Damn straight it's boastful. Not enough people take responsibility for their actions these days, the bloke in question should have realised that driving the way he was would have resulted in grief for him in one way or another...

In fairness, no i probably wouldn't report them. Not that i am overly concerned about their family or finances but i keep my nose out of other peoples business as i would expect them to keep theirs out of mine!

Perhaps this attitude is what's wrong with britain, perhaps not, but you keep wading into other peoples lives it's a matter of time until it comes back to catch up with you IMO.

Can I presume you're not a parent? Honestly...

I too generally keep my nose out of other peoples business but sometimes you have to take a stance to protect others.

Chip

+1 that's exactly my sentiment!:)

Fair play Chip, you make your choices to protect your family, that i fully understand and promote, with more meat on the bones i understand your predicament. Where instead you go to the cop shop i would differ by not leaving kids to play unsupervised near a road which in the grand scheme of things you can presume is going to have traffic on it, regardless of speed a little gets hit by a motor and its bad news all round.....

White van man is one of a bout 4 types driver you can guarantee will be 3" from your back bumper and 8mph over the speed limit on all occasions .
Im afriad i take some delight in sticking cruise on and watching them froth gentle in the rear view :D

Alloy, you do understand the difference between speeding and dangerous driving?

My problem isnt with someone speeding, its with someone driving so dangerously I had to take action to protect the 2 passengers in my car.

Did I say I did that? No I did'nt.

My two often played in the front garden which also had a little fence around it. We were also always there with them.

If the tw@t in the van had lost control he could have gone anywhere. There are also people that walk on footpaths that would have been injured.

All I can say is that its a bloody good job were all not like you who would prefer to sit back and do nothing.

Chip

I got pulled up by the police a few years back, the previous day i had been reported for driving at fast speeds through town.
So the police do take action when people are reported for dangerous driving.
I didnt admit to anything so they couldnt charge me.
The person that reported me wouldnt have seen my plate either but thats the joys of having a subaru that stands out.

Jamz- I understand the difference between DD and Speeding....however i'm not talking about your situation!!!

Chip- speeding is breaking the speed limit, correct? A car that isn't speeding can still lose control, correct? Ergo to be sure to be sure don't allow kids to be susceptable to that enviroment....seems logical to me....again we all differ in our opinions.....

But surely even you would agree there is more chance of losing control when speeding at 50mph through a residential area than driving sensibly at 30mph or less.

Chip

Drivers with a mindset like that are a danger to innocent people on the road. I would not hesitate to report him in the hopes that the coppers might put the fear of God up him and make him think twice next time.

I doubt they could bring a case to court over his behaviour without further witnesses who are not associated with you, but at least they might contact him in the hopes they could do a bit of good.

Les

"even you would agree" - i'm not out to argue!! :)

i don't know the road so it is hard to specualte, but losing control of a car...what are the catalysts? Dog/cat/ball runs out infront of you? Hit an oil patch/black ice? Have a blow out? Well arguably it's going to take you longer to stop for such events with the added momentum you are carrying, but i don't see how these could make you lose control of the vehicle come off the carrigeway, over the pavement and into your front garden for going 50mph instead of 30mph, unless you are on the bend of the road this seems like a low risk play to me....i however do appreciate that being hit by a car doing 50 instead of 30 isn't going to be doing you any favors but i still maintain that at 30mph a kid is still going to be in a reasonably critical state, hence keep them away from such perils!!

As I stated previoulsy there is a lot more chance of losing control at higher speeds. A car at 30 mph will also stop a lot quicker even if out of control.

As for low risk. Really? 50mph down a narrow road.

Chip

Let's be honest, if someone is forcing you to take evasive action, then it's fairly odious that they don't give a damn about your safety or anyone elses!
So yea I'd report someone if they where driving in a fashion where they where in danger of hurting others then yes I'd report them!

Let's look at it from the view of you cut me up dangerously today and I let you off with it, next month I come across a bad accident and your cars been involved, I drive on but hear later on the news that a baby and a father died in the accident and a mother is in a wheelchair for the rest of her life, how do I feel knowing that I could have stopped that happening by making 1 call? In most cases the dangerous drivers only need 1 warning from the police to wind their necks in and wise up a little

If you read what i wrote, i said the probability of a van coming off the road over the pavement through your little fence and into the garden is highly unlikely regardless of speed, the fact that this hasn't happened before stands testament to this! Again without knowing the road i speculate that a car will be parked outside your fence on the roadside offering protection to pedestrians on the pavement, your garden and your family. If the kids are not on the road (which they shouldn't be) then their lives being in danger isn't a high risk factor IMO, i do however appreciate as a parent the scenario is obviously uncomfortable and un-nerving, but still the probability of the events taking place to inflict bodily harm on your kids is low with all things considered. Doesn't make what white van man is doing right ..... but a £60 fine and 3 points should be the correct punishment for the crime and not losing your job, especially in todays fiscal climate when the only evidence they have is a neighbour making two phone calls to the police.

Lets just be thankful that the vast majority of people don't have the same attiude as you.

Chip

What's that then, rational and pragmatic as opposed to hysterical and self righteous....:rolleyes:

Live and let live :thumb:

Alloy,i doubt you would be so rational and pragmatic if the boot was on the other foot......

I'm afraid i'm another who doesn't agree with you Alloy. I don't think you are taking the point being made, Hammie82 sums it up nicely.

Then you don't know me at all....when i have kids they will never be allowed to play by the road, why would you knowingly allow your kids to be in a dangerous situation. Especially if you are as paranoid as to think a car is going to lose control and plant itself in your front lawn.....take responsibility for your own actions and remove the chance for such an unfortunate situation by letting the kids have a run around the back garden or the park when the chance of such a disastrous event is nigh on nil! Roads are and always will be a means for vehicles to pass, they are not and never have been a venue to host a tea party, game of cards, game of football etc etc....removing one speeding offender reduces your guard as you think the problem is solved, lulling you into a false sense of security, this increases the danger IMO so again to reduce that danger don't let the nippers near the bleeding road....does no one agree on this point at least here?

So you won't be taking your children to the park, the shops or school then as you, so you say, will be knowingly allowing your kids to be in a dangerous situation.



I did, by reporting him.

Not paranoid at all, but if an inexperienced driver like he was comes tearing down the road at 50mph then there is a much higher chance of him losing it.

Chip

No because you seem to think this driver only does it outside Chip's house and he is being paranoid. So what is your opinion then when this driver behaves in the same way outside a primary school at kicking out time? Stop the kids from leaving school as they must never be near a road ever? The fact is this idiot was eventually punished for driving in a manner that endangered other peoples lives and I for one am glad that it is one less idiot thinking he can dive how he sees fit regardless of anyone else.

I dont let my kids play by the road.
I dont class myself as paranoid.
I have seen a car plough through the front of a house not far from me the offender was a drink driver.
All i am saying is there are too many dangerous folks on the road nowadays.
The law should be more proactive to protect decent road users.....
Cheers...

what if he's been reported for this before? You don't know? once you give the details they might have more info than you might have...no ins/licence/wanted etc etc
It helps build a bigger picture...potentially

I reported someone a few months ago for reading the newspaper whilst driving his van! the guy was weaving all over the road on a dual carriageway and I was worried about overtaking him. When I saw what he was doing i reported him to the police and to his company who's details where on the side of the van.

Well that is terrible. Surely a £60 fine and 3 points would suffice. After all, what if this man had a wife, kids and a mortgage. Your actions may have caused home to lose his home and his kids than taken into care. Shame on you. ;)

Chip

Your right Chip I was out of line and went too far! I feel ashamed of myself, i have let myself down and my family :(

Regularly when I perform a safe (IMO) overtake I get flashed by the overtakee or oncoming car. Even though I've returned to my side of the road in plenty (IMO) of time. If all of those people reported me for 'dangerous' driving I could be in serious trouble, yet (IMO) I have done nothing wrong.

I would report someone who did something seriously stupid, but you have to give a bit of leeway also, we all make mistakes.