Is there something I can do?

[Archie_tect]

Senario:
Just dropped son off at bar in Jesmond. Driving home I notice a silver Saab convertible catching me up fast as I reach the Great North Road roundabout but think nothing of it as I join roundabout and see he's had to wait for traffic on roundabout. Turn right and drive north on empty road to Gosforth High Street , speed limit is 50 with an empty bus lane to the left lane... nothing behind me. Reach edge of Gosforth, look in mirror to see same silver Saab convertible now tailgating all over the back of my car, close enough to see man frustrated and irritated by me going too slow for how fast he clearly would prefer to go. Approaching 30mph speed limit sign I'm concerned that I need to let the car slow with engine as if I brake he'll be right into the back...there's nothing in front of me so I keep my eye on him in rear view mirror as my car continues to slow to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid.... suddenly he brakes violently and seems to stand car on it's nose..,. relieved I then notice two flashes and realise I've just gone through 30mph speed camera at side of road which I hadn't spotted.... Silver Saab then passes me at speed on High street in 30mph area and disappears into distance ... Now irritated with myself for not seeing speed camera and taking action to brake... eventually catch Saab up several times at sets of red traffic lights to see him having a good old laugh off looking at me in his rear view mirror... He then turns left as I do and races off again. Now, I should have taken his number plate when I had the chance but I didn't think at the time... I think it was an 07 plate.... should I get in touch with Police in morning to explain the mitigating circumstances and see if he's been picked up on the Gosforth High Street CCTV or just accept the 3 points on my licence and call myself an idiot for not noticing the speed camera myself...

What would you do?

 

[Peteaud]

I doubt plod will do anything to be honest.

I got a speeding ticket taking the wife to hospital (emergency) and it still stood (fair enough i accept it) so i doubt they will let you off.

 

[Maz]

Why didn't the car overtake you if the driver thought you were going too slow?
Isn't there a law that just recently came out about tailgating being an offence now?

 

[Night Train]

Nothing you can do really, you were still responsible for not having slowed down for the 30 limit.
Given the Saab's actions you could have slowed down sooner.

If you had the registration then you could tell the Police that you were being intimidated by the Saab, and had been for some miles. May not help you but if the Saab appears on your tail in the camera photos then the Police may 'have a word'.

 

[Archie_tect]

That's the thing... he obviously knew the camera was there and took avoiding action at the last possible moment... on reflection it was as if he'd been deliberately pushing me towards the camera to see whether he could get me 'over the line'... but TMN is right and so are the rest of you- I should have taken more notice of the road ahead to make sure I wasn't speeding when I drove past the camera regardless of what the diot did behind me.... such a distraction could instead have caused me to knock a person over so good lesson learned even at my age and experience.
Mrs A_T takes the longer view and thinks it's only a matter of time before he gets caught doing 60+ in a 30/40... that's something of a consolation. hmph!!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

A couple of times when I've had a dodgy tailgater, I've dabbed the brakes with my right foot while still keeping the left on the accelerator. Just enough to activate the brake lights. It's worked so far and made the tailgater back off while not accelerating myself. There should be a Dealing With Twats section in the highway code.

 

[Scoosh]

Helmet Rearview cam might help your case to the authorities ...

 

[Archie_tect]

No wriggling, it's a fair cop! But an annoying set of circumstances that makes me cross with myself for falling for none the less... pity it hadn't been a patrol car there instead of a camera.

 

[Hill Wimp]

Wait and see if you get the ticket first. Just because it flashed does not mean there is any film in the camera.If you do get one, pay it as you have no evidence apart from your word about what happened unfortunately.

 

[Monsieur]

Ha!!
I always tell my kids to not bother too much about what's in the rear view mirror as you'll become too focussed on whats behind and not see the hazard in front.

If you're being tailgated just let them get past you when they want.

Speed camera though...brought a giggle to me this morning - can just see the other guy's face and what he told his mates last night

 

[ComedyPilot]

Whilst I sympathise fully with you being tailgated @Archie_tect the onus is on you to drive your vehicle. I get tailgated all the time in my Smart car.... despite driving to the speed limit/road conditions. Yes @Maz there are new offences just brought in to deal with tailgaters and middle lane hogs.

Now is the time to get a camera and mount it backwards......

 

[Arch]

What a git!

I'd have been tempted to slow right down earlier just to annoy him anyway, and do the dabbing the brakes with the left foot thing.

As I drive a very slow vehicle for work, we get plenty of tailgaters, but when I'm going at full tilt there's not much I can do, except laugh at them. They seem disinclined to actually run into the big bag of rubbish hanging on the back.

 

[Night Train]

I was once pulled by a following Police car for crossing into a 30 limit at 38mph. I told them that they were too close to me in the 40 zone and their headlights were dazzling and needed adjusting, and that I was driving 'a bit below the limit' to make them over take as I didn't know they were Police. That caused me to misjudge where the 30 zone started, though I did slow to 25mph but at the wrong point.

The officers accepted this but denied their headlights were adjusted wrong.
I was 'let off' with the advice that I shouldn't let others 'force' me ti drive illegally.

 

[Globalti]

More than likely there was no film in the camera. Keep the Police non-emergency number on your phone and use it to report bad driving. We do in our street, often.

I went to Gosforth High School. I lived in Kenton Road.

 

[DRHysted]

Don't dab the brakes, switch on your rear fogs (it's about the only good use I've ever found for them).
The advise I was given regarding tailgaters is to slow down and increase the gap between you and the car in front so you have more time to brake should you need to. With my old car which was a rather large 4x4 with the acceleration of glaciers I did tend to use the advise quite often.