Calling Police on another Motorist?

What would it take for you to call the police to report another driver?

I was thinking about it today because there was a guy driving frighteningly aggressively on the freeway. Tailgating everyone in traffic. Diving between cars to not make any extra headway. I thought he was going to try to lane-split a couple cars ahead of em. While tailgating me, I touched my brakes to slow for traffic ahead of me, and I could see the front end of his car dive and swerve because he was so close.

I didn't call the cops on this guy, but thought about it. I've called 911 for hazardous road debris. I'd call for a noticeably intoxicated driver. But I wasn't sure about it with this guy.

WWGRMD?

I've called for exactly what you described more than once.

I absolutely would have gotten his plate number and called him in.

I am not allowed to use my company phone while driving, otherwise I would have called several times.

last time I called.. I was doing 70mph on the highway and a drunk flew by me and clipped my mirror. I tried to follow, but gave up after I hit 100mph and they were still pulling away

I'd call.
I wouldn't expect that they would always come out after him but you've done a good job of IDing him when further down the road he causes a hit and run.

I saw someone driving the same way today on 270n on the east side.

EvanB wrote: I saw someone driving the same way today on 270n on the east side.

Maybe the same guy. Black Mazda 3? I was going west on 270 and he came up behind me at around 71, and pulled around me a bit before I got to Dublin.

I call on drunks all the time. Anything less than that needs to be dangerous before I'm calling. Sounds like this was pushing "dangerous".

I've called a time or two for similar situations.

The most recent however was a very aggressive driver in city traffic, as I pulled alongside at a light (all that tailgating and swerving had achieved parity with the lumbering suburban) I rolled down the window and yelled "HEY!". Just in time to realize it's a cop in an unmarked car

Oh well, committed now. "What?" He said, looking up from his phone.

"Pay attention, put down your phone, and stop driving like an jerk."

Thankfully the light turned green then and I didn't hear anything other than sputtering. He knew he was wrong.

Absolutely call.

JohnRW1621 wrote: I'd call. I wouldn't expect that they would always come out after him but you've done a good job of IDing him when further down the road he causes a hit and run.

the guy who clipped my mirror.. last time I saw him, he was spread across the trunk of his car with every state trooper that was patrolling the Atlantic City Expressway.. so yes, they do take some things seriously

Called in couple of times for drivers who were clearly drunk.

This thread makes me happy I live out in the sticks where most of the roads dont even have stripes painted on them.

Beer Baron wrote:

EvanB wrote: I saw someone driving the same way today on 270n on the east side.

Maybe the same guy. Black Mazda 3? I was going west on 270 and he came up behind me at around 71, and pulled around me a bit before I got to Dublin.

Nope, this was a tan LS400 or something. I tend to avoid 270 when possible.

A complete A-Hole in a Land Rover LR4 with North Dakota Plates was tailgating people so badly up the highway the other day, he was practically pushing them out of his way. He got on my butt as I was merging, having crossed the solid white line way too early and rocketing up the right lane. Traffic was heavy, so it took a while to get over, and I watched him do the same to several others, and weave through traffic narrowly missing a few other cars.

Sad thing is, the last few times I have done my civic duty and called the cops, they were so inefficient and ineffective that I have learned not to waste my time.

I'd love to send a recording to their insurance companies.

I called once for a car driving the wrong way on i80 and once for a car weaving all over like a drunk in an area where people run and bicycle.

Those calls were probably 15 years apart and the last one was this spring. So... Not often enough in all likelyhood. I see some pretty berkeleyed driving relatively often.

Only did it once.....

Three lanes, I'm in the left, a crew cab dually is in the right; I signal to get in the center lane so he speeds up and tries to close the hole.

I downshift, get ahead and take the ramp 100 yards later. He follows me up the ramp. He then gets on my left side, on the ramp and starts moving me toward the shoulder. My wife is screaming at me and him and there's a dead car on the side of the ramp so I hit the brakes. He takes off.

Wifey got his plate number, calls the State Cops.

I got home and a Trooper calls me to say he contacted the motorist who was having a bad day, just got fired, really apologizes etc.

Cops says: "He got really quiet when I asked if he know the fellow he ran off the road had a concealed carry permit".

I don't, but Crewcab Guy will be thinking .....

I did it a few times when I was back in CT and there were people driving insanely on I-95 (ok, ok- far more insanely than usual...). Was usually rewarded by seeing them pulled over at the side of the road a few miles later.

I've wanted to more than a few times on longer trips in the DeLorean when people will just over off the back corner of the car gawking or taking pictures/video and completely not paying attention to the road.

I have never called, but I have thought about it on a couple exceptional occasions. My primary reservation is if this is a proper use of 911. Is it?

In reply to Beer Baron:

About a year ago I called on a guy doing the same thing. Only difference is that I had seen him doing it on several different days before finally deciding he was too dangerous to not report.

I've called often. No issues and usually get thanked for reporting.

WilD wrote: I have never called, but I have thought about it on a couple exceptional occasions. My primary reservation is if this is a proper use of 911. Is it?

If the driver is creating a substantial public hazard, the answer is YES.

I call all the time. And I usually just suggest they may be drunk or street racing. That seems to bring the level of response up. If you drive like an asshat and endanger me, expect that I will get my phone out.

But I also cut off a drunk on the highway once and forced him to the curb. He was so pissed he couldnt stand. I threw his keys away.