Moron Motorists #3

[human909]

They can still issue an infringement notice. It is then up to the driver to fight the charge OR pay up.

[jules21]

The police have to identify the driver before they can do anything. If the owner says it wasn't him, or he doesn't remember being there at the time, or similar, the police have nothing to go on. Perjury doesn't enter into it until it gets to court, and even then you have to prove a bare-faced lie told under oath.

no, you're wrong. i posted the law above (in Vic, but i suspect all states have it) which empowers police to compel the vehicle owner to reveal who was driving. saying you don't remember who you lent your car to would be very risky - a magistrate is unlikely to accept that, in which case there would be consequences (undoubtedly painful ones - magistrates have much greater power to inflict punishment than police officers).

[il padrone]

The problem that police may be concerned about is that you (the owner) may be able to say who you loaned it to, but that may not make for a proof of who was driving at the time of the alleged (videoed) incident ??? The guy who the owner gave the keys to may have swapped seats with one of his/her passengers, or lent the car to someone else.

I think this may be the difference between the breach of road rules and more serious offences (??) I don't know for sure -I'm no lawyer.

[Howzat]

Maybe it's just a gentle pushback from the front desk guys to filter out what may be half-hearted nuisance complaints. It's not like the police have nothing else to do. The world is full of moron motorists.

But with sufficient follow-up from AKO, the police will pay a visit to the driver - and just that alone may be enough of a cold shower to make him think twice about driving dangerously the next time he sees a cyclist.

[jules21]

pete - i think you're right, but in practice - a lot of people will just roll over. when confronted by the cops, they don't have time to concoct clever strategies to exploit legal loopholes. the cop can always try - in most cases, the driver will 'fess up.

[human909]

the cop can always try

But most of the time they don't.

[London Boy]

The police have to identify the driver before they can do anything. If the owner says it wasn't him, or he doesn't remember being there at the time, or similar, the police have nothing to go on. Perjury doesn't enter into it until it gets to court, and even then you have to prove a bare-faced lie told under oath.

no, you're wrong.

Act and section of Act please. Alternatively, point to the regulation and relevant section if that's where the obligation arises.

i posted the law above (in Vic, but i suspect all states have it) which empowers police to compel the vehicle owner to reveal who was driving. saying you don't remember who you lent your car to would be very risky - a magistrate is unlikely to accept that, in which case there would be consequences (undoubtedly painful ones - magistrates have much greater power to inflict punishment than police officers).

Like I said in another post, the law imposing the obligation to identify the driver applies in Queensland only to camera-detected offences and to specific 'hooning' offences (none of which include shaving cyclists). I've not bothered to check the detail of the legislation in the other states, so if you can point to it I'll be grateful. Otherwise, what I've read in the journals says that none of the other states go further than Queensland.

Even in front of a magistrate the Police have to prove all the elements of an offence, including the identity of the person alleged to have committed that offence. The driver does not have to make any admission, ever. He may choose to, but he is not obliged.

Technically speaking, the police do not have the power to inflict punishment; that is reserved to the judiciary. The police can detain people for specific reasons and for specific periods of time, pursuant to their duty to preserve the peace etc., but that is all. Being in the watch house overnight might feel like a punishment, I'll grant you that...

[gretaboy]

Even in front of a magistrate the Police have to prove all the elements of an offence, including the identity of the person alleged to have committed that offence. The driver does not have to make any admission, ever. He may choose to, but he is not obliged.

This is why I personally think it is better to have any camera, if only running a single one, pointing rear. It will at least capture the vehicle/driver and hopefully make people cars easier to identify. It also shows/captures any stupid p platers and mates faces who like to throw things at cyclists.

[AKO]

I went down to the station and spoke to the same officer as yesterday. I gave him the USB with the video on it. He has tomorrow and the weekend off but will speak to the vehicle owner on Monday. The only details he took were my name and number. No time and date of incident or anything like that. I feel The carpet edge has been raised.

[jasonc]

No time and date of incident or anything like that. I feel The carpet edge has been raised.

time for a written report
and ask for an incident number.

[trailgumby]

Even in front of a magistrate the Police have to prove all the elements of an offence, including the identity of the person alleged to have committed that offence. The driver does not have to make any admission, ever. He may choose to, but he is not obliged.

This is why I personally think it is better to have any camera, if only running a single one, pointing rear. It will at least capture the vehicle/driver and hopefully make people cars easier to identify. It also shows/captures any stupid p platers and mates faces who like to throw things at cyclists.

This is one of the reasons I stop and have a brief chat with the driver if the opportunity presents.

[fingy]

some lazy driving on display this arvo

[BastardSheep]

When I saw the preview for this video I thought it was a rear facing camera. o.O

[gretaboy]

This is why I personally think it is better to have any camera, if only running a single one, pointing rear. It will at least capture the vehicle/driver and hopefully make people cars easier to identify. It also shows/captures any stupid p platers and mates faces who like to throw things at cyclists.

This is one of the reasons I stop and have a brief chat with the driver if the opportunity presents.[/quote]

I havent had the luck to catch up to them...yet...but did catch up to two young ladies in a car where the passenger thought it funny to scream out as they passed me at 80+ k's. Always amazes me how gutless they become when you do catch up. I politley asked this female "did you want to say something"...pretended to not know what I was talking about.

I will not get aggressive unless the tool gets aggressive...instead like to make them look like the tools they are by words.

[Ross]

Riding along a street in Canberra CBD this morning just before 7.30am, had 2 rear lights flashing away and my front AYUPs set on flashing and wearing a bright red vest then Mr White Subaru wagon comes up behind me in the right lane (I was in left lane <1metre from gutter) and decides he wants to turn left at the next intersection that is about 100m away so as he gets beside me puts his indicator on and moves into my lane! WT?. I yell the usual non-complimentary greetings (think of words beginning with F) at him while I'm grabbing the brakes and then he puts his brakes on, and so we have a Mexican stand-off while I'm having a crash course in track standing. After a few seconds (felt longer) I accellerate away and then stop at the intersection that has a RED LIGHT. Mr White Subaru wagon stops behind me (not game to come beside me even though I'm right near the gutter and luckily for him wasn't right on my wheel). I shake my head at him but can't see his reaction because his window tint is too dark.

How can he of not seen me? We were the only two vehicles on this part of the road at that time. he came up behind me in the other lane. It's not like I darted out from a side street or laneway. There was no sun so he can't use an excuse that he was blinded by it, and it wasn't dark even though I had my lights on. All this angst because he wanted to get to the the red light a few seconds (literally) ahead of me.

[Lukeyboy]

I havent had the luck to catch up to them...yet...but did catch up to two young ladies in a car where the passenger thought it funny to scream out as they passed me at 80+ k's. Always amazes me how gutless they become when you do catch up. I politley asked this female "did you want to say something"...pretended to not know what I was talking about.

I will not get aggressive unless the tool gets aggressive...instead like to make them look like the tools they are by words.

I love the chase especially when you say hi/wave at them as you go past or pull along side while doing 60kph and do the wind down your window hand gesture while smiling Yesterday I had 3 drivers cut me off. First one slowed coming towards me on the other side of the road. He continued straight before pulling a quick and sharp right hander across 1 oncoming lane before slamming on their brakes while crossing the second lane and stopping just infront of the bike lane. Pointed to my eyes and then pointed to the direction I was coming from. He put his hand up and then window came down and he apologised. Didn't have to wait long for the next fool trying to kill me. The very next street the same thing happened but instead of doing 35 I was doing 45. The first car pulls across with out issue but the idiot behind him did the slow accelerate and brake (front dips down) followed by the late heavy acceleration and sharp dart across all the lanes. I break heavy and start swearing at the driver just missing the rear of the car. Some other driver had beeped their horn so I don't think he heard me. I thought this idiot needs a talking too so I did a massive uturn across the two northbound lanes as I was in the wrong gear (no cars coming) and gave chase. A car that wanted to merge on to the road I was travelling had seen what happened and saw that i was going after him and stayed stopped blocking the traffic behind from merging while gesturing with his thumb pointing backwards to go get him. About 5 seconds after I got onto the street and hit 50kph I see the car now accelerate off and overtake the car ahead of him. Blows the stop sign. Quickly accelerates around corners. Either he was in a rush to get home or he was now trying to get away from me. But I ended up losing him when I got to traffic at intersections. Third incident happened while doing 40kph aproaching an intersection. 2 cars in the lane to go right when suddenly the second car decides it wants to now go straight ahead.... with out signaling... or looking in the mirrors. After she quickly turned out I had no time to brake so I went left to avoid but copped a bad lick on a bump or a pothole which threw me even futher to the left side of the intersection nearly putting me on a collision course with another cyclist waiting at the lights going the other direction (if only he had been looking to the right at the time haha). I gave chase..... well.... it wasn't really a chase as she got caught in congestion about 50m up the road but when I strolled up the rear window was down so I tried to keep my cool and said "Hey, can you please look in your mirror and signal next time you change lanes". Thinking I'd get a sorry, I didn't see you there instead the very first words I heard was "**** you, you ******* dog. Get off the ******* road you ****" from the passenger. Then one of the other passengers decided to join in too. Then some hand gestures followed up by the I'm about to spit on you look. I had enough and thought the front passenger (who was the main instigator/abused me the most) would like a swig of my waterbottle. I was tempted to spray it all in the open window but the passenger closest to the window hadn't done or said anything. The front passenger window was up the whole time but I made sure it copped good coverage. Rode off yelling enjoy your congestion as the next 2 intersections had a visible green light but traffic wasn't moving at all. I don't condone the waterbottle action but after their verbal actions they had it coming. I just wish I didn't use the bottle that had been freshly refilled with cold water from the servo.

[jules21]

I don't condone the waterbottle action but after their verbal actions they had it coming.

in that circumstance, I think the water bottle was very appropriate. with that sort of abuse, I reckon they're fair game - why feel guilty about handing these lowlifes back some of their own medicine?

[cp123]

. I yell the usual non-complimentary greetings (think of words beginning with F) .

Firetruck???

He just DGAF I reckon....



If anyone sees a "Miss Chicky Babe" in a white ute with NSW rego and bright pink front wheels with gold rims, watch out. Another young idiotic DGAF driver who passed me somewhat brownpantsmomentishisly last night with a fag in one hand and her mobile phone in the other....


Sometimes they just don't bloody care...

[jules21]

If anyone sees a "Miss Chicky Babe" in a white ute with NSW rego and bright pink front wheels with gold rims, watch out.

in my experience, tarted up cars in distasteful colours and gaudy bling are a strong indicator that something bad is about to happen to you.

[mattyg]

in my experience, tarted up cars in distasteful colours and gaudy bling are a strong indicator that something bad is about to happen to you.

With frangipani stickers on the back

[outnabike]

A bit close this morning on a shopping trip, and for no reason as there was a free lane on the right. I may look a bit close to the edge but I heard the car on my wheel and moved over a bit more than normal. I will have to learn to say the number plate of these types of drivers. Have to get U tube fixed too.

[Summernight]

A bit close this morning on a shopping trip, and for no reason as there was a free lane on the right. I may look a bit close to the edge but I heard the car on my wheel and moved over a bit more than normal. I will have to learn to say the number plate of these types of drivers. Have to get U tube fixed too.

YOS771?

It is VERY helpful reading out the plates to the microphone. I've done it and it works.

[outnabike]

I am still learning to be quick enough to do it. I can see the plate on the movie butt not the first and last letter. I was thinking of a report but probably no point now.

[Summernight]

I read the plate out to my camera for a dodgy driver who was tailgating me a few weeks ago. I was stopped at the lights and decided I'd read it out just in case they continued to be silly after the lights. There were a couple of other cyclists around me waiting at the lights too and I was thinking they probably thought I was a bit strange (or a spy) because I leant down over my handlebars and just said a random number with no prior warning.

[Mulger bill]

Scored the Trifecta today Three within 400m less than 1km from the shed.
Illegal overtake over lines with an oncoming car in just the wrong/right place to have me reaching for the anchors in case someone did something even more dangerous, HR thru the roof. (White tradie ute)
Overtake a right signalling vehicle, I'm coming up to a roundabout where the road goes from single lane to double: L, S/R. I indicate about 20m back from the dualling and the car about 50m back floors it to go around me then turn left at the roundabout not 60m further ahead. (Young, no longer P plated female, small hatchback)
Failure to give way, at the roundabout I mentioned less than 20 seconds ago, I'm going straight and get a gap without having to stop so I hit it only to have to get the brakes on hard a few seconds later as a vehicle approaching from my left decided that might meant right and did not even to begin to contemplate the possibility of using the wide pedal. Oddly enough my rather loud exclamation and a second look at my AyUp lidlights made her to decide to turn left instead of going straight. I think she might have banged stuff on the speed humps as she hurried off. (Frord Terraceti)

Glad I didn't make the quaddie (Taxi)/(Skybus)