Confrontation with reckless driver

sunshine1980

Evening

Just after advice as to what you would do in my situation but also to rant.

Driving back from my sister's this evening with my 3 year old daughter in the back. Was being followed by an RAC van. Came up to parked cars on my left, on the opposite side of the road there were also parked cars and a car coming towards me so I slowed down as I was not sure if he was going to let me past, anyway he flashed me so I turned to go past the parked cars and the RAC van roared past me forcing me to do an emergency stop. It was a very near miss. I used my horn then set off. A bit further down the road the RAC van pulled up on the right in front of a house. I was quite annoyed and shaken up and I pulled up behind him. I got out of my car and walked up to his window which he had up. I shouted what the hell was he doing pulling out like that and that I had a little girl in my car. He just smirked and turned the other way. I used my hand to bang on his window and he turned around. I shouted I did not know who he thought he was but that I had his registration number and was reporting him to RAC. His face dropped. I walked back to my car and he got out of the van and yelled at me he was going to report me to the Police for banging on his window. He then proceeded to take a photo of my car. I just drove off.

I know everybody has experienced this kind of behaviour from other reckless drivers and had near misses and just got on with it. I have been driving 2 years now and do not exagerate when I say that I have had one incident every week or seen an incident every week where someone has pulled out in front of me/someone else, not given way, ignored red lights etc etc. A lot of the time it is work vehicles as well such as Council etc.

Would you still report this to RAC or just try and forget it? I would like to report it although obviously I suspect the driver will deny it and then maybe phone the Police. I have no qualms giving my version of events to the Police and I know it is not against the law to bang on someone's window - I did not do this aggressively or loudly I am only 5 "2 and 7st so hardly intimidating. Also the house he pulled up outside is around the corner from mine and I have seen an RAC van parked there so think that is where he lives.

Anway rant over!

Strider590

Questions.... And taking a completely neutral stance on this.

1) When you slowed down and pulled over for the other car, did you indicate left?

2) Had he been following you for a while and where you driving at 40mph in a 60mph zone?

I ask this one because over caution and not knowing what this:



means, can REEEEEAAALLY pi55 off all but the most saintly of drivers, especially if they're in something slow and counter-intuitively this actually causes you and your passengers to be in more danger.

2 years is no time at all to have been driving, i've been on the road since 1997 and I see bad driving every single day, but most of the bad driving I see is not through anger or aggression, but through people not knowing what they're doing, not understanding speed limits, road markings or how to make good progress.

Also if your driving quite a small/slow car, when I drive the GFs Ford KA, I often find people cutting me up or pulling out in front of me, the "Must Get In Front" urge is too great for some drivers to resist, it's nearly as bad as riding a bicycle.

Not trying to have a go or anything, I do truly believe he should be punished for behaving like a c*ck whilst driving a company vehicle.

DUTR

Well if he was not in a liveried van, would you have approached the driver?
TBH you were in the wrong, being over cautious with your driving and sounding your horn after the event, in the wrong place and time the episode could have ended ugly, you have your little one in the car, so keep her safe, be on your way and vent about it yes, but don't dwell on it.
Chances are the van may have a dash cam to show your irrational drivng at the time.
Sorry.

Axled

Wouldn't report the guy, I would just move on with the next chapter of life. Always a shock when a near miss happens but it's part of driving and use it as experience, no need to go and abuse the person for it.

System

I shouted what the hell was he doing pulling out like that and that I had a little girl in my car. He just smirked and turned the other way. I used my hand to bang on his window

That sounds like road rage to me.

Iceweasel

This behaviour is most certainly 'Road Rage'.

Banging on people's windows is showing aggression that could have you charged under public order offences for causing a state of distress, fear and alarm.

You bang on my window for any reason at all and I'm on the phone to the police straight away.

What happened beforehand is a separate issue.

force_ten

as said by above the driver could have reported you for road rage, shouting and banging on his window is not acceptable behaviour and had you done that to me i would also of called the police and reported you for threatening behaviour

what happened further down the road has been explained by you, but it would be interesting to hear the rac drivers account of the event

dacouch

Playing devils advocate.

The other car flashed you through indicating you had the priority (Right of way) which could be why the RAC man overtook you.

Were you driving up hill at the time?

marlot

Could the RAC man have thought you'd parked behind the other cars you were waiting to go past? Did you check you mirrors and look over your shoulder before you moved off?

I've driven just over a million miles since passing my test (Now down to 100 miles a day). Any time I find myself in a near miss, I question myself about what I did which put me in danger. I'm NOT saying the other driver was a saint, but defensive driving often helps prevent accidents.

No matter what someone else's driving, confronting them is never a good idea. That is defined as road rage.

Your adrenaline has been flowing. Take some deep breaths and a cup of tea!

atrixblue.-MFR-.

OP you've committed a public order offence, I know RAC have their own line of dashcams coming out soon and ive seen some RAC vans fitted with them for trials so if he did have one on him expect to have plod visit to give a caution.


just let it go next time everytime, if something annoys you carry on stop further up the road take a break and then proceed, theres no point challenging someone.

corbyboy

Also, never use your horn to "tell off" another driver. That's not what it is for.