Please report dangerous drivers to the police - Roadsafe. Report to plod, not just whinge here.

Sparky, maybe you could email Caroline Pidgeon at the London Assembly about your experiences. There is a meeting tomorrow for cyclists to give their views on how to make cycling safer and more appealing.. http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/the-london-assembly/assembly_investigation/cycling-london I can't go but I sent her a very long list.

Just done that, thanks. Big long rant it was.

I got a letter from the police in both cases, but no action. Did you just fill in that form they give you at the cop shop? That's what I've done. But I put all the detail in, and mentioned that I had a photo, did a diagram, the whole shebang.

That's what I did, and about a couple of weeks later, on both occasions, I got a letter from the unit that deals with RTAs with a ref no. and an officer's name for contact. Are there any ref no. on the letters? It would be worth looking into.

Thinking about it more: I got a letter after the bus, but only after months and months, saying that they'd be taking no action. Perhaps I didn't get one after the van.

Another one. I'm so bored of this.

https://www.lfgss.com/post3008467-1001.html

Another one. I'm so bored of this.

http://www.lfgss.com/post3008467-1001.html

Fuxache...

As I get older, I'm getting more and more militant.

At least you're okay.

Last time I checked, cyclists are allowed to cycle in the middle lane if needs be. Cyclists are not obliged to cycle only to the far left. Well I have found out today that this is not truth according to this particular driver who decided to force me out of his way with the stinkiest attitude. I was cycling on Warworth Rd / Camberwell Road, just before Burgess park towards Camberwell; I had to cut to the middle lane because the bus lane was jampacked with buses, I looked over my shoulder, no car behind, so I moved onto the middle lane, when I was just about to cut back to the left, heard a horn, so I turned my head to see what's wrong, well it turned out that I was "in the way" (This remain debatable I think) of the car behind me, but instead of horn and wait for a second, the driver pushed me back to the left lane, where cyclists belong, according to him. There was about 5 or 6 cyclists behind me, all witnessed it. When I caught up with him at the next red light, I asked him why did he do that, he said "You cyclist cycles to the left, innit." With that hand gesture to indicate that we should be out of his way. Don't fucking innit me.

I honestly don't mind drivers using the good old horn to ask me to get out of their way, I don't like it, but I don't really mind it but horn and push? That's reckless driving.

Incidents like this really make me feel bad about taking legal actions against that driver who knocked me over because he was careless, at least he didn't mean to hurt me, but this one today? It'd only be a matter of time before someone ends up under his wheels.

Reported him to the police for attempt hit and run.

the thought of having to fill out another pages long form put me off, besides there was no physical contact, so fat chance the police would do anything.

The argument for: it goes on the statistics, which could potentially lead to action.

The argument against: it involves effort.

That's not to be sarcastic. I was hit by a van two days ago and I haven't yet found time to go into the police station and ask for the forms. That nagging feeling that they'll do bugger all doesn't help any on the motivation front.

^ exactly, especially it feels like you are being punished for waiting at the station for a long time alongside with those guys who are signing in for their bails. The worst of all, you don't wait once, but twice for each incident - get the form and return it... (This is how I feel anyway, having done it 3 times so far)

You are the victim, but you end up wasting your time because you want to be a law abiding citizen and work with the police who doesn't seem to give a toss at the best of time.

By the way, are you going to eventually report the van driver? I heard you have to report it within 48 hours or sth?

By the way, are you going to eventually report the van driver? I heard you have to report it within 48 hours or sth?

I don't think it is 48 hours. Police on the scene told me it was 24, which I certainly don't believe. I think it all ends up filed under "i" for ignore anyway.

I tried to get the form at my local cop shop in Tooting that afternoon and there was a big queue of people looking rather unsavoury. I assumed that they were there to check-in under some sort of court condition, but maybe I'm wrong and they were all lovely, law-abiding folks. Who knows? Not me.

I don't think it is 48 hours. Police on the scene told me it was 24, which I certainly don't believe. I think it all ends up filed under "i" for ignore anyway.

Has to be reported within 14 days or there's a reasonable defense of "I don't remember that event". If it's a collision then that doesn't apply as it's fair to assume a driver would remember hitting something.

Ok, went to the police station on way to work just now. Got into quite the row with the two guys on the desk.

They asked if I was injured, and I said no. They looked really, really confused as to why I was trying to report being hit by a van if I wasn't injured.

They also gave me form 206 rather than 207 and told me that they wouldn't take any action, it was just for my reference. They criticised me for not reporting it on the scene and said they could have interviewed the driver and taken action if I did. I had flagged down two officers a few hundred yards up the road, who stopped the driver and heard him admit it was his fault, but apparently that's not enough...

I felt myself getting a little shouty so took the form and left. I'll fill itin, but clearly nothing will happen, despite the police being present when the driver admitted fault. Baffling.

Write a letter to the station commander too - Such dismissive attitudes are endemic, and unlikely to change without action.

(If you can be arsed.)

They actually suggested I write to my MP and ask for legislation to be changed. Yeah, sure, I'll nip off and do that now and come back this afternoon when it's sorted. Thanks. Then we can nail that pesky, elusive van driver (who lives at this address I've just shown you and has admitted to knocking me off my bike).

You're a journalist Sparky, do what you do best.

hack their voicemails? not sure what that'll achieve ed.

You're a journalist Sparky, do what you do best.

Don't have a platform for that sort of thing, sadly.

Also, I don't see how eating biscuits will help...

Last time I checked, cyclists are allowed to cycle in the middle lane if needs be. Cyclists are not obliged to cycle only to the far left. Well I have found out today that this is not truth according to this particular driver who decided to force me out of his way with the stinkiest attitude. I was cycling on Warworth Rd / Camberwell Road, just before Burgess park towards Camberwell; I had to cut to the middle lane because the bus lane was jampacked with buses, I looked over my shoulder, no car behind, so I moved onto the middle lane, when I was just about to cut back to the left, heard a horn, so I turned my head to see what's wrong, well it turned out that I was "in the way" (This remain debatable I think) of the car behind me, but instead of horn and wait for a second, the driver pushed me back to the left lane, where cyclists belong, according to him. There was about 5 or 6 cyclists behind me, all witnessed it. When I caught up with him at the next red light, I asked him why did he do that, he said "You cyclist cycles to the left, innit." With that hand gesture to indicate that we should be out of his way. Don't fucking innit me.

I honestly don't mind drivers using the good old horn to ask me to get out of their way, I don't like it, but I don't really mind it but horn and push? That's reckless driving.

Incidents like this really make me feel bad about taking legal actions against that driver who knocked me over because he was careless, at least he didn't mean to hurt me, but this one today? It'd only be a matter of time before someone ends up under his wheels.

This is the one over-riding gripe I have ring on the roads. No matter how vigilant, safe and considerate you are, there is the constant threat of a needless close pass in secondary, or pointless aggression in primary.

Drivers who don't cycle simply don't know what it's like to have to concentrate on what's behind as much as in front. They are wedged into the traffic flow. Cyclists should be allowed into the traffic flow, but are pushed out by aggressive people coming from behind repeatedly.

aggressive people coming from behind repeatedly.

Fnar.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151074070055659&set=a.10150260954430659.373044.590200658&type=1

Who's this? your friendly 93 London bus driver after he overtook & drove me into the kerb so he could stop at a bus stop & then claimed not to see me and then "hoped I die soon" Really all-round nice bloke.

ETA that's not me, saw this on Ross Lydall's twitter page.

I can't help but laugh

at least he's enjoying himself.

He'll be fired soon.