I have held back, but have to comment on terminology.
Merging is entering a limited access road, ie Interstate Highway, not a lane change.
Exit is from a limited access road, not making a left turn on a surface road.
Let’s go to your other thread, in that thread you wanted the other driver to give you room, why did you simply slow down and let this driver in? Much better than getting shot. Pulling out your cell phone to take a picture while driving is dagerous behavior.
There should be more evidence needed for a felony, not less!
In a situation like this, you need to call 911 immediately to report a possibly impaired driver and then follow that car if you can do so safely so that you can keep reporting its location to the police. They need to pull the car over while it’s still being operated.
+1
I did that on the Baltimore Beltway once. A car passed me and was driving erratically. I called 911 and they took information about where we were and which direction the erratic driver was headed. I did my part and it sounded like they would make an effort to find the other car.
Yup. When I first moved to NH, I made about 3 calls to 911 about people driving recklessly (driving in the breakdown lane, weaving in and out of traffic, traveling at excessive speeds…etc). I was told if the police don’t witness it - nothing they can do.
But some traffic violations are felonies.
I was cut off going up a short, steep hill by some idiot that couldn’t wait and was definitely under the influence of alcohol. He passed me going up the hill on double yellow lines, speeding and then ran me off the road cutting back in. He made some contact with my left front fender. Then he ran from the scene when I chased after him. The cops were called and after viewing our phone video, cited him for felony reckless endangerment along with a number of other traffic violations. Went to court and testified, video evidence included. Guilty.
Video evidence can be used by cops as evidence of committing a crime. They don’t have to be on site at the time of the infraction. Sometimes, they just don’t feel the need to get involved unless it is serious enough…
Same here. There is a 2-digit direct contact number (#77) for the NJ State Police, and I phoned them on my cell phone when I observed a car being driven very fast and very erratically on a rural road near my home. I didn’t get a chance to notice the plate number, so all I was really able to tell them was the make, model, color, and the road on which the car was headed in a Westerly direction.
Was that driver intercepted?
Quien sabe?
I’m a bit confused here. I’m not sure what you are responding to.
The other thread is about drivers speeding up the moment they see a blinker on.
According to the police departments, the reckless driver did not make a report.
Also, I was cruising in the right lane when the incident occurred. I was not changing lanes or braking. I was simply cruising when the reckless driver merged to the right from the left lane and forced me to swerve to the shoulder of the road.
No idea. I did my part by reporting them. I wasn’t on the beltway much longer and wasn’t going to follow them to find out if the police caught up with them.
I was actually questioning whether my phone call to the cops resulted in anything.
Yes, and they collect it. The difference between violations and felonies is that violations aren’t worth the effort to investigate.
‘Violation’ is a formal legal term for non-criminal offenses. The cops didn’t go after your guy because he committed a violation. Running a red light is a violation; running somebody over in the intersection while running a red light is a felony.
Seems that the police need physical evidence of a crime or to witness it themselves before they will act upon the story of a witness or recorded video.
Seeing a truck committing a crime is different than seeing a person commit a crime. Who is driving? There must be evidence of that.
Do you really trust video and pictures in todays times??? Can you say Fake Bombing!!
And your neighbor could get ticked off at you and say you robbed them and in your words you should go to jail… YES the police need evidence…
But if you report it and the crime happens again and another witness shows up then the police have more to work with…
Now I support the police (most of them) but to me it is just a little concerning that people are so willing to report their neighbor or fellow drivers. I’m not saying in extreme situations, but our government now encourages reporting on people they don’t like. This has happened in the past and didn’t end well. Pick a subject, and the officials will be glad to respond. Who turned in Anne frank? We’ll never know.
I think aggressive drivers who are driving 30 over, weaving in and out without signalling, endangering all around them, etc. SHOULD be reported
I also think any and all street take-overs should be reported. It’s often some innocent bystander who’s just walking home that gets injured or killed
I understand what you’re saying. However consider your example- You can run a red light and if the situation is egregious enough, you can be charged with felony reckless endangerment. No one was hurt, there was no property damage. It’s a traffic violation that rises to the level of a felony due to the circumstances of the violation. I could have worded it better in the earlier post.
Nonsense. The cops are bound to investigate such claims and will use any evidence submitted to them as part of that investigation. Seeing video of a car speeding away from the scene of an accident will lead them to question the owner and gauge the veracity of their alibi. It may lead nowhere but they will certainly act on the evidence they do collect.
Good point. I presume you are referring to what is commonly called “side shows”. Police in this area seem hesitant to do much about them b/c they feel at least they know what these unlawful participants are doing. Otherwise, who knows what they’d be doing? Whatever it is, probably worse than a side-show. Police also say there are very few reports of serious injuries from these events.