Motorist jailed for three years for using her car as a weapon

[VanDriver]

Hence my earlier contribution to this thread. If the authorities will not provide justice (and they usually will not), then the people surely will. More wing mirrors surely will fly due to bias and apathy from the justice system.

Two wrongs don't make a right,or do they?

Kicking the wing mirror was punishment. She deserved punishment. Punishment isn't wrong.
So in conclusion it wasn't two wrongs - it was one wrong and one punishment.

[meic]

The car driver could make exactly the same argument. She was just punishing the cyclist for his crime.
He deserved punishment, punishment isnt wrong.
It was two punishments and as neither party is entitled to hand out punishments it was legally speaking two wrongs. Just as many cyclists may feel the using of a phone justified giving a mirror a kicking, many drivers think that kicking a mirror justifies getting rammed.

Once you go vigilante you cant really act all innocent when you are "out vigilante-ed".

[tykeboy2003]

Kicking the wing mirror was punishment. She deserved punishment. Punishment isn't wrong.
So in conclusion it wasn't two wrongs - it was one wrong and one punishment.

We are not allowed as individuals to punish people who break the law, that's the job of the police and the courts. The cyclist deserved punishment for breaking the mirror but she was never going to call the police because she had been using a phone whilst driving. Her subsequent action shows a complete lack of control and a willingness to take the law into her own hands. She deserves a longer sentence than just 3 years as she would have got if she'd attacked the bloke with a hammer or a knife.

[VanDriver]

The car driver could make exactly the same argument. She was just punishing the cyclist for his crime.
He deserved punishment, punishment isnt wrong.
It was two punishments and as neither party is entitled to hand out punishments it was legally speaking two wrongs. Just as many cyclists may feel the using of a phone justified giving a mirror a kicking, many drivers think that kicking a mirror justifies getting rammed.

Once you go vigilante you cant really act all innocent when you are "out vigilante-ed".

No, the car driver could not make the same argument. She started the whole thing by putting him in danger through her deliberate actions, with almost zero chance of being punished by society. And the punishment she imposed on him was insanely excessive. The entitlement to which you refer is meaningless, as justice for her initial actions is extremely unlikely. Forget society's rules and doing the "right" thing for a moment; he didn't deserve punishment; she was the aggressor twice. He did not instigate, he only reacted, which was understandable. Her life was not endangered, her attitude was utterly foul, her sense of entitlement was gross. It's all very well sticking to the rules gallantly, but cyclists continue to see the absolute minimum of justice, which isn't good enough. It's our world as much as anybody else's so why bow to a system that shows disregard to significant aggression and danger? Why wait for the slow wheels of justice to bring balance? You may believe vigilantism is wrong.. so what? The aggression and attacks from idotic drivers are wrong also, but are accepted to a significant degree by society at large; how many attackers have been let off with a warning? If there is a significant threat to the nation, we go to war. The same politicians that make that decision show no interest in protecting cyclists. If cyclists go out and battle on the streets, it is attack as a form of defense.

[Cyril Haearn]

Damage to property and physical attack on a person are quite different

Does the law allow one to make a citizens arrest?

What should I do next time I am waiting at the lights in my car and I see the driver behind on the phone? Should I prevent a crime by refusing to move off?

[reohn2]

There's some strange thinking around
If a I see a car speeding or breaking the law in some other dangerous fashion,catch it up stopped in the next traffic jam,and get out of my vehicle,remonstrate with the driver for their behaviour.
They then in return give me verbal abuse and the finger,it's perfectly OK for me damage their car in some way or another?
Really?

[Cyril Haearn]

There's some strange thinking around
If a I see a car speeding or breaking the law in some other dangerous fashion,catch it up stopped in the next traffic jam,and get out of my vehicle,remonstrate with the driver for their behaviour.
They then in return give me verbal abuse and the finger,it's perfectly OK for me damage their car in some way or another?
Really?

While driving I ignore other drivers. While cycling too

But for example when a driver endangers a cyclist one could slam ones hand on the roof of the vehicle (very loud, might make a small dent), might be a good education method. Danger to life and limb is n o t comparable to cosmetic damage to property IMHO

Alternative facts welcome

I wonder whether rice pudding would be useful in the fight against illegal parking. It looks just like bird [inappropriate word removed]. One could smear it on the windscreens of illegally parked vehicles, the drivers might get the message. No damage at all!

[reohn2]

Danger to life and limb is n o t comparable to cosmetic damage to property IMHO

Alternative facts welcome

But what's being discussed is potential danger to life and limb which is a very different thing.
When cycling on occasion I've slapped the side of a car that's been passing me in a dangerous manner a,and manoeuvre that's been extremely dangerous to my immediate safety,the driver's reaction is to swerve away from the noise which is loud in side he vehicle(I've tested it) though causes no harm the vehicle,I've also shouted loudly in similar situations.Such actions do create animosity toward the cyclist which the s/he has to be prepared for,and until few years ago I was prepared to defend myself from such encounters.
Such actions by car drivers could be described a potential,however I'd describe them as immediate threat,which is long way from lawbreaking by some drivers.

I wonder whether rice pudding would be useful in the fight against illegal parking. It looks just like bird <i>[inappropriate word removed]</i>. One could smear it on the windscreens of illegally parked vehicles, the drivers might get the message. No damage at all!

[/quote]
IMO it all depends on circumstance of the offence,such things a rice pudding on someone's w/screen doesn't cause damage but does put a good point across,especially if it's been on a while and dried in a the sun

[Cyril Haearn]

Danger to life and limb is n o t comparable to cosmetic damage to property IMHO

Alternative facts welcome

But what's being discussed is potential danger to life and limb which is a very different thing.
When cycling on occasion I've slapped the side of a car that's been passing me in a dangerous manner a,and manoeuvre that's been extremely dangerous to my immediate safety,the driver's reaction is to swerve away from the noise which is loud in side he vehicle(I've tested it) though causes no harm the vehicle,I've also shouted loudly in similar situations.Such actions do create animosity toward the cyclist which the s/he has to be prepared for,and until few years ago I was prepared to defend myself from such encounters.
Such actions by car drivers could be described a potential,however I'd describe them as immediate threat,which is long way from lawbreaking by some drivers.

I wonder whether rice pudding would be useful in the fight against illegal parking. It looks just like bird <i>[inappropriate word removed]</i>. One could smear it on the windscreens of illegally parked vehicles, the drivers might get the message. No damage at all!

IMO it all depends on circumstance of the offence,such things a rice pudding on someone's w/screen doesn't cause damage but does put a good point across,especially if it's been on a while and dried in a the sun [/quote]

But it is an irresponsible waste of one of my favourite foods
Another delicious possibility is pearl barley, makes a great indigenous alternative to rice tastes great, keeps for a couple of days

[reohn2]

But it is an irresponsible waste of one of my favourite foods
Another delicious possibility is pearl barley, makes a great indigenous alternative to rice tastes great, keeps for a couple of days

And doesn't clean windscreens

[Cyril Haearn]

But it is an irresponsible waste of one of my favourite foods
Another delicious possibility is pearl barley, makes a great indigenous alternative to rice tastes great, keeps for a couple of days

And doesn't clean windscreens

Birds like it, they scrape it off the windscreen and make their own mess
Circle complete, problem solved

[reohn2]

But it is an irresponsible waste of one of my favourite foods
Another delicious possibility is pearl barley, makes a great indigenous alternative to rice tastes great, keeps for a couple of days

And doesn't clean windscreens

Birds like it, they scrape it off the windscreen and make their own mess
Circle complete, problem solved

I like recycling in whatever form