We all see it, and perhaps even be responsible

[pym]

Driving home yesterday afternoon along the Gore Hill Freeway towards the city at 80 kmph this little Mazda 2 door convertible sports car comes along driving like an absoloute f**king moron. He undertook me, using the oncoming slip road at speeds in excess of the speed limit, before moving out to the far right and trying to overtake other cars, again using the oncoming slip road (you know where you join the freeway from Royal North Shore), before realising he had run out of slip road, slammed on his brakes, pulled back into lane 2 and nearly caused a pile up.

This continued all the way to North Sydney with the guy weaving in and out of traffic....(personally I think he got lost on the GumBall 3000 race).

At times like this, I wish I was a copper as I would have pulled him over and done him for

- Driving without due care and attention

- Speeding

- Failing to indicate

- Reckless endagerment

and whatever else I could book him for so he would loose his license. Unfortunately I'm not a policeman, and there weren't any about...damn ...there is never a copper when you need / want one.

The question is, can we as the ordinary public report instances like this to the police. I'm sure we can, but what would the police do, in the abscence of corresponding witnesses etc...as it would be my word against theirs. Would reports be lodged against their driving record, so if the police received 20 complaints over a 12 month period then they would investigate further ?

What if your allegation could be substantiated through a video recording of the incident, ie a camera of sorts mounted on the dash or in front of rear view mirror. Again would the police act on this type of information, or would we just be wasting my time.

Don't worry folks, I don't want to become an enforcer of the law, but in yesterday's situation, he put my T at risk through his dangerous driving, and that is something which seriously pi**ses me off. I'm sure we have all seen a classic example of driving we would all like to report

Pym

Edited 18/05/04 03:08 AM by pym

[GDH]

Agree 100%

Have seen a loonie in a ute who was so peeved about one of those airport transfer buses (the 20 seaters with the tralier out the back) sitting underspeed in the right hand lane of the freeway, that he passed him down the centre median, spitting gravel and garbage everywhere, pulled back in front of the bus, then jammed his brakes on. Bus went basically sideways to miss him, and almost collected another car in the process. I was about 5 cars behind, and MOST unhappy about the gravel shower...I became most happy with my ABS about a second later.

Some people just shouldn't be out there...at all, let alone the roads.

GDH

[Zeke]

The last time I saw someone driving like a real maniac, there was a flash of headlights from a car coming from the opposite direction. The moron braked and went past the police laser gun under the limit. Bugger! that was one time I really wanted to see someone nabbed - for anything!

[ktford]

An idiot's an idiot, I wouldn't get involved with someone who's mental state is questionable, no telling what they'll do, like a cornered animal. The law will catch them eventually

Scotty CCC

[pym]

The law will catch them eventually

Scotty CCC

The law will, but can we do anything to speed up the process :lol:, like dobbing them in...afterall the tax office has a scheme....why can't the police....dob in a motorist week

[OwnaXR6T]

It seems to me that u kept with him for awhile, goes to show that all his weaving in and out of traffic didnt even save him much time.

[Velvet Glove]

You can complain to the coppers but unless you have something other than just your word (I.e. witnesses or even the video evidence) then there's nothing that can be done if he denies the offence. You say one thing, he says another and never the twain shall meet if you know what I mean. Having said all that I have booked road ragers and they paid the fines so I guess that was just lucky.

To go to Court with something we need to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. One person's word against another, without something independent of their opinions, isnt enough for that.

Sometimes the best thing to do is slow down, pull back, and let them kill themselves. If it is really bad I would report it to a Police station, but you may end up disappointed. Give it a shot though (I can feel the daggers from my Police brethren in the front office right now!!)

[pym]

Thanks VG for the advice...I thought that might be the case...perhaps you can put a recommendation to your superiors..."Dob in a motorist"....all you need is provide a 1902 number, and the increased revenue will help pay for more coppers, and as a side benefit might even improve driving standards through risk of being dobbed in.

Perhaps it might be time to install a video camera...Even if the police don't take an interest, I could always sell the footage to Channel 9 and make a small fortune....Don't worry T owners, I will edit any footage as appropriate :lol:

[ktford]

Dob in a motorist"....all you need is provide a 1902 number, and the increased revenue will help pay for more coppers

Don't do that I'll have to go back to knocking off number plates

Scotty CCC

[Dr Z]

There was an occasion when a driver in a 4WD was weaving in and out of traffic and doing takeover manoeuvers on the wrong side of the road over double lines with oncoming traffic having to shift to the side of the road to make way. Other drivers, including me, nearly collided on a number of occasions in an attempt to avoid the 4WD's antics. I thought enough was enough so I used my car phone to contact directory assist for the nearest police station that was in the direction we were travelling, so not the current nearest police station but the next one up as we were moving in traffic.

I reported the incident to the local police officer quoting the vehicle make and licence plate stating that the vehicle was driving so recklessly it may be possible that it was a stolen vehicle. The police officer took down my contact details and checked that they had an available police vehicle in the vicinity so I was asked what the nearest major cross-street we would be approaching. Not long after I gave the next nearest cross street, I was approaching it thinking to myself "was that the right thing to do?". No sooner had this thought entered my head that in the distance of this 3 lane road I see another vehicle tailing this 4WD. Approaching further through the traffic the 4WD is parked on the side of the road and right behind it is the tailing vehicle...you guessed it, an undercover police car!

Shortly after I receive a phone call from the local police officer who thanked me for identifying the vehicle and stated that I would not have to be involved any further as the chasing police officers collected enough traffic infiringement evidence on their own in tailing the offending vehicle. He finished by saying he wished more people would report such incidents in progress because it would have been difficult to do anything about it with just my testimony.

Of course, not all stories end like this, but the point here is that if you wish to pursue a greater good of preventing community harm and injury by helping to take idiots off our roads, it may be possible for traffic offenders to be apprehended. I suspect I was just lucky in that not all police would be as helpful or be just in the right place at the right time to have an opportunity to immediately respond, though if you do not ask, you do not receive.

Safe and happy driving...Dr Z.