Yes.
A few years ago I was punched in the small of my back by a car passenger, almost making me lose control of the bike. I clocked the number and reported it to the police. The next evening the police paid me a visit and did the old sucking air through teeth thing when I conceded I didn't have a witness.
I suggested that they could speak to the registered keeper and require him to identify the driver. Chances were that the youngsters involved would have been out in mummy's or daddy's car and the sight of police arriving to ask questions would have the kid shop his passenger and there you'd have enough to take some action.
They exchanged a look somewhere between bewilderment and annoyance and one of them asked me how many were in the car. "Three, I think."
"Ah, well, we'll go and find the driver but be warned that we may come back and charge you with some offence."
His reasoning was that since there was more of 'them' in the car than there was of me (with no witnesses), he'd be bound to act on any allegations they might make, no matter how ridiculous.
Clearly he was only trying to weasle out of doing any legwork so I called his bluff and said go ahead.
It panned out exactly as I'd expected and the young boy burst as soon as his dad asked him to explain himself to the police, naming the lad who'd assaulted me.
GC
