Should I report this nasty piece of work to the police?

philthejuggler

philthejuggler

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There is a slightly unusual lane system on a roundabout near my house - if you are turning left you have your own lane (so don't need to wait if there is traffic on the roundabout) but fairly quickly (100-200 yards) later it merges with traffic coming off the roundabout.

Looks something like this:

upload_2017-3-30_22-39-59.png

Last Saturday I was the car in yellow above and the chap in the white car (actually a small van thing) speeds up to try and stop me merging, then gives up when he realises he's about to cause a crash with cars coming the other way.


I saw him in my rear view mirror routing around the glove box area and then when we hit the dual carriageway he speeds past me, pulls in front and then slows. When I overtake he's waving a jack hammer threateningly at me out of his window which was wound down and then holds fairly tight to my back bumper until I left the dual carriageway a few junctions along. I thought he was going to chase me but in the end he didn't.

I ask my son to record his registration - do you think I should report him to the police, or is my word (and my 12/14 year old children's word) against his not going to solve anything?

Thanks for your opinions!

Phil
 
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Personally I would report it. Even if not much comes of it (the police might go to his house for a chat) - he threatened you and your child with a weapon.

People like this need to know they can't just go around threatening others. What would have happened if you had to stop?

Have to say though, it was unlikely he was threatening you with a jack hammer, I think you've got the wrong term there. Jack hammers are massive pneumatic things that you would struggle to lift with two hands even if you're standing up, they weigh an absolute tonne. Perhaps you mean a standard hammer or a lump hammer? Only mentioning it because if you go to the police you would have to tell them what he threatened you with.


Good luck, let us know how you get on.
 
Applemuncher said:
Personally I would report it. Even if not much comes of it (the police might go to his house for a chat) - he threatened you and your child with a weapon.

People like this need to know they can't just go around threatening others. What would have happened if you had to stop?

Have to say though, it was unlikely he was threatening you with a jack hammer, I think you've got the wrong term there. Jack hammers are massive pneumatic things that you would struggle to lift with two hands even if you're standing up, they weigh an absolute tonne. Perhaps you mean a standard hammer or a lump hammer? Only mentioning it because if you go to the police you would have to tell them what he threatened you with.


Good luck, let us know how you get on.
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Yes - you're right - a claw hammer!
 
Not sure which area you are in but Operation Crackdown may be of use to you.

.... if not, definitely report to your local boys.
 
Let the local cops know, in my day such incidents were called out at muster and reg no's noted. You may never hear about it again but the daftie may well be stopped and done for similar weeks down the line.
In fact he could've been on the radar prior to your incident, that's why the cops want to hear from anyone, you don't know how he or the vehicle fits into another incident.
 
Wouldn't bother, nothing actually happened and your kids and missus might be worried (without telling you) about possible retribution.

Besides that old bill won't do much, understaffed and too busy looking into actual crime
 
tom24 said:
Let the local cops know, in my day such incidents were called out at muster and reg no's noted. You may never hear about it again but the daftie may well be stopped and done for similar weeks down the line.
In fact he could've been on the radar prior to your incident, that's why the cops want to hear from anyone, you don't know how he or the vehicle fits into another incident.
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:agree: The police will do something about it...
 
I think it's worth reporting. As others have said even if the police don't act straight away it would be noted and if he is involved in similar incidents it helps to inform them. Previous complaints could be the difference between them having a friendly chat with him in future or detaining/ taking further action.

I have a few friends who are police officers. Reports of anyone being threatened are always taken seriously and followed up.
 
As above report it,someone else may not be as lucky as you and end up injured by this massive nob head.
 
Could be that driver is already known by the police for such behavior so he should be reported.
 
I would just move on with my life......There's worse things to come :)
 
Why didn't you just slow down and merge behind him if he was so determined to be in front? Plenty of dicks driving these days, no point being "right" if you have a claw hammer in the head or your kid is under threat or worse
 
KIPAX said:
So perhaps cars should be banned alltogether if you want to be really silly about it?
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Road rage will be interesting when autonomous cars become the norm. Perhaps we should then ban all car occupants and leave empty cars to roam the streets on their own. ;)
 
Report, but be prepared to spend about 45 mins with a disinterested desk bound civvy doing the admin as you fill in the form. However these things do add up even if they don't take action now, although the driver may just get a phone call.
 
I'd ring the old bill and let them know, i did the same on someone recently who was violently driving on the motorway, cutting people up etc, and they said they only need two complaints at ant time (could be a year apart say) to throw the book at him/her.

You might find someone else has already complained about them so something might get done.
 
In addition to his threatening behaviour, I also believe that he could be prosecuted for having a hammer in his glove box without a very good reason as it can be classed as a weapon.
 
Shadow said:
In addition to his threatening behaviour, I also believe that he could be prosecuted for having a hammer in his glove box without a very good reason as it can be classed as a weapon.
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They'd have tough time proving he wasn't on his way to (for instance) a mate's place to assist them or loan said hammer.
Bloke sounds like a complete nob though.
 
I used to carry a hammer to thump my starter motor when it got stuck
 
Bobsyeruncle said:
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(bloke in a similar situation, being a dick and waving a lump hammer through the open passenger window of the car alongside him)
 
I suppose just in case the police take an interest and stop this loon before he causes and accident or actually murders someone you should report it.

However, my contact with the police has often been disappointing, depressing and distressing so don't be too upset if you're met with disinterest and/or condescension. At least you'll have done the right thing.
 
Bobsyeruncle said:
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"
AN incident that I endured many years ago, whilst driving my Cannon trials car through my local town...[it's quite a short, narrow wheeled , very open 2 seater...]



An impatient Discovery driver [young, so I should have offered sympathy?] thought he'd pass me, using my side of the road....in a 30 limit, when I'm doing 30!..



He seemed to be trying to impress his passenger about how much of a bully he could be...when I happened to reach into my passenger footwell, wherein lay a small box of tools.....and including a rather large, yellow handled lump hammer.



Said lump hammer then got waved about by my right hand....very much outside the car!! When said lump hammer appeared in his passenger window, the effect on is ability to steer, etc was quite amazing.......for he miraculously 'saw the light', and dropped back rapidly...in fact, probably the only time he has ever put a 10 second gap between him, and the car in front [my car] when it wasn't snowing?



Never knowingly saw him again.....but I would have seriously put his passenger window through if he hadn't given me more room.....and he would have had problems explaining why he was less than an arm's length from a car he was 'overtaking?' Or why he felt it 'safe' to overtake another car, with a continuous line of oncoming traffic."
 
A dsh cam video would have him in the nick for a talking too without doubt. anything else is just hearsay, but still worth noting with the local traffic dept incase he is a serial road ragist.....Plenty of them around and they seem to follow a certain mode of operation - trying to shut the door on others merging or overtaking or similar seems normal stupid motorist fair these days, running people out of road where they can, defending their 30 foot of tarmac infront at all times is a 60 year old mans prerogative it would seem....
 
So, if he threatened you with a hammer and caused fear or distress, that's a public order offence (criminal) this combined with the road related incident is sufficient to report it. Dash cam footage can be used but you need to provide a full statement and be prepared to go to court to support the prosecution.
 
BruceMo said:
Why didn't you just slow down and merge behind him if he was so determined to be in front? Plenty of dicks driving these days, no point being "right" if you have a claw hammer in the head or your kid is under threat or worse
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I have to agree here, to be honest, by the time you got to the point in your picture, HE has the right of way as YOUR lane has to merge into his.
I know, I know he sped up etc, doesn't matter. If he sped up and you carried on trying to merge but he gave up, it sounds like you either thought you had right of way or you were determined not to let him "beat" you.
 
philthejuggler said:
I ask my son to record his registration - do you think I should report him to the police, or is my word (and my 12/14 year old children's word) against his not going to solve anything?
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Report it to the police if you wish.

Technically you are correct that it is your word against his word, and without any means of photographic proof, there is nothing much the courts can do.

But it may be a wake up and smell the coffee close shave for that driver. He need to become aware that he can't do something like that, and now that it had been recorded to the police, it means there will be notes in the police records/database for future reference.
 
You should report it.

And this does not excuse his actions (hence me saying report it) but also reflect on your actions in this incident. Did you really need to be in front? We're you displaying a little road rage yourself by making sure the van didn't get in front of you?

The roads are full of idiots, and we can avoid many nasty incidents by not contributing to them. Yes it means they 'win' but so what?
 
LASTOLITE said:
A dsh cam video would have him in the nick for a talking too without doubt. anything else is just hearsay, but still worth noting with the local traffic dept incase he is a serial road ragist.....Plenty of them around and they seem to follow a certain mode of operation - trying to shut the door on others merging or overtaking or similar seems normal stupid motorist fair these days, running people out of road where they can, defending their 30 foot of tarmac infront at all times is a 60 year old mans prerogative it would seem....
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I agreed with you up till the 60 year old remark. Sorry but what has age got to do with driving like a pillock? Do you somehow become incompetent once you're over 60?
 
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How would you prove what happened? You can't unless your passenger recorded it on their cam or maybe you had a well positioned dashcam. Well that is a great case to get one if anything.
 
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