Abusive Car drivers

KirstieCare

Does anybody have experience in reporting abusive car drivers? We were riding on a trike on a london road and a car driver drove up the wrong side of the road forcing my partner to stop and then stopped sticking out into the road forcing her to steer around. I put my hands up and shrugged and he wound down the window and said "what are you doing  riding your retard bike on the wrongs side of the road", which of course we weren't. I said she's disabled and he got out of the car, faced off to me say that "he was going to send me and my retard partner to hospital". I took a picture of his car and so licence plate and am wondering if it's worth reporting him. I have reported some young girls for damaging a car and and assaulting me on a bicycle before and that went nowhere, but they were not associated with a licenced vehicle so perhaps this is worth it? We had a great ride otherwise so tempted to just file him in the karma bucket 

Sandy_123

Hi @KirstieCare that must of been unpleasant for you both. I would report it if it was me,  might ctv about if they need it.  He might be known to the police or may do something similar later. Hope your both ok

OverlyAnxious

Most the time I would say not to report the odd finger or horn blast (often there's fault on both sides causing that) but this driver sounds particularly aggressive and potentially dangerous.  I would suggest reporting them in this case.  I assume you've checked the reg number for tax, MOT & insurance?

Rosie_Scope

Hi @KirstieCare, sorry that happened to you and your partner. Doesn't sound nice at all!

I've not had any experience of this, but if you felt the driver was driving dangerously it's probably worth reporting if you feel up to it. As the others have said, this driver might be making a habit of this kind of thing, especially if they're also using offensive language. It might not go anywhere, but worth a try if you've got pictures. Glad you could still enjoy your ride afterwards though!

honestjon

KirstieCare said:

Does anybody have experience in reporting abusive car drivers? We were riding on a trike on a london road and a car driver drove up the wrong side of the road forcing my partner to stop and then stopped sticking out into the road forcing her to steer around. I put my hands up and shrugged and he wound down the window and said "what are you doing  riding your retard bike on the wrongs side of the road", which of course we weren't. I said she's disabled and he got out of the car, faced off to me say that "he was going to send me and my retard partner to hospital". I took a picture of his car and so licence plate and am wondering if it's worth reporting him. I have reported some young girls for damaging a car and and assaulting me on a bicycle before and that went nowhere, but they were not associated with a licenced vehicle so perhaps this is worth it? We had a great ride otherwise so tempted to just file him in the karma bucket

Sorry to hear about this but sadly it's not uncommon nowadays.

In your situation I would make a complaint to the police/council because the alleged offender can be traced so at the least a police interview should be on the cards .

Just being made to think about what happened might make the perpetrator moderate the way they drive and interact with people in future.

JessieJ

How awful for you both, thank goodness he didn't do more than threaten, that will have been bad enough, nasty man. As he did get out & threaten you though, definitely report him for that & his driving. As others have said, he may be known to the police.

KirstieCare

So OverlyAnxious said:

Most the time I would say not to report the odd finger or horn blast (often there's fault on both sides causing that) but this driver sounds particularly aggressive and potentially dangerous.  I would suggest reporting them in this case.  I assume you've checked the reg number for tax, MOT & insurance?

Hmm - thanks @OverlyAnxious - I just checked on askMID and gov.uk and indeed the car is uninsured & untaxed, oddly it has recently been MOTed. I thought he was being sarcastic when he said, amongst a number of swears, that it was on the road illegally. He had a kind of glamour girl in the passenger seat who seemed unphased by the whole thing so it would seem that this might be some sort of "business" vehicle. 

KirstieCare

Thanks for all your support by the way - fortunately this was our first cycle in a month so my partner was more thrilled with being back on the trike than worried about small trouser man

2oldcodgers

Not acceptable and the guy needs to be taken off the road.
BUT what evidence do you have to (a) support what was said and (b) that he was on the wrong side of the road?
Even if the police went to see him, providing that the driver was the registered keeper, he would deny the conversation and that he was on the wrong side of the road after overtaking a slow moving vehicle.

OverlyAnxious

KirstieCare said:

So OverlyAnxious said:

Most the time I would say not to report the odd finger or horn blast (often there's fault on both sides causing that) but this driver sounds particularly aggressive and potentially dangerous.  I would suggest reporting them in this case.  I assume you've checked the reg number for tax, MOT & insurance?

Hmm - thanks @OverlyAnxious - I just checked on askMID and gov.uk and indeed the car is uninsured & untaxed, oddly it has recently been MOTed. I thought he was being sarcastic when he said, amongst a number of swears, that it was on the road illegally. He had a kind of glamour girl in the passenger seat who seemed unphased by the whole thing so it would seem that this might be some sort of "business" vehicle. 

Well, I think you've got more than enough grounds to report them at this point.  

Even if nothing happens this time, that reg number will be kept on file and any future complaints will be added until there is enough evidence to take action against him.

OverlyAnxious

2oldcodgers said:

Not acceptable and the guy needs to be taken off the road.
BUT what evidence do you have to (a) support what was said and (b) that he was on the wrong side of the road?
Even if the police went to see him, providing that the driver was the registered keeper, he would deny the conversation and that he was on the wrong side of the road after overtaking a slow moving vehicle.

They have photographic evidence of an uninsured & untaxed vehicle being driven on the public road.  That's enough for further action in itself.  Mobile phone pictures are all time & date stamped so there can't be any confusion over when it was taken.

honestjon

2oldcodgers said:

Not acceptable and the guy needs to be taken off the road.
BUT what evidence do you have to (a) support what was said and (b) that he was on the wrong side of the road?
Even if the police went to see him, providing that the driver was the registered keeper, he would deny the conversation and that he was on the wrong side of the road after overtaking a slow moving vehicle.

The incident needs reporting and failing to report it means the perpetrator will assume his behaviour doesn't need adjusting.
This bully needs to be put in his place,not only is he abusing innocent people but he isn't even entitled to be driving on the road with no insurance.
And there has been a hate crime so the police should investigate 

KirstieCare

Thanks for that - yeah, the photo shows him parked facing "the wrong way around" a good couple of feet from the pavement with him walking away from me with a mask on