Verbal Abuse and then driven at...clip
- Thread starter TwickenhamCyclist
- Start date
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It's a bit depressing reading this. As far as I can tell there are three points of view. The driver, the rider, and the camera. If there were any witness to the incident you can throw them in as well.
So the police talk to the rider, he offers them a video of the incident and they turn it down. That leaves the driver to talk too. I can just see it now:
'Did you drive aggressively at the cyclist?'
'Nah, it wasn't me, I was never there.'
'Oh well thats that then. Case closed through lack of evidence.'
I read on the internet a few weeks ago the police were trawling UTube for videos like this so they can prosicute the drivers. If that's the case why turn down the offer of the original video, which will be better quality that the UTube upload? Again, I paint the scene:
'See that clip on UTube?'
'Yeah! Really outrageous driving, we should have him. Pity the video quality is so poor, if it were better we'd do him. As it is you can't tell who or what it is.'
beanzontoast
Guru
- Location
- South of The Peaks
Excuse my inexperience in these thungs - what happens if a cyclist reports an incident such as this and there's no video/photographic evidence or other witnesses and no physical damage? Is it followed up in any way?
beanzontoast
Guru
- Location
- South of The Peaks
spindrift said:
If another motorist had witnessed it rather than another cyclist, would this evidence be treated in the same way?
I've kept my trap shut on threads like this because of my ongoing PI claim, but the police comments to Mag's interview just made me go all 'yeh right'.
When the police were called to this, their general attitude was that it was "one of those things" - no interest in the footage and a letter a few weeks later saying that they'd not be taking any action.
Now I believe the driver wasn't driving maliciously and I also believe his explanantion of why he didn't see me, but this IS careless driving. He wasn't even cautioned at the time of the accident.
I don't know why the cops have a blind-spot to this type of offence. I've just had to deal with an incident with some school kids and the police and local school were both great.
When the police were called to this, their general attitude was that it was "one of those things" - no interest in the footage and a letter a few weeks later saying that they'd not be taking any action.
Now I believe the driver wasn't driving maliciously and I also believe his explanantion of why he didn't see me, but this IS careless driving. He wasn't even cautioned at the time of the accident.
I don't know why the cops have a blind-spot to this type of offence. I've just had to deal with an incident with some school kids and the police and local school were both great.
OP
OP
TwickenhamCyclist
Guest
I’ve been to the police a couple of times – once I was clipped by an overtaking minicab driver (in a bus lane) who tried to speed off, got caught in traffic and then became very threatening and abusive when I caught up with him and told him what a plonker he was – threatening to run me over etc. Also had a car drive at me in a similar way to the one in the vt here.
Both times, because there were no independent witnesses and there was no physical injury to me or damage to my property, the police were sympathetic but unwilling to take matters any further.
Makes it tempting to take the law into your own hands – more often than not, this means you’ll be the one that ends up with the record (if you’re caught).
Had a very minor incident a few months back. Cycling at about 12mph – executive saloon overtakes very close, brushing my arm, just a few mph faster than me, driver clearly on mobile – shouted at him to watch it and get of the f…ing phone – overheard by two policemen on pavement – both suggested I shouldn’t swear like that in public (fair point). I certainly didn’t push it or argue, but simply laughingly pointed out driver had overtaken too close and was on hands held – one officer nicely told me that I was “doing the most dangerous think he could possibly think of..” and that you’d never catch him cycling in London. I smiled and cycled off – seemed absolutely pointless to carry on conversation.
I’m sure the stock police response will be that “we take such things very seriously” but, in my experience, they don’t. They’d probably like to, but know that in all but the most serious cases, there’s no real likelihood of any action being taken – and when motorists who kill regularly get fined insultingly small amounts in conjunction with a few hours community service, I can hardly blame them for taking this attitude.
With regards to this video clip – the motorist only needs to tell a couple of lies (“cyclist was making rude signs to me on approach – so I swore back at him” and “my foot slipped onto accelerator” etc ) and he’ll be let off as well.
Both times, because there were no independent witnesses and there was no physical injury to me or damage to my property, the police were sympathetic but unwilling to take matters any further.
Makes it tempting to take the law into your own hands – more often than not, this means you’ll be the one that ends up with the record (if you’re caught).
Had a very minor incident a few months back. Cycling at about 12mph – executive saloon overtakes very close, brushing my arm, just a few mph faster than me, driver clearly on mobile – shouted at him to watch it and get of the f…ing phone – overheard by two policemen on pavement – both suggested I shouldn’t swear like that in public (fair point). I certainly didn’t push it or argue, but simply laughingly pointed out driver had overtaken too close and was on hands held – one officer nicely told me that I was “doing the most dangerous think he could possibly think of..” and that you’d never catch him cycling in London. I smiled and cycled off – seemed absolutely pointless to carry on conversation.
I’m sure the stock police response will be that “we take such things very seriously” but, in my experience, they don’t. They’d probably like to, but know that in all but the most serious cases, there’s no real likelihood of any action being taken – and when motorists who kill regularly get fined insultingly small amounts in conjunction with a few hours community service, I can hardly blame them for taking this attitude.
With regards to this video clip – the motorist only needs to tell a couple of lies (“cyclist was making rude signs to me on approach – so I swore back at him” and “my foot slipped onto accelerator” etc ) and he’ll be let off as well.
tdr1nka
Taking the biscuit
- Location
- SE London, Bandit Country
At Hyde Park Corner once I had a j*rk in a Range Rover who I had stopped running a red light by holding my primary position.
While waiting at the lights he showed his displeasure by slipping his clutch so his bull bars nudged my back wheel repeatedly.
I did my best to ignore this but eventually snapped and retaliated by slamming the flat of my hand down hard on his bonnet and lo and behold a Peeler appeared. He asked what was going on and I calmly explained.
The Constable then asked me, 'Do you want a charge of criminal damage Sir? Then I'd advise you leave this gentleman's car alone.' he then shrugged at the driver of the Range Rover and walked off!!
IMO, in London, unless you are actually laying mangled in the road, have several willing witnesses and video evidence to back you up, the Met. believe you are seriously taking your life in your own hands by using the roads on a cycle in the first place and so we should obviously expect a certain amount of grief from bad drivers.
While waiting at the lights he showed his displeasure by slipping his clutch so his bull bars nudged my back wheel repeatedly.
I did my best to ignore this but eventually snapped and retaliated by slamming the flat of my hand down hard on his bonnet and lo and behold a Peeler appeared. He asked what was going on and I calmly explained.
The Constable then asked me, 'Do you want a charge of criminal damage Sir? Then I'd advise you leave this gentleman's car alone.' he then shrugged at the driver of the Range Rover and walked off!!
IMO, in London, unless you are actually laying mangled in the road, have several willing witnesses and video evidence to back you up, the Met. believe you are seriously taking your life in your own hands by using the roads on a cycle in the first place and so we should obviously expect a certain amount of grief from bad drivers.
Milo
Guru
- Location
- Melksham, Wilts
When i once got a wing mirror clip of a executive guy in a lexus in Camden I think. I just flipped and gave his wing mirror a jolly good bashing didn't quite get it off but didn't do a bad job.
Obviously I would not advise this
Obviously I would not advise this
In defence of Strathclyde Police, in my experience they do take these incidents seriously.
A couple of years ago I was literally squeezed off the road by a car which came across from lane 2 to almost hit the kerb just in front of me after I chapped his window to point out that he had not left enough room when passing me between two sets of lights. I ended up on the pavement still upright - no idea how I managed that - and complained immediately at the police station which was just round the corner from where the incident took place.
There were no witnesses - except that the driver himself reported an 'incident with a cyclist' at lunch-time the same day, though he had 'no idea' how the cyclist ended up on the pavement and claimed that I had knocked his wing mirror - which was an outright lie. I think he was worried that I would report the incident and might have been backed up by one or more of the several drivers he cut up to get at me.
The result was that the driver was formally interviewed under caution a couple of weeks later, though no charges resulted because there were no other witnesses (and no video evidence).
I view that as a result. At the time I reported the incident I was told that the police would talk to the driver, so even if he had not reported the incident himself, he would have been talked to.
A couple of years ago I was literally squeezed off the road by a car which came across from lane 2 to almost hit the kerb just in front of me after I chapped his window to point out that he had not left enough room when passing me between two sets of lights. I ended up on the pavement still upright - no idea how I managed that - and complained immediately at the police station which was just round the corner from where the incident took place.
There were no witnesses - except that the driver himself reported an 'incident with a cyclist' at lunch-time the same day, though he had 'no idea' how the cyclist ended up on the pavement and claimed that I had knocked his wing mirror - which was an outright lie. I think he was worried that I would report the incident and might have been backed up by one or more of the several drivers he cut up to get at me.
The result was that the driver was formally interviewed under caution a couple of weeks later, though no charges resulted because there were no other witnesses (and no video evidence).
I view that as a result. At the time I reported the incident I was told that the police would talk to the driver, so even if he had not reported the incident himself, he would have been talked to.
