like a visit from the plod on the basis of an account from someone who might hold a grudge.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Oct 2008 00:21
Reporting bad driving - possible? - Bilboman
I would have thought that with the proliferation of CCTV cameras in the UK, a conviction for pretty much anything is possible these days. I mean, not just "possible" but more or less automatic!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Oct 2008 00:41
Reporting bad driving - possible? - jimbano
Hi,

Just remembered a story my brother told me a few years back.. On whatever motorway he was driving on at the time, this car with two young men in it cut him up and driving badly. He took the reg number and reported it. A few days later the police contacted my brother and told him that the car actually belonged to Manchester United and that Mr Ferguson(manager) had been alerted to the report and that he would deal with the matter internally.

I assume that Alex Ferguson gave whoever was driving a Manchester United Car, the famous "hairdryer" treatment.

My brother was satisfied with the outcome on this occasion
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Oct 2008 00:48
Reporting bad driving - possible? - Lud
I saw an obviously respectable lady driving a G-Whiz being pulled by marked plod (blues only though, nothing yobbish) at the top of my road this evening. Deeply curious, I very nearly followed them across into Chamberlayne Rd to dawdle past and try to make out what the big beef was, but I was running late so didn't.

I do so hope it was speeding.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Oct 2008 06:23
Reporting bad driving - possible? - L'escargot
Just make sure that the driver hadn't been trained at the Kray Twins School of Thuggery!

Edited by L'escargot on 01/10/2008 at 06:23

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Oct 2008 10:19
Reporting bad driving - possible? - Roger Jones
I reported an appalling driver on the A34 a couple of years ago and was surprised to receive a letter signed by two officers, but of course I had no independent witness and they could not pursue the matter further.

These are "get it off your chest" sites, not reporting channels to the authorities:

www.ratethatdriver.co.uk/

www.myroadrage.co.uk/index.php

www.baddriving.com/

You can of course search for your own numberplate there . . .
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Oct 2008 12:10
Reporting bad driving - possible? - Tron
When you feed information in to (any of) the authorities, they treat it as intelligence gathering.

The vehicle(s) concerned then become 'marked'.







Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Oct 2008 17:59
Reporting bad driving - possible? - woodster
When you feed information in to (any of) the authorities they treat it as intelligence
gathering.
The vehicle(s) concerned then become 'marked'.



Tron, your basis for this????
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Oct 2008 15:19
Reporting bad driving - possible? - L'escargot
These are "get it off your chest" sites
www.ratethatdriver.co.uk/


I think I'll report my own car and give a glowing testimonial of my good driving ;-)

Edited by L'escargot on 01/10/2008 at 15:20

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Oct 2008 14:19
Reporting bad driving - possible? - chriswales7
A couple of years ago I reported an incident on the A47 near Swaffham. A car pulled out of a road on my right hand side forcing me into an emergency stop from 60mph. Came within inches of hitting the car, pulled up behind the car at a round about a couple of miles latter. A few years ago I would have had ?a go? at the driver, put I took the car reg and phoned the police when I got home.

The phone operator took all the details then said because there was no independent witnesses it would be my word against theirs and no action would be taken. Told the operator that if my car didn?t have ABS there could have be a nasty accident but their weren?t interested.

I wasn?t excepting the driver to be charged but having someone from the police visiting them for a chat would have been useful.

Unless you have evidence then most police forces will not take any interest, so now I just ignore the bad driving of others and hope that I am not involved in their accidents.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Oct 2008 18:03
Reporting bad driving - possible? - woodster
Chris, if you read my earlier response you may see that a 'visit and chat' from plod is not a practical option. If those officers are confronted with outright denials about the alleged poor driving, what can they say?? If they have EVIDENCE which can be presented to a court, then they have a prospect of taking action. Your evidence would need corroboration, and thus a court may be able to convict. These protections are there for you, me and the errant driver. He/she can rightly expect and request a full hearing before the appropriate authority ( The court, not the coppers) NOT a flea in their ear that they may well dispute.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 1 Oct 2008 22:35
Reporting bad driving - possible? - Leif
I've just remembered that a copper once told me that he reported dangerous driving seen when off duty. A copper was sent to speak to the person concerned, and the dim wit incriminated himself, and hence was charged. So there is some merit to a visit from plod. But I suspect this is too low priority these days, as there are targets to meet, and, well, quite a lot to do.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 2 Oct 2008 00:36
Reporting bad driving - possible? - Westpig
But I suspect this is too low priority these days as there are targets to meet and well quite a lot to do.


depends where you are in the country as well.

If it's London, forget it...100% no chance.

There aren't enough people sometimes to do some of the really urgent stuff. The sad thing is the public sometimes think it's complacency or laziness.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 8 Aug 2012 17:29
Reporting bad driving - possible? - Sk19

Yes. To get anything done directly you have to give a proper statement at the police station, part of the reason most people don't bother. Also it can be difficult to prove who was driving and that the incident was as the witness reported it (not lying, not mistaken, understood what was going on).

There's a site www.baddrivingreport.co.uk that lets you report registrations, details, and also video and pics if you have them which they then use to identify the worst drivers and report them with the list of reports. you can also check your own reg and see what people are saying about you.

Edited by Sk19 on 08/08/2012 at 17:30

Reply | Report as offensive | Link