Advice regarding recent road rage incident

[Matto]

So the other day (2nd May) on my way home from work I was on the receiving end of some dangerous driving and a rather angry motorist. I was driving home and caught up 2 cars doing around 45 mph in a national. I followed for around a mile until the road opened up and was safe to overtake. I indicated, moved out and gave it some toe to get by both cars as the one in front of me seemed happy enough sitting at 45. As I pulled out, the car in front of me moved towards the white line as I went to overtake. I just kept accelerating to get out the way. I have overtaken on this road a million times before with no issues.

So a couple of miles further down the road, it comes into a village and speed reduces to 30 mph. Next thing I know is I have a Mazda 3 inches off my rear end with his full beam on. I sit at the speed limit and do nothing to antagonise him further. Knowing another national was coming up I waited until we hit the signs then gunned it thinking I need to gain as much distance as possible if he is prepared to drive like that.

Left him no issues. The problem came in the next village after getting held up by a motorbike and Transit van. He came up the side of me and then swerved straight in font of me. I braked and swerved away and thought nothing of it. I didn't get the reg and he turned off further down the road so left it at that.

It wasn't until the next day that my mate noticed my front bumper. When he cut me up, he had actually made contact with me and scuffed my bumper, headlight and wing. Obviously I was pissed off but thought what could I do about it? I couldn't report it as I had no reg to go on and would be my word against his. Plus he had his Mrs in the car who was no doubt going mental at his driving but would stick up from him.

So fast forward 2 weeks to last night. I travelled down the road where he turned off as went that way to drop my brother in town and on the way back I spotted the car and where the owner lives.

What I am wanting to know is, is it worth reporting at this late a stage now I have an address and reg number bearing in mind it will still be my word against his? He collided with me and didn't stop so just wondered where I stood on the matter.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[betty_swollox]

Surely there will be a mark on the back of his car???

If you don't think that reporting him to the police will help, I would go and take a sh*t on his bonnet

[Matto]

Surely there will be a mark on the back of his car???

If you don't think that reporting him to the police will help, I would go and take a sh*t on his bonnet

I would like to think so but it was around half 9 last night so getting dark and couldn't see. It was more of a quick drive by to confirm if it was the correct car.

[gti265]

Id go back and have a quick look in day time take a photo of the back of the car if there is damage and a photo of the front of yours and call 101 and report it and email them the photos then its up to thwm if they think there is a case.

This is where im glad i have a dash cam, may seem expensive to buy but cheeper than having to have a bumper resprayed

Tom

[MJ]

In the eyes of the law - he left the scene of an accident.

You were the victim of a road rage attack which resulted in aggressive driving that HAS caused damage to your vehicle and COULD have injured/killed you! (The police love all that kind if thing) and you were only confident on reporting the incident once A. The trauma had worn off and B. You could positively ID the offending vehicle. 

They won't start taking paint samples and giving it the old CSI treatment but once you plead your case, and if they find obvious matching paint scuffs on his car then they might go and give him a right good bollocking.

The guys obviously got some anger issues. Likelihood is that bricks would've fell out of his back door if you confronted him over the matter but now you have the upper hand you can choose; the law abiding, harmless phone call to the local constabulary (they take RR very seriously) or you can rally a team of vigilantes and go and paint his car with paint stripper in an aerosol can :)

Option 3 is just knock on his door and ask him what he was playing at!? but this might result in fisty cuffs and/or some coarse language...

[garrardrj]

In the eyes of the law - he left the scene of an accident.

You were the victim of a road rage attack which resulted in aggressive driving that HAS caused damage to your vehicle and COULD have injured/killed you! (The police love all that kind if thing) and you were only confident on reporting the incident once A. The trauma had worn off and B. You could positively ID the offending vehicle.  

They won't start taking paint samples and giving it the old CSI treatment but once you plead your case, and if they find obvious matching paint scuffs on his car then they might go and give him a right good bollocking.

The guys obviously got some anger issues. Likelihood is that bricks would've fell out of his back door if you confronted him over the matter but now you have the upper hand you can choose; the law abiding, harmless phone call to the local constabulary (they take RR very seriously) or you can rally a team of vigilantes and go and paint his car with paint stripper in an aerosol can :)

Option 3 is just knock on his door and ask him what he was playing at!? but this might result in fisty cuffs and/or some coarse language...

In the eyes of the law , he didn't leave the scene of an accident as he would not have known that he had had one , even the OP didn't know .

It will be your word against his in relation to the incident and unlikely to result in any prosecution without any independent evidence . The damage to your car could possibly be matched to the other car , but it will still be your word against his about what happened .

Finally as you did not get the registration number at the time of the accident you will struggle to prove that the car you found 2 weeks  later is the one involved (unless there is some damage of course)

As far as getting a successful prosecution it is very doubtful , the damage could have been done by your car hitting his , is an example of what he might say .

What you do is up to you

[mvb12]

In the eyes of the law , he didn't leave the scene of an accident as he would not have known that he had had one , even the OP didn't know .



How do you know? he might have realised he made contact and that's the reason why he bolted.  

[betty_swollox]

In the eyes of the law , he didn't leave the scene of an accident as he would not have known that he had had one , even the OP didn't know .

How do you know? he might have realised he made contact and that is the reason why he bolted. 
[/quote]


Think the point that he was making is that it'd be difficult to prove


The scuff on the rear bumper could have been due to the OP driving too close to him?

[mvb12]

In the eyes of the law , he didn't leave the scene of an accident as he would not have known that he had had one , even the OP didn't know .

How do you know? he might have realised he made contact and that's the reason why he bolted.  

Think the point that he was making is that it'd be difficult to prove


The scuff on the rear bumper could have been due to the OP driving too close to him?
[/quote]

Best just let it be or pay him a "friendly" visit.

[MJ]

A creative phone call to the old bill on the none emergency number would be enough for them to visit him, they give him a talking to and he might take something away from it, like in future - not driving like a bell end!

[Tfsi_Mike]

A creative phone call to the old bill on the none emergency number would be enough for them to visit him, they give him a talking to and he might take something away from it, like in future - not driving like a bell end!

  he wouldn't be expecting it.

[Karl_mac_]

Go and piss on his door handles.

And buy a dash cam.

[garrardrj]

A creative phone call to the old bill on the none emergency number would be enough for them to visit him, they give him a talking to and he might take something away from it, like in future - not driving like a bell end!

What do you mean by creative ?
The OP has no other witnesses and there is the problem

[MJ]

I can imagine there are many instances where there are no witnesses, the police still have a duty of care to at least follow up the case (I've experienced it myself) If the op has the reg of the car and/or the address then there is something to follow up on.

Re the phone all:
No lying just the facts. Now the op can ID the vehicle I'd be very surprised if the police did nothing at all.

[gtipirelli]

Just out of interest, how do you know that the damage to your car was not caused earlier in the day wherever it was parked up. Amazed you did not feel the impact however small it may have been been

Obviously we are only hearing your side of the story, it seems he was mightily pissed off with something he thinks you did to him

Just playing devils advocate so please do not take any offence

These are all things he may use in defence