Madness on the Motorway

[davidthrelfall]

While returning from Alcester loose cob having dropped my caravan off for repair at Broad Lane Caravans I jpoined the M42 at J3, as i increased my speed to around 65mph there appeares behind me a pick-up towing a caravan, being in no hurry i dropped into the slow lane so it could pass me. The driver appeared to be a young woman and the caravan was a twin axle, as i pulled out behind her she was acheving speeds in excess of 68mph at times, and at one time because there was a tipper lorry passing another lorry in the middle lane she then went out into the third lane to pass the tipper lorry. Her standard of driving was the worst i have ever seen from someone towing a caravan, regularly changing lanes and indicating then straight away pulling out, and overtaking causing other veicles to break sharply she had no towing mirrors on so this made the manouver even more dangerouse. As we aproached the M6 toll road she got in the lane to take the toll I thought, no she used it to pass a line of veicles and then got back onto the M42.
The question I was asking myself all this time was would i be right in dialing 999 to get her pulled over, is this classed as an emergency as it was only my word and that of my wife oh how I was hoping to see a police car on the hard shoulder but not one was seen. It is drivers like this that cause accidents and I am amazed the unit stayed upright at times how do we get intouch with the police in a case like this is 999 the only way

 

[Tukums]

Has it been stolen? would the new 101non-emergency police number do?
And it gives us all a bad name.

 

[Parksy]

Work it out for yourself ............
A young woman, driving a pick up truck with no extension mirrors towing a twin axle caravan with complete disregard for the highway code, motorway driving laws or other road users.
Would you imagine that this was a normal touring leisure caravanner or do you suppose that the driver might have been late for a 'big fat wedding' or had an appointment with some left over tarmac

Even if the police had seen her they would probably have given her a police escort to the next county to save themselves future hassle.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello David,

If that driver was causing a danger and you are worried about calling the authorities, just think how much worse you would feel if you passed a pile up further up the road..........

You say "It is drivers like this that cause accidents" Sorry, but if someone 'causes' an incident its not an accident.

 

[Tukums]

Now Parksy be careful with what you say! Some of them were parked up opposite where I work last week, cheap camping while waiting for the court order. Two of their dogs went for me, so shouted a few words at them. There reply had the words, discrimination, human rights, and victimisation.

 

[Parksy]

Because I usually wear my old gardening clothes when towing and setting up, I have a good outdoor tan, a strange (to some) accent and I tow a twin axle caravan with a large 4x4 I always make sure that I fit my Millenco towing mirrors so that nobody asks me to tarmac their driveway when I'm on my travels

 

[Sproket]

Now Parksy be careful with what you say! Some of them were parked up opposite where I work last week, cheap camping while waiting for the court order. Two of their dogs went for me, so shouted a few words at them. There reply had the words, discrimination, human rights, and victimisation.

This farmer did not wait for a court order

 

[JonnyG]

If one goes by how the law definition of what an accident is, then sorry prof, its all to do with intent, and unless someone is proven to go out with intent to cause damage or hurt , then these days thats how the term is applied. you or i might not like it,but it has repeatedly been stated as such over the news waves as how the term works in practice on the law bench.
real example? driver lost control of vehicle, no doubt due to driving too fast for conditions and crossed over to the otherside of the road, pasenger was killed as the car collided with another vehicle coming the other way.... "accidental death was recorded !!!!!!!!!

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Jonny,
I accept the principle what you write, but I have to say that my comment was a logical definition, It was not used and offered as a legal definition. Though incidentally the police no longer refer to "Road Traffic Accidents" instead they refer to "Road Traffic Incidents"
My aversion to using the word 'accident' is the implied inference that no one is to blame for it occurring. It may not have been the intention of the people involved to create an incident, but it is in every case it's possible if enough fore thought and preparation had been given, the incident would not have occurred.
Just another point about the case you offer as an example. Its worth noting that and inquest finds on the basis of the evidence given. there may be detail in the case that prevented another finding, such as death by misadventure, or even death by dangerous driving from being returned, both of which are not uncommon in motoring related incidents.
I do not intend to pursue this line any further, but may I suggest that if you wish to continue, you start a sperate new thread.

 

[JonnyG]

hi prof, i like your statement "logical definition" and whilst i have no intentions to start a seperate thread or go into the full details of my example,which in the case of my example i have full details of the why's and how's, my piont is and was the term "accident" is a legal term/or answer that is valid legally. in otherwords contray to what you stated "somebody is to responsible" or words to that effect,alas "legally" on occassions no one is held accountable.
This is not a dig prof, but like so many areas concerning laws or our rights,what is and what should happen is never as straight forward as it seems in print.....