PePiPoo Helping the motorist get justice Support health workers

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

Dangerous driving, A rant and a near miss
TheStig
post Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 17:58
Post #1


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 82
Joined: 11 Aug 2014
Member No.: 72,416



So I had a bit of an incident the other day, thought I'd post it in here to see what other experienced drivers' views are.

I'm driving along a wide but twisty B-road (specifics edited out for reasons which will become obvious), NSL. At some point I come up behind a battered Astra estate doing about 35mph (remember this is a 60mph road). Whilst I was keeping (or attempting to at least) a safe distance, the Astra driver keeps anchoring up and coming to almost a complete halt. He did this 4 or 5 times.

Fearing a 'crash for cash' scam is in progress, I took the decision to overtake the Astra. As I drew alongside him, he floored it and closed the gap between him and the car in front of him, a Jag of some description. By this point I was committed to the overtake so had no choice but to attempt to overtake the Jag as well.

The Jag then also floors it, closing up the gap between him and the lead car (an Aston Martin DB9). By this point the Astra driver has moved out into the centre of the road, meaning that if I'd attempted to abort the overtake at this point the Astra would have rear-ended me.

I then had no choice but to overtake the DB9 as well. Missed by less than an inch as it was just at the point where the road narrowed.

I had a passenger (so a witness), I also have front and rear-facing dashcam footage of the entire incident which shows the Astra 'brake test' me several times, speed up when I attempted to pass, and pull out into the middle of the road whilst I was alongside the Jag. Both drivers' faces are visible, and the two seem to be gesturing to each other as if the incident was co-ordinated.

(I have much sympathy for the DB9 driver as he was an innocent bystander.)

What would you guys do about this?
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
 
Start new topic
Replies (1 - 14)
Advertisement
post Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 17:58
Post #


Advertise here!









Go to the top of the page
 
Quote Post
PASTMYBEST
post Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:01
Post #2


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 26,655
Joined: 6 Nov 2014
Member No.: 74,048



seeing the dash cam footage would allow us to give opinions with a greater knowledge of what happened


--------------------
All advice is given freely. It is given without guarantee and responsibility for its use rests with the user
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
TheStig
post Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:03
Post #3


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 82
Joined: 11 Aug 2014
Member No.: 72,416



QUOTE (PASTMYBEST @ Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:01) *
seeing the dash cam footage would allow us to give opinions with a greater knowledge of what happened


I did consider uploading it but I don't want to prejudice any possible criminal charges against the Astra and Jag drivers. There could be privacy issues as well, at least at this stage.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
southpaw82
post Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:05
Post #4


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 33,610
Joined: 2 Apr 2008
From: Not in the UK
Member No.: 18,483



QUOTE (TheStig @ Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 17:58) *
By this point I was committed to the overtake so had no choice but to attempt to overtake the Jag as well.

I’m trying to work out how this can be so. What prevented you from scoring the overtake?


--------------------
Moderator

Any comments made do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon. No lawyer/client relationship should be assumed nor should any duty of care be owed.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
TheStig
post Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:08
Post #5


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 82
Joined: 11 Aug 2014
Member No.: 72,416



QUOTE (southpaw82 @ Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:05) *
I’m trying to work out how this can be so. What prevented you from scoring the overtake?


When I drew alongside the Jag, the Astra driver moved out into the centre of the road. If I'd braked to abort then he would have rear-ended me.

It appears that the guy in the Astra was trying to pull an insurance scam of some sort.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Slapdash
post Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:10
Post #6


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 1,864
Joined: 2 Aug 2016
Member No.: 86,040



I probably wouldn't have attempted the overtake in the first place. But that would depend on the surroundings where ther astra had been erratic.

When the astra "floored it" what prevented you from backing out of it. Nothing in your account seems to suggest you couldn't have braked and returned to your side of the road.

I would he inclined to review any footage very carefully before uploading to operation snap or similar. Just to ensure I was beyond reproach.

I would probably make a report with details of the vehicles and a description.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Tarantula
post Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:25
Post #7


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 488
Joined: 1 Jun 2021
Member No.: 112,875



An alternative view.

The Aston Martin at the front is a car with good acceleration. The driver was unfamiliar with the road so was breaking for bends and accelerating for straights.

The Jaguar and Astra drivers were annoyed with this and developing a bit of road rage. When you started passing the Astra driver they thought you were jumping the queue and got annoyed. After you passed them they decided they could follow you in the overtake. The Jaguar driver was annoyed and tried to prevent both of you. The gestures between Jaguar and Astra drivers may have been because they were annoyed with each other.

Did the Astra complete the overtake of the Aston Martin?

Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
TheStig
post Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:42
Post #8


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 82
Joined: 11 Aug 2014
Member No.: 72,416



QUOTE (Tarantula @ Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:25) *
The Aston Martin at the front is a car with good acceleration. The driver was unfamiliar with the road so was breaking for bends and accelerating for straights.


I see where you're coming from, but the DB9 was maintaining a steady speed of around 40mph. (I'm assuming because he was unfamiliar with the road.)

QUOTE
Did the Astra complete the overtake of the Aston Martin?


No, he'd just moved out to stop me aborting the overtake. After I'd got past the Aston (giving him a quick wave to acknowledge) the Astra dropped back in behind the Jag.

QUOTE (Slapdash @ Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:10) *
I probably wouldn't have attempted the overtake in the first place. But that would depend on the surroundings where ther astra had been erratic.


The Astra had already braked almost to a standstill in front of me a few times. (Yes, I was keeping a sensible gap.) I simply felt, in that moment, it was safer to attempt to pass due to the erratic driving by the Astra driver.

QUOTE
When the astra "floored it" what prevented you from backing out of it. Nothing in your account seems to suggest you couldn't have braked and returned to your side of the road.


Again, a split-second decision. By the time I realised what the Astra driver was up to I was alongside the Jag (there'd been a good size gap in front before I started the overtake). The Jag then also floored it. As mentioned above, by this point the Astra had moved out to the centre of the road, meaning that any attempt to abort would have resulted in a rear-end shunt from the Astra.

QUOTE
I would he inclined to review any footage very carefully before uploading to operation snap or similar. Just to ensure I was beyond reproach.

I would probably make a report with details of the vehicles and a description.


Either that or wait for Darwin to catch up with them, and just hope that nobody else is caught up in it.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
TMC Towcester
post Tue, 29 Nov 2022 - 07:12
Post #9


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 3,074
Joined: 17 Nov 2015
Member No.: 80,686



Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but the 'best' option would have been to drop back/pull over and let the 'whatever was going on' depart. Remember that dashcams usually over-write after a period, so suggest you download the footage, if only to retain it for yourself (mindful of the advice against Snap above)....
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
The Slithy Tove
post Tue, 29 Nov 2022 - 08:57
Post #10


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 3,283
Joined: 5 Jan 2012
Member No.: 52,178



QUOTE (Slapdash @ Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:10) *
I would he inclined to review any footage very carefully before uploading to operation snap or similar. Just to ensure I was beyond reproach.

There is another thread here discussing the ins and outs of submitting footage where one's own driving may come under question. I suspect this might be similar, where the decisions made by the OP may not have been the best in hindsight, and could lead to awkward questions being asked. May end up just having to put this down to experience.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
nigelbb
post Tue, 29 Nov 2022 - 09:09
Post #11


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 3,768
Joined: 17 Mar 2013
Member No.: 60,602



QUOTE (southpaw82 @ Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:05) *
QUOTE (TheStig @ Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 17:58) *
By this point I was committed to the overtake so had no choice but to attempt to overtake the Jag as well.

I’m trying to work out how this can be so. What prevented you from scoring the overtake?


I'm not sure we can place much confidence in the OP's assessment of whether a manoeuvre is safe or not when they consider doing 57mph in a 30mph limit at night OK because "at 1am there would be no safety issue"

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=147545


--------------------
British Parking Association Ltd Code of Practice(Appendix C contains Schedule 4 of POFA 2012 ) & can be found here http://www.britishparking.co.uk/Code-of-Pr...ance-monitoring
DfT Guidance on Section 56 and Schedule 4 of POFA 2012 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/syste...ing-charges.pdf
Damning OFT advice on levels of parking charges that was ignored by the BPA Ltd Reference Request Number: IAT/FOIA/135010 – 12 October 2012
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
TMC Towcester
post Tue, 29 Nov 2022 - 09:56
Post #12


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 3,074
Joined: 17 Nov 2015
Member No.: 80,686



QUOTE (nigelbb @ Tue, 29 Nov 2022 - 09:09) *
QUOTE (southpaw82 @ Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:05) *
QUOTE (TheStig @ Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 17:58) *
By this point I was committed to the overtake so had no choice but to attempt to overtake the Jag as well.

I’m trying to work out how this can be so. What prevented you from scoring the overtake?


I'm not sure we can place much confidence in the OP's assessment of whether a manoeuvre is safe or not when they consider doing 57mph in a 30mph limit at night OK because "at 1am there would be no safety issue"

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=147545


Also that this assessment was possibly despite the OP not actually driving it seems..............
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
DancingDad
post Tue, 29 Nov 2022 - 10:16
Post #13


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 25,726
Joined: 28 Jun 2010
From: Area 51
Member No.: 38,559



Brake checking often means a scam but can also mean "back off MF, ya too damn close"
The dashcam would show whether you were simply in a slow speed queue at a reasonable distance and the Astra tried for the scam or whether you had come up on a slow speed queue, on a road you knew and tailgated the Astra, peeing them off.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Slapdash
post Tue, 29 Nov 2022 - 10:56
Post #14


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 1,864
Joined: 2 Aug 2016
Member No.: 86,040



Given that so many have dashcams it seems a risky strategy for a crash scam given it is likely to fall apart as soon as any footage comes to light.

OP should keep the footage though. If it wasn't a scam one of the others may report it.

If he was as close to the AM as he think then the AM could well report it if they have footage of that manoeuvre.
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post
Colin_S
post Tue, 29 Nov 2022 - 13:32
Post #15


Member


Group: Members
Posts: 291
Joined: 12 Jan 2013
Member No.: 59,321



QUOTE (TheStig @ Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 17:58) *
At some point I come up behind a battered Astra estate doing about 35mph (remember this is a 60mph road). Whilst I was keeping (or attempting to at least) a safe distance, the Astra driver keeps anchoring up and coming to almost a complete halt. He did this 4 or 5 times.



QUOTE (TheStig @ Mon, 28 Nov 2022 - 18:42) *
I see where you're coming from, but the DB9 was maintaining a steady speed of around 40mph. (I'm assuming because he was unfamiliar with the road.)


Despite the Aston Martin doing a steady 40 and the Astra doing between almost stationary and 35 mph, the Astra still managed to end up close behind the Aston Martin. Have I misread this?

This post has been edited by Colin_S: Tue, 29 Nov 2022 - 13:32
Go to the top of the page
 
+Quote Post

Reply to this topicStart new topic
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

 



Advertisement

Advertise here!

RSS Lo-Fi Version Time is now: Thursday, 28th March 2024 - 20:03
Pepipoo uses cookies. You can find details of the cookies we use here along with links to information on how to manage them.
Please click the button to accept our cookies and hide this message. We’ll also assume that you’re happy to accept them if you continue to use the site.
IPS Driver Error

IPS Driver Error

There appears to be an error with the database.
You can try to refresh the page by clicking here