75ZT Community

... for one lunatic.

I mention the location in detail below as I know that several members of the forum will know precisely where I mean.

I was in Bentley Bridge retail park in Wolverhampton today, which was heaving with shoppers preparing for Christmas.

About to cross the road towards Argos, a woman with a toddler was in front of me. A car on the other side of the road drew gently to a halt and the woman, child and another chap stepped onto the zebra crossing.

Just in time for a clown in a Ford Focus to screech out into traffic by the Dreams shop and hurtle towards the crossing, blasting the car horn while doing so and not only narrowly missing the woman and toddler but with so little control of the car that it almost hit the stationary car on the other side of the road.

As I said earlier, the place was heaving and once the woman had regained her composure and quieted the kiddy, asked if anybody was prepared to bear witness to the incident.

I believe she ended up with a total of some eight or nine names, addresses and phone numbers, all of whom had noted the registration number of the car. One of the witnesses identified herself as an off-duty Police officer and another was, not surprisingly,( ) a local Magistrate.

An early guilty plea is, as they say, anticipated.

Would anybody care to be apprised of developments?

Would be interested in knowing if they catch him/her.

Oh yes please.

I was once foreman in a case which involved two cars and a chap who was knocked from his bike. After a lot of wriggling from one of the defendants (defendant A) in which he tried all kinds of ploys such as blaming the other motorist and claiming he wasn't driving. Defendant B was only there due to the claims by 'A; that it was B's fault. We eventually found not guilty on 'B's counts and dangerous driving on 'A'.
Because we had found him guilty of dangerous driving the cyclist got to take the stand and describe his injuries. Horrendous multiple insults to his person. It also transpired that 'A; only had 'B's details because 'B' stopped to save the cyclists life (meanwhile a local person was witnessing 'A' forcing his passenger into the driving seat).

The scary part was the hour or so spent convincing two old dears that B was without blame - " he must be guilty or he wouldn't be here would he". The risk with juries....

Will I have to go to prison now?

Sorry Paul but the Ford Focus driver had every right - he needs to get to wherever as quickly as possible.

Came down the M11 this moring with cruise set at actual 70 not indicated. I was overtaking two lorries that were following close to one another. Was overtaking the first when a hero in a Vauxhall came screaming up behind me and the speed of approach he must have been doing 100. Put full headlights on me and driving right on my bumper as I was blocking his way as I was only doing the speed limit and expected me to instantly vapourise. Pulled past the second lorry and then pulled in so he pulled in right behind me still on my bumper still with full headlights on and we drove like that for a mile or so until he pulled out and roared off.

Wondering I I had video recording equipment if the boys in blue would do anything?

Seriously, is it going to be a case such as Glynns where the driver will blame someone else and say 'prove it was me'. But I do hope he gets done.

Paul

If you go about filming or taking pictures then make sure you're the passenger It wouldn't go down to well trying to report a crime only to find they turn on you for another offence.

Simon

I was considering an automatic system - Maplin used to do, do not know if they still do, a camera you put in either the front or rear screens that takes a picture every couple of seconds and can store several hours of photos

Paul

7dayshop recently had an offer of one that sticks on your screen. I still have to try it out but from my test at home it seemed good.

For dealing with bumperhogs, filling the rear screen wash reservoir with WD40 and realigning the nozzle is not safe and should be avoided.

Mick wrote:Would be interested in knowing if they catch him/her.

Stopped within 45 minutes of the complaint being lodged with the Police

There is a COD.

I had a similar experience some years ago when crossing a Zebra crossing with my then 2 year old Son and a plantpot driving a white Vauxhall Astra Van.

However, I was told when reporting to the Police, that as it happened on a "Private Car Park crossing" owned by the Supermarket (Asda in Darlaston), it was a Civil offence and not a matte for the Police !!!

Sometimes I wonder about the extent of the Law - Its illegal to drive like a Numpty on a road but its ok on a Supermarket Car Park?

45 mins is good. " I never, they're all lying ". I wish him no luck with that.

Mick wrote:There is a COD.

My dog and myself worship COD. Our chippy does massive ones.

The owner turns up in an Audi R8. I bet that's an indicator of how many cod he sells. However, he's never put toddler pedestrians at risk (should that be todestrians?).

Mick wrote:There is a COD.

and also a Holy Toast

carlpenn wrote: Its illegal to drive like a Numpty on a road but its ok on a Supermarket Car Park?

Not at all Carl.

The law differentiates between wholly private land, for example a farmer's field, where the public are not assumed to have access unless invited, even if not gated (Your driveway is included in that), and private land to which, whilst the public do not have right of way, are assumed to have limited access to conduct business. For example a pub or supermarket car park.

So the above would be taken into account when determining whether any offence had been committed.

To further illustrate the point, you are entitled to get into your car whilst as pissed as a fart if it is on your private drive, but are not allowed to do the same if on a pub car park. I know of many a defence to a charge of excess alcohol that has been doomed to failure on that point, regardless of what "my mate in the pub" says.

PaulT wrote:

Mick wrote:There is a COD.

and also a Holy Toast

Nah, better with chips. Keep the toast for Beans.

Some years ago me and a friend saw a rather battered looking car drive into our private residential car park, the electric gate was stuck open. The occupants looked like scallies and not fellow residents. We followed them on foot and found them in the process of hot wiring another car. They managed to exit via the gate in the vehicle they had just stolen and left their battered car behind, despite our attempts to block their exit using their car.

When we called the police they said there was nothing they could do because the incident was on private land.

Rover418275 wrote:When we called the police they said there was nothing they could do because the incident was on private land.

Hmm... Don't MOST thefts occur on private land?

I wish I could meet these ridiculous Policemen. All the ones I know don't make crass comments like this... at least not in front of me

raistlin wrote:

Rover418275 wrote:When we called the police they said there was nothing they could do because the incident was on private land.

Hmm... Don't MOST thefts occur on private land?

I wish I could meet these ridiculous Policemen. All the ones I know don't make crass comments like this... at least not in front of me

My impression of the Police is you phone up, get a crime number and then claim on your insurance and that is it.

PaulT wrote:
My impression of the Police is you phone up, get a crime number and then claim on your insurance and that is it.

..except your future quotes are higher for having the audacity of making a claim... hang on though.... your future quotes are higher if you don't make a claim!

SCAM!! offtopic

PaulT wrote:My impression of the Police is you phone up, get a crime number and then claim on your insurance and that is it.

Paul, this seems to be a widely held view and if you don't mind me saying so is a view held, in part, as the result of an urban myth. Unfortunately, Police officers, or more probably, help-desk (an oxymoron?) staff, are only human and might well try to filter out the less determined caller.

However, the Police are there to serve us all and, although we shouldn't have to, a little more forcefulness might indicate the absence of willingness of the caller to be fobbed off.

At the very least a request to be put through to the duty inspector, or a request for their name and the correct address of the Police station might serve to prove to the individual fielding the call that you are not prepared to be fobbed off.

I personally have come across the apparently lackadaisical attitude and have always been able to get my point across.

I find a polite request to speak to the duty inspector... immediately, makes my point.

Not wishing to belittle anyone's experiences here, just hoping that my experience might be of use to others