Royal Mail Dangerous Driving

[crazyjoe101]

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.

There's a village on one of my club's regular runs goes through with 5 or 6 of them along their main road, often the front of the group will go through, and then someone coming the other way will decide to force the rest over rather than wait 3 seconds for us to pass (we have priority). The giveway must only apply when the other vehicle is big enough to write off your own car if you hit it although your quote would disagree!

 

[andyfraser]

There must be something we can do. I had another near miss this morning, this time with an articulated lorry. He went for a pinch point but didn't have enough room. I almost went into the kerb trying to escape as the trailer came back across the lane. This time I tried to remember the registration number. I called the police but remembered the number wrong. They won't do anything anyway without an independent witness.

The officer I spoke to told me they still need a witness even with camera footage. That alone isn't enough. He also said that with the amount of complaints they get from cyclists he wouldn't cycle on the roads because it's too dangerous. Shouldn't something be done if that's the case? What can we do to help make the roads safer?

 

[Drago]

People who drive for a living should only be allowed 6 points on their licence. Second muff up sees them on the bus where they belong.

 

[glenn forger]

The officer I spoke to told me they still need a witness even with camera footage. That alone isn't enough. He also said that with the amount of complaints they get from cyclists he wouldn't cycle on the roads because it's too dangerous. Shouldn't something be done if that's the case? What can we do to help make the roads safer?

He's entirely wrong. I wish Johnny Law wouldn't completely make stuff up like this.

 

[andyfraser]

That would be nice. Unfortunately it seems that someone has to be injured or killed before it's considered a muff up.

 

[Drago]

Indeed, shoplifters don't get 4 chances with Fixed Penalty Notices, so why do drivers endangering life and limb get such countenance?

 

[andyfraser]

Indeed, shoplifters don't get 4 chances with Fixed Penalty Notices, so why do drivers endangering life and limb get such countenance?

The cynic in me thinks it's because it would inconvenience too many politicians, peers, company directors and other high ranking individuals. It's been said before but, like drink driving, it has be made socially unacceptable to drive dangerously.

 

[spen666]

....

The officer I spoke to told me they still need a witness even with camera footage. That alone isn't enough.

A police officer who is wrong in law? Well I never!


Most rape cases do not have an independent witness and they still manage to prosecute them (occasionally)

 

[mjr]

Although such second-guessing isn't always helpful, rather than the police, you maybe should blame the behaviour of magistrates and juries in questioning measurements taken from personal cameras (provoked by some less scrupulous defence lawyers, I suspect).

 

[Dommo]

I'm guessing you've considered sitting in the same spot at the same time for a few days with a camera? It wouldn't surprise me if the same guy runs the same route on a regular basis and ends up doing it pretty much at the same time give or take 15 mins? Maybe someone who works at RM can confirm the likelihood of that. If it's a nasty pinch point anyway, you might catch a few other people doing the same thing...

 

[Hip Priest]

It highlights what a stupid idea these 'traffic calming' chicanes are. Encouraging idiots motorists to drive head-on at each other in the name of safety.

 

[Dommo]

It highlights what a stupid idea these 'traffic calming' chicanes are. Encouraging idiots motorists to drive head-on at each other in the name of safety.

Agreed. The last thing they seem to do is calm people.

 

[andyfraser]

Agreed. RM have been in touch asking questions so I was looking at Google StreetView to see if I could link to the chicane in question. In June 2012 when the StreetView car last went round there the chicane wasn't there. It was some red paint with a "30" painted on it for traffic coming into the village. If they hadn't changed it then this incident wouldn't have happened.

 

[NorvernRob]

There's one 400yrds from my house. Many times I've had people pull out and come towards me head on on my side of the road, forcing me to brake or drive straight into them.

I don't understand it either!

 

[NorvernRob]

Agreed. RM have been in touch asking questions so I was looking at Google StreetView to see if I could link to the chicane in question. In June 2012 when the StreetView car last went round there the chicane wasn't there. It was some red paint with a "30" painted on it for traffic coming into the village. If they hadn't changed it then this incident wouldn't have happened.

It won't help this time, but all RM vans are individually numbered. The Transit type usually have it on the left side of the bonnet, (RHS if looking from the front) just under the windscreen, and again above the rear doors on the RHS. The smaller Combos/Bippas have the number above the windscreen and on the rear.