Reporting dangerous driving

[Johnnie]

I'd bet that we've all seen instances of suicidally wreckless driving, and no doubt considered reporting the ****holes responsible to the police.

Obviously, a video tape with a date / time stamp and the registrations of the vehicles and faces of the drivers clearly visible would be ideal, but in the real world, how much information would you need to provide before the police can do anything?

I assume there isn't much the police can do about an individual instance of a driver speeding without video evidence, so what else would the driver/vehicle have to be doing before the police took an 'active' interest?

If you witness wreckless driving, but cannot identify the driver/vehicle, (no registration, no good look at the driver etc) would it still be a good idea to report it 'for the record'?

[MikeG]

If you witness wreckless driving, but cannot identify the driver/vehicle, (no registration, no good look at the driver etc) would it still be a good idea to report it 'for the record'?

I would think it would be a good idea as someone else could report the driver who does have all the relevant details.

Mike

[ScoobyChris]

I was always led to believe that once x number of complaints were reported to the police about someone then they'll send someone round to 'ave a word. I don't think they can prosecute without evidence though....

Chris

[James]

Sorry to say but unless a police officer witnesses something, or is directly involved in the incident, no prosecution will be bought. Even with video evidence or photographs, they will not be deemed credible evidence as lawyers could argue they could be fabricated or not 100% genuine. Even if they do not, the "Police" tend to be the only credible witnesses as they are deeemed to be "Trained Observers". Don't shoot the messenger, because even if I make a call, off duty to report that I am following a vehicle concerned in Dangerous Driving, I will be told (and have been) "The vehicle will be circulated, thanks for your call".

Unless the driver has committed a CRIMINAL OFFENCE and not a TRAFFIC OFFENCE, it is unlikely the police will take action.

[Porker]

That's interesting. What categories of "traffic offences" are not "criminal offences"?

[7db]

They do live in a weird middle ground, as they aren't always like other offences, but as I understand it, most traffic offences are all criminal offences, albeit that most are not recordable (ex dangerous, drink, etc). Parking offences aren't criminal around here any more.

[vonhosen]

Any offence you can go to Magistrates Court for is a criminal offence.
That will include some parking offences.

[7db]

Decriminalised in London -- overstaying meters, DYL, also yellow boxes, I think.

[vonhosen]

Decriminalised in London -- overstaying meters, DYL, also yellow boxes, I think.

Parking on a ped x, obstruction, dangerous position etc can all still be done by Police.

[7db]

True - only selected offences decriminalised.

Gets my goat the number of people abusing the zigzag offences, but never seen one done. Ho hum.

[vonhosen]

True - only selected offences decriminalised.

Gets my goat the number of people abusing the zigzag offences, but never seen one done. Ho hum.

I've done hundreds for it (in the past)

[James]

That's interesting. What categories of "traffic offences" are not "criminal offences"?

Traffic Offences are still technically Criminal Offences, but in answer to my post, any Traffic Offences will fall into the category of not being recorded by police unless they are witnessed or directly involved. You can still report things like hit and run accidents and they get "looked into", but most other things won't be followed up.

[Johnnie]

Do reports to the police of dangerous / wreckless driving get collated into statistics which can be used to decide the provision of traffic calming measures etc, or are they just noted down and then filed away?

[James]

Do reports to the police of dangerous / wreckless driving get collated into statistics which can be used to decide the provision of traffic calming measures etc, or are they just noted down and then filed away?

Yes they are used as statistic's, but only as a result of official accident reports, or official endorsements/summons made by police... If you went into the front office of a station and said "This guy cut me up and was dangerous", no official record would be made so it would not be measured in statistics.

[Johnnie]

So in my case when I attended the station and filled out the report and the officer came and looked at my car etc, that would have counted, but phone calls / verbal reports don't. Makes sense I guess. Would you recommend not bothering with verbal reports / phone calls then as nothing will come of them, and it would be sort of wasting the officer's time?