Reporting bad drivers

A couple of mates seem to have quite a lot of success uploading close pass videos to the Police, lots of warning letters sent and occasional courses or charges.

Iirc, the Police only accept them for certain things, so rubbish parking wouldn’t go that route. Parents locally have used photos of rubbish school run parking to encourage the Safer Neighbourhood Team to wander round and have words with offenders. One of whom got towed for no insurance.

"Rubbish parking" is a council issue I believe.

I'm not sure as I follow the "busybodies" argument. If you don't want to be reported for acting like a **** then don't act like a ****.

CougarFull Member
“Rubbish parking” is a council issue I believe.

I think it depends on the circumstances and your local authorities, although I think all too often neither want to deal with it, so the police will pass you to the council and the council will pass you to the police.

I’m not sure as I follow the “busybodies” argument. If you don’t want to be reported for acting like a * then don’t act like a *.

I think most people can agree it's become more of an issue in recent years. If it's ignored it will only get worse. Make some noise, I say. We can do better.

A road user using their phone to film another road user using their phone seems slightly self defeating.

A road user using their phone to film another road user using their phone seems slightly self defeating.

If you are parked or on foot, it's not a problem.

Also dash cams and helmet cams exist?

Thanks for the responses. Just to be clear my journey to the shop and back was made on foot.

I have checked on reporting bad parking and, as suggested above, it is handled by the County Council rather than Police and the content website does not seem to suggest that any action would be taken for any violations reported.

The reporting of driving offences seems much better in terms of reporting. If I see any particularly poor examples like the one I witnessed today I will try reporting.

Personally, unless someone hits you, or some such near miss, it's really not worth the hassle - you'll be constantly reporting people, viewing video etc etc, and that takes the enjoyment out of cycling. I commute to work on the bike and see loads of bad driving. The only ones I've reported have been the ones trying to 'run me over' deliberately (twice).

Don't forget people who ride bikes badly; there's just as many 👍

Send the clips to Ashley Neal's YouTube channel. He happily compiles and shares footage of such things which ultimately increases the exposure of such idiots.

To my mind, someone blatantly using their phone while driving is akin to them explicitly telling me that their phone call is more important than the lives of me and my family.
They know it's dangerous, they know they are on public display. Me seeing them drive past my young kids on their phone is the same as them coming up to me and saying "yeah, I don't really care that I might kill them or cripple them for life, I've got Facebook to check".

Report them to Hell and back.

“Rubbish parking” is a council issue I believe.

In general and yellow lines yes I believe so, but IIRC the zigzag lines are different, this is considered a criminal matter (as opposed to civil) so the police can ticket for this. Whether they will is another question.

Just interested to hear other peoples thoughts on this. Do you report this type of thing, do you think people that do are busybodies etc.

Back when I was a student (pre youtube - video cameras were too big to cycle with and only YUPPIES could afford a phone!) I used to get annoyed with drivers and chase them down and shout at them at traffic lights.  It soon came to be they there would be an incident on every ride and I lost all enjoyment from riding.  When I came back to riding I realised that the frequency of shit driving was no better but by learning to ignore it, or pre-empt it, etc I could not get angry 90% of the time and thus enjoy riding again.

Thats why I consciously have not put a camera on my helmet - because the action of me turning it on would make me go looking for todays idiot.  My personality could very easily have made me CyclingMikey if portable cameras and easy distribution had been around at the time - the feedback loop of youtube could easily convince me I was doing good, but then I read this:

A couple of mates seem to have quite a lot of success uploading close pass videos to the Police, lots of warning letters sent and occasional courses or charges.

And thought, it depends what you count as "lot of success".  If you were truly being successful the frequency of problems would drop.  I have no solution, and no axe to grind with those who do record and upload people clearly endangering others, but since the advent of youtube and cameras etc the problem has not got better, indeed its possibly got worse.  Some drivers are more polarised towards cyclists and I think the videos and attitudes that some have might be partly driving that.  One thing is clear to me from all the interactions over the years - its very rare for a driver to do something wrong (even something as unambiguously wrong as overtaking on zig zag lines whilst on their phone), and when challenged they simply say "you are right I was being a dick - I'll go and try to be better".  I think that the natural response to anyone "telling us off" is hostile, or defensive.

I walk to work and back every day and walk past thousands of parked cars. A high percentage of these have baldy or barely legal tyres.

If I thought there was someone to report them to I'd happily get up early in the morning and submit pictures of every single one.

it’s really not worth the hassle – you’ll be constantly reporting people, viewing video etc etc, and that takes the enjoyment out of cycling

Agree with that to an extent. I used to wear a helmet cam and if I reported everything that I thought deserved it I would never be off the computer.

Blatant dangerous driving got reported, sometimes I'd save a video just for future reference in case I noticed the same car several times.

Don’t forget people who ride bikes badly; there’s just as many

Yeah yeah here we go.

A cyclist being an idiot might crash and break his nose.

A driver being an idiot might crash and kill/maim several people and cause tens of thousands of damages.

But feel free to equate them for troll points.

(Not saying I think it's ok for cyclists to ride badly. Also sorry, I'm grumpy today.)

"This lunchtime I pooped to the local Sainsbury"

Sounds like a crap lunchtime.

I have reported drivers of branded vans to the company on the side of the vehicle a few times.  I see plenty of these idiots on the phone on the motorway on the way to work and it winds me right up.  My emails mainly get ignored but I have had a couple of replies to say "we will deal with it".  Pretty sure they won't but I can't sit idly by and watch these chumps.

Don’t forget people who ride bikes badly; there’s just as many 👍

Yes, but as has previously been discussed at great length, the level of harm is not remotely comparable.

I have reported drivers of branded vans to the company on the side of the vehicle a few times.

Anybody who drives like a knob in what is essentially a mobile billboard for their employer needs to give their head a wobble. Discuss.

I have reported drivers of branded vans to the company on the side of the vehicle a few times.  I see plenty of these idiots on the phone on the motorway on the way to work and it winds me right up.  My emails mainly get ignored but I have had a couple of replies to say “we will deal with it”.  Pretty sure they won’t but I can’t sit idly by and watch these chumps.

I reported a dangerous close pass from a van towing a trailer to United Utilities once where the driver swore at me as well, they sent abject apologies and posted a fancy package of biscuits, gift-wrapped with a ribbon and everything 😄

That's fine mate,  me too. I had a berk ride off the pavement in front of me today and had that "clench everything" experience expecting the van behind me to dunsh in. He didn't,  but it still got my armpits itching 🤣

I have had a couple of replies to say “we will deal with it”. Pretty sure they won’t

In isolation perhaps not. But if people are reporting the same drivers time and again it will surely add up. A company might not care about a grumpy cyclist but they probably will care about one of their drivers wrapping a company van around a tree.

A company might not care about a grumpy cyclist but they probably will care about one of their drivers wrapping a company van around a tree.

... Which just makes me more grumpy. Must get the priorities straight!

No expert here, but surely if you're driving a company vehicle there's usually some sort of usage policy?

Certainly when I was in the reserves anyone pinged for speeding in a hire/MoD vehicle would find themselves having an interview with no coffee or biscuits with the CO.

No expert here, but surely if you’re driving a company vehicle there’s usually some sort of usage policy?

Tell that to Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber etc etc etc

Ok I need a break. Posting too much in this thread. A subject close to my heart 🤣

This lunchtime I pooped to the local Sainsbury

always be clocked in when you dump out

I have reported drivers of branded vans to the company on the side of the vehicle a few times.  I see plenty of these idiots on the phone on the motorway on the way to work and it winds me right up.  My emails mainly get ignored but I have had a couple of replies to say “we will deal with it”.  Pretty sure they won’t but I can’t sit idly by and watch these chumps.

I accept this is a bit late for a dead person, but if XYZ Ltd vans were involved in a fatal collision, and you and others had an email chain showing that XYZ Ltd were aware how badly driven their vehicles were and did nothing - could that be the moment it takes for employers to become liable?

I reported a driver for being a bell-end a few years ago using my rear facing camera.  Long story short 9 months later he had a £700 fine and a bunch of points.  I have reported people without footage and I did get a conversation with a cop but he couldnt do more than check his details were up to date etc

I wouldn't bother, twice I've been the victim of dangerous driving in recent years. The first was a pickup pulling out on me on a roundabout and making contact with me/my bike, the other a car hitting mine overtaking in slow commuter traffic in town as a result of their rage, almost knocked down a pedestrian and a motorcyclist in the process. CCTV and a witness in the case of the latter, but the fuzz didn't want to know when I rang them - said my only option was to go to the only manned station in the area (15 miles away) between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday and fill out a form, then they might investigate.

No expert here, but surely if you’re driving a company vehicle there’s usually some sort of usage policy?

Certainly when I was in the reserves anyone pinged for speeding in a hire/MoD vehicle would find themselves having an interview with no coffee or biscuits with the CO.

It will certainly be used as an excuse to get rid of people they want to get rid of, but hiring drivers is hard at the moment so they won't be rushing to fire them!  If drivers who use their phone are actually better at customer comms / turning up on time etc then there's s disincentive to fire them!  You generally need a consistent approach - so if getting caught for speeding in a company vehicle gets you fired/losing your bonus then the board in their company cars might not be so keen to sign that policy off.

The company I know with the strictest policy (no phone calls at all whilst driving (not just handsfree) - even from contractors / suppliers - must park up first) came about after a sales rep on handsfree call ploughed into the back of a stationary lorry at 70mph and died.  The person who implemented the change and enforced it, ruthlessly, was the director who had to go and see his wife the day after it happened.

@core whereabouts are you? I realise many police are strapped for cash/staff/time but I think it's worth naming and shaming forces like this to encourage them to take it more seriously.

I'm in Manchester, GMP are not exactly known as the most cycle friendly force but they do have an easy to use online portal for reporting and a dedicated team for this sort of thing, who IME are good at following it up and dealing with it.

The company I know with the strictest policy (no phone calls at all whilst driving (not just handsfree) – even from contractors / suppliers – must park up first) came about after a sales rep on handsfree call ploughed into the back of a stationary lorry at 70mph and died.

I know this is a tangent but we regularly have people dialling into Teams meetings while driving. This makes me... nervous.

We live next to a private school, plenty of parents and pupils bad parking / generally inconsiderate.  For 6 years I've never complained (other than to my poor wife).  However last week I'd had enough, one particular lad has been getting faster and faster, and he was absolutley smashing it down one of the local roads as I was taking the kids to school.  I'd already spotted him several times speeding and generally being a dick, but this time it was really fast.  I'd say he was going close to 50, in a 20 on a busy residential street during school drop off.  I knew he went to the school as he is wearing their blazer, so probably lower 6th / only just passed his test.

I went and found his car, took a photo and sent a politely worded complaint to the chair, head and burser of the school.

Was half expecting to be fobbed off as I had no 'proof' but they took it seriously inside 24hours a mail from the 6th form head confirming from my description that is was a pupil at the school and it was being dealt with under disciplinary procedures and educating him on road safety to be a better driver.  Really impressed with the school.  Now I hope the lad takes it on board, and possibly word gets out so his mates slow down a bit too.

So yes, it is worth taking the time to complain if its serious or repeated

Don’t forget people who ride bikes badly; there’s just as many

Near impossible to identify. No number plate you see.

And I heard they don't pay road tax either.

but the fuzz didn’t want to know when I rang them – said my only option was to go to the only manned station in the area (15 miles away) between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday and fill out a form, then they might investigate.

The first half of your sentence and the second half contradict each other.  You just didn't care enough to overcome the hurdle they set you to report the matter.  Is that barrier set too high?  Perhaps but if you won't make an hour of your time to go 15 miles at any point M-F 9-5 will you go to court for a full day maybe further away and not on a day your pick.

https://www.yell.com/biz/harlyn-enterprises-ltd-northampton-6353695/

This is one of the companies I was going to report a driver to.  They don't have an email address for some reason.  Can't imagine why.

Near where my Mum lives (an area with a lot of schools and therefore a lot of 4x4-driving Mummies parking on pavements, double yellows, double-parked and always on the phone, engines idling) the police have now launched an additional policy alongside the existing dashcam/helmetcam portal. They'll receive video clips filmed from pedestrians of inconsiderate / illegal parking and so long as it shows the actual driving onto / off of the pavement part, they'll prosecute (well, a ticket and a fine). Same for phone use. Even in a fairly short time, it's done a lot to reduce the issue.

There was also a guy used to speed down a residential street very early in the morning in an Aston Martin. 5am every day, he'd track-launch his car down this street. It got mentioned to the police, then reported, then seriously complained about until one morning he came round the corner at the top to be faced with a police car in the middle of the road.

This creature was texting and driving, and the consequences were fairly severe (not for her, sadly).

Bet she texted at lights as well.

https://metro.co.uk/2024/01/28/lorry-driver-killed-mass-pile-up-prison-officer-texted-behind-wheel-20183828/

I do the school run by bike, 8:30-9am i'll report any and every driving infrindgement in the ~2km.

Some days I would got 5-6 parents on their phones that had just dropped their kids off. On the school pick up today I didn't see any! Maybe my campaign is working 😉

Bet she texted at lights as well.

It's epidemic at traffic lights. Literally as soon as the car is stopped, half the drivers in the queue get onto their phones.

And then the lights change and you get the WhatsGap phenomenon - the person in front has moved off and they're still there looking down at their phone.

On the one hand, yes I want to live in a perfect world where everybody is the model example of a good driver.

Then again, I think do I really want to live in a world where we are encouraging people to be filming other people constantly.

Pick your poison.

Don't get me started about how bad GMP are. I got a badly broken spine and 7 months off work and my mate a fractured skull and broken neck. GMP didn't even bother with a slapped wrist on the drivers. I won't say what the officer said, along the lines of we dont give a poop your insurance will sort it.

I have checked on reporting bad parking and, as suggested above, it is handled by the County Council rather than Police

Surely neither of those are simply bad parking.

I have checked on reporting bad parking and, as suggested above, it is handled by the County Council rather than Police

Neither wants anything to do with it. To actually prosecute, the police need to witness the driver driving their car onto the pavement becasue it's the actual DRIVING that's the offence, not the parking. If they don't see that and they simply happen across a car parked on a pavement, they can't do anything because it might have landed there or been dropped off by a flying saucer or something, there's no proof that it was DRIVEN there. Yes I know, ridiculous isn't it?!

The Council (usually) own / manage the road and pavement but they want nothing to do with pavement parking because it's a total ballache for them to deal with involving a recovery truck, the pound, a load of time and not a huge amount in the way of recoverable costs for them. Plus by the time they've called the pound and a truck has driven out there, chances are the pavement parker will have drive off anyway - most of these offences are very short duration (I'm not for one moment saying that makes it OK, I'm saying that makes it very difficult to deal with).

Whole thing is a total mess. Just needs the law changing (as Scotland / Edinburgh have just introduced) but it's such a low priority. Government commissioned a major survey on pavement parking 3 years ago and have been sat on it ever since, they have zero desire to publish it or do anything to enforce it.

My latest attempts to get the police to give a shit.

Exhibit A.

NIP sent out, then case sat on until time limit expired, driver got a letter telling him he was naughty.

1.40 in

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cIkDcTCexEU&pp=ygURQ2xvc2UgcGFzcyB0aGFtZXM%3D

Next, was told that as the bike isn't visible they can't do anything with driver...physics is different in TVP world.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YE_LnPo4toY

When I pointed out that this hadn't been an issue with the one above, so where's the consistency? they grumbled on some bollocks and said it was the policy moving forward. I also pointed out that you can see my hand in it so I was definitely there!!

@anagallis_arvensis Worth contacting PCC/MP?

Thanks everyone. A lot of food for thought when I next "poop" out to the shops!

I think that the expectation of being able to drive everywhere combined with the addiction to social media, calls, texts, etc. is creating big issues which our transport infrastructure cannot cope with.

The sentencing for the prison officer that was linked to is bewildering - how can you not go to jail for causing such an incident in which people were severely hurt and one lost his life?

I am dubious whether me reporting bad drivers will really make any difference and I am not sure I want to stress that it would bring.

Maybe technology will solve this for us within the next 20 years? Self driving cars are being developed so the next logical step would be for people to order a car when they need one rather than owning one that sits idle 90%+ of the time. This would result in fewer vehicles and so less demand for parking and charging infrastructure. The size of the vehicle that turns up would be appropriate to the number of people travelling - no more single occupants of oversized 4x4's clogging up the roads.

Worth contacting PCC/MP?

Having done both previously it would seem not. In that case apparently a close pass isn't illegal if a car is in the wrong side of the road heading straight at you 1.5m close pass only counts if coming from behind.....

Here is another, TVP did not view it in time to proceed!