Topic: The self appointed traffic enforcer confession

[CyberNick]

Last night the wife and I visited some friends and we ended up staying late at their place. We were driving back to our home at about 12:30 a.m. When we were near our place on one of the major boulevards, I noticed in my rearview a set of headlights approaching fast. I was driving at about 80 – 85 km/h or about 10 – 15 km/h over the limit and I got passed on the right side almost as if I was not moving. I’d guess the other car was doing somewhere in the neighborhood of 130 – 140 km/h. From the time I saw it in the rearview until the time I was looking at the back of the car was not more then 2 – 3 seconds. This car came to a stop at the red light ahead, and then proceeded through the intersection on a red signal, in the process cutting off a car that was trying to turn in this intersection on green. 

I was a little perturbed by what I had just seen and I remembered that a few weeks ago I added the non emergency number of the local police to my cell phone. I called them and explained what I just observed, gave a description of the car its last seen by me location and direction of travel. The lady on the other side of the phone responded with "Thank you sir, we will send the message to the officers in the area." and that made me feel good. 

I realized the driver was not racing nobody, (s)he was just in excessive hurry and was going the wrong way for the nearest hospital emergency room. Anyway, had this been in Ontario I would not have called the police to tell them because of their stupid racing law. IMO, the only thing this behavior deserves is a hefty fine. After a while, if that driver doesn't change, sure take the vehicle... but not on the first offence! 

I have no idea whether or not they did notify officers or whether or not they caught up to that car, but non the less I felt better. 

[flame jacket on]

EDIT: Fixed spelling...

[tpl]

I suppose that car could have been an unmarked Police car with plain clothes cops off to arrest some poor innocent murderer ?  Certainly the lady you spoke with would not have told you even if she knew.

[CyberNick]

I suppose that could have been the case, but aren't most police cars a production of one of the big 3? This was a VW Jetta.

[AVToller]

I commend you on the action you took. 

[Trainman]

I commend you on the action you took. 

Me too.

I have also filed a complaint with the local RCMP, it was about a 1 1/2 ago, in a construction zone.  I was doing the speed limit (70 kph) when an Alberta car decided I was going too slow and passed me.  On a double line.  With an oncoming construction vehicle in their lane     So I hit the shoulder and stopped, letting them get back in.  They took off, maybe 90-100 kph.  Of course, I caught up to them at the next flag person and got their plate number.  Funny thing was when we got out of the construction zone (about 6 kms long) and into the regular 100 kph zone, they just did about 90-95, so I caught up to them again.  So I wonder what their hurry really was   

Anyway, the RCMP where good, the took the number and also mentioned that there had been a lot of complaints about poor driving in that construction area.  They phoned me back, the car was a rental and they felt that there was not much they could do.  Oh well   

[Snowman]

I use to report bad behaviour but was basically told by Police that all they can do is contact the person and tell them they have been bad. Unless the infraction is witnessed by the Police there is nothing that can be done.

[gotak]

As to be expected. After all if anyone can phone in and get someone in serious trouble that would be quite bad.

[dr_spock]

Sometimes being contacted by police is enough for some people to change their behavior. 

[Sir Osis of Liver]

About 5 years ago, a trucker called the police on me. Told them I was driving erratically, passing on double lines and speeding. It was raining buckets and visibility was poor.

The police pulled me over about 20km from where the incident was supposed to have happened. The copper told me that since the trucker wasn't willing to testify, they couldn't charge me with anything alleged, but he was going to write me up for 20 over in a 70 zone (where he had pulled me over).

The reality was:
- I passed in a passing zone. I've travelled that road for over 20 years and know it like the back of my hand.
- Traffic was being held up by granny driving 60km/hr in a 90 zone.
- I was driving a 90hp Tercel. It took me the length of the truck just to hit the speed limit.
-The 70 zone was in fact an 80km/hr zone.

In the end I didn't get a ticket because he was my brother-in-law's police partner.

It can cut both ways, sometimes justified, sometimes not.

[barrie1]

If more folks were to call in then maybe the message woukld get ou there to some of the Dummies who do abuse the roads and the fellow drivers around them I went to hamilton and back to-day and encountered some real fools on the 401 and the 403 as well both ways. Between the weaving across up to 4 lanes and the passing on the inside and lots of the other stupid things I seen enough to make me drive at around 68MPH and stay as often as I could to the curb lane. I not only got better fuel milage but less of a road rage feeling as well from doing this and also knew that the OPP would not bother me for anything I did wrong at all. They would be too busy talking to the idiots who were doing all the stupid stuff instead. Making the call was a good idea in my mind Cybernick.   

[articsteve]

When East Germany collapsed is was soon revealed that one in three citizens were officially registered with the Secret Police as informants. 

I'll report something that is an OBVIOUS immediate threat to ppl's physical security.  But, I draw the line at "speeders".

What goes around, comes around.   

[CyberNick]

Well then, I guess I didn't need this old thing... [flame jacket off]

To be honest, I was startled by the speed at which I got passed. I don't mind if you pass me, but that speed and blowing the red light was excessive. The only times I've been passed like that was not on this continent. And in this case, I was in the left lane because I was turning left at the intersection immediately ahead, not because I sit on the left and don't let anyone speed more then me. I actually try to stay to the right as much and as often as I can.

I considered the car is continuing through an area of 50 km/h limit and if he was not slowing down and the police know about him coming along they can clock the speed down the road and put and end to that nonsense. Hopefully they get to him before something bad happens and someone dies. If it happens to be an emergency of life and death, well then he'll get a police escort and blow the red lights even easier. I never thought about having the police charge him with the infractions I witnessed.

Today I witnessed many infractions and got passed too many times, but didn't really consider calling those in as they were not so bad, IMO. 

And since I know that what goes around comes around, I'm considering going to a racetrack to go around and around before I loose my car and/or license or ability to afford driving.

[dorin]

I think what you did it petty and spiteful.  It makes me sad to think that live in a society of small-minded tattletales.  The driver of that Jetta did nothing to you and did not harm anyone, why the hell would you call that in?  We live in seriously up moralistic world. 

[mdxtasy]

I think what you did it petty and spiteful.  It makes me sad to think that live in a society of small-minded tattletales.  The driver of that Jetta did nothing to you and did not harm anyone, why the hell would you call that in?  We live in seriously up moralistic world. 

Right.....if you saw a crime being committed....you'd just walk by and assume nothing happend? 

[CyberNick]

I think what you did it petty and spiteful.  It makes me sad to think that live in a society of small-minded tattletales.  The driver of that Jetta did nothing to you and did not harm anyone, why the hell would you call that in?  We live in seriously up moralistic world. 

Actually, like I said above, I thought about what might happen if he continues to drive at excessive speeds. I was hoping that if he does things will be ok and everyone safe. I thought about the people that might die due to these actions then I realized there is something I can do and got my phone out.

[dorin]

I think what you did it petty and spiteful.  It makes me sad to think that live in a society of small-minded tattletales.  The driver of that Jetta did nothing to you and did not harm anyone, why the hell would you call that in?  We live in seriously up moralistic world. 

Actually, like I said above, I thought about what might happen if he continues to drive at excessive speeds. I was hoping that if he does things will be ok and everyone safe. I thought about the people that might die due to these actions then I realized there is something I can do and got my phone out.

You can justify it to yourself however you want but I still think what you did is disgusting.  The whole someone might die line of reasoning is essentially posturing to cover for the fact that you gave in to a petty instinct (i.e. how dare this person blow by me that fast, I'll show him).  Small-minded and utterly deplorable.

[mdxtasy]

I think what you did it petty and spiteful.  It makes me sad to think that live in a society of small-minded tattletales.  The driver of that Jetta did nothing to you and did not harm anyone, why the hell would you call that in?  We live in seriously up moralistic world. 

Actually, like I said above, I thought about what might happen if he continues to drive at excessive speeds. I was hoping that if he does things will be ok and everyone safe. I thought about the people that might die due to these actions then I realized there is something I can do and got my phone out.

You can justify it to yourself however you want but I still think what you did is disgusting.  The whole someone might die line of reasoning is essentially posturing to cover for the fact that you gave in to a petty instinct (i.e. how dare this person blow by me that fast, I'll show him).  Small-minded and utterly deplorable.

Admit it, you're just now afraid that somebody might call you in.   

[mmret]

Free entertainment after midnight?

[mdxtasy]

Free entertainment after midnight?

And it's not even porn!   

[CyberNick]

I think what you did it petty and spiteful.  It makes me sad to think that live in a society of small-minded tattletales.  The driver of that Jetta did nothing to you and did not harm anyone, why the hell would you call that in?  We live in seriously up moralistic world. 

Actually, like I said above, I thought about what might happen if he continues to drive at excessive speeds. I was hoping that if he does things will be ok and everyone safe. I thought about the people that might die due to these actions then I realized there is something I can do and got my phone out.

You can justify it to yourself however you want but I still think what you did is disgusting.  The whole someone might die line of reasoning is essentially posturing to cover for the fact that you gave in to a petty instinct (i.e. how dare this person blow by me that fast, I'll show him).  Small-minded and utterly deplorable.

Well, you're just wrong about that and I've nothing to say to prove it to you. So believe what you want, but if it happens to be you blowing by me like that then you can expect the same treatment. So you might want to consider slowing down when blowing by a red Mazda6 in your area.