Idiot psycho driver tried to knock me off epilogue

Some of you might remember that just over a year ago, whilst I was riding to work a car driver deliberately tried to knock me off my bike; when I managed to stop he then rammed into the back of me, before pissing off up the M6 sliproad with middle digit of his left hand extended.

We'll I'm pleased to say that in May of this year he was convicted of failing to stop, failing to report and dangerous driving: received a one year ban, will have to take an extended retest to get it back, has to do eighty hours of community service and pay about £500 in fines and costs.

I would have posted earlier, but he appealed against the conviction and we were due in Preston Crown Court tomorrow. On Friday I got a letter from the court, telling me that he had dropped the appeal. So it's all done and dusted and, given that he is a 63 year old retired psychology teacher, he might be off the road for good with any luck.

One less nutter on the roads of Lancaster, quite a result I thought

Wow....glad to hear the long drawn out process is over.

Live and let live eh?

Maybe psychopathy was course he's finishing in.

I just can't be arsed with road rage and try my best not to rise (or lower myself) to it....especially when on the bike.

Cheers
Rosco

Good result I suppose, could have been a lot worse. Did you ever meet or see the guy? I'm sure he was as nice as pie outside of the car, that's the magic of road rage...

It's interesting, because in court he made reference to an altercation that he had had with a biker in the past, which resulted in them hitting his windscreen with a gloved hand. I hadn't done anything to provoke him, other than filtering to the front of a queue of stationary traffic a few miles earlier (he was several cars back from the front of the queue) which I think is what set him off.

His reference to the previous incident reflected very badly on him in court, but I think it highlights the way in which some drivers will store up things that happen and develop prejudices that they may later act on.

tcatcarson wrote:Good result I suppose, could have been a lot worse. Did you ever meet or see the guy? I'm sure he was as nice as pie outside of the car, that's the magic of road rage...

Yes, after I gave evidence in court I sat at the back to hear him give evidence. He nearly fell off his chair when I came into the room because I think he was expecting a stereotype. He demonstrated absolutely no remorse and changed his evidence mid way through - he even tried to convince the court that his memory of events was better 10 months after the event than it was when he gave his statement. He was a slight, aged man; certainly not someone you would expect to 'do that kind of thing'. Having said that and, despite telling the magistrates that he didn't suffer from 'red mist' because he was a psychologist, he did lose his temper several times and had to be brought into line by the magistrates.

What was clear is that he didn't have the first idea of the kind of damage a moving car can cause.

A few years ago my wife suffered a road rage incident (in the car) from someone who forced her to stop, then wrenched her door mirror off. He claimed they'd clashed mirrors on a narrow lane a bit earlier.

He was an old-ish guy (in his sixties, probably) accompanied by his wife.

It was reported to the police, but he just denied it, so they wouldn't do anything - one word against another. Unfortunately they wouldn't let me have his name and address either.....

An independent witness is key. If you don't have that then the police won't do anything as there's no chance of a prosecution succeeding. Without a witness my case wouldn't have stood a chance. The defence made up all sorts of rubbish about what happened, including transit vans that appeared and disappeared into thin air. The magistrates paid a great deal of attention to the witness's opinion, however, especially when he said he was 'shocked' at the defendant's behaviour.

Getting a complete registration is important too. I got all but one digit of the reg, which was enough for the police to stop the car further up the motorway, but it may have caused problems if the driver had denied all knowledge of being there. Fortunately he made a counter allegation against me, which put him at the scene.

I know it's not nice to go through, but I'm really pleased to see one of these incidents go through the motions and get justice. Are you also considering pushing for a County Court movement against them? Without taking the pee, you must surely have a case for financial redress and possibly personal injury compensation.

Im pleased to hear you have them in Lancaster too, i was riding my 125 through Horncastle, last year, when 4 young lads in a metro drove at me laughing and forced me off the road.

I also was riding back from Skegness one day on my own, again on my 125, when 3 lads on bikes rode behind me, then alongside, then kept speeding up and slowing down and generally riding dangerously and I wasnt quite sure of their point, but it was the only time I felt totally vulnerable as a female riding on my own, it was dark too.

Goodness knows why people risk everyones safety and well-being to prove a point or to show off!!


Ellie xxx

To be honest it's been quite entertaining and an education some really choice moments such as the defendant claiming he hit the front of my bike whilst holding photographs of the damage to my exhaust and the front of his car, refuting my claim that he was trying to drag race me by educating the bench about the sixteen valve Zetec engine fitted to his fiesta and confusing his performance engine with drag racing could be an easy mistake to make.

The unpleasant bit was just after he hit my stationary bike: I was all set to get off and make a run for it as I genuinely expected him to come after me with a baseball bat or similar and the following few days were a bit unsettling as I had no idea of his motives and half expected a knock at the door...

The only two things that I claimed for were the exhaust that he broke, and the parking ticket for my court appearance. I didn't sustain any personal injury and putting a claim in for anything over and above what I did wouldn't have been right.

I pass his house every single day on the way back from work and it cheers me up no end, every time. I haven't seen him at the bus stop yet, but can't wait...

Krusty wrote:
I pass his house every single day on the way back from work and it cheers me up no end, every time. I haven't seen him at the bus stop yet, but can't wait...

You HAVE to give a cheery wave........you HAVE to!!

ellie wrote:Im pleased to hear you have them in Lancaster too, i was riding my 125 through Horncastle, last year, when 4 young lads in a metro drove at me laughing and forced me off the road.

I also was riding back from Skegness one day on my own, again on my 125, when 3 lads on bikes rode behind me, then alongside, then kept speeding up and slowing down and generally riding dangerously and I wasnt quite sure of their point, but it was the only time I felt totally vulnerable as a female riding on my own, it was dark too.

That's shocking, don't stand for it. If anything like that happens you should report it to the police (with a reg no if you can). It's entirely likely that they wouldn't be able to take any action as a direct result, but it at least flags it up and more than a couple of reports like it and they're bound to start taking an interest. Many years ago when I was a yung-un I had a similar situation to your second, where a car full of blokes followed me all over the place - they soon cleared off when I took off down some back streets and ended up at the front door of the police station!

I took the other half's 125 out occasionally when she was learning last year and was struck by how much traffic tries to bully you when you're on a small bike.

tcatcarson wrote:

Krusty wrote:
I pass his house every single day on the way back from work and it cheers me up no end, every time. I haven't seen him at the bus stop yet, but can't wait...

You HAVE to give a cheery wave........you HAVE to!!

I was thinking more along the lines of offering him a lift