Cyclists Reporting Dangerous Driving

manafana

the other thing I would say is, dont let your anger speak, In any instances were I have confronted someone whos cut me off iv held back and explained my issue with their driving, this in most cases comes off well. Had horrible expeirences with nightline driver, who told me f off several times when asked why hed overtaken me to park in bike lane in front of me. Used the your to fast line, but with your going to fast to overtake line.

Surveyor11

Put my first call into Traffic Watch this evening. Incident went something like this:

I'm cycling home approaching Lucan village from the Woodies direction. It's a single lane road in the direction I'm travelling (clipping along at 35 km/hr). I look behind, indicate right to go down Chapel Lane into the village. Some cray bint is behind me in a Golf - she ignores my hand signal, and approaches so close behind me she almost hits me - she's right up behind me and won't let me go right - I'm furiously indicating right, but she continue to ignores me. She barges past me, almost taking me off the bike in the meantime. Closest one in ages.

There's a traffic jam in the village that's irresistible to drivers, so irresistible that a driver will happily kill a cyclist to get in the queue. When I inevitably catch up with the car, the exchange goes something like his:

Me (into an open window) - "you nearly knocked me off my bike, any chance you'd drive more carefully"
Her - "Sorry I can't hear you"
Me (again) - "you nearly knocked me off my bike, any chance you'd drive more carefully"
Her - "Sorry I can't hear you" - and closes her window in my face, driving off.

I ring Lucan Gardai, who want me to come in and make a statement - refuse to take any details over the phone. I'm running late, so I ring Traffic Watch who take full details. I'll still need to make a statement, but maybe a call from the Gardai will change her attitude in the meantime.

Seweryn

Surveyor11 wrote: »

Put my first call into Traffic Watch this evening. Incident went something like this:
...

Report the incident and follow up for as long as it takes until you get some outcome. It took three months in my case until I got a response after a hard chasing on a weekly basis.

enas

SomeFool wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BC0MhWPivY

So do I go to the guards, the bus station or let it go? I was well shaken and angry after it so just looking for an honest opinion!

Just thought of your post. Just the other day, pretty much the same thing happened to me. It was a non-incident in this instance, but if I didn't know how messy things are there, it could have been much worse (just spot when I brake -- you can even hear the squeal, which happens only when I brake quite hard -- I was still next to the taxi and he's not yet indicating, so I braked only because I could read his mind).

Any update on your incident by the way?

Surveyor11

As a follow on from my own report a few weeks back, Lucan Gardai contacted me after I called traffic watch and asked me if I wanted to make a statement and press charges. They seemed to take it seriously enough. In the end they said they'd call to the motorists house and give them a warning, what effect this will have is uncertain but I didn't want to go through the hassle of a legal thing.

ozzy jr

Just wondering if anyone has reported any incidents recently. This happened to me the other day and on reviewing the footage I think it's probably worth reporting. The driver even gave me a wink and a nod of the head as he did it. The more I think about it, the more annoyed I am.

Should I ring Traffic Watch or go to the local Garda station and show them the video? Or would I just be wasting my time?

bazermc

Did he/she break the lights?

ozzy jr

bazermc wrote: »

Did he/she break the lights?

There is no lights there for the motorist. He just has a yield sign. The lights you can see are a pedestrian crossing.

fat bloke

I'd report that. That's appalling driving and basically acting the cnut.

Harrybelafonte

That's by the Viscount right? Report the f@@ker. He barely braked and that's a dangerous spot for anyone to come out of at speed.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Called down to the station a couple of times, but nothing ever came of it, Gardai are incompetent, and couldn't give a crap about you. The latest reply from the Gardai was "The lads up above might put a case together if you were killed, but it's very difficult" WHAT???!

If I damaged a car i'd be up in court in a week.

ozzy jr

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

That's by the Viscount right? Report the f@@ker. He barely braked and that's a dangerous spot for anyone to come out of at speed.

Yep, by the Viscount.

As soon as I seen him I knew he wasn't going to brake, cyclists 6th sense kicking in!

cajonlardo

ozzy jr wrote: »

Should I ring Traffic Watch or go to the local Garda station and show them the video? Or would I just be wasting my time?

I have had very positive experiences with traffic watch.
I do not make a habit of phoning them, just the 3 or 4 very serious incidents over the years. One result was that the driver involved had been previously reported and even charged twice. He was up in court the week I reported him.
Don't want to ramble on but they've been impressive in their work.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

cajonlardo wrote: »

I have had very positive experiences with traffic watch.
I do not make a habit of phoning them, just the 3 or 4 very serious incidents over the years. One result was that the driver involved had been previously reported and even charged twice. He was up in court the week I reported him.
Don't want to ramble on but they've been impressive in their work.

Traffic Watch are a hell of a lot better than your local station. They are not even comparable. Unfortunately, I can rarely get through to them

poochiem

After posting something here the boardsies recommended I report a driver to Trafficwatch. A few weeks later (IIRC) I got a phone call late at night from a Garda to say they'd called out to the driver's workplace and put the frighteners up him regarding his driving. It would be taken into account if he was involved in another incident.
(He had threatened to run me over, and other boardsies had experienced his threatening driving previously).

RainyDay

ozzy jr wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone has reported any incidents recently. This happened to me the other day and on reviewing the footage I think it's probably worth reporting. The driver even gave me a wink and a nod of the head as he did it. The more I think about it, the more annoyed I am.

Should I ring Traffic Watch or go to the local Garda station and show them the video? Or would I just be wasting my time?

Definitely report him to Traffic Watch, assuming you have a reg number. Tell them you're happy to give your details and make a formal complaint. It gets on the system straight away, and makes it harder for the local Garda to brush you off.

poochiem wrote: »

(He had threatened to run me over, and other boardsies had experienced his threatening driving previously).

Just curious - how did you work out that the same driver had been at other boardsies? Good to hear the Garda took some action.

Beau Fat Podiatrist wrote: »

Unfortunately, I can rarely get through to them

I've never had a problem getting an answer. Are you using the 1850 number?

poochiem

I think I named his company and other boardsies said they'd had run in with same guy and he was dangerous.

JBokeh

I wouldn't personally report him for that, he was being a white van man. Could be worth doing it just to see what happens though

I've had 2 visits because of the traffic call thing. One for doing over twice the speed limit in a 328i I had, i've a hunch it was someone local that spotted the car later because nobody would have got my plate at that speed, and I didn't over take anyone. Second was for tailgating/ flashing then undertaking someone doing 70km/h in the outside lane.
Got a visit both times, lasted around 3 minutes each i'd say, basically it was a chat rather than a bollocking saying I was phoned in for doing such and such, I can't get any points from him on word of mouth, but I can be taken to court but it is highly unlikely given the amount of hassle it is, then asked me about my BMW, said he had a 325i that broke his heart, and a bit of small talk. Mr 3rd gear in the clio had reported 2 other people for the same thing who he had to visit too, which he probably shouldn't have told me, but it's what happens in a small town.
These concerned citizens probably got a phone call back saying that I was apprehended, and handed a few sneaky digs until I swore I'd never do it again.

Got another visit over the beemer, sold it to some lad who put all bogus info on the log book, and sent it backwards through some council flowerbed up the country somewhere and abandoned it. Gave them his phone number because that scrote wrecked my lovely car

CramCycle

JBokeh wrote: »

I've had 2 visits because of the traffic call thing. One for doing over twice the speed limit in a 328i I had, i've a hunch it was someone local that spotted the car later because nobody would have got my plate at that speed, and I didn't over take anyone. Second was for tailgating/ flashing then undertaking someone doing 70km/h in the outside lane.

Where you doing these things? It sounds like your admitting to them.

The first is ridiculous if true, twice the limit, are you nuts?

The second is, admittedly frustrating but there is no excuse for tailgating anyone. Tailgating is just asking for someone to tap the brakes and get a nice insurance collar out of you.

cajonlardo

JBokeh wrote: »

I wouldn't personally report him for that, he was being a white van man. Could be worth doing it just to see what happens though

I've had 2 visits because of the traffic call thing. One for doing over twice the speed limit in a 328i I had, i've a hunch it was someone local that spotted the car later because nobody would have got my plate at that speed, and I didn't over take anyone. Second was for tailgating/ flashing then undertaking someone doing 70km/h in the outside lane.
Got a visit both times, lasted around 3 minutes each i'd say, basically it was a chat rather than a bollocking saying I was phoned in for doing such and such, I can't get any points from him on word of mouth, but I can be taken to court but it is highly unlikely given the amount of hassle it is, then asked me about my BMW, said he had a 325i that broke his heart, and a bit of small talk. Mr 3rd gear in the clio had reported 2 other people for the same thing who he had to visit too, which he probably shouldn't have told me, but it's what happens in a small town.
These concerned citizens probably got a phone call back saying that I was apprehended, and handed a few sneaky digs until I swore I'd never do it again.

Got another visit over the beemer, sold it to some lad who put all bogus info on the log book, and sent it backwards through some council flowerbed up the country somewhere and abandoned it. Gave them his phone number because that scrote wrecked my lovely car

Post has to be a windup?

If not, you are overlooking an important detail. Your driving habits are now on record. If you believe that this goes unnoticed when there are further reports from other road users I think you are in for a surprise. The Gardai visited you and "had a word". That is also on record. The eejit I mentioned in an earlier post got away it with it once or twice. When his actions did land him in court the traffic watch reports were referred to.

JBokeh

I know it was daft, thats why I sold the car, it would have eventually either killed me or lost me my licence with the drifting and speeding, so now I stick to diesels and 4x4s to keep me slow. Bought a transition DH bike too, so I can keep the juices going.
However nobody buys a fast car and doesn't try it out, and I know I sound like top gear, but that car felt like it wanted you to go faster, it must have been the sound it made, and the fact at 100km/h it felt like it wasn't moving. I'd bet it is why people always think bMW drivers are always flying

Also I've found that flashing people sitting in the outside lane generally wakes them up and they move over, but it offended one guy, though the tailgating was probably a bit excessive

Probably shouldn't have mentioned my antics in the post, but the point of it was that it does't really achieve anything by reporting it,my driving record is probably shocking if I could see it, what with going to cruises and general boyracering when I was in my teens, I've scratched the itch for most things motor related so i've calmed down too, and I've never had a single penalty point, which is amazing looking back. So that was my public apology to everyone I ever tailgated, overtook, honked at, carved up, and for all of my drifting and speeding shenanigans, and for putting a stupidly loud exhaust system on a BMW, which is probably the worst crime I could have done :P