General Chat

I don't understand how she has the front to plead Not Guilty when she boasted about what she had done and that she just drove off and ignored the cyclist on Twitter. Shot herself in the foot, I would have thought and I hope the magistrates take her arrogance and ignorance into account when listening to the rubbish Simon Nicolls will spout. She will have this hanging over her till November so she must have had a worrying few months, serves her right. She lost her job too at the Accountants my brother started out with. I think she was a trainee accountant.

Lizx

Roy. Thanks. Those links are very useful. Police do seem to be getting easier to contact (slowly better) :-)

Liz. I do hope that young lady does not get off on a technicality. I suspect the only one who will make money and "get off" will be the solicitor. Clever man. :-) ;-)

When we were returning from our visit to Yorkshire/Lincolnshire last week we were stuck behind a very slow moving vehicle for several miles, it was infuriating but impossible to overtake especially as we did not know the road. There was a long line of cars behind us and they were being patient as well. Suddenly up roars a car alongside us from several cars back, and overtook very dangerously causing furious horn honking from an oncoming vehicle that had to swerve into the side verge to avoid a head on collision. In reality the slowmoving vehicle should have pulled in and let everyone get by as he was really holding up the traffic but he didn't and we had to put up with the snail's pace of driving until he finally turned off.

Slow drivers are just as much a hazard as speeding ones and I have seen programmes on tv,( the police chase ones) where elderly slow drivers have been ticked off so John is right to have reported the gentleman. He needs to understand he isn't being safe and careful driving really slowly when it isn't necessary. If he isn't confident driving at the 'right' speed then he shouldn't be driving at all.

My o.h. was knocked off his bike a few months ago by an idiot who 'didn't see him' despite his wearing a hi vis jacket and with lights on his bike, and this idiot thinks it's ok to come out of a side road without stopping at the junction. O.h's damaged thumb is still not completely healed, he was off work for a month and had to lose a lot of Saturday overtime - yesterday was his first Saturday working since mid May. We are still waiting on the insurance claim and to hear if the motorist will be prosecuted.

Oh and the young woman who hit a cyclist and boasted about it on twitter has been taken to court about it: (don't know how she can deny it after putting it on twitter but she has a very well known solicitor !!!!!!!)

A Watton driver has denied three charges following an incident involving a Norwich cyclist.


..
Emma Way, 21, of Akrotiri Square, in Watton, is charged with careless driving, failing to stop after an accident, and failing to report an accident.

She had been due to appear at Norwich Magistrates Court today but did not attend.

During today’s hearing her solicitor Simon Nicholls entered not guilty pleas to all three charges on her behalf.

The alleged charges follow an incident in Rockland All Saints on Sunday, May 19, involving cyclist Toby Hockley.

A trial date has now been fixed for November 19 at Norwich Magistrates Court.


Hope Mark gets well soon and the driver is apprehended before he does anything worse to another road user.


Lizx

With regard to reporting bad/dangerous driving, or road rage I think most police forces run specific campaigns you would need to google or ask your local police force

One example of where dashcam footage was used in this way and reported to Operation Crackdown in Sussex can be found on the link below, Note the comment below, The poster pasted a copy of his reply from the Police Headquarters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOPv2dXvIWs&feature=youtu.be

https://webcontact.sussex.police.uk/asdprs/

Roy

Oh yes, they are relevant, CrystalTips, imho. If my BP goes over 200 when I am driving, chances are that others will have red and angry faces also. And I was the calmest behind this elderly gentleman. I just had to phone my boss, explain why I would be 10 mins late for next appointment and offer to make up the time later in week. But others may not have that luxury.

It is the simplest things that set people off. In this case of Opening Post, it sounds like man had had a bad day, was not looking and took offence at the cyclist's reaction. He was in the wrong, but believed cyclist had somehow caused him to react.

We all see similar things every day. If I reacted to every young lady (usually look about 20) who signal to me (not a signal approved in Highway Code yet), I would be a very angry man. Old age had taught me to ignore - but I will report if I have the details correct.

I appreciate the points you are making with regards to Health and Safety, John, but I don't think that they are relevant or appropriate on this thread.

CystalTips. Both those incidents needed reporting imo.

1. Can thrown out of a moving car could injure somebody in following car. Litter left anywhere can cause wildlife untold suffering. Only a relative few throw litter out of cars instead of taking it home, and they must be encouraged not to.
2. I was trying to get to work. Was in a snake behind this gentemen who was elderly admittedly (but so am I and Eddie Jordan). We all lost over 5 minutes from our normal journey time (not too serious). But quite a number of drivers try and overtake in this situation. And do not wait their turn. Accidents do happen, and slow driver just drives on regardless he had been cause (or part of cause).

Thanks Ann :-)

No problem Crystal

I'm amazed by your second paragraph John.

Litter is one thing, whether it's in a beauty spot or not, that is nothing to do with poor driving.

So you spent at least 20 minutes of your life following an old gentleman driving a car, calculating his speed, and then reporting him to the police? Perhaps he was enjoying himself looking at your beauty spots :-D

I do apologise Ann, I don't mean to detract from your post, you were talking about a genuine instance of road rage. I do hope the purpetrator is found and brought to justice, and that the victim does not suffer any long lasting injuries

These dash cams and recordable material of erratic driving needs to be communicated to the police, Roy. Sounds like it is just happening to keep insurance premiums a bit lower.

I have found you can contact police on phone a lot easier these days on the new 3 digit number. But can you download video and pictures to them easily? No idea. Last couple of times I have reported poor driving (throwing cans out of a car going through the Rhigos beauty spot near Aberdare and an old gentleman driving at 20mph for over 6 miles when speed limit was between 30mph and 50mph, complaints were dealt with promptly. Drivers were both spoken to and police came back and told me results and thanked me.

I have said before that despite claims from government that violent crime is coming down its on the increase and road rage is one area where violence is on the increase, Some insurers will only insure lorries that have a dashcam fitted and some insurers actualy supply them as part of the insurance package, I also have biker friends who have them fitted to their bikes or crash helmet.

Their is also a FB dashcam page

Roy

Hope they catch the offender and send him to prison where all these people belong

Possibly modern technology might be a way of preventing this sort of behaviour. So many passengers in vehicles will be bored on journeys and have a mobile phone with recording facility.

Perhaps a new game to compliment "I Spy" might be to record some bad driving and make sure you make a note of number plate. That could include driving much slower than you should, cutting up cyclists, overtaking on double white lines, unfriendly gestures out of windows etc.

This driver will get 100 hours community service, no points on license and perhaps a suspended sentence. How does that square with calls for a £1,000 fine and driving ban for using a mobile phone whilst driving?

Awful that people have to do this isn't it?

Lorry drivers are often subject to road rage and most are now arming themselves with dash cameras to record events and then send the footage to the relevant police force,

This also includes footage of dangerous driving,

Some cameras record time, date, location, and speed.

Roy

It must be an absolute nightmare riding a cycle on main roads these days. Many drivers seem to think cyclists must always give way. And, in truth, experienced cyclists often seem to do that to avoid people with nasty tempers.

This man needs to be brought to book and placed on an anger management course.

There is a photo on facebook and he has nasty abrasions on his leg. Road rage is horrible and it is usually somebody who is criticized for doing something wrong in the first place. I have to add I don't know the person concerned.

What an appalling incident, I hope the culprit is tracked down and that the police throw the book at him - disgusting behaviour :-|

I hope Mark's injuries heal quickly and that this incident does not put him off getting on his bicycle.

Somebody needs catching. Seen on facebook. Road rage at Whatstandwell between Cromford and Ambergate on the A6


"This road rage was a deliberate and malicious attack. The man who did this was not going to stop until he did my husband damage. Please if you know anything contact Derbyshire Police asking for P.C. Stuart

Here is Mark's account of what happened with a description of the driver and passenger of the Range Rover.


On Sunday 11August at approx 11.30 am I was deliberately knocked off my bike by a man driving an old green range rover on the A6 near whatstandwell, between Cromford and Amber gate.
The driver took objection to me shaking my head at him in his mirror after he pulled out in front of me, just before whatstandwell bridge, causing me to break heavily to avoid hitting him.
After twice getting out of the car to run at me across the road he decided to use the vehicle to hit me rather than his fists. The car didn't stop and the police want to talk to the driver as would I.
I have suffered multiple road rash, bruised shoulder and sternum and a broken hand, as well as £400 of damage to my bike.
If anybody lives in the area and knows of any old green range rovers or indeed witnessed the incident, please can you let me know. Any help towards catching this person would be greatly appreciated.
The driver was of a large build and in his late 50s/60s with grey hair, there was also a woman in the car at the time with grey hair.
Any help would be appreciated."



I don't know if anyone can help but the more people who see this the better.