should I let this go...

[princeperch]

so the other week as I was cycling to work on a very busy road in central London I witnessed what could have been a very serious accident.

basically a car doesnt wait for a filter light, crosses over a lane with oncoming traffic and a cyclist goes into the car. cyclist was in shock but not hurt (surprisingly)

anyway the driver of the car gets out and starts shouting the odds (doesnt ask if the guy is ok or anything). long story short, the guy doesnt want to take it any further - fair enough up to him.

however I assisted the guy as a witness as I saw it all. In doing so the driver of the car then turns on me - you better get the fvck out of here of I'm going to spit in your face - that sort of stuff - disgusting. She is quite distinquishable and had a massive tounge piercing.

anyway I noticed the driver of the car had a local council Id badge on - I know the council. I also suspect the car was a works car (cant be sure). she knows I've seen the badge as she waves it around in my face telling me she doesnt give a fk that shes a civil servant etc etc

(before you ask - yes it all happened in such a rush I didnt get the number plate - what a plonker but I'm sure I got her surname which I told the council about)

so I email the council telling them about this rather sorry incident expecting them to say we'll look into it - thanks for letting us know.

all I get in response is an email saying sorry to hear of this, we cant be sure the person you describe works for us and there isnt a lot more we can do as we have quite a few people working for us with that surname - all the best.

do I now escalate in a constructive manner or do I let sleeping dogs lie given the paucity of the information I've got to go on?? For now I've gone back to them stating their response is not acceptable and they are to check their records to tell me if anyone reported an accident in a works car on that date and then cross refer the driver to the description I've provided.

(yes I'm an idiot for not getting the plate- lesson learnt)

[S10GTA]

Forget it and move on

[Vocal Minority]

Logic says move on.

However I can fully understand the urge to ensure this piece of work has whats coming

[anonymous-user]

Let it go, at some point in the future karma will catch up with her, She will do the same thing again only this time it will be with an equally arrogant and horrid person and she will very much come out of it all as the loser.

[Kell]

IMHO - you can't be outraged on someone else's behalf.

If the cyclist in question didn't (and doesn't) want to press charges, then I'm not sure what she'd be found guilty of. Having an argument with you?

I'm not saying that it's 'right' only that I'm not sure what you expect to happen given the cyclist is OK to let it go.

[princeperch]

I'm outraged on my own behalf as she was very abusive for no reason at all and then she said she was going to spit in my face (and to be honest looking at her she probs would have done)

fwiw I'm also a civil servant (probably a few rungs above her) and if one of my team spoke like that with their ID card on, with our organisations name on it - their feet wouldnt touch the ground..

[Ghisallo]

Write down everything you know and remember and report incident to police.Someone else may have already done so and your info might fill in some gaps. After that, just eave them to it. You may never hear any thing further but you'll have done all you can and can move on.

[NDT]

Ghisallo said:

Write down everything you know and remember and report incident to police.Someone else may have already done so and your info might fill in some gaps. After that, just eave them to it. You may never hear any thing further but you'll have done all you can and can move on.

+1

Evil triumphs when good men do nothing...

[WarrenG]

Kell said:

IMHO - you can't be outraged on someone else's behalf.

If the cyclist in question didn't (and doesn't) want to press charges, then I'm not sure what she'd be found guilty of. Having an argument with you?

I'm not saying that it's 'right' only that I'm not sure what you expect to happen given the cyclist is OK to let it go.

But you can see it as a beach of the peace, and threatening behaviour with intent to intimidate and cause distress.

Reasonable offences for a civil prosecution and also for a dismissal bringing the organisation into disrepute.

Keep going and get as much info pushed forward as you can.

[WinstonWolf]

princeperch said:

I'm outraged on my own behalf as she was very abusive for no reason at all and then she said she was going to spit in my face (and to be honest looking at her she probs would have done)

fwiw I'm also a civil servant (probably a few rungs above her) and if one of my team spoke like that with their ID card on, with our organisations name on it - their feet wouldnt touch the ground..

Persue it as a bit of fun then

[Daveyraveygravey]

I'd pursue it. Apart from her disgusting behaviour, there is also the bad driving that caused the cyclist to crash. I know she may never change her behaviour whatever you do, but if you let it go she might do it again.

[Digger]

How can you be so daft behaving like that wearing your work name badge?

[Gizmoish]

NDT said:

Ghisallo said:

Write down everything you know and remember and report incident to police.Someone else may have already done so and your info might fill in some gaps. After that, just eave them to it. You may never hear any thing further but you'll have done all you can and can move on.

+1

Evil triumphs when good men do nothing...

I'd also say this.

When the driver who knocked me off stopped to see if I was ok, I was amused to note he was wearing a very recognisable work ID badge... She must really hate her job.

[zcacogp]

Gizmoish said:

NDT said:

Ghisallo said:

Write down everything you know and remember and report incident to police.Someone else may have already done so and your info might fill in some gaps. After that, just eave them to it. You may never hear any thing further but you'll have done all you can and can move on.

+1

Evil triumphs when good men do nothing...

I'd also say this.

When the driver who knocked me off stopped to see if I was ok, I was amused to note he was wearing a very recognisable work ID badge... She must really hate her job.

I'll go with this as well. Pretty shameful behaviour and if you do nothing then you condone it. (Note: whatever you do, make it clear that you neither want nor expect to get anything out of it for yourself.)


Oli.

[Kell]

Some time ago a minibus driver veeered out of his lane to let a motorbike pass on his inside. Unfortunately, I was already passing him on his outside and while I avoided the side of his bus, I hit the mirror pretty hard.

At that point he got out of the bus (which had lots of passengers on it), fronted up to me and threatened to stab me for being somewhere I shouldn't have been (I wasn't).

Upon reporting the incident to the poilice, giving them the name of the bus company, they said that unless he'd actually stabbed me they weren't really that interested.

So go ahead with yours. But essentially, it's just handbags and I reckon you're on a hiding to nothing.

[Vocal Minority]

NDT said:

Ghisallo said:

Write down everything you know and remember and report incident to police.Someone else may have already done so and your info might fill in some gaps. After that, just eave them to it. You may never hear any thing further but you'll have done all you can and can move on.

+1

Evil triumphs when good men do nothing...

SLightly dramatic way of putting it in this context, but the principal is valid!

[TKF]

What has this incident got to do with the council?

[BGarside]

I'd be inclined to pursue scum like this until they get the message that their behaviour in wholly unacceptable in a supposedly civilised country.

These yobs act like tts, damage other people and then get aggressive as though it's their victim's fault. They make my blood boil.

[Vikeonabike]

From a plod point of view, yes progress, it. Even without the original victim making a complaint you still have several offences to potentially play with. Sect 5, Common Assault and a few others.
PS Helmet cam!

[gwm]

Agree that you can't be apathetic. Even if nothing happens, better than you feeling like you "should" have done something.