A motorcycle rider has ended up rear-ending a vehicle that brake-checked him after they had a confrontation recently on Melbourne’s Western Ring Road.
This video posted on Dashcam Owners Australia shows that the rider has taken offence to something done by the P-plate driver of the BMW. Perhaps they were tailgating him – one of our pet peeves!
The rider stops for a confrontation with the driver, bringing traffic dangerously to a halt in the right lane.
One driver dangerously has to pass the stopped vehicles, giving the dashcam car a clear view of what happens next.
After the rider gets back on his bike and takes off, the BMW driver dangerously and illegally moves over on the rider, passes him and then brake checks him.
The result of the confrontation is that the rider slams into the back of the BMW which leaves the scene of the accident.
VicPol say they have no record of the incident being reported.
How to report road rage
Vicpol urges motorists to report all road rage incidents to police so that we can investigate accordingly.
“We know that many of these incidents start as minor traffic incidents but can escalate very quickly which turns into criminal offending,” a VicPol spokeswoman says.
“We’ve seen a distinct change in driving behaviour over the years where there is a lack of courtesy and respect on the roads. It is often the case that minor incidents escalate into much more serious offending. Unfortunately we are seeing a small number of people who are unable to hold their temper while on the roads however there is never an excuse for this type of behaviour.
“We want to remind all drivers to take their time on the roads and drive to the conditions. We all need to be mindful of other road users.
“If you are involved in a road rage situation, do not get out of your car and call Triple Zero (000).
“Obtain the registration number and report the incident to police. If you see someone acting aggressively on the road please make a confidential report to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
“We encourage everyone to be courteous on the roads. Yes, people do make mistakes and there are instances on the road where people cut people off. However if this is the case, a simple wave apologising to the other vehicle often de-escalates the situation very quickly.”
Tips on handling confrontation
This is not the first road rage video featuring a rider-versus-driver confrontation that we have posted. (Just type “road rage” into our search field and see what comes up!)
In every video, the rider comes off second-best to the bigger vehicle.
Riders are vulnerable and get harassed almost every day by other traffic.
But it is pointless being being lured into confrontation. Just smile, give a shrug or a wave and ride away from the problem.
If you are tailgated like the guy in the video, click here to find out what you can do to avoid such a situation, rather than ending up in a bleeding heap on the road.
Queensland Police Senior Sergeant Ian Park who created the #ridesafely4me Facebook site says he’s not sure if it’s perception or reality, but “our roads appear to be becoming angrier places”.
“Unfortunately, it seems to involve individuals from all road user groups as both the victims and the perpetrators. Motorcyclists and bicyclists are of course the most vulnerable due to the lack of physical protection around them. But the fundamentals of personal safety of the roads are no different to anywhere else,” he says.
Sgt Park and a group of ridersHere are Ian’s tips to avoiding road rage:
If you find yourself feeling unsafe as a result of the actions of another road user, the first priority is to remove yourself from the situation as safely as possible. Unfortunately far too often incidents of poor behaviour by one road user to another are only exacerbated when the ‘victim’ retaliates. If another party chooses to yell at you, beep their horn or flash their lights – so what? Let them get it out of their system and get on their way. Inflaming the situation by ‘biting back’ rarely assists, and often only makes the situation more unsafe for everyone.
However if the other party continues to behave in a manner that makes you feel unsafe, then consider your environment. Perhaps pull into a service station, licensed premises or shopping centre that is likely to be fitted with external CCTV. This will often discourage the aggressor from taking the matter further if they know their actions (and registration details) are going to be recorded.
If no such place is available continue to drive without reacting to the aggressor until a place of safety is available, avoid making eye contact and attempt to disengage from the situation as best and safely as you can.
If you feel that you are in imminent danger, pull over and call triple zero (000). Don’t forget that ‘000’ from a mobile phone doesn’t necessarily go to your nearest operator, so always be ready to say ‘I need police in (name of City/town or nearest regional centre)’.
When speaking with a 000 operator, pass on relevant information that could assist police to investigate the matter, for example, registration details, descriptions of the person/s in the vehicle, time, date, correct location (in case there are traffic monitoring cameras located nearby etc.), descriptions about any features of the vehicle that are not standard (i.e. post factory fitted wheels, decorations, accessories, damage).
If you carry any kind of video recording device, ensure the footage is set aside so that it doesn’t get recorded over before being provided to police. Make sure you don’t just secure the footage of the incident – also keep footage leading up to and beyond the incident to help clarify any potential counter claims by the other party that it was actually you that was the aggressor.
If the situation is over, but you are still of the belief that the matter warrants investigation with a view to action by police, you always have the right to report it. You can either attend your nearest open police station to speak to someone, contact the non-urgent police reporting number which is now 131 444 in almost all Australian Police Jurisdictions. Similarly most policing services across Australia also provide on-line reporting services. Just search the police service in your State or Territory to find their websites and follow the prompts.
Be mindful, however that any complaint of an incident involving one person upon another without any supporting evidence is often difficult to successfully prosecute. A successful prosecution requires sufficient evidence being presented to a court to determine that an offence was committed beyond reasonable doubt.
However, this should not prevent you from reporting the matter, but is something to keep in mind if police determine there is not sufficient evidence for a matter to proceed. It doesn’t necessarily mean police don’t believe you! If you provide police with a video recording you must be willing and able to give evidence.
