Should I report someone's driving?

Owen

Driving to West Cork with herself yesterday, proceeding downhill towards Innishannon, and quite suddenly, a Black 01 Citroen C5 pulled out into the road, and dawdled along at about 20kph, meaning I had to come to almost a complete stop. He continued to do this speed for about a minute, weaving left and right as if he was distracted by the car full of occupants, and eventually got up to speed, still unable to hold a straight line in traffic. Then, we witnessed a child walking between the front seats unrestrained. Through all of this, he was blisfully unaware of me being behind him.

After all of this, I'm not sure if I should report or not ... and if I do, I know I'll end up feeling guilty at the end of it all.

ifah

report it - would you not feel more guilty if you see in the news, a black citroen involved in crash and a 3 year old was catapulted through the windscreen ?

PCros

If you got the reg then YES do report the muppet. Its inacceptable that people like this are allowed on the roads. Another 8 people gone this weekend?

Report him.....

Bradidup

I would if you have the reg, more than likely he/she will do it again.

Stark

I'd report him.

ned78 wrote:

quite suddenly, a Black 01 Citroen C5 pulled out into the road, and dawdled along at about 20kph, meaning I had to come to almost a complete stop. He continued to do this speed for about a minute, weaving left and right as if he was distracted by the car full of occupants, and eventually got up to speed, still unable to hold a straight line in traffic.

"Speed kills"

Owen

Thanks guys, rang traffic watch there, and they said they might need me to give a Statement. I don't feel guilty, but I do feel like an a**hole.

mickoneill30

ned78 wrote:

Thanks guys, rang traffic watch there, and they said they might need me to give a Statement. I don't feel guilty, but I do feel like an a**hole.

If it was your kid getting a lift with someone like that would you feel like an a**hole? You were right to report him / her.

Anan1

ned78 wrote:

Thanks guys, rang traffic watch there, and they said they might need me to give a Statement. I don't feel guilty, but I do feel like an a**hole.

Not only are you doing the child a favour, but you're doing their parents a favour too. A bollocking from a Guard is nothing compared to the loss of a child.

galwaytt

absolutely you should do.

Look at this asshole: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055072650

QED, methinks..........

some years ago, on the Moycullen - Galway road, I noticed a similarly erratic driver..........when I eventually got past, after some time, I noticed the reason for it: the driver had a child standing/sitting in his lap, and steering the car - or trying to. Everytime the child got the reins, the car veered........i was flabbergasted, drove ahead to Galway pulled in, and called the Gardai.

The car drove past me, with child still in the lap, at edge of Galway city......that makes it, what.........8, 10 miles???

I dunno if anything ever happened, but he should have been strung up.......

ChewyLuey

Was thinking very same thing as OP yesterday on Ballincollig bypass. Two little muppets in bodykitted cars (something like lancers maybe, debadged) doing something I'm seeing a lot more of lately.....When the passing out lane was not moving fast enough for their liking, they just weaved in and out between the two lanes through miniscule gaps in the traffic with NO sign of any indicating. Considering they subsequently ended up on the wrong lane in the rounabout for where they were going, I'd guess they've been driving about a month!

What number do you call to report this anyway ?

Seanie M

I have done it myself before a couple of times, and have no hesitancy in doing it again if it merits a phonecall.

Rowley Birkin QC

Ive often thought of doing this but do the guards honestly follow things like this up??

testicle

Should have blown him off the road.

TheDriver

Had a guy behind me today on 30mph stretch up my arse while using aknife to cut up fruit and eat it!
One thing about reporting, is there the risk you might have to go to court to testify or am I imaging this?

overdriver

Fair play OP. You did the RIGHT thing, and you should make a statement if they ask. The driver is a danger to his own kids.

Car Mad

ChewyLuey wrote:

Was thinking very same thing as OP yesterday on Ballincollig bypass. Two little muppets in bodykitted cars (something like lancers maybe, debadged) doing something I'm seeing a lot more of lately.....When the passing out lane was not moving fast enough for their liking, they just weaved in and out between the two lanes through miniscule gaps in the traffic with NO sign of any indicating. Considering they subsequently ended up on the wrong lane in the rounabout for where they were going, I'd guess they've been driving about a month!

What number do you call to report this anyway ?

well what about the muppets hogging the overtaking lane you should get points for that:rolleyes: Hope you did report them though thats just dangerous:(

daymobrew

bigkev49 wrote:

Ive often thought of doing this but do the guards honestly follow things like this up??

In my experience it depends on the station. Fitzgibbon St (off Mountjoy Square in Dublin 1) are good, Blanchardstown are brutal.
I've made statements when I've been asked. In each case the Garda taking the statement has commended me for reporting the incident and encouraged me to continue.

TheDriver wrote:

One thing about reporting, is there the risk you might have to go to court to testify or am I imaging this?

The risk is minute. The Garda can suggest that s/he caution the driver and decide whether further action is necessary based on the driver's reaction.

you should definitely report this driver if you have the reg, unfortunately though, you may not get anywhere with it, but at least as your mind will be at ease if you hear of any accidents involving a citroen. I cannot believe that in this day and age, people still allow their kids in cars without child seats, they quite obviously don't love them at all - if you look at the drivers, they always have their own seatbelts on....

fletch

Does anybody know how long it takes before the Garda follow-up after a call to Traffic Watch. I reported someone over a month ago and have heard nothing since.

They may not follow it up at all, I had an incident where I was driving onto a roundabout, taking the second exit so I was in the left lane (as per all of the rules of the roads books) there was a guy in the right lane taking the second exit aswell (onto a single lane road) and who obviously though that I was in the wrong, he blasted me out of it, drove up my ass and flashed me for ages before overtaking me and jamming on his breaks - I rang the gardai (on my hansfree kit!) and they didn't take me seriously at all, didn't even take my phone number, I decided to go to the nearest police station and report this lunatic and the garda actually told me that I was in the WRONG lane, I argued with him in the police station until he admitted that he wasn't sure, he took my details anyway and said that he'd look into it and then left a message on my mobile to say the driver had been cautioned, I didn't believe him for a second, sure how could they caution someone with no statement or anything taken?
how are we supposed to be safe in our cars if our own law enforcers don't know the rules of the road??

yop

I did it about 1 year ago, was coming towards a roundabout in Castlebar, ur mano decided to hit the brakes on the middle of the roundabout at peak time to let the traffic coming in the Dublin road through!!! Nearly caused a pile up!!!
So I blew him out of it, he was in front of me for about 3 miles, he slowed down to about 35mph, I started to pass him on a straight and as I was passed him he floored it, then a car came onto the straight and I had to cut the front of him to get in, he flashed and blew his horn like the DI**CK that he was.
Further up the road he decided to floor it and tailgate me, when I was looking at him in my rear mirror there was a junction up front, a car was turning right, with 2 cars behind it, I nearly ran up the arse of the car at the back of the line because of looking back at this guy, I had to hit the grass to avoid the car.
Your man decided to pull up 1/2 way on our side of the road, 1/2 way on the other, this is the main Claremorris to Cbar road and this guy is 1/2 way across the other side of the road to block me in!

I then tried to pull off, but he put the foot down and would not let me off the grass and back onto the road, eventually the car behind him let me out.

I rang the cops and they wanted to bring it to court, but that would require me to also go, in the end I calmed down and decided just for them to call out to his house.

mik_da_man

IMO you should always report bad / dangerous driving.
I have done in the past and the guards were very helpful.
mainly Guards around Meath and they always followed up with a call to let me know what happened.

daymobrew

fletch wrote:

Does anybody know how long it takes before the Garda follow-up after a call to Traffic Watch. I reported someone over a month ago and have heard nothing since.

Again it depends on the station involved. I had one follow-up within 30 mins. Others are 7 months and counting. :rolleyes:
I think it is unfair on both parties (reporter and reported driver) to leave it any length of time. It is quite possible that the each side will have forgotten the incident (more so for the reported driver if they didn't see anything wrong with what they did).

If you write to the Garda Commissioner you will get follow-up (a local Superintendent will visit you - but not in a bad way).

Sully

I also report peoples dangerous driving, but rarley get any feedback from a report. Just told that they will investigate it, and caution driver (as I wouldnt be bothered taking them to court).

One incident where myself and a group of other cars were travelling on the Tramore - Waterford road. Kept tailgating me but anytime I moved into the hard shoulder she wouldnt pass me out. Only time she moved away was when an under-cover squad car overtook us all in an emergency. Eventually she overtook several cars on a straight line (due to a bend) so I reported it to Traffic Watch who put me in touch with the local station. They checked and agreed it was a female owner of the car (also the driver) and lived in the Tramore area. Tramore would be asked to caution her.

Other times was when a motorbike outside the college drove up and down repeatedly beeping horns at cars in its way. I also witnessed a dumper truck travelling at high-speed (lorry full of muck) and passing out cars in its way. Gardai acknowledged complaints about that companys driving, and messing up the road with muck.

I just think with all the bad driving on the roads these days (and I can be guilty of it myself at times) that your only going to stop when you get caught out. At least, for some.

daymobrew

Sully wrote:

I also report peoples dangerous driving, but rarley get any feedback from a report. Just told that they will investigate it, and caution driver (as I wouldnt be bothered taking them to court).

AFAIK the details are faxed to the local station within minutes of the call to TrafficWatch so the Gardai do know about report.

Aside: Why are we still using faxes? Isn't PULSE (where reports are recorded) available in stations?