Terrible driving - so who do I call?

[Crankarm]

Don't think the DSA will be interested. From their website, they are only concerned with driving tests and instructors.

Similarly, VOSA only seem to be concerned with bad vehicles, not bad drivers.

Both are part of DfT's Motoring and Freight Services (MFS) Group which has a budget of £1.2 billion a year. But no part of this body seems to be concerned with bad drivers.

Looks like the police are it, then.

You think or you know?

If you read my account when I contacted them about 3 year ago about the loon bus driver they were all ears. There was a section on their website all about poor driving by HGV and PSV drivers and how to report it to them and what they would do to investigate. They did investigate as about a week later the same bus with same driver was being driven very cautiously.

 

[hydridmatt]

To bring this up to date:

Despite an unedited video, the Police (in their wisdom) have decided that there is insufficient evidence to proceed. As you can imagine, I am massively frustrated with that outcome.

I spoke to United Utilities, who stressed that they take all incidents seriously and have briefed all their drivers to show courtesy to all road users. However, they will not tell me what specific action they are taking over this incident.

 

[lit]

As you can imagine, I am massively frustrated with that outcome.

Go back and make a nuisance of yourself then. The more you perservere the more likely they will take it seriously.

 

[BSRU]

I was told directly by the Police that they will only accept video evidence in the event of collision/contact, anything else and they will not waste their time, unless you have independent witness's to corroborate your video.

 

[siadwell]

You think or you know?

If you read my account when I contacted them about 3 year ago about the loon bus driver they were all ears. There was a section on their website all about poor driving by HGV and PSV drivers and how to report it to them and what they would do to investigate. They did investigate as about a week later the same bus with same driver was being driven very cautiously.

"Think".

I still can't see anything on their website that invites you to report bad driving. Can you give us a pointer?

 

[Amanda P]

Given your frustration, is it worth persisting a little with the police?

My (limited) experience is that sometimes you deal with one officer/civilian staff member who isn't interested. If you persist, you may get to speak to a different person who is interested, and will also take up the issue of why the first person wasn't.

Forces seem to vary wildly in their degree of motivation/degree of conscientiousness/policy.

 

[karan733]

I was told directly by the Police that they will only accept video evidence in the event of collision/contact, anything else and they will not waste their time, unless you have independent witness's to corroborate your video.

Incredible! I cannot believe how lame the police are sometimes (most of the time in my opinion) Once im dead, Ill be glad they get round to prosecuting the driver and handing them a 250 hour community service sentence.

 

[Vikeonabike]

I was told directly by the Police that they will only accept video evidence in the event of collision/contact, anything else and they will not waste their time, unless you have independent witness's to corroborate your video.

Somebody is bullshi££ing you.......
If you get told that again I suggest you complain to the duty Sgt or inspector....

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

I was told directly by the Police that they will only accept video evidence in the event of collision/contact, anything else and they will not waste their time, unless you have independent witness's to corroborate your video.

That makes sense... given all the research about the credibility of witness' memory after the fact versus the irrefutable evidence from a camera.

 

[BSRU]

I was told in person by the sergeant in charge of the local traffic unit, he came around to have a chat with me, to personally explain why they would not pursue any of them. I had sent a couple of videos to the Police one about some dangerous driving and the other about a repeat bus lane abuser.

Basically it is not worth their time as defence lawyers would have them ruled as inadmissible due to the possibility that they could have been altered. In a collision case they would be allowed but the judge would instruct the jury as to how much weight to give them.

 

[benb]

Yeah, because we all spend our spare time knocking up fake videos of near death experiences!

 

[magnatom]

Well, my non-collision video (oil tanker incident) has resulted in a driver being charged with careless driving, so the sgt is talking the proverbial wee. They just can be bothered (or more generously, are too busy).

 

[classic33]

I'd still go back to the police & ask them to take the incident report. Ask to speak to the duty inspector if they are still unwilling to take the report.
Duty inspector is the one who deals with any complaint made at the station, at the time it is made. He is the only one who can take a "formal complaint over the counter".

Three & half years to get the local force to actually admit to having attended an incident & apologise for not dealing with the complaint made, in line with force policy.

Contact details sent to OP.

 

[Archie]

Despite an unedited video, the Police (in their wisdom) have decided that there is insufficient evidence to proceed. As you can imagine, I am massively frustrated with that outcome.

The Police are not charged with prosecuting the case, that's the job of the CPS. The Police investigate the evidence and present their findings to the CPS, who will then decide if a prosecution is worth pursuing. In this case the Police have declined to carry out their investigation.

If I were you my next move would be to contact your local MP (after next week ), pointing out the above. They may well provoke some action as no Chief Inspector likes explaining why their officers didn't do their job.

 

[Archie]

Looking at the video one thing that occurred is you had two spots you could pull into to allow the pass before the overtake. From a defensive point of view this is worth considering in this situation as it completely removes the competence of the following driver from the equation.

Of course I don't know if the situation developed after this, and there may be perfectly good reasons why you might not want to. Whether you do or not is entirely up to you, and staying on the road doesn't excuse the terrible driving of the tanker driver.

I did this for a bus driver today on a long uphill drag in the bus lane, whilst the traffic in the adjacent lane was queuing: Pleased as punch, he was!