Am I worrying for nothing?

[stuvoi]

On the way on to work this morning - driving down the A4146 Leightopn Buzzard Road between Dagnall and Hemel Hempstead.

There was a slow "escort van" followed by a couple of cars and a "transit" van.

Over the space of a few miles, I overtook the vehicles, leaving just the single car in front - who then decided to speed up during the "easy to overtake" spaces and slow down on the "hard to overtake" spaces.

Given I'd been behind the car for about 6 miles all told I managed to overtake him about 1/2 mile before national speed limit changed to 40.

I cannot remember what speed I got to in overtaking, but nothing too much I think, but he started flashing when I overtook him - and as I continued down the road.

A little while later he caught up in traffic - as you have to drive over a single track bridge (flashing again as he approached) and he made a point of "pointing" the video camera he had in the front window of the car at me.

I didn't make any gestures or anything untoward following his flashing, or even to the video camera all I did was overtake (it was clear and the road markings were with me).

What I want to know is whether anyone has come across this before and what the chap filming is able to do with it.. (The van had a logo, but as I was driving wasn't able to make a note of it and my memory is like a sieve)

You see these programs where they have "vigilante" drivers who spend all their time videoing other drivers for "ratethatdriver.com" and the like.

Cheers

Stu

[Fin]

If it was clear and the signs were with you then I don't see a problem. I have heard of people who go on these vigilante sites, and rig up cameras in their cars. But I have never heard of them calibrating their speedos and recording the speeds of others.

[Lawrothegreat]

I have heard of this before. I've also heard of people rigging up cameras in their cars to video drivers if they have had a loss of a family member or friend from a driving accident. I don't have a problem with this as long as they don't provoke situations.

Overtaking is a perfectly legal operation and is something that I do from time to time. I don't see anything wrong with overtaking provided it is done safely and without risk to other drivers.

If you were breaking the speed limit at the time of the overtake, then obviously you shouldn't have been - but if this is on video "my guess" would be it would be difficult for the evidence to be given to the police and for a prosecution to follow.

If the driver was flashing their lights at you (an aggressive gesture) my guess is that they are a member of the public. If so the onboard video (standard camera) is unlikely to have a built-in calibrated speed and distance measurer that would be used as evidence - unless it was a dangerous overtake in which case dangerous driving could be used.

In the past I have known drivers to "deliberately" speed up when overtaking placing you in a difficult position. If someone overtakes me I let them, if its a little risky I slow down. Just be careful in the future but you're probably ok.

[Professor Peach]

My first reaction is what a sad pathetic bloke to go around filming traffic so he can "tell them off"! Sounds like the sort of bloke you see shouting at his kids telling them off for little reason because it's the nearest he ever gets to any "authority" (a bully in other words).

I really wouldn't worry about it mate, what's he going to do, show the police how he kept speeding up on the straights to stop you passing? He'd be laughed at at best, prosecuted at worst. It's not illegal to overtake.

As for putting the clip on the Internet, woopde do, are you really that bothered about anyone sad enough to download such clips?

Next time give him a cheery wave and carry on. Life's too short to waste worrying about such small minded individuals.

[Hugo]

I had this experience as well but with no camera. i was my way to local dealership going by the single line country having to over take horse lorries which must of been comming back from Cheltnham.


I wouldn't worry about it

[Tommo]

I had something similar happen to me a month back. I'd just left the motorway at my junction and it's a really long slip road that's quite a big uphill gradient. Anyway I started to brake at the top of the slip and looked in my rear view mirror as you do and could see a bloke in an x type jag behind me looking like he was messing with something on the empty passenger seat. Eventually he looked up and saw that I'd slowed quite a lot and he had to hit the brakes very hard and I heard the tyres chirping as the ABS triggered. As I'm at the give way at the top of the slip onto the roundabout he pipped his horn and when I looked in the mirror he had some sort of video thing on the dash and was pointing at it, then gesturing me to pull over. Well still being on the motorway I thought *** that, so I kept going until I left it and pulled up at a pub at the top of our road I told the missus to stay in the car and lock the door. Then I got out to see what he wanted.......

He told me he was an off duty copper and that "my dangerous driving" had been caught on film. I asked him where and what part of my driving had been dangerous ? He then got a bit arsey and said not to argue with him or he'd take my keys ! Anyway I'd started to get a bit miffed with this guy who was about half my size and was talking to me like I was twelve (I'm 37) so I asked him politely if he'd show me his warrant card. He looked a bit taken aback by this and started making excuses as to why he didn't have it etc so I asked him for his rank, number and station commanders name. He didn't seem to know this either so i was pretty sure this guy was as much a copper as I'm an astronaut. At this point I can't of lost my rag a bit and told him if he didn't get in his car and go away I'd take his head off. Reality seemed to come back into focus for him then and he virtually ran back to his jag. I wrote down his reg and went to the local police station next day to tell them about this nutter but as per usual plod didn't seem interested.
What annoyed me wasn't this guy stopping me, but I what the outcome would have been if it was my missus on her own. I was quite annoyed with myself after for not smacking him one and making him think twice about messing people about again.
Where do these bloody people come from ?

[The Red Baron]

Hi Ya

Evidence such as this could be used in a criminal prosecution. However, the prosecution would have to proved beyond reasonable doubt that an offence had occured.

If would be extremely difficult to prove the speeding issue, (however not impossible) so the more likely offence would be that of dangerous driving. However, to do this they would have to keep the camera on constantly, thus showing their own dangerous driving (from what you have described).

We are all subject to such surveillance, it is only when it is directed at an individual do the issues of Human Rights come into consideration.

As you were on a public road, an individual has a right to film any person. If you had been on a private road, then there is an argument for breach of 'private life' and thus the evidence could be inadmissible.

Having said all this i believe you pretty safe.

As a second thought, anyone being flashed and asked to stop by another car, should always be very wary of this situation. I believe, that you have a right to continue your journey, unless it is a marked police vehicle.

[humph]

Quote: Originally Posted by chrisandjax (original)

Hi Ya

As a second thought, anyone being flashed and asked to stop by another car, should always be very wary of this situation. I believe, that you have a right to continue your journey, unless it is a marked police vehicle.

Agreed. I believe that you are allowed to continue also. I think the advice is that you should drive safely to the nearest police station. If the car trying to make you stop is genuine it will follow you and carry out their business there.

Will try and find out a bit more.

The forums here may be of some help

PePiPoo: Helping the motorist to get justice