RoadRage: Harrassed at Traffic Lights

G

g1g

Registered User
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Hi,
I had an unpleasant experience at lunch time.

Its very wet here at the moment so roads have loads of water on them. A woman cut across me while approaching traffic lights in a two lane system and proceeded to brake even though we were quite a bit back from the lights.

I flashed my lights at her once because I nearly went into the back of her because of her cutting across me and the amount of water on the road.

When she got to the traffic lights she got out of her car, leaving her child alone in the car and the engine running, and came back to me and opened my door and started shouting at me.

I closed the door quickly and tried to lock it but she managed this twice more. She kept on shouting at me for flashing my lights at her even though she was the one who cut across me.

I have tried calling the guards about this but got no answer.

Is it worth reporting? I was quite shaken as was my passenger.

Thanks!
 
Re: Harrassed at Traffic Lights

There was a thread around here recently that had quite a similiar story - think it was deleted actually.

Anyway I dont know if its worth reporting, all she did was shout at you, if you check the rules of the road website they consider flashing your lights as aggressive behaviour also.

If you report it its just going to be your word against hers.
 
Re: Harrassed at Traffic Lights

Hi
Welcome to AAM.
Thats a bit of a nasty experience! At least you didn't have an accident.
You could certainly report it to the guards, but I'm not sure what they coud do about it though.
If you have her numberplate, you can complain that she was driving dangerously. I don't know how far that'll get you, or if it will be acted upon.(More than one person might have to complain to corroborate?)
I have always found it quite hard to report this type of incident, either being told that I had contacted the wrong station,(while driving in the country) or that I had to go into the station to make a report (ie a verbal statement over the phone not being acceptable). That is just my personal experience however.
There used to be a number for dangerous driving 1890 205 805, and there is further info here, on citizens information.
Nicola
 
Re: Harrassed at Traffic Lights

i would totally report her. roadrage or what and to leave the child in the car like that. she could end up causing an accident for someone else at least if they had a complaint on her it may help the other person out.
 
Re: Harrassed at Traffic Lights

If you feel really strongly about it you can do the following

  • Go to garda stn and report her for dangerous driving.
  • Make sure they take a written report and ask them to give you a copy or a file reference number etc. Get name of garda.
  • Keep in touch regularly with the garda for updates on what is happening.
If you do this I think you will get your day in court, where in the absence of other witness ( she may produce one out of a hat if you know what I mean) she may be convicted of dangerous driving.

Something similar happend to an employee of mine ( he was the offender ). His solicitor told him he would most likely be convicted and banned from driving. The guy who reported him failed to turn up in court so he got off. The guy caused him a lot of grief though and could have had nim banned with a conviction on his record and points on licence etc.
 
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Re: Harrassed at Traffic Lights

Thanks for the replies. Wouldn't really be my word against hers as I had an adult passenger with me also. Also, she didn't just shout at me. She opened my car door so could have actually hit me or done anything else if I hadn't closed it. I really don't think flashing lights once in such hazardous conditions and her coming out of her car to verbally abuse me are similiar.
 
Re: Harrassed at Traffic Lights

g1g said:
I really don't think flashing lights once in such hazardous conditions and her coming out of her car to verbally abuse me are similiar.
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Im not saying they are the same at all - Im simply telling you whats on the Rules of the Road website.
Despite what other posters have said here I think you will find it hard to follow this up, the guards are just not interested when no actual crime has been committed and as far as dangerous driving goes she will just say you were also driving dangerously - another adult passenger wont be taken seriously cos its your pal and they could be saying anything to back you up - only if someone else independantly complained would you be likely to get anywhere with it.

But hey - report it and see for yourself - its very difficult to get the Guards to do anything about something like this. Ive been there.
 
Re: Harrassed at Traffic Lights

truthseeker said:
- its very difficult to get the Guards to do anything about something like this. Ive been there.
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Forget the road rage and try to have her done for dangerous driving -afaik the gardai have to follow these cases up if you keep on to them.
 
Re: Harrassed at Traffic Lights

I don't really want her to get banned from driving or anything like that. I just want her to be contacted by the guards to get a bit of a fright so she'll think twice about doing it again. I would NEVER get out of my car to anyone like that.
 
Re: Harrassed at Traffic Lights

go to guards and make a statement,, its up to you then how u want to proceed, full case, where u might need to testify or just have them call round and have a word with her
 
Re: Harrassed at Traffic Lights

This reminded me of a woman in Cork. We stopped at the traffic lights, she got out of her car (leaving her children inside and her engine running), walking over to me and shouting abuse as I allegedly tailgated her for miles, cut her off at the roundabout,...

I only turned the corner from a quiet residential area to get to the said roundabout and there is no way it was me. Thankfully she didn't report me eventhough I had a proof that I wasn't on the same road as her!

I once rang the Gardai to report a dangerous driver who nearly took three cars out at the end of the climbing lane. They asked if I was prepared to go to court (in Waterford) and I said I only wanted them to stop this car (we were heading towards a smallish town) and warn him. They didn't do anything since I wasn't willing to drag myself around court miles away from home.
 
It's a politicians answer, I know, but if people don't act in some way (be it reporting through traffic watch, requesting a caution or making a statement and possibly giving evidence in court) people like your angry mother or dangerous drivers will continue to go unchecked.

Gardai are fairly limited in the action they can take without a complaint. It's the way the law works, i'm afraid.
 
Gardai are fairly limited in the action they can take without a complaint.
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If it was easy to make a complaint, or report a crime, crime levels would appear to rise. No government wants that.

Is there an online complaint/crime reporting facility?
 
welcome to Ireland 2008! Get used to it. Gards anyway are useless. All they can do is hide in bushes waiting for easy revenu!
 
leghorn said:
If it was easy to make a complaint, or report a crime, crime levels would appear to rise. No government wants that.

Is there an online complaint/crime reporting facility?
Click to expand...
:eek: Reporting facility online? Are you mad? Tis the work of the devil, I tell you. Allowing people to send electrical letters to a garda? The very idea. The simple answer is no. I can feel a rant coming on so i'll cut it short.
 
I've heard some similar stories and I believe this is what normally happens:

If you make a complaint, the Guards will ask you (and maybe the other occupant) if you are willing to testify in court.
If you agree, then they'll persue it; if not, then they dont generally do anything about it. It would be seen as a waste of resources as there is no chance of a conviction without any evidence or testimony.

If a Guard had witnessed the event then it would be a different kettle of fish.

So if you do want to report it, be prepared to back it up.
 
Soldier said:
i would totally report her. roadrage or what and to leave the child in the car like that. she could end up causing an accident for someone else at least if they had a complaint on her it may help the other person out.
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I agree with soldier on this.
You can't leave a child in a car with the engine running at a traffic lights.
Supposing an ambulance was passing and couldn't get through due to her having a bit of verbal with another car user.

Report the bad driver to the Gards for reckless endangerment of her child,
dangerous driving,
obstruction of the traffic lights
or just being a b***h.
 
Maybe common sense should prevail. The desire for vengeance can be strong. But nobody got hurt (this time at least). She was probably having a bad day. Maybe you blew the horn as well as flashing your lights. Maybe you should just forget about it, especially if you have no real desire to get her into trouble.
 
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