Should you report dangerous driving?

dulpit

Hey all,

I was driving a short while ago, dual carriageway. I was in left lane, there was a taxi in the right lane a small bit ahead of me, doing about the same speed as me (100KPH zone, maybe driving a tiny bit less than this).

A car came up fast behind the taxi and then shot into my lane in a gap far too small for both cars, so I had to slam on brakes to avoid crash. Other car drove on and zipped back in front of the taxi and off he went.

This dual carriageway was leading into city, so traffic shortly afterwards bunched up, and I got close to the car again, but he turned off before I could properly see his number plate.

On the basis that I don't have a dash cam, and don't have any proof other than my own testimony, is there any point in reporting such an incident, even if I had their number plate?

It gave me a proper fright, and I'd hate to think that this driver can be bombing around the roads with no repercussions, but equally if there's no proof, what's the point?

YellowLead

I would say do. Even if it doesn’t go anywhere - what it could help with is if that car is involved in some other crime, or even god forbid caused a crash with other people on the same day.

Mjolnir

dulpit wrote: »

Hey all,

I was driving a short while ago, dual carriageway. I was in left lane, there was a taxi in the right lane a small bit ahead of me, doing about the same speed as me (100KPH zone, maybe driving a tiny bit less than this).

A car came up fast behind the taxi and then shot into my lane in a gap far too small for both cars, so I had to slam on brakes to avoid crash. Other car drove on and zipped back in front of the taxi and off he went.

This dual carriageway was leading into city, so traffic shortly afterwards bunched up, and I got close to the car again, but he turned off before I could properly see his number plate.

On the basis that I don't have a dash cam, and don't have any proof other than my own testimony, is there any point in reporting such an incident, even if I had their number plate?

It gave me a proper fright, and I'd hate to think that this driver can be bombing around the roads with no repercussions, but equally if there's no proof, what's the point?

If I'm not mistaken and I am open to correction, if you have the reg and report it the guards will generally go have a chat with the driver.
Nothing will come of it though as they have no evidence and can't prove the registered owner was even driving it.
From what I've heard from others they just get a stern talking to.

mickdw

No harm in reporting as it sounds like he had no regard for anyone around him.
Taxi sounds like he should have been in left lane too and could possibly have avoided the whole thing. Not enough info to be sure though.

User1998

Sounds like OP didn’t even get a chance to read the registration number. If so then there is absolutely no point in reporting it

Bikerman2019

Absolutely!. You may end up reading about a big smash tomorrow caused by said ejit.

You can definitely report it. It may be useful somewhere else.
However, do be aware that the driver will not be prosecuted unless you are willing to give evidence of his driving.

Isambard

report the taxi driver too for lane hogging.

Really it's not worth it, practice defensive driving and look out for situations like that developing, that way you could have eased off the throttle and got yourself out of harms way and not got a fright.

Psychedelic Hedgehog

I have done, a good few years ago I encountered a car that was driving extremely erratically, veering in and out of the hard shoulder / over the white line.

I rang it in to a nearby Garda station and a short time later I came across the car being pulled over in the next town.

Driver could have been drunk, or having a medical episode, or some other reason. Either way I like to think that I reduced the chance of a tragedy occurring that day.

BlakeS94

Psychedelic Hedgehog wrote: »

I have done, a good few years ago I encounter a car that was driving extremely erratically, veering in and out of the hard shoulder / over the white line.

I rang it in to a nearby Garda station and a short time later I came across the car being pulled over in the next town.

Driver could have been drunk, or having a medical episode, or some other reason. Either way I like to think that I reduced the chance of a tragedy occurring that day.

I agree with what you're saying, and also I like your username.

dulpit

User1998 wrote: »

Sounds like OP didn’t even get a chance to read the registration number. If so then there is absolutely no point in reporting it

Ya, I didn't catch the number plate. If I had done, I think I would have reported him.

mickdw wrote: »

No harm in reporting as it sounds like he had no regard for anyone around him.
Taxi sounds like he should have been in left lane too and could possibly have avoided the whole thing. Not enough info to be sure though.

Taxi wasn't at fault, I wasn't properly clear in description, but the stretch of road is by Tivoli in Cork, and it's a dual carriageway that splits into 2 lanes, 1 for going up Silversprings, the other going towards the skew bridge and into town.

dulpit

Isambard wrote: »

report the taxi driver too for lane hogging.

Really it's not worth it, practice defensive driving and look out for situations like that developing, that way you could have eased off the throttle and got yourself out of harms way and not got a fright.

There's only so much you can do though in these situations though. And see point above re. taxi.

jim o doom

with no reg and a hazy description of the car itself, the information is useless to the gards.

dulpit

jim o doom wrote: »

with no reg and a hazy description of the car itself, the information is useless to the gards.

Ah ya, I get that.

But definitely will be keeping notes of number plates going forward.

Something I thought of afterwards - do taxis all have dash cams now? Or is it up to each driver?

BronsonTB

Might be time to invest in your own dash cam....cheap & records all the details without having to remember reg etc....

Whocare

Don't waste your time. If you don't have dashcam videos.

jimmycrackcorm

Whocare wrote: »

Don't waste your time. If you don't have dashcam videos.

Everyone should have one.

Mimon

Regretted not reporting a very aggressive driver who tried to run me off the road with a baby in the back of the car.

Even if a guard was to call around to him maybe the psycho might have a think about his actions.

Whocare

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Everyone should have one.

Yeah definitely. But some people turn into Wannabe Garda when have one dashcam.

ec_pc

I had a scary experience about 15 years ago, dangerous overtaking in the dark coming into a corner, I had to jam on to let him in as a lorry came around the corner. Didn't get reg no, but about 20 miles up the road he pulled out of a petrol station and I got the reg and reported him.

Got a call from the local guards from the area the incident occurred in within the hour, wanting to know would I go to court to testify. I said I thought a chat with driver would be more appropriate to which the answer was that's not the way the system works.

Funnily I ended up living in that town eventually and the guard involved was known for being lazy so perhaps he was fobbing me off when he talked about court etc.

fryup

Mimon wrote: »

Regretted not reporting a very aggressive driver who tried to run me off the road with a baby in the back of the car.

Even if a guard was to call around to him maybe the psycho might have a think about his actions.

but what happens if said psycho asks who made the complaint...does the guard have to reveal it?

ec_pc

ec_pc wrote: »

Funnily I ended up living in that town eventually and the guard involved was known for being lazy so perhaps he was fobbing me off when he talked about court etc.

You were the witness to the dangerous driving, therefore you are the person that has to go to.court and give evidence of their driving.

fryup

can anyone answer my above question??

ofcork

dulpit wrote: »

There's only so much you can do though in these situations though. And see point above re. taxi.

Taxi still should have stayed in left lane and change to right lane after if he wanted to go to town.