Hope I did the right thing - look out for this moron.

merlin · 25-09-2006, 06:24 PM

Driving down the M2 this afternoon, slow cars in the left lane so I'm in the right following the car in front leaving an appropriate gap. Anyway as I am minding my own business this white ute comes up from behind sits behind me for a few seconds then decides he is going to overtake everyone on the left. So pulls around me and off he goes. Except he gets about 20 metres before the genius realises that the left lane is moving just as slow as the right.

Now this is the part I don't get - I keep maintaining the gap to the car in front of me and the ute now obviously wants to pull in front of me to make one whole car space. Pfft I don't give a rats, its been a long day, I'm not an agressive driver so I back off to make room. As I am doing this he rolls down his window and throws a beer bottle at my car which hit the front fender and shattered glass all over my car. He then gives me the finger and accelerates off, weaving in and out of traffic. I was shocked - totally unprovoked, didnt know what to do but wasn't going to let it go, had no pen ect. so rung 000 on my mobile whilst following him (he got stuck in traffic up ahead).

Reported to the operator then phone dropped out then the "police emergency line" rung me back and the woman took details of description, make, model rego ect. I told them he was possibly drunk, swerving around and throwing bottles at peoples cars. At this point he pulled off the freeway onto Windsor Rd and when I told the operator this she told me in a very stern voice to stop following him and stop driving whilst on a mobile. So I pulled over and had to let him go - she then said she was sending a unit to intercept him. Havn't heard anything since.

So look out for a white Mazda Bravo B2600 utility rego number ZHL-809.

Anyway I hope I did the right thing by calling 000 - I apologised to the operator if it was innapropriate, she didnt really answer the question but kept asking for more details on the description.

Man I wish I had ridden today, so much easier to avoid the idiots.

**TUF_302** · 25-09-2006, 06:30 PM

I think thats the right thing to do, it was an emergency on the roads, i no you shouldnt use your phone while driving but that was safer than what he was doin!!

bigjim · 25-09-2006, 06:32 PM

Calling the cops in that situation seems like a good call....much smarter than chasing him and sorting it out with a club lock (which would be tempting). Certainly can't let him get away with it.

uranium_death · 25-09-2006, 06:37 PM

A mongrel like that should not be allowed in society.

Tinaturna · 25-09-2006, 06:55 PM

:thebirds:

I was headin down the M2 today and chucked a beer out. Was glad u didn't say it was my car!! Tina

:

Just kidding blokes

:

sfr rob · 25-09-2006, 06:59 PM

should have followed him, pulled him outta his car and fixed him up.
I cant believe people would throw a bottle at your car.. IN TRAFFIC!

Genghis · 25-09-2006, 07:10 PM

What a cranker!!

Damn straight you should call the cops. I just hope they do something about him.
I've had run ins with similar idiots on the Ipswich motorway. Normally tradies in utes that seem to be on a mission to get to the pub or something.

They're dangerous to everyone on the road.

nb: I'm not against ute drivers or tradies for that matter.

andrewts · 25-09-2006, 07:19 PM

Sounds like you were trodden on by the police officer. You do the right thing and they are rude to you!

05MkIIFutura · 25-09-2006, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlin

Anyway I hope I did the right thing by calling 000 - I apologised to the operator if it was innapropriate, she didnt really answer the question but kept asking for more details on the description.

Mate you did the right thing, i dont hesitate to call the local (non-emergency) police number whenever i see a drunk/hoon driver and the cops are always happy to send a patrol car their way. If you save a life it is worth it!!

NZ · 25-09-2006, 07:23 PM

Least you can do is lodge a EPA report. If your willing to give evidence they will fine him. You can lodge it on the EPA website, and they will call you back to confirm. I've done it before to a **** that bottled my car.

red_hotxr6 · 25-09-2006, 07:26 PM

You should have told them it was a hands free you were calling on.

The Monty · 25-09-2006, 07:28 PM

I thin keven though you were talking on the phone while driving, it was completely the right thing to do. Hope all goes well.

uraqt · 25-09-2006, 07:33 PM

Mate you done GOOD!!!!!!
we need more guys like you
out there that keep cool and
do the right thing,even when you feel like
chasing the idiots
down and giving them what for. yeah handsfree is good!!!!!

Green X · 25-09-2006, 07:47 PM

A similar thing happened to a guy I know after a bad day at work.

At the next set of light’s as he pulled up behind the offender, he calmly got out of his car walked up beside the offenders open drivers side window, punched the guy in the head (twice) walked back to his car and drove off. LOL, Probably not that funny but I laughed when I heard about it.

Steve · 25-09-2006, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NZ

Least you can do is lodge a EPA report. If your willing to give evidence they will fine him. You can lodge it on the EPA website, and they will call you back to confirm. I've done it before to a **** that bottled my car.

Mate, judging by your avatar, whoever bottled your car did a pretty good job. :hihi:

Longreach · 25-09-2006, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

Mate, judging by your avatar, whoever bottled your car did a pretty good job. :hihi:

i must admit when i saw his avatar i thought the exact same thing. :P

Back on point, ye ringing the police was the right move, shame they gave ya lip for it.

xe351 · 25-09-2006, 08:15 PM

being a tool is one thing, but the line is crossed when they attack your car - it would be hard not to hurt them

uranium_death · 25-09-2006, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green X

A similar thing happened to a guy I know after a bad day at work.

At the next set of light’s as he pulled up behind the offender, he calmly got out of his car walked up beside the offenders open drivers side window, punched the guy in the head (twice) walked back to his car and drove off. LOL, Probably not that funny but I laughed when I heard about it.

You know, I get the feeling of "and he deserved it too".

But it's a position that you shouldn't put yourself in.
Better your car get damaged than your own skull!

Merlin did the right thing by not pursuing the offender further and calling the police.

slloyd · 25-09-2006, 08:26 PM

I never ceases to amaze me how people weave in and out of traffic like idiots, only to have you pull up right behind them at the next set of lights, and I think "Mate, look where all that extra fuel and effort got you?".

Dezza · 25-09-2006, 08:40 PM

merlin, you definately did the right thing. He should lose his licence for that behaviour. Dangerous driving, and damaging property (if the bottle damaged the car in any way)

DougM · 25-09-2006, 08:49 PM

I was in a situation where I was cut off a number of times(would've hit if I didn't brake hard-locked brakes) by the same guy one night....He also just missed other cars.I was with my brother.....After the third time I flashed my lights at him....2 kays down the road at a major intersection, we both stopped although he was about 50m behind. He bolted up to my car and started throwing punches through my window....I stepped out to confront him . His passenger mate was way to calm and kept his hands out of sight....I was concerned he had a gun and asked him to show his hands since they thought they were so tough!! He wouldn't.....Meanwhile my brother called the cops on 000 and they just weren't interested.....he told them that this guy was coked(really) out, violent and possibly had a weapon....They ran the plates while all this was happening and said that they didn't belong to that car!!! They still did nothing!!!!! The guy eventually stormed off when he saw i wouldn't fight and laughed admitting the cops couldn't trace his plates!!......Anyway.....I called the police back and gave them a serve saying that if this bloke hits and kills someone it was on their head....I also had a female cousin and her girfriend followed for an hour buy a carload of threatening guys....She also called the police and she was told help would take 2 hrs!!! And she was running out of petrol!!! This was on Mulgoa rd(1am,dark and not much around)..She pulled in to a service station and bolted inside......The guys waited for 45mins outside and eventually gave up....The reason I'm saying this is that yes, the Police should be called, but if there are Police reading this, please treat these calls seriously....

montyv8 · 25-09-2006, 08:55 PM

"he threw a bottle at my car, and then waved what i thought was a handgun at me"

that always gets their attention... and i think being dragged from his ute at gunpoint by the local version of the SWAT team may make him think twice about doing it again.

punktured · 25-09-2006, 09:28 PM

good on ya for calling the cops and sorry to hear about your car. hopefully this guy gets what he deserves!

its not worth trying to be a hero and sorting ppl out these days, you never know what someone has or is capable of doing

drcook · 25-09-2006, 10:21 PM

i would of followed him. not chase or drive up and abuse him. just find out where he lived (or wherever he was heading).

then.... well use your imagination.

Keepleft · 25-09-2006, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlin

Driving down the M2 this afternoon.

So, if push comes to shove and police decide to take action, will you back them up in court?

Many do not.

Anyhow, show this Pacific Highway crash-set to those who do not pay attention when driving, and fools generally as to what can happen on the roads if they don't behave or prepare for the unexpected. (Left click pics for large):
http://www.hydrophotographics.com.au...HWY/thumbnails

MO · 25-09-2006, 11:26 PM

000 operators are not police or fieries or ambos...they are civilians..which are given a set of rules to abide by....so in order to get the most response...the offender brandished a weapon and threatened your life....it works.

Psycho Chicken · 26-09-2006, 01:13 AM

What's this obsession with saying everyone has a weapon?

Cool, let's tie up already strained police resources by giving fake reports to minor (let's be realistic, it was) traffic offences?

You did the right thing, now go report the littering to the EPA. It's $150 now days isn't it?

uranium_death · 26-09-2006, 01:14 AM

Yep. Too many drivers throw their cigarettes out the window.
Disgusting!

Smoked · 26-09-2006, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uranium_death

Yep. Too many drivers throw their cigarettes out the window.
Disgusting!

And there isnt really much anyone can do. Reporting them generally yeilds nothing.

merlin · 26-09-2006, 02:21 PM

So can anyone in insurance or police force on here advise as to what the next step would be - this morning I went over the car and found that the windscreen has a 3cm crack in it were some of the bottle must of hit. Even though I rung police on 000 at the time - they only took my first name and nothing else so do I need to go report it somewhere else and get an event number? or go through insurance - though this may cost me my NCB and excess.

If the police do decide to follow up I am fully prepared to go to court and give a statement ect. I have a perfect driving record and am an employee of the Crown so thinking that my word may stand up against his.