What would you do... witnessed appalling driving

[Southdowners]

We are stopped at a beauty spot in Harris. Yesterday a woman aged around 50 and her friend pulled up near us yesterday and it was obvious that she had no control over her car. She only had to pull up alongside a mound of grass but, despite her friend getting out to direct her, she only managed to get to within 4 foot of it. The amount of manoeuvering was ridiculous... the car was over-revving to the point we were worried she was going to shoot forwards into us. They went for a walk the returned and their exit was even worse - she must have had her foot to the floor and after much crunching of gears she went off in what sounded like first gear on the wrong side of the road.

I worried about it last night. I think she was driving a hire car and perhaps hasn't driven a geared one for years. The thought that she has a high chance of causing an accident made me wonder what, if anything, I should have done... report it, perhaps? What would you have done?

 

[Boringfrog]

My girlfriend would have done the same as you, ie worry about it all night, I would have forgotten about it.

 

[David and Sally]

Ring it in. What if she had gone around the corner and killed someone and you could have done something about it. How would you feel.?

I followed a woman once who was all over the road for several miles along a n A road. I rang it in on the M50 and eventally managed to draw level with her. She was playing with her mobile phone. She had a passnger and a child in the back. Stupid cow!

 

[Lenny HB]

Unless she was driving under the influence not much you can do until she hits someone.

 

[David and Sally]

Unless she was driving under the influence not much you can do until she hits someone.

You can ring the police with your worries. It's not a malicious call but a concern for welfare. The police may or may not do anything but with luck there is a local patrol who can check her out. At least you have tried to make the roads a bit safer.

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[Southdowners]

My girlfriend would have done the same as you, ie worry about it all night, I would have forgotten about it.

I didn't worry about it all night... and I could do without the bored whistle!

I'm just asking what others would have done in the same situation.

The police wouldn't be interested as no accident actually happened.

 

[Northernraider]

By all means phone it in but I'll tell you now the police will do nothing about it.
They only seem to be interested in road traffic issues if they witness it themselves.
I once reported a headcase in a big tipper truck that nearly wiped me out and the police basically said it's my word against his with no incident and no witnesses there's nothing for them to do.

 

[David and Sally]

I agree with you. But at least you tried should a tragedy happen. At least then you could tell the police you reported it and it was they that failed.

 

[Riverbankannie]

I guess if it was a foreigner in a hire car, she had managed to get to Harris from a major airport in one piece.
When she was arriving to where you were parked and you were worried, I might have assessed them and if they were just having difficulty with the car I would have offered to help. You have to weigh up how that would be received though. An older woman helping 2 women may have been gratefully received.

 

[jollyrodger]

Can dash cam footage be handed over to the police ?
If so will it be used to act as evidence ?

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[Langtoftlad]

By all means phone it in but I'll tell you now the police will do nothing about it.

You may be right Tam... but on the other hand local island plod might be bored off their t*ts and wander over and have a look see...

 

[Southdowners]

I guess if it was a foreigner in a hire car, she had managed to get to Harris from a major airport in one piece.
When she was arriving to where you were parked and you were worried, I might have assessed them and if they were just having difficulty with the car I would have offered to help. You have to weigh up how that would be received though. An older woman helping 2 women may have been gratefully received.

Yes, it did cross my mind whether to help. They looked Chinese and were speaking their own language so they may have misjudged my intention.

The thing was that she wasn't actually trying to park in a space. A normal driver would have just driven up alongside the road and stopped. That was the worrying thing. If a driver's unable to do that there has to be something wrong.

 

[Northernraider]

You may be right Tam... but on the other hand local island plod might be bored off their t*ts and wander over and have a look see...

There's a good chance on an island the person doesn't even have a licence . Many bits of the highlands where a blind eye is turned because it's so remote.

 

[bigtwin]

Given the location, I think the police attitude/response would be quite different from that suggested by many respondents.

The ambivalence suggested is probably true for more southerly forces where the range of issues they have to deal with is much greater.

Ian

 

[Podney]

Nothing much you can do,apart from paying for a driving lesson, offering to drive her car yourself,or disabling the vehicle,none of which are serious suggestions.
The only time Ive witnessed similar driving it was an elderly gent who was as deaf as a post and so he didn’t know he was over revving. Or maybe she was used to driving an automatic but had hired a manual.
I’m afraid all you could do is “hope for the best”

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[rb62]

They wouldn't be so lucky in New Zealand,if a local spots any bad driving they phone the police who respond and investigate.If the driving is bad enough and it is a hire car they have been known to take the car off people and put them on the bus!

 

[HandyAndy]

Take the registration number and report it on a non emergency number.

 

[DBK]

I didn't worry about it all night... and I could do without the bored whistle!

I'm just asking what others would have done in the same situation.

The police wouldn't be interested as no accident actually happened.

I might have rang the 101 non-emergency number. There is also a website you can use I think.

 

[Yorick]

One day i saw loads of cars doing about 70 mph. Very dangerous and somebody could have been killed.


Dodgy place that M1

 

[ianthebuilder]

You should have dragged her out the car,,
Thrown her to the ground and snapped both her legs! And if her mate complained, stuck the nut on her!

Then kindly phoned for an ambulance and given the keys to the driver!

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[Nonose]

I was walking to my local chemist when I saw an elderly gent having real issues parking his car at the shops. I next saw this gent as he stood alongside me at the chemist checkout. He was asking the young assistant what magnification was on the item he was hoping to purchase. The assistant looked bemused as she looked at the item he was holding and she didn't have an answer for him. I intervened when I realised that he was after a pair of reading glasses. What he was in fact holding was a wrist watch in a plastic case. His vision was really poor. He drove home again, which turned out to be only around 100 metres away thankfully. Phew... I was more confused as to why a chemist would be selling wrist watches.

 

[bilM]

There's a good chance on an island the person doesn't even have a licence . Many bits of the highlands where a blind eye is turned because it's so remote.

Can you name the bits of the highlands for me Tam. I think you are talking Sh--e.

 

[Northernraider]

Can you name the bits of the highlands for me Tam. I think you are talking Sh--e.

Think what you like personally I couldn't give a sh-t

 

[filopastry]

Don't all women drive like that ??

 

[pappajohn]

Can you name the bits of the highlands for me Tam. I think you are talking Sh--e.

You don't need an MOT or tax in Lochdubh.
Constable Mcbeth isn't too bothered.

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[bigtwin]

Can you name the bits of the highlands for me Tam. I think you are talking Sh--e.

It’s certainly the case in the outer Orkney Islands that provisional licence holders don’t need to be accompanied by a full licence holder when driving on the islands.

Similarly, their vehicles are not required to have a valid MoT.

Ian

 

[tacr2man]

Can you name the bits of the highlands for me Tam. I think you are talking Sh--e.

Dont beat about the bush being too subtle doesnt work sometimes

 

[Yorick]

Can you name the bits of the highlands for me Tam. I think you are talking Sh--e.

This is a fun place. Not a court of law.

 

[Camdoon]

I think the term talking sh**e is not as rude in Scottish vernacular. What was interesting was the more Anglo-American response of claiming not to be talking sh*t which might be considered more rude. Or I may be talking sh.