Deliberate hit and run in Cradle - Help ID Culprit

[Patchelicious]

Have you got a link for us?

It wasnt a debate/conversation as such, this thread was tweeted and got retweeted a lot, thats all

[jimmycool]

It wasnt a debate/conversation as such, this thread was tweeted and got retweeted a lot, thats all

Ok thanks.

[GrahamS2]

pretty much what we are expecting.

i want the perp to get a good scare and hopefully next time think before he acts.

I wouldn't expect too much from the SAPS to be honest. Also, he'll have the right to claim damages against you, since you rear ended him (unless you can comprehensively prove that he acted maliciously). 

 

Sometimes it's easier to sort these things out privately

[Skylark]

You can still appoint a lawyer ! He can follow up on the prosecution team and police easier than you. As v12man said ....in this country you have to follow up on everything - or nothing gets done. He will also be in the loop if you decide on a civil claim for damages. ( appoint a Criminal Lawyer )

Good luck and speedy recovery to your dad.

If you can afford it I think getting a lawyer will make this guy poep the most, he may laugh at the cops knowing how inefficient they potentially are but getting lawyers letters/demands etc can make even the hardest man sweat. At the least it may force him to get his own lawyer and when the bills start rolling in he'll appreciate that endangering other people's lives isn't a joke.

[andydude]

I am kind of split on this issue...

 

You of course know the saying, "a leopard doesn't change its spots" and I am slightly concerned that this will make this man even more aggressive and negative towards cyclists (or anyone for that matter). There is no way he will go to jail, perhaps a fine at the worst.

 

BUT having said that, of course doing nothing will not improve the situation. But how to handle this? How to rehabilitate the person?

 

Perhaps we can use this case as an example of trying to do this 100% according to the book and following the rules & laws. There's been a few examples of people willing to help from various professions. And then following this case and explaining exactly what happens and what the final outcome is in a year or two, did it work, was the man rehabilitated, was there any change?

 

And then this case study can be used in the future for anyone in the same situation.

[GLuvsMtb]

I'm no legal expert, but here is what I would do:

1. Get my attorney involved.

2. Claim from road accident fund for injury / damages

3. Lay a charge of attempted murder against the suspect and claim for injury and damages.

4. Lay a charge of leaving the scene of an accident

[madbradd]

I wouldn't expect too much from the SAPS to be honest. Also, he'll have the right to claim damages against you, since you rear ended him (unless you can comprehensively prove that he acted maliciously). 

 

Sometimes it's easier to sort these things out privately

 

Being rear ended by a bicycle.... It would be tough to prove that the driver wasn't being an idiot.

[Mojoman]

Tell him you will not pursue his ass in court if he comes for a month of weekend riding with you in the Cradle, let him feel what it is like when a car passes by at high speed....!

[GrahamS2]

Being rear ended by a bicycle.... It would be tough to prove that the driver wasn't being an idiot.

Bikes and cars are both legal road users, the the road traffic act applies to all of us. Odds are the guy is just gonna say he was emergency braking to avoid a dog or something. I went through this many years ago when combi did the same thing to me.  

[Wannabe]

Being rear ended by a bicycle.... It would be tough to prove that the driver wasn't being an idiot.

 

And even worse if it was in the dedicated cycling lane. 

[Furbz]

Bikes and cars are both legal road users, the the road traffic act applies to all of us. Odds are the guy is just gonna say he was emergency braking to avoid a dog or something. I went through this many years ago when combi did the same thing to me.  

 

not going to hold water when we have 3x independent eye witnesses..

and myself that was 30cm away from his car when it happened

[eddy]

I'm no legal expert, but here is what I would do:

1. Get my attorney involved.

2. Claim from road accident fund for injury / damages

3. Lay a charge of attempted murder against the suspect and claim for injury and damages.

4. Lay a charge of leaving the scene of an accident

 

I'm no legal expert, but here is what I would do:

1. Find out where he lives

2. Hire a full cement truck

3. Park outside his driveway and pull out in front of him.

4. Gooi anchors and let him hit the back of me.

5. Open the valve and fill his truck with rapid set concrete.

 

 

6. If feeling generous, get him out of the cab before it is permanently sealed.

[arabsandals]

just a heads up:

 

we have a filled in Doctor letter. (we were unable to open a case without one?)

either way, to keep everything above board the Doctor has to submit the letter to the Police to ensure no tampering on our side.

we hope to have a case number soon.

 

 

do we have any hubbers who know how to deal with this in the correct legal manner?

This should be a "reckless and negligent driving" claim. Make sure you get an accident report number and that the J88 is attached to the file. As others have said make copies of everything. You'll have to keep following up with the cops to make sure they do something about it. Try to escalate it to someone senior. If you don't get any joy, approach IPID.

[Patchelicious]

Lets look at this objectively.

 

He gets found out and goes to court, fined, police hassle him whatever etc...

 

He is probably going to come out of this even angrier at cyclists.... This is unfortunately just the reality, and his mates will probably hear about it around the braai, and take his side too. If he is the type of person to brake on some cyclists, he is probably also the type of person who will not take responsibility for his actions. He might be forced to “admit” he was wrong, but he probably will not "believe" it.

 

Here is what we can do:

 

ALWAYS report this behaviour so that is becomes known that we will not stand for it. Always pursue it so that actual action is taken, and make sure it gets coverage.

 

However, it will put greater pressure on us to abide by the rules of the road.

 

If I lived in the cradle and my wife sent me to buy bread and milk on a Saturday morning, and I had to sit behind group after group of riders 4 abreast over and over, I would likely also develop a hatred for cyclists.

 

So in summary, keep our side clean and go after those who endanger our lives to set a precedent that aggressive driving towards cyclists will not be tolerated.

[HappyMartin]

I wouldn't expect too much from the SAPS to be honest. Also, he'll have the right to claim damages against you, since you rear ended him (unless you can comprehensively prove that he acted maliciously). 

 

Sometimes it's easier to sort these things out privately

I was hit from behind two weeks ago driving a 79 cruiser. The Polo that hit me was written off. I got a little white paint on my bumper which I rubbed off with my thumb. I can't imagine a bicycle would cause much damage.

[leeubok]

It just amazes me that someone can deliberately do something like this? You KNOW that when car meets bicycle, whoever is on the bicycle will get seriously hurt or killed.