Hit by cabbie - RESOLVED

[danfoto]

If you're happy with that outcome, that's all well and good.

I certainly wouldn't have been, though!

[7_lives_left]

The result is,no points,no record,and all for £80.

I was told (in an earlier letter) that it would cost him £175.

I don't know where your incident took place but in London cabbie's have to immediately take their vehicles off the road to get them fixed. That could be for something as minor as a scuffed bumper, detended panel, sratched paint work. He probably lost more in missed fares while off the raod than the £175 for the course.

About the incident where the brother-in-law of the cabbie phoned you up. The cabbie may have got you details off the police, not that they are suposed to pass them on. The police and cabbies have a bit of an incestuous relationship. The police often get tip offs and inteligence about crime from cabbies and so might do them favours in return.

[kwackers]

The cabbie may have got you details off the police, not that they are suposed to pass them on. The police and cabbies have a bit of an incestuous relationship. The police often get tip offs and inteligence about crime from cabbies and so might do them favours in return.

Some years ago I got in the way of some numpty (whilst in my car) and when I stopped at the lights he jumped out, opened my (unlocked) door, punched me in the face and drove off before I'd even started to figure out what had happened.
Fortunately I got his reg plate and called at the local nick to report him. During the interview the copper taking the statement made a point of audibly muttering the guys address whilst writing it down on the report and then leaving me for a few minutes alone with the paperwork.
Might have been my imagination but I got the impression it was intentional (he didn't mutter anything else of use although he did mention the guy was 'known' to them and was one of the local 'vermin'.)

[reohn2]

To my mind this bears comparison with the 'Birmingham Road Rage' affair which was discussed here recently, and was resolved by 'community resolution' - an unsatisfactory outcome in the opinion of many (including me). But the big difference is, the offender in that case deliberately went out of his way to cause harm and injury. That case certainly should have come to court, no argument.

But in my case I am not suggesting that the driver was deliberately careless. He will have been delivered of a stern kick up the backside and I am hoping this will have had an effect on him. And he must surely have been worried about his livelihood. As I said, if he never makes this mistake again, job done. We want loads of good, careful drivers on these roads of ours, not punished drivers...

What I'd like to see on the roads today is fearful drivers,fearful of losing their licence,fearful of losing their livelyhood and fearful of being skint due to high fines.
As it is the present system deosn't even go anywhere near that to guarrentee the well being those on the receiving end of criminals(let's make no mistake these people are criminals).
Today whilst on the tandem we were overtaken by four different vehicles at different times within 2miles by motorists taking chances and counting on pure luck to be safe.
The first three overtook in the face of oncoming traffic giving us plenty of room whilst causing two of the oncoming vehicles to ES to a stop,the third oncoming car had to brake and swerve into the curb.The fourth incident involved a car overtaking us slloowwlly on a narrow(just two cars and a bit wide) lane on an almost 90deg right hand bend,the driver was completely and utterly unsighted.
It is this kind of driving that leads to crashes and madness IMHO.

I was told (in an earlier letter) that it would cost him £175.

I was going off someone telling me he had to attend one for speeding which cost him £80,it may be different for differing offences,TBH I don't know.

PS,As for the driver in the Birmingham assault cause,I'd have hung his whatsits on a rust nail and taken his licence off him.

[reohn2]

If you're happy with that outcome, that's all well and good.

But it's not really is it.The intention of bringing criminals to justice is to rehabilitate and punish and hopefully dissuade other potential criminals from doing the same .
Our wholly inadequate judicial system doesn't do any of these things effectively IMHO,especially if they are serial offenders.

I certainly wouldn't have been, though!

Nor me,by a long shot .

[661-Pete]

Well, I'm not going to say anything negative about some of the more 'militant' comments on here, but just re-iterate: I'm calling the case closed. The cabbie didn't seem a 'bad sort' indeed he may be a very good useful guy in the community (I might add that he is Asian in name and appearance, and probably a lot of his clients are too), he appears to be based in Crawley and places to the south of it including Burgess Hill (where the crash happened).

I've re-checked the police letter (which I was quoting from memory), the course he went to was called Driving Skills Course and it indeed costs £175 and lasts a full day.

I'm quite happy that he's been given a chance to redeem himself. The cab in question is a with a private hire company, advance bookings only i.e. you can't hail it in the street, not like a black cab. And yes I do recall being a bit perplexed as to how a relative of his got my phone number, but I heard later that the police officer attending gave him my details (presumably the driver used the pretext that he might need to claim off me). Fortunately that last didn't happen.

The End.

I only wish some of you others' more 'difficult' cases cited on this forum, could be resolved with equal satisfaction.

[Coffee]

Some years ago I got in the way of some numpty (whilst in my car) and when I stopped at the lights he jumped out, opened my (unlocked) door, punched me in the face and drove off before I'd even started to figure out what had happened.
Fortunately I got his reg plate and called at the local nick to report him. During the interview the copper taking the statement made a point of audibly muttering the guys address whilst writing it down on the report and then leaving me for a few minutes alone with the paperwork.
Might have been my imagination but I got the impression it was intentional (he didn't mutter anything else of use although he did mention the guy was 'known' to them and was one of the local 'vermin'.)

Kwackers, I'd say about 15 years ago, a police officer did the same, a lad on a scooter 'bumped' me on purpose whilst over taking me on my bike, they out right told me where he lived! The Police were very keen to talk to him too.