[ScottV]

I'm pretty tolerant of people who don't know how to drive-I see it ALL the time-boneheads more concerned with their coffee or cell phone than paying attention to the road. Today I'm driving my apparently invisible Miata North on a two lane road (one travel lane each direction). Approaching an intersection where my light is green, I see a gold Cadillac coming from the East side headed West, she doesn't stop at her red light and proceeds to make a right turn directly in front of me in my lane of travel. I slam on my brakes-I don't even think this woman saw me until I came flying up on her (because I was doing about 45 (speed limit) and she was doing about 10mph when she turned in front of me, so of course I would come up on her quick. Point is she did not stop or hesitate whatsoever when she made a right turn on a red light. So my thought is, this woman is going to kill someone. There are a lot of people on bikes and motorcycles around here and that kind of move she made is a good way to injure or kill someone.

So I call the police and report her, well not too long after she pulls into a driveway that is right off the main road and I pull in behind because there really isn't anywhere else I can safely park. She pulls all the way up and another woman comes out of the house (I'm assuming her daughter-she's about 55, the driver is 82). Looks like the old woman is picking up the younger one. Well they sit there in the car for a while up by the house and I'm in the driveway right by the road. This is in the richest part of my state and the house is probably worth about a million dollars, so this isn't a trailer park although the woman acted pretty classless IMO.

They get ready to leave and pull down the driveway and I motion that I want to talk to them. The younger one gets out and I tell her the police are on the way because of the way the older woman was driving recklessly. Well she starts going off on me, "who are you?, what is your name?, why are you calling the police on an old woman?,etc. So the officer shows up and basically plays mediator because the younger woman is pissed off that I called the police on her mom (forget the fact WHY I called them). So I was the problem for calling the police on this woman, it never occurred to her, hmm maybe her mom isn't the best driver? It was all about, you have no right to call the police on my mom regardless of how she drives! Like I have no better things to do with my time than call the police on old women for the fun of it. If I didn't think her driving was a danger, I wouldn't have wasted my time!

I spoke to the officer in private so as not to incite the younger woman and asked him if he was going to even check whether she is on some prescription drug she shouldn't be on while driving or check her visual acuity and he said he looked at her eyes and they're not dilated.

So basically the officer didn't do anything. So I guess it will take her killing someone to get their attention? Other motorists going through the trouble of calling the police on her doesn't matter one bit? And say she does the same thing next week and does kill someone, oh well I guess now we can take the carkeys from grandma!

If I had video evidence, could I have shown this to the officer at the scene and then he would have been able to write her a ticket? I mean I'm not trying to be mean to an old woman, but if she's driving like this she needs to be off the road in my opinion.

 

[MarshallH1987]

I've thought about taking video of bad/dangerous drives too. Problem is i haven't rigged up my camera to my dashboard yet. I do like keeping my camera on hand with the flash on and i kind of pretend to take pictures of people driving bad (tailgating me, cutting me off, etc...). I haven't tried sending any of my pics in because they don't show anything, but on more than one occasion the person who was tailgating me or cut me off suddenly cuts across traffic to turn away from me.

 

[roscoe]

maybe it's better to mind your own business, what you did sounds kind of stalkery and weird. you just stopped what you were doing to play neighborhood watch and follow a stranger who you deem to be driving unsafely? didn't you have somewhere to go?

it sounds like you must have taken at least 20 minutes out of your day to hassle this lady and the police about the same poor driving that goes on every minute in every city

while I certainly don't condone poor driving, playing stalker vigilante police time waster isn't really a good thing to be doing either

if I called the cops on every moron driver I saw doing what you saw, I'd be on the phone with the cops 7-10 times a day at a bare minimum and I'm sure the cops would let me know how they felt about me calling them so much.

cars don't stop at red lights when they're turning right, it's a fact of life

 

[InfiniteLoop]

Here the Sheriff just sends them a form letter that someone reported them for wreckless or whatever driving. They think that will at least get people's attention that other folks are watching them. They did tell me that with good video evidence they'll "hang paper on 'em". I'm hoping to convert a one of the self contained dash cams to mount on my handlebars. It seems people have been getting a lot worse lately.

 

[ScottV]

nice roscoe, so since there is so much poor driving we should just ignore it. well where I live people for the most part follow the law, this woman blatantly and with no regard for anyone else blew through her red to turn, no pause whatsoever! and the cops around here have nothing better to do believe me, there is no real crime around this area, I'm not in the city. i guess i can only hope poor drivers make stupid moves like this in front of big trucks who won' be able to stop in time-game over. so i gotta hope before these idiots can kill/injure some innocent person that natural selection comes into play and they cause their own demise. oh ok

 

[filtersweep]

FWIW, I tend to give "old people" more of a pass, since rarely does it appear deliberate on their part. It doesn't make their driving any less dangerous, but it doesn't make my blood boil like a motorist who passes me and slams on his brakes to cut me off--- just to play games.

Even then, police will not do anything. I suggest running the plates yourself and take matters into your own hands if it is bad enough. Police don't even want to take accident reports these days... and if they do, they expect you to show up at the station. So frankly, I am astounded the police even responded to your call. Do you live in Mayberry?

 

[BLS439]

Scott, I am not certain which state you are in, but police have limited powers when certain "crimes" (infractions and misdemeanors) are committed outside of their presence. More times than not, they can NOT make an arrest. Technically speaking an arrest includes both a citation and custodial arrest (handcuffs/jail).

In California, you have a couple of options: 1) let it go, 2) call and report hoping for a police response, and 3) upon police response (if you are lucky enough the officer actually makes it to you in time) you can sign the citation as the arresting party placing the person under a "citizens arrest". This would mean the officer accepts your arrest and should the driver challenge the citation in court you would testify on behalf of the "people" making your case as to why the citation was legitimate. You need to ask yourself one question, are you willing to go this far. If not, there really isn't much reason to call the police.

In the off case she was under the influence you now become a witness - the sole witness - who can really put together much if not all of the case aside from chemical tests. Which means you have to really be involved.

I applaud you for calling the police. It probably wasn't the best choice to confront; however, you made the choice you felt was right at the time and hindsight is always 20/20. If you have questions about how the law works, I urge you to call the police department you spoke with and ask constructive questions rather than ranting as it really helps no one - unless you just needed to let off some steam.

Glad you are safe and were not hit!

 

[jmlapoint]

I think dangerous drivers, just like dangerous riders are irritating, but reporting them is probably a waste of time. I try to ride courteously, and try to give potential problems a wide berth.

john

 

[Hank Stamper]

This is in the richest part of my state and the house is probably worth about a million dollars

And what does that have to do with it?

 

[Keeping up with Junior]

Where's the love?

...it never occurred to her, hmm maybe her mom isn't the best driver?

She rides in the car with her mom, she already knows that mom sucks as a driver and should not be behind the wheel. Daughter is either:

1) To timid to stand up to mom and take away the keys.
2) To uncaring to burden her busy day caring for her mommy and being taxi driver for mom.
3) Daughter has a DUI and suspended license and counts on mom to haul her azz around.

 

[Peter P.]

You did the right thing by calling the police. Her name and registration are on record now, as is the incident. Should any further incidents occur involving this woman, there will be a traceable history which will be strong evidence against her.

Unfortunately, as it stands your encounter with her is a "he said, she said" and without corroborated eyewitness testimony from say, another driver, you don't have a strong case.

The officer did what he could under the restrictions of the law. By at least bringing it to the attention of the woman and the daughter, they MAY recognize there's a problem.

 

[ColoRoadie]

So, a little old lady pulled out in front of you and you had to brake. Not evade into the other lane? Not into the ditch? And for that, you followed her home, blocked their driveway, called the police and got in a woman's face over her mother's driving? I'm not exactly sure where you get that authority. I've had a little old lady run me off the road do thousands in damage to my car and I did have to follow her home to speak to a relative for insurance info etc...but it never turned ugly and it didn't involve the police. Because I handled it like a gentleman.

First off, if she failed to stop at the red light and turned right...that is not reckless driving. It's a ticket possibly, if the cop sees it. Are you going to tell us you have never inadvertantly pulled out in front of someone like that? Are you going to tell us you have never accidentally done worse than that? Run a red light you didn't see...speed through a school zone you didn't notice perhaps? Do you live in a glass house by chance?

You provoked a confrontation by pulling onto someone's property and holding them against their will over a red light infraction? You are lucky the husband wasn't there to teach you some manners. Everything you accomplished could have been done with a phone call to the police and a license plate number. The confrontation was your doing and your fault.

My god..someone made you slow down when you had the right of way....how horrible! I suggest you never drive anywhere near a city.

 

[estone2]

I have to agree. They turned in front of you, and cut you off. BFD, an 82 year old woman cut you off? I'd be very surprised if that was intentional. Grow some thicker skin, it must be hard going through life being that uptight and confrontation-happy.

 

[Indyfan]

Elderly drivers are an issue we as a country haven't dealt well with. Somehow it get's connected with personal freedoms etc. when in reality it's a matter of safety- for both the person driving and the general public. Both my parents fought to keep their "right" to drive. Eventually each one stopped driving. In the two states we experienced this in elderly drivers have to renew their license more often, but seem to actually have less stringent testing. So the MVD gives them a pass and lets numerous really dangerous drivers out on the road. Of course in the case of both my parents, they probably would have used every bit of self control they could muster to pass a test in order to keep driving. We saw them do it with doctors regularly if they were scared we were going to institutionalize them (which never happened.)

 

[Slim Again Soon]

That's pretty much how it works ... complaints to the cops are mostly treated as some wiseacre being a PITA.

Cops don't want to get involved until the accident happens.

Even then, don't expect much. In our town, driver recently ran a red light, while traveling 20+ mph over the speed limit, and crashed into another car, whose driver was attempting a legal turn.

Red-light runner never even hit the brakes ... killed someone in the other car, wounded the rest. No criminal charges. Prosecutor told the newspaper that "we all speed ... we all run red lights." So no case to prosecute. Go figure.

We need a cultural shift, folks, on what is responsible driving. Maybe then the LEOs will give a ...

 

[roscoe]

nice roscoe, so since there is so much poor driving we should just ignore it. well where I live people for the most part follow the law, this woman blatantly and with no regard for anyone else blew through her red to turn, no pause whatsoever! and the cops around here have nothing better to do believe me, there is no real crime around this area, I'm not in the city. i guess i can only hope poor drivers make stupid moves like this in front of big trucks who won' be able to stop in time-game over. so i gotta hope before these idiots can kill/injure some innocent person that natural selection comes into play and they cause their own demise. oh ok

since you and I do not have the responsibility or duty to police other people's driving behavior, then yes we should ignore it.

what you did after you called the police could be called borderline kidnapping if you prevented them from being able to go about their business.

people from the city ocassionally visit the country, and when we're there we drive the same way we drive in the city, people often don't stop and hardly even slow when making a right turn on a red light when there aren't cars around (or when they "think" there aren't cars around)

it's best for you to adjust your behavior and expect poor driving from others on the road so that you don't get caught up in an accident with them.

 

[ColoRoadie]

Roscoe has a point. You can't roam around the countryside restraining whomever you choose. You do not have that authority.

5-5-301. Unlawful restraint. (1) A person commits the offense of unlawful restraint if the person knowingly or purposely and without lawful authority restrains another so as to interfere substantially with the other person's liberty.

You are not trained in traffic law enforcement, not badged and not sworn in. In short, you are as much of a nobody as the little old lady you attempted to chastise...so the cop who responded had no reason to believe you over her. I can't say I blame the daughter for going off on you...had she been a man, the ending would likely have been very different.

 

[BikeRider]

I would also point out that I would never be going 45 mph through an intersection, there's too many things that can mess you up. The only time I ride that fast is when I have a good road without any intersecting roads where someone could come out in front of me.

 

[krisdrum]

Just to put it out there to those who either outright say to mind your own business or are borderline, would you have called the police if this was obviously a drunk driver?

I'm tending to lean towards Scott making the right call in this situation. He is unaware of who the driver is and what state (mental/physical) they are in. The police are there to "protect and serve". If you feel your or another person's life or body is at risk due to someone else's actions, the ethical thing to do is call for backup, in the form of actual authorities. The police can't be everywhere at all times. Citizens have a right and I'd almost go so far as to say the obligation to help get to the bottom of dangerous situations they've witnessed. Now, granted, I understand the officer not being able to do anything because he did not witness it or have verifiable evidence. Doesn't mean you shouldn't call them. At the very least hopefully the driver and her daughter had a good heart to heart chat after this incident to assess her true abilities behind the wheel. Even if no legal actions were taken, it at least sets the precendent that you can't get away with breaking the law in the absence of the police.

As for parking in the driveway entrance. I see no problem with it. If they would have asked him to move his car, he would have needed to comply to avoid potentially breaking some laws himself. But based on the description, he did nothing wrong. Now granted, in this day in age, taking such actions you really take your life in your own hands and since most of us are out for self-preservation, people often think twice. Call it utopian, but I think our country and the world in general would be alot better off if more people had better moral/ethical compasses.

 

[roscoe]

there are actually signs on the freeway that ask you to call the highway patrol if you spot a drunk driver

there's a big difference between being drunk and the standard negligent driving that we see everyday.

are you really going to call the police every time you see someone doing things that you deem dangerous? maybe a pedestrian crossing away from a crosswalk, or a driver backing out of a parking space without looking first? maybe driving 15 mph over the limit? What if you know your neighbor needs new tires and is driving around on bald tires, should you call the police? If you see a fattie at buger king ordering a triple whopper, should you call the police?