Road Rage?

skintbuthappy81

As I have stated on a previous post, it depends on the police force and how many officers are on duty at the time. We only attend incidents that we are deployed to via the radio so sometimes it does not get past the control room/help desk as Volcano explained.
It is strange that nothing was done and this is why I always tell people to request updates, more often than not action is taken but the victim is never informed.

Volcano

Liz3yy wrote: »

I did report it, we were scared and worried about what the couple might do next so of course called the police right away.

Good! What follow up to this informed you of the police's inaction in the matter?

Tozer

skintbuthappy81 wrote: »

In the past 2 forces I have worked for (and still serving, I might add) they value 'customer focus' so I know that within these forces something would be done, possibly just advice unless of course there are other witnesses to it (meaning the OP would have had to get their details) and if it was reported as criminal damage.

I can only go by personal experience.

In 2003, I was a victim of a road rage attack. Sadly, I was on my way to my grandad's funeral.

It was, apparently, due to the fact that I was a young(ish) guy driving a sports car and the old fat idiot who attacked me was "jealous" and had had a "bad day". These are all quotes from what I have been told since.

Sadly, despite the fact that there were independent 999 calls reporting "a guy being attacked in his car", boot marks and hand prints all over my car - the idiot couldn't figure out how to open the door so decided to try and kick it in - fingerprints on the window as he tried to reach in to grab me, finger and puncture marks on my throat, and a contemporaneous 999 call from me saying what had happened and reading out the number plate of the guy's van, the Police decided after 12 months mucking about that there was "insufficent evidence.

I don't take these things lightly. I made a request under the Freedom of Information Act and Data Protection Acts for details relating to the matter.

It revealed that a) the Police did not consider it very seriously as I was not hospitalised; b) a 6 month limitation period was missed; c) the file was lost for 7 months; d) the guy had history of this sort of thing; e) his mate in the van "saw him get out of the van but couldn't see what he was doing as he was reading the paper"; e) lack of appetite to prosecute as none of those 'decent' people who took the time to slow down, watch and phone 999 wanted to "get involved" with the case and act as witnesses.

I had an off-record chat with a Police Superintendent responsible for FOIA and DPA issues. He thought that I ought rightly to sue the Police for their incompetence or at least make a complaint about the officers involved. I didn't as, frankly, I have better things to do and actually - generally - hold the Police in reasonably high regard.

I sued for damage to my car (£650) and personal injury. He lost his job also and has now paid in full. I didn't ever get an apology but I guess low lifes like that don't understand right from wrong.

OK, it is a lower burden of proof to sue someone than criminal prosecutions but I won. So sorry, I don't believe the Police would be interested in this case. In my experience, they are pretty pointless despite the fact that there was a smoking gun - fingerprints, bootprints, 999 call transcripts and even a mate that "refused to accept or deny" the incident.

skintbuthappy81

I'm sorry to hear about your incident, what a horrible thing to have to encounter. I can't comment on your individual case but unfortunatly our hands are tied when it comes to the CPS and what evidence is sufficient enough. I advise anyone to call the police no matter how small the crime as if it's not reported then nothing can be done.

tandraig

have read most of the posts in this thread - and my advice would have been - you should have got on the mobile phone and reported this idiot at the time! I did this when my son was driving me home one afternoon. this eedjit overtook as at speed then nearly knocked down a pedestrian waiting at bus stop (admittedly there was no pavement it was a country road) then was weaving all over the road narrowly avoiding collision with oncoming car - which is when i phoned 999 and reported him. he must have seen me talking on mobile cos all of a sudden he speeded up - i told the police person and took pic with mobile. he disappeared - i think he went off up mountain road. two days later police arrived to take my and my sons statement and to (they were going to take phone but i gave them printouts) take pics of car. it was enough to take the driver to court - oh he got a fine - £250!!! was it worth it? yes - if i hadnt taken action he may not have bu99ered off up mountain but went into village and possibly hurt or killed someone! so i dont regret it. and the police DID take action.

Volcano

Thanks Tozer, that was a good post and it's appreciated.

Tozer wrote: »

none of those 'decent' people who took the time to slow down, watch and phone 999 wanted to "get involved" with the case and act as witnesses.

Again, more of the apathy that lets these people get away with it.

I had an off-record chat with a Police Superintendent responsible for FOIA and DPA issues. He thought that I ought rightly to sue the Police for their incompetence or at least make a complaint about the officers involved. I didn't as, frankly, I have better things to do and actually - generally - hold the Police in reasonably high regard.

You went to the effort of taking this guy to court (and rightly so) and so it would've been correct to make a formal complaint about the level of ineptitude shown by the police in this instance. Making the police accountable is no different to making that guy accountable though. I'm sure he'll think twice about attacking someone else in the future, just as the police would think twice about handling someone's valid complaint in an inept manner, if they had a formal complaint on their record/disciplinary procedure/suspension etc to 'focus their mind'.

The mechanism, methods and procedures are in place to enable these people (both police and crazy drivers) to be brought into line and behave how they should. We are lucky to live in a country that has decent laws but they won't work unless we the people do everything we can to ensure the legal system gets a chance to work properly (even if this involves making an effort to kick the police up the backside as and when is needed!)

Tozer

skintbuthappy81 wrote: »

I'm sorry to hear about your incident, what a horrible thing to have to encounter. I can't comment on your individual case but unfortunatly our hands are tied when it comes to the CPS and what evidence is sufficient enough. I advise anyone to call the police no matter how small the crime as if it's not reported then nothing can be done.

No - it wasn't the CPS. It was the Police in this case. They bailed the guy to return 3 days outside of the statutory limit - pending further enquiries. The Police then lost the file and forgot about it. There was then a totally abhorent cover up.

Frankly, I have lost every bit of confidence in the Police in situations like this. There is no appetite to stop a stitch in time becoming nine.

"Advice" to these sort of people is insufficent. I appreciate that in the OP's case there is very little evidence to go on. But, (again only in my experience) even when faced with total evidence upon which any jury or magistrate would convice, there is no desire to do anything.

I even had a conversation with PC Plod who thought that maybe the fingerprints on my window and door were due to the attacker "trying to lean in to ask directions"!!!! Oh, that would explain boot marks on the side of my car, £650 worth of damage, 999 calls and grip and puncture marks on my throat and cheek.

mrcol1000

You know in defence of the police sometimes they really can't do anything. A lot of cars involved in crimes and incidents like this are either stolen, on false/cloned plates or untaxed, uninsured pool cars with no way of tracing the owner.
The police either take the report and try their best and can't do anything or know they can't do anything and don't bother. They trace the vehicle to find the car is registered to some little old lady in another part of the country to the big tattoted guy who put his fist through your window. They stop the car to find some guy who claims he brought in the pub for £50 off a bloke. These people do these things as they know its unlikely they will be traced.
Its always worth reporting it though as often people can be traced and even the examples of the above are caught and your incident can be another crime to latch on to the other crimes commited by the person.

BFG_2

Top Tip!!!!

The police will respond far quicker to incidents where they believe the caller to be in imminent danger.
So for example if the caller says that they think the person has a knife or a gun in their hand and they are waving it at them...the police will be there in a flash.

When I've needed the police in such an incident I thoight I saw a knife and they were there pretty sharp. Sadly either I must have been mistaken wrt the knife or the muppet must have disposed of it somehow.....but you're better being safe than sorry [as the lovely police officer told me].

Not that I'm suggesting for one minute that you say you think they have a knife when they don't, just to get the police to act ....I mean, how could you tell??

BFG_2

Road rage nutters are quite often wanted or 'of interest' to the police so reporting these incidents can lead to 'bigger fish'. It's the same for no tax disc, no insurance - quite often leads to other finds...