Dashcam prosecution

[LollyKat]

North Yorkshire Police gains first dashcam submission prosecution

"A man has become the first driver in North Yorkshire to be prosecuted after another motorist submitted footage of them overtaking dangerously."

If they can do this for drivers why can't they do it for cyclists? Is is possible that police attitudes may begin to shift a fraction?

[Grandad]

Is is possible that police attitudes may begin to shift a fraction?

Hopefully.

Having a higher viewpoint in a lorry gives a better overall view of the incident.

[karlt]

That is a spectacularly bad piece of driving though, isn't it?

I'd be requiring a retest.

[thirdcrank]

The BBC reporting seems to be just about as sloppy as it gets, referring to "the launch of a North Yorkshire Police operation where drivers are encouraged to shop other motorists."

IMO there are things about the footage in the link which make it ideal for prosecution. The bad driving isn't a matter of opinion over the distances involved: the vehicle being badly driven is entirely on the wrong side of the road at a junction marked with turning lanes and has passed an oncoming vehicle waiting to turn to its right, on its nearside and at what looks like some speed. Then, the cameraman - the driver of the vehicle with the dashcam - is independent in the sense of having no obvious interest in the outcome other than reporting bad driving. ie They are not saying "he nearly killed me"

Bearing in mind the regular reports on here of complaints of bad driving being summarily dismissed, it would be interesting to know how this report got as far as the investigation stage. I presume it's an early result from the Nth Yks "Operation Spartan, but I'm not sure: it does take time for a reported incident to get to the conviction stage. Their online reporting form is within this link - it doesn't restrict reporting to drivers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-yo ... e-38306678

I would reiterate a point from my earlier stuff that N Yorks are now attaching a bigger priority to traffic policing than used to be the case. When I cross into N Yorkshire, I invariably see a lot more of it than I see around here.
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edit I couldn't create a link directly to the report form. When I returned to the original police request for footage, it's dated in Dec 2016, which fits in with what I said about cases getting to court. Presumably, they thought this peach was worth publicising.

[Barks]

Here is the STRAP line from the BBC article:

"Dangerous drivers and motorcyclists could be prosecuted for driving offences caught on camera by fellow motorists"

So they will accept footage from people in cars, vans and trucks but not other risk users - why not from cyclists and pedestrians?

It would be interesting to see what the Nth Yorkshire Police response might be to that question.

[Cunobelin]

Here is the STRAP line from the BBC article:

"Dangerous drivers and motorcyclists could be prosecuted for driving offences caught on camera by fellow motorists"

So they will accept footage from people in cars, vans and trucks but not other risk users - why not from cyclists and pedestrians?

It would be interesting to see what the Nth Yorkshire Police response might be to that question.

They do!


I have has a couple of cases and it is becoming wider practice

[reohn2]

That is a spectacularly bad piece of driving though, isn't it?

I'd be requiring a retest.

I see equally bad driving on a regular basis.
Two this evening as it happens,both driving Mercs on the M6 northbound over Thelwall viaduct,one of which was cutting through traffic at what must have been 95 to 100mph,causing fear and mayhem,especially to the HGV artic he cut right across the front of as he dived for the M62 turn off.
Such driving abounds on UK roads.

[mjr]

I see equally bad driving on a regular basis.

Me too, mainly by watching the A10 and A148 as I ride on the cycle tracks alongside. As well as the usual red light jumpers and phone users today, there was a guy driving along reading a magazine/book on the steering wheel! Unlike last time, this one didn't come out on my bike camera and it was an unmarked van instead of a bus, so I can't get their boss to look at their own cameras... he's probably gotten away with it

[peetee]

there was a guy driving along reading a magazine/book on the steering wheel!

I reported a bus driver that was doing this in Southampton city centre.

[tykeboy2003]

I see equally bad driving on a regular basis.

Me too, mainly by watching the A10 and A148 as I ride on the cycle tracks alongside. As well as the usual red light jumpers and phone users today, there was a guy driving along reading a magazine/book on the steering wheel! Unlike last time, this one didn't come out on my bike camera and it was an unmarked van instead of a bus, so I can't get their boss to look at their own cameras... he's probably gotten away with it

As I've reported on other threads, on my way to work one morning, I looked to my right as I drove on the M42 (near Jn11) and in the car along side me doing over 70mph in quite heavy traffic, was a man steering with his knee whilst using his driving mirror to HAVE A SHAVE.

[MikeF]

It's by no means a first. This incident and subsequent prosecuton of an 8 wheel lorry going the wrong way around a roundabout happened 2 years ago not far from here in West Sussex.