Royal Mail Dangerous Driving

[andyfraser]

I had an incident tonight where I was almost run off the road by a Royal Mail driver in one of those large, transit sized vans. It happened at a chicane that basically blocks one side of the road. I was on the side that has priority (there are signs) and was riding in primary with lights (2, one flashing and a 400 lumen steady light) and a yellow hi-vis jacket so there's no way he can say he didn't see me.

So I'm approaching the chicane at around 25 mph. He comes from the other direction and appears to speed up and veers out in an effort to get round before I get there. I have to slam on the brakes to avoid riding straight into the front of him. I managed to point at the sign as he went passed and he just made a gesture that I couldn't make out and pulled a face as if to say feck off. He drove off so fast (in a 30 zone) I couldn't get his registration plate.

Luckily I was on my hybrid with disc brakes. Had I been on my road bike and had it been wetter I'd either be in the front of the van or a ditch by now.

I phoned Royal Mail to complain. They took details but said because I don't have the registration number there's nothing they can do. I told them I'm not letting it drop until they either find the driver or prove that they doing something to train their drivers better.

I'd report it to the police but they definitely won't do anything. I'm now going to buy a camera just so I have proof for next time.

 

[crazyjoe101]

Having a camera would probably have made them recognise something happened but I don't think anything ever happens, you'd be lucky if they even spoke to him.

There's a Royal Mail van driver who constantly drives 50+m on the wrong side of the road to get past the standstill traffic on a particular road where I live. I see him do it about twice a week just when I'm out and about. AFAIK they have some really aggressive insurance / legal thing in place which makes taking any action against them very hard, I'm not sure though, that's just what someone told me.

 

[Drago]

Many, many moons ago I got plonked on a seat belt enforcement operation. Being bored and a little bit rebellious I fancied some easy pickings, so set up shop just round the corner from the local Royal Mail distribution centre. I must've written 30 FPNs and done just as many breath tests that day, and every one often was driving the red van. Didn't seem too have much of a legal team that day.

Following this, for reasons I'm sure are totally.unconnected, I dint get any post for months.

 

[glenn forger]

AFAIK they have some really aggressive insurance / legal thing in place which makes taking any action against them very hard, I'm not sure though, that's just what someone told me.

Really? I know someone who had a bump and the RM employee was VERY reluctant to exchange details.

 

[andyfraser]

Having a camera would probably have made them recognise something happened but I don't think anything ever happens, you'd be lucky if they even spoke to him.

There's a Royal Mail van driver who constantly drives 50+m on the wrong side of the road to get past the standstill traffic on a particular road where I live. I see him do it about twice a week just when I'm out and about. AFAIK they have some really aggressive insurance / legal thing in place which makes taking any action against them very hard, I'm not sure though, that's just what someone told me.

I've told them I'm not going to let it go and I won't. That was appalling and very dangerous driving and I'm getting sick of the standard of driving in this country.

 

[raleighnut]

All Royal Mail vans are fitted with trackers, time and place will identify the driver. Inform the police or the 'manager' will just fob you off (and probably laugh with the driver of the van about the scare he gave a cyclist)

 

[ScotiaLass]

I got overtaken on a pinch point by a council bin lorry. He almost had me off.
I didn't get a reg but luckily for me when I called, they were very helpful. They phone me back to confirm that it was one of their refuse trucks as they managed to track it by the place and time I gave them. They even told me the speed of the vehicle.

The driver was spoken to apparently and they were very apologetic.
It could have been the fact that I told them if I didn't get a response to my complaint I was going to the local paper.

 

[andyfraser]

All Royal Mail vans are fitted with trackers, time and place will identify the driver. Inform the police or the 'manager' will just fob you off (and probably laugh with the driver of the van about the scare he gave a cyclist)

Thank you so much for that. I did a bit of Googling and came across Ctrack that RM use for vehicle tracking. It hadn't occurred to me before that they might have tracking. I stupidly thought that they might tell me if such a thing was fitted. Doh! I'll mention Ctrack/tracking when I next speak to them on Wednesday.

@ScotiaLass I've already mentioned MPs and local media if I don't hear back. I've made it quite clear to them that I will not let it go and will go further if they won't do anything.

 

[mjr]

Royal mail distribution seem to be a different breed to the delivery office staff (what we used to call posties) who still ride bikes for some rounds. Bin men here aren't much trouble unless you try to barge past when it's not safe: lots of them ride bikes

 

[crazyjoe101]

Really? I know someone who had a bump and the RM employee was VERY reluctant to exchange details.

In that case I'm probably talking a bunch of rubbish.

 

[glenn forger]

More likely the employee was nervous. They entered a roundabout when my mate was riding round. My mate asked for their details after the postie side swiped them. "Is there any need for that?" the postie said. My mate went crazy ape bonkers.

 

[snorri]

In that case I'm probably talking a bunch of rubbish.

Not necessarily, I wouldn't consider the experience related by someone who knows someone who had a bump with one of RMs 150,000 employees to be typical.

 

[NorvernRob]

I work for RM and can tell you for a fact they take this kind of thing seriously. We're also just as likely to get prosecuted as anyone else, and any notion of some kind of crack legal team getting people off sounds like pie in the sky.

 

[andyfraser]

I work for RM and can tell you for a fact they take this kind of thing seriously. We're also just as likely to get prosecuted as anyone else, and any notion of some kind of crack legal team getting people off sounds like pie in the sky.

I really hope they do. The very dangerous move and the look of contempt on the driver's face was disgusting for an driver. It's worse for a professional driver. I hope they find him and sack him to be honest.

 

[Drago]

What is it that comes over some drivers at those traffic calming bottlenecks? Ive got a knackered old 2 tonne truck, but idiots in Micras coming the other way risk being crushed to try and pip through.

In New Bradwell in nearbyish Milton Keynes the council took them out because they'd caused the accident rate to.rise alarmingly, and the severity of those collisions also rose. They don't stop the idiot's from speeding, they only force them to speed on the opposite side of the road instead. Bloody stupid idea.