Yes, it is sometimes worth reporting it

Yes, it is sometimes worth reporting it

Author
Discussion

Pro Bono

Original Poster:

632 posts

84 months

Tuesday 28th May
quotequote all
I thought it might be encouraging to hear that sometimes reporting things to the police does get a result.

I was driving home last night, when I came up behind a car that was being driven, to put it mildly, rather erratically. As I approached him he braked for no apparent reason and almost came to a stop in the middle of the road. I flashed him, and he drove off, but he was weaving across the road – on a couple of occasions he was driving on the wrong side of the road, and actually clipped the kerb on the opposite side of the road, before weaving back to the correct side.

I phoned 999, and was put through to the local police. I then gave them a running commentary for the next 15 minutes or so, as the guy was heading in the same direction as me.

At one point he pulled over and stopped, so I went past him. I arrived at a red light 100 yards later and looked in my mirror to see that he was back on the road, and approaching me. I was actually rather apprehensive, as he didn’t seem to be slowing down, and I was mentally bracing myself for the hit. However, at the last minute he swerved to the right and overtook both myself and the car in front of me, sailing merrily through the red light.

The car in front of me turned left, so I was again following the miscreant. He again mounted the pavement a couple of times, and then jumped another red light.

All the time I was describing his driving to the police, and they said they had alerted patrols. However, he then started driving much more quickly, well over the speed limit, so I soon lost sight of him.

I was a bit miffed that I hadn’t actually seen any police cars, and that he would probably have got away with it.

However, about half an hour later I received a call from a mobile number I didn’t recognise. it was by now well past midnight, so I was a bit dubious about answering it. I did so tentatively, and it was a local PC, who said they had just arrested him, and that when breathalysed he gave a reading that was more than three times the legal limit.

He thanked me for my assistance, and I went to bed a happy man! smile

Russ35

2,559 posts

246 months

Tuesday 28th May
quotequote all
My brother has done the same on quite a few occasions over the years, and 3 times in a short period of time of about 1 month.

First 2 had both been passengers in his taxi, First 1 he saw a car approaching from behind not going in a very straight line and then pulled up beside him , looking across saw that it was the woman he had just dropped off. The police caught her still driving.

The 2nd one got almost home when she asked to be taken back to the address she was picked up from, but got him to stop a short distance away and then walked in the wrong direction. So he watched what she was doing and when she opened a car assumed she was just getting something from it. As he was turning his car around he saw her car drive of. She headed back to the original destination and had got out of the car by the time the police got there. He had to go to court on that one.

The third one was an old dear driving very slowly that hit the curb multiple times. The police got to the flats where she lived just in time to see her hit a neighbours car whilst reversing into a parking space. Apparently her friend had put a lot of sherry in the trifle.

I suppose there was a 4th one but he didn't really know anything about that one until the idiot ran a red light hitting the back end of my brothers taxi with sufficient force to spin it around 360degree. Brother and passenger were very lucky not to have serious injures. The other car was a BMW hire car that had some sort of 3rd party monitoring, so they obviously had the car ringing home to report an accident and called 999.


Nibbles_bits

1,320 posts

46 months

Wednesday 29th May
quotequote all
Sometimes there just really isn't anyone to send.

hidetheelephants

27,807 posts

200 months

Wednesday 29th May
quotequote all
Well done to the OP and dibble. thumbup Drunk/drugged drivers deserve all they get.

Short Grain

3,075 posts

227 months

Wednesday 29th May
quotequote all
Reported one a few years ago, but around lunchtime as I was driving back to the office with my sandwich. White transit type van. I didn't get too close as he swerved all over the dual carriageway! Police caught him further up the road and called me to confirm he was pissed, at lunchtime! Another dangerous tt off to judge Put it on here at the time.

Yazza54

19,402 posts

188 months

Wednesday 29th May
quotequote all
Good on you

Triumph Man

8,885 posts

175 months

Wednesday 29th May
quotequote all
I reported a drug driver - he overtook me, fair enough, no issue with that, but then the stench of weed hit, plus he was driving erratically and carrying out some quite dodgy overtakes...

Mr Tidy

24,285 posts

134 months

Wednesday 29th May
quotequote all
It's good to know that sometimes it works! thumbup

rlw

3,410 posts

244 months

Friday 31st May
quotequote all
We passed a car that was all over the road on the M5 last week. Driver was clearly asleep and slumped over the steering wheel.

Called 999 and gave details and stayed just ahead of the car for quite a while until we had to turn off. I think doing this actually brought the driver around a bit as she was a bit more consistent for a while.

Anyway, couple of hours later we got a call from the police to say that they had stopped the car, and driven her into the local service area for a talking too and a kip. And the driver wanted to pass her thanks on as she felt we might have saved her life.

Robertb

2,078 posts

245 months

Friday 31st May
quotequote all
rlw said:
We passed a car that was all over the road on the M5 last week. Driver was clearly asleep and slumped over the steering wheel.

Called 999 and gave details and stayed just ahead of the car for quite a while until we had to turn off. I think doing this actually brought the driver around a bit as she was a bit more consistent for a while.

Anyway, couple of hours later we got a call from the police to say that they had stopped the car, and driven her into the local service area for a talking too and a kip. And the driver wanted to pass her thanks on as she felt we might have saved her life.
Hopefully she is facing a careless driving charge too.

Its Just Adz

14,997 posts

216 months

Friday 31st May
quotequote all
Good for you, glad you got a dangerous individual off the road.

I did similar some years ago and made a similar post on here, was called a grass and a liar.
Times have changed.

Jungleland

67 posts

10 months

Friday 31st May
quotequote all
Do people have any thoughts on what to do with those using mobiles? I do understand that using it whilst stationary in traffic is probably harmless, but it does just stink of entitlement and speaks to the persons self-absorbed nature. Taking a photo of them could lead to aggro I don’t really need, but not sure what else can be done, don’t think a general bit of intel in saying driver of 'XYZ' vrm is using a mobile would be of much use on its own. It is really starting to wind me up seeing loads of people driving by me with their heads staring down. Can't all be interested in a stain on their crotch.

Well done OP btw

Enut

827 posts

80 months

Friday 31st May
quotequote all
Well done OP, the drink driver I followed and reported sadly got away with it in court. She's probably still drink driving now.

ScoobyChris

1,806 posts

209 months

Friday 31st May
quotequote all
I’m usually fairly laid back on the road, but annoyed with myself as I didn’t jot down a reg plate. A couple of weeks back I was making progress driving home (with some nice, safe overtakes) and noticed a white van keeping pace with me, overtaking on blind bends. Entered the 30mph in the village and the van decides that the roundabout is a good place to overtake a line of traffic by going the wrong side of the keep lefts, and then overtaking the artic at the front of the queue across the roundabout, squeezing in just before the opposing traffic. All I noted was it was it had a green side bar in the reg so must be some form of hybrid/electric biggrin

Chris




The big yin

256 posts

48 months

Saturday 1st June
quotequote all
I was parking my car recently and a car was reversing out a near by space and nearly hit another car and a wall , the driver was using her phone instead of concentrating , I caught up with her and stated if you put your phone down you could concentrate on your driving.
She looked up and said my driving is fine !!I said but you are texting and not allowed to ,
She said are you police ? I said no .
She said so what has it to do with you ?
Being angry I said nothing but you nearly hit that car and wall as you are not driving properly
So she laughed and carried on texting while driving and didn't care .

I think the law should be changed to minimum of £400 fine and points for first offence of using the phone and a six months ban for subsequent offences , it will be the only way to stop it.

siremoon

242 posts

106 months

Sunday 2nd June
quotequote all
The big yin said:
I was parking my car recently and a car was reversing out a near by space and nearly hit another car and a wall , the driver was using her phone instead of concentrating , I caught up with her and stated if you put your phone down you could concentrate on your driving.
She looked up and said my driving is fine !!I said but you are texting and not allowed to ,
She said are you police ? I said no .
She said so what has it to do with you ?
Being angry I said nothing but you nearly hit that car and wall as you are not driving properly
So she laughed and carried on texting while driving and didn't care .

I think the law should be changed to minimum of £400 fine and points for first offence of using the phone and a six months ban for subsequent offences , it will be the only way to stop it.
I think it should be £1000 and points. Make the financial part really sting if you get caught.