Idiot tailgating...

[Night Train]

Get closer to the bottom and he is (no joke) 3 feet from me.

I had that from a car at 80MPH when I was on my motorbike on the M6 in lane 3. The car was stuffed full up to the windscreen with wholesale toilet rolls so the driver had no rear or left side view.

 

[thomas]

Are you a student? I'm only back in Norwich outside of term times.

We have regular police patrols and PCSOs on foot, car and bike around the campus during the week. A large security team does it the rest of the time.

Yes I am a student at the UNI. All of the security guards I have delt with are very friendly, helpful and nice to deal with.

 

[wafflycat]

I watched the link straightaway and didn't pay attention to the title or subsequent posts, but thought "I recognise those buildings!"

Are you a student? I'm only back in Norwich outside of term times.

We have regular police patrols and PCSOs on foot, car and bike around the campus during the week. A large security team does it the rest of the time.

*Chortle* Me too!

I'm glad campus security seem to be taking it seriously. I can but hope that by having a word with the driver, said driver will be more cautious in future. Thomas - have you linked up to UEA BUG yet?

http://www.uea.ac.uk/~r070/

 

[thomas]

*Chortle* Me too!

I'm glad campus security seem to be taking it seriously. I can but hope that by having a word with the driver, said driver will be more cautious in future. Thomas - have you linked up to UEA BUG yet?

http://www.uea.ac.uk/~r070/

I've seen it and have already looked over their website but don't really know what I'd do linking up to it/how/the benefits of it.

 

[wafflycat]

BUG is a mixed affair. They campaign on issues affecting cyclists on campus. Sometimes they are successful, sometimes not. They are, in part, one of the reasons there's so much secure cycle parking on campus compared to some other universities/workplaces. They run an email list whereby campus cyclists can keep in contact with each other about the issues affecting them. It may be that as regards the current bad driving on campus, they *might* be interested in running some sort of publicity to highlight it - which may be beneficial. They may well not, but if you don't ask you don't get. They iniatated the Dr.Bike visits which now seem to be a regular feature on campus and that at least highlights the need for proper bike maintenance. They also arrange periodic auctions (well they have done in the past), of bikes that have been abandoned on campus and held in storage by campus security. This has been a way for many a student to get a hold of a very cheap bike - which has then been given a basic check over by Dr Bike.

They have varying degrees of success in what is done, but on the whole, they are useful to keep in contact with.

 

[thomas]

I've contacted BUG about it. Told them about the problems I've had on the road and with the police. We'll see what happens....

 

[thomas]

Okay, this is terrible. this is the email I get from the PCSO:

> I have viewed the footage you have put on youtube. For future reference
> this is not evidential as it has been altered by yourself (e.g. titles
> put on etc) and put in the public domain.
>
>
>
> We now have a log of the incident (IRIS 2008/xxxx), driver's details and
> CCTV footage. As you have engaged the driver and it appears no one
> person is completely responsible, the matter will not be taken any
> further by the police at this time.

What am I meant to do? I'm pretty sure the highway code says to slow down if someone is tailgating, which I did and I stopped. Does anyone have any advice about this as I feel like a complaint should be made against the officer. It's not like I randomly stop and call driver's tw&ts for no good reason.

edit: from what I can see this might apply:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070309

You MUST NOT

• drive without reasonable consideration for other road users

and:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070304
126

Stopping Distances. Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop well within the distance you can see to be clear. You should

• leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front so that you can pull up safely if it suddenly slows down or stops. The safe rule is never to get closer than the overall stopping distance (see Typical Stopping Distances PDF below)
• allow at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front on roads carrying faster-moving traffic and in tunnels where visibility is reduced. The gap should be at least doubled on wet roads and increased still further on icy roads
• remember, large vehicles and motorcycles need a greater distance to stop. If driving a large vehicle in a tunnel, you should allow a four-second gap between you and the vehicle in front

Here is a draft of my reply.

Dear Andrew Mason,

I still have a copy of the raw, unedited footage that was taken by my camera. This is in a much higher quality than the youtube footage and shows my commute home in its entirety. It would not have been sensible to have emailed the original footage due to it's extremely large file size.

I am very disappointed with your outcome and wish to make a complaint about your lack of interest to the relevant authority. I find it disgraceful that you allow this driver to abuse his car's size and power to belittle vulnerable road users into giving up their right of way. Please make me aware of who to address my complaint to.

For future reference, I would like to be made aware what I should do in the future? From your email you have made me feel like I am not actually the victim but the assailant.

The highway code makes it very clear that road users MUST NOT "drive without reasonable consideration for other road users" (rule 144). The highway code also makes clear that you should "Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop well within the distance you can see to be clear. You should

• leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front so that you can pull up safely if it suddenly slows down or stops. The safe rule is never to get closer than the overall stopping distance (see Typical Stopping Distances PDF below)" (rule 126).

The car behind me showed no consideration and had I not slowed down and stopped well before the roundabout I do not believe he would of had enough time to slow down at the roundabout when I would have had to slow down to a walking pace for the corner. I personally view this driver's breach of these rules to constituent, at the very least "Careless and inconsiderate driving".

I do not believe that my reaction to the events should take away from what caused them. The driver's lack of respect and care for other road users.

I wish to take up this matter with another officer as I do not believe you take complaints of dangerous driving seriously. I wish to make a full complaint against this car driver and make my grievances clear about how you have handled this and my previous allegations (re: First Bus company).

Kindest Regards,
Thomas Etherington

 

[wafflycat]

There appears to be little you can do. PCSO's aren't exactly genius material as well as having very few powers and most likely, little real understanding of being a cyclist. An area where BUG publicity may be handy? Any UEA law students hot on cycling to get on board?

 

[Amanda P]

I think you've probably gone about as far as you can, or need to, with this one.

No-one got hurt, and the driver will probably have been made to think a bit about his arrogance by the inconvenience of having his car clamped.

I think it's time to let it go.

 

[wlc1]

slash his tyres.......... just don't get caught

 

[thomas]

At the moment I am less annoyed with the driver but the police's attitude. It's the same every time so what will happen if someone does knock me off?

@wafflycat: Emailed BUG but they think that the Norwich Cycling Campaign group might be better. Nice responce from them though. I've given the campaign an email.

 

[wlc1]

I did tell you that PCSO's are shite

 

[Will1985]

Campus security are now aware of this vehicle as they nicely clamped it for you. The Highway Code is a bit of a grey area on campuses, but a university will certainly have lower speed limits and in theory lower tolerances for bad driving given the number of more vulnerable road users (cyclists and pedestrians) around.

Ask security if they can monitor or ban this vehicle's movements - unfortunately only really possible when the barriers are in operation.

Talking to NCC should get better results than UEABUG, plus university staff are likely to be members of both.

 

[thomas]

Campus security are now aware of this vehicle as they nicely clamped it for you. The Highway Code is a bit of a grey area on campuses, but a university will certainly have lower speed limits and in theory lower tolerances for bad driving given the number of more vulnerable road users (cyclists and pedestrians) around.

When I was speaking to one of the guards yesterday he said how the uni was left to the city of norwich. The road it happened on I believe is maintained by the UNI rather than the city though. The speed limit is 20 (which is quiet easy on the bike).

There will always be idiots out there, no-one got hurt, let it go.

There have been a few idiots I've reported to the police (2 to this guy) and both times he doesn't seem to do anything. I am well aware I am okay this time but I shouldn't have to face people intentionally driving dangerously. I'm not sure if I did get knocked off or something like that if a complaint then (when it's too late) would get taken seriously.

From my dealings with the man he has a very uninterested attitude.