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Do I just suck it up as I have no evidence/camera ☹️
Taking my daughter to Guides on the tandem, going about 20mph (in a 20 limit), arm out to indicate right and a knobber in a black ford (WV10 FVW) overtakes just about at my fingertips.
So a close pass and breaking the speed limit!
I shouted at him (no swearing as my daughter was there!) and he then turns around and drives into the carpark and verbally abuses and threatens me.
He drove off when a couple of other parents arrived for drop off.
Checked the reg number and it's SORNed with no MOT.
Will the police be at all bothered if I report it? Or do I just chalk it up to experience.
Sad to say, but I really should get a camera ☹️
Report. What have you got to lose?
As above, no harm in reporting it. Just do it
Police, especially if you got a good view of the plates. It’s possible there’s already a marker against it.
Report - even if the incident is recorded with no further action it's still on record for when they do it (or worse) again.
Report.
If (for example) it's already been reported recently for those issues and the Police have a witness it was in use again it might lead them to finish the job from last time.
Well your daughter is a valid witness so if she will give a statement to the police and you are willing to risk the possibility that he denies it, goes to court, cross examined your daughter himself (although she will be entitled to vulnerable witness protections he is still entitled to challenge her account). Would I put my daughter though that? For a driving offence - probably not, for threatening me in front of my daughter probably (the choice of language, and credibility of the threat would be factors).
Now the police should take a threat in these circumstances seriously. The effort they put in appears to vary between areas and individual cops.
Cheers all, I'll do an online report on the Devon and Cornwall Police site. Assume nothing will happen, but you never know 😁
I doubt anything'll happen about the punishment pass but they don't like driving without MOT or tax (and presumably also insurance) and it's generally a fairly simple prosecution to make too. Get on it.
Just to add, the on-line reports do work. I had a fairly prompt follow up and a police visit at work when four lads tried to mug me on a shared path (I was on the bike), despite me having no other details (the police knew who the lads were likely to be). Nothing further, but if they get caught, I may be asked as a witness concerning similar incidents.
He's been driving a SORN'ed as well as un-insured car, and, making threats to yourself and child. The police will take a statement, and add that you felt 'in danger' and 'distressed' - they know how reports have to be worded !
To be honest I just move on and ignore that kind of behaviour. If it's a company vehicle I email the company and politely point out their drivers behaviour. This normally gets a helpful response, but have no idea if it makes any difference.
I have thought about cameras etc but it more faff before getting on your bike.
Most people are quite good but some dickheads think they have to assert their driving prowess.
I do wonder about the driving behaviour of some of the more virulent petrol heads on here?
Online reports work well. I reported some suspicious behaviour caught on my CCTV, they rang me the next day and sent a link for me to send the footage. Meantime I realised the guy on the footage was checking the house number, but they still wanted the footage in case there was more to it.
I'd phone 101 as a follow-up.
Ignoring the threatening behaviour for a second - if a car is being driven with no tax or MOT, they'll be all over it.
How are you? How's the little one? Hope you're okay,never nice being in the receiving end of that.
She's good thanks - big hug when I picked her up from Guides later (by car 😆 )
She's muddied the waters now though by insisting that I've got the reg no wrong - though the one she thinks it is is a white Fiat, and it was definitely a black car.
Anyway, I did a report and we move on. At least I'm not him, he seemed very angry and will probably give himself a heart attack soon enough!
Report that you got his number, and he waved something that looked like a gun at you and your young daughter.
His house 2 hours later ...
Anyway, I did a report and we move on. At least I'm not him, he seemed very angry and will probably give himself a heart attack soon enough!
Yeah, or do it to the wrong person and suddenly regret the lack of self-control. It's only ever happened to me once, I like to think the chap didn't do it again.
I had the high-ground. 😉
If drivers can cut around with no tax and MOT, be they a bell end or not, there's insufficient ANPR cars out there. Good idea to report though because it may help increase the severity of the charges IF caught.
...they don't like driving without MOT or tax
But this unfortunately probably means they can't track the car or owner down.
I reported a van that overtook close and hooted horn two days running. Had it on cam. Van registered in Birmingham, no insurance, tax or MOT so they couldn't find the driver.
Stupid question - if it’s SORNed does it still have a registered keeper?
Mate sold on a banger a few years ago then was surprised to get a knock on the door from Merseyside Police when it was used as a getaway car.
That fiesta has some weird MOT issues, it does naff all miles but has perennially bald and perished tyres.
As above, the more serious stuff would be difficult to prove and the police might not spend much time on it, but Tax and MOT are probably an easy win for them if they can find it on CCTV anywhere. And with such low milage it's unlikely to be far from home.
Stupid question - if it’s SORNed does it still have a registered keeper?
Yea still has a keeper either way SORN.
As above, the more serious stuff would be difficult to prove and the police might not spend much time on it, but Tax and MOT are probably an easy win for them if they can find it on CCTV anywhere.
tax is not usually a high priority for them - dvla’s job to chase that. No MOT is more interesting, but I doubt they will go hunting down someone driving a no mot vehicle based on a witness account especially if the two witnesses have different recollections of number plate. BUT public order offences, especially offences in front of children - that should get their attention.
the “overtaking” offence probably comes down to he said she said about who indicated first etc. arms length is too close but I suspect would just get a “please try harder” letter. I think it’s wrong to call it a punishment pass too - unless there was some sort of interaction before this that we’ve not been told about.
Report it. Don’t expect the plates to be related to that car.
I think it’s wrong to call it a punishment pass too - unless there was some sort of interaction before this that we’ve not been told about.
Maybe not a punishment pass then, more of "I hate cyclists" pass.
Anyway, quick update...
I just spoke to a nice PC, they are looking into whether the car is being driven with no MOT or tax - guessing it's been flagged for ANPR cameras, etc.
Unfortunately as there's no CCTV and no other witnesses apart from my daughter of the actual incident, they'll just link the report to the reg, and if anything else comes up against it it can get used as supporting evidence. But for now, case closed.
Police suggested (like posters above) getting a camera.
on what basis did he not consider your daughter or you a credible witness? Or did you not want to put your daughter through court?I think it’s wrong to call it a punishment pass too - unless there was some sort of interaction before this that we’ve not been told about.
Maybe not a punishment pass then, more of "I hate cyclists" pass.
Anyway, quick update...
I just spoke to a nice PC, they are looking into whether the car is being driven with no MOT or tax - guessing it's been flagged for ANPR cameras, etc.
Unfortunately as there's no CCTV and no other witnesses apart from my daughter of the actual incident, they'll just link the report to the reg, and if anything else comes up against it it can get used as supporting evidence. But for now, case closed.
Police suggested (like posters above) getting a camera.
there is nothing more than eye witness testimony required to secure a conviction for the public order offence, which is far more serious than any tax/mot issue.
on what basis did he not consider your daughter or you a credible witness?
Well one of them isn’t too credible!
She's muddied the waters now though by insisting that I've got the reg no wrong - though the one she thinks it is is a white Fiat, and it was definitely a black car.
on what basis did he not consider your daughter or you a credible witness? Or did you not want to put your daughter through court?
There's an implicit assumption that the evidence was sufficient to meet the CPS charging standard.
OP, you can make separate online reports for the document offences. Have a look at gov.uk
That's the one. Struggling to copy and paste ATM
on what basis did he not consider your daughter or you a credible witness? Or did you not want to put your daughter through court?
there is nothing more than eye witness testimony required to secure a conviction for the public order offence, which is far more serious than any tax/mot issue.
It was implied that as there was no CCTV or other witnesses that it would come down to one person's account versus another's, and of course they'd lie!
I'll be keeping an eye out for the car (if it's local) and if I see it being driven I'll report again (assuming he's not taxed or MOTed it by then).
I use a cheap chilli tech camera, does the job and prevents me feeling like I need to react which is helpful, although daughter in tandem so don't blame you at all.
It was implied that as there was no CCTV or other witnesses that it would come down to one person's account versus another's, and of course they'd lie!
They seem to have forgotten that you have two witnesses (you + daughter). The "correct" approach (probably even with one witness) is for them to contact the driver... they may have found that they incriminate themselves (the type of driver who turns around to confront you isn't always very good at playing the "I've no idea what they are talking about" line - they want to tell everyone how stupid the cyclist was). The decision not to pursue a prosecution comes after the investigation and reviewing all the available evidence - not midway through! If someone you could identify randomly appeared at your front door and started threatening you they would pursue it without CCTV, for some reason if they are in a motor vehicle they think they need more proof!
However, if you didn't want to subject your daughter to being a witness I'd completely understand that. Its quite possible the driver would represent themselves in court and therefore be cross examining her which is probably not pleasant for anyone, least of all a teenager.