Evidence when reporting dangerous drivers

[rainman]

Sorry, not sure where this thread fits, so here will have to do.

I've just gone through my first police "Report a bad driver" experience (poor bugger who gets to process my report, I have a tendency to be VERY thorough when describing stuff like this ), as a result of some tosser doing his damndest to kill me on the way home tonight.

Now normally I can overlook a bit of cager idiocy (you haveta, pretty much, and we can all have a lapse of judgement), but this guy was determined and repeated, so I called *555 as soon as. They told me about the "Report a bad driver" form on the police website, but advised me given the level of crap driving I was describing to consider making my way down to the local Chateau du Copper and laying charges. Which, after some deep calimng breathing and wit-gathering, I duly did - predictably to be told by the very helpful real person behind the counter that, sans hard evidence, it was unlikely to result in anything happening other than a lot of wasted time.

If of course, my new and very close friend Mr Ivor SmallPenis had actually clipped me during one of his magical overtaking or tailgating maneuvers (and sufficient bits of me were able to be scraped off the tarmac to actually remember his license plate, or if there were witnesses), then of course charges would happily be laid (but, funnily enough, I'd prefer not to take that path).

So, here's the question for the experts - what would count as adequate evidence? I've seen people here talk about helmet- or handlebar- cams, but I assume they're a) big money, b) limited storage, c) questionably weatherproof, and d) maybe not even admissible in court. It'd be nice to have something that would record the last n seconds of whatever I was looking at, and let me preserve sections as required, but that sounds like more moola than I am likely to extend to in the short term. (Gotta save for that S50 )

Does anyone have any advice, or should I just cool off and take a harden up pill?

[Insanity_rules]

I think its totally reasonalbe if you come across a cage monkey who is that bad to report it and expect something to be done. On the flip side however if they opened the flood gates to try to prosecute without evidence then every nutter and his invisible friend would be in on it.

Its a prick that you don't have anything in the way of hard evidence to give the constabulary so I suggest that you treat it as a venting exersize and maybe if they get enough complaints on this obvious mensa candidate, they might look into doing something.

In the interim might I also suggest creating a sock with a couple of D cells in it or carry dead spark plugs to convince these retarded ape-like cousin progeny that purrdy two wheely things and their riders aren't to be messed with.

Hope your experience with our friend penis-minimus didn't shake you up too badly!

[Skunk]

I've seen people here talk about helmet- or handlebar- cams, but I assume they're a) big money, b) limited storage, c) questionably weatherproof, and d) maybe not even admissible in court.

a) $200. b) 1 hour or more of video. c) unsure but splash resistant at least. d) until tried who knows? What is it? Oregon Bike Cam.

I've reported via *555 and got nowhere. Done the Roadwatch form too. Nothing.

[Finn]

Who cares? I've have 3 letters from the police about my driving and I just ignore them.

[terbang]

A good sized cushion would fix that for you Finn.

[Babelfish]

Yep, *555 is pretty much just a vent line as I've heard of nobody actually getting nailed by it...if someone actually gets hit then generally its a 111 call instead.

While driving a cage, I followed someone in another cage obviously pissed from Mercer all the way up the southern motorway. They were crossing all three lanes drifting with just enough ability to stop from drifting off the road...all this at about 150 kph...so I followed the prick and *555'd him. I turned off at manukau and he was still going and nobody had caught up with him in the space of 30 minutes of driving. Luckily this was early morning so there was no other vehicles on the road.

(I know, I know, I must have been doing 150 to keep up with him but I wanted to see him nailed).

[ldnz]

I've *555'd with result. Was getting badly tailgated and followed in Palmy last year and since I had the phone headset in called them up. Had the great satisfaction of having a car come up and pull him over about 5 mins later. Think it just came down to right cop in the right place though.

[rainman]

a) $200. b) 1 hour or more of video. c) unsure but splash resistant at least. d) until tried who knows? What is it? Oregon Bike Cam.

Hmmm. Cheaper than I thought. Maybe it'd be worth investing in one. Any idea where they may be purchased?

[Skunk]

Most (not all) Noel Leemings have them.

[rainman]

Thanks - just seen the other thread about these so I'll have a look there.

[Da Bird]

You don't need any video footage per se. If the driving is bad enough, your verbal evidence should be good enough in court as long as you look / sound credible and don't have a long list of nasty driving convictions yourself.

If it happened somewhere in South Auckland, PM me with some more details on the event and I'll either look into it myself or tell you who to get in touch with.

[rainman]

You don't need any video footage per se. If the driving is bad enough, your verbal evidence should be good enough in court as long as you look / sound credible and don't have a long list of nasty driving convictions yourself.

If it happened somewhere in South Auckland, PM me with some more details on the event and I'll either look into it myself or tell you who to get in touch with.

Thanks for the offer but it was right on the other end of town. I said in the online report thing that I filled in that I'd be happy to testify if that would be useful, so I'll see if anyone wants to pick up on that. I understand that it may not be the first report this particular driver may have received, so maybe that will help too. I should be fairly credible as a witness if required, no nasty driving convictions apart from one or two just over the limit tickets, years ago. I'd be keen to get the problem fixed but just don't want to waste police time and taxpayer money.

Thx.

[Patrick]

Dunno where the call about it being a waste of time is coming from...see that persons supervisor direct and ask for an explanation... My staff would get their arses kicked if that is the information they give out. No report, no action. Unsure about the online thing... thery might just send out a letter like Finn gets, saying, "Your driving is naughty. Stop it. Thank you."

Push for a prosecution! (the ultimate decision on this is theirs, of course...).

[rainman]

Dunno where the call about it being a waste of time is coming from...

More from me than anyone else. I just want to avoid getting to court, saying "this arsehole nearly killed me" and him saying "No I didn't", end of conversation, with all the waste of effort that entails. I'm quite happy with the level of service I had from the cop I spoke to - he wasn't trying to duck the issue, just being honest that a successful prosecution without evidence would be quite tricky. I could have still laid charges, I suppose.

[The Stranger:Me]

More from me than anyone else. I just want to avoid getting to court, saying "this arsehole nearly killed me" and him saying "No I didn't", end of conversation, with all the waste of effort that entails. I'm quite happy with the level of service I had from the cop I spoke to - he wasn't trying to duck the issue, just being honest that a successful prosecution without evidence would be quite tricky. I could have still laid charges, I suppose.

Mate, you don't need a successful prosecution.
Any prosecution is successful. So far my dangerous charge has resulted in about 2.5 days off work $750.00 of lawyer costs (likely$2,000 or more in the end) and 16 months of bullshit by the time I get to court on 1 May 07.
I am not entitled to any redress on costs when I am eventually found not guilty.

I strongly suggest you lay a complaint every chance you get and persue it vigorously - I know I will be when mine is cleared up.