Dangerous Driving by Visibly Marked Company Ute

LAccioHagrid on 11/03/2024 - 16:11
Last edited 12/03/2024 - 17:00 by 2 other users

I don't understand how some people can be so flagrant when they're driving their company car that is visibly marked with all sorts of company info.

So, I'm at this T-intersection, turning right from a side street onto the main road. Obviously, I have to give way to both left and right and it's just past 3pm so roads are relatively busy. This guy driving one of those monster utes (F-150?) is behind me, has no patience and honks his horn. I honk back - a little "calm the f down, I'm not gonna go if I'm not gonna be safe". Give it 5 more seconds and then he squeezes up to my left side, getting ready to overtake me on my left side in order to turn right.

As soon as a proper opening appears he floors it, and attempts to cut me off to make the turn. If I wasn't paying attention we would've collided. From the car in front of me going to then me going was a total of 20 seconds - it wasn't long.

This guy has his company's name, website, and phone number plastered all over his ute. Doesn't look good on him or his company. I was in half a mind to call but idk to what end. I was angry for a minute or so and then let it go.

I've got it all dashcam'd but not gonna share to avoid doxxing the guy. If he's a contractor then I'm sure a simple ASIC lookup could reveal his address too. Instead here's a visualisation of what happened.

Have you been in a similar situation with a visibly marked company vehicle? If so, what did you do?

Automotive

Comments

  • Kongzi on 11/03/2024 - 16:17
    +2

    There will always be dumbasses on the road. I would of just let him pass first then turn when it's safe to do so.

    • AccioHagrid on 11/03/2024 - 16:28
      +1

      I guess if it was not a marked company car I wouldn't even think twice, but given that all their details are so obvious: (1) it astounds me that you'd represent yourself & your company this way, and (2) it kinda makes me feel like there's something I can do about it - some sort of reprimand, cause continued dangerous driving like this could lead to much worse outcomes.

    • HeWhoKnows on 12/03/2024 - 08:29
      -6

      Round about way of saying this post is a complete WASTE OF TIME!

    • SimpleLeverage on 12/03/2024 - 13:51

      I might be misinterpreting but a 20 second gap is quite long. The Hazard Perception Test suggest a 6 second gap in a 60km/h zone which looks to apply since it appears to be a suburban road.

      Regardless, you made the right call anticipating what the ute driver was trying to do when he squeezed beside you and you gave way. Better to drive more defensively and safely.

      • AccioHagrid on 12/03/2024 - 20:24

        Not a 20 second gap between cars passing on the main road, but a 20 second gap between the car in front of me going and then me going. Given how busy it was on the main road with cars passing by regularly then it wasn't a long wait at all.

        I can't say I'm the most patient driver, but if someone in my position hasn't gone then I give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that it's because they don't feel it's safe to go.

  • MS Paint on 11/03/2024 - 16:24
    +1

    Not a justification by any means but the other driver probably had a better view of oncoming traffic and knew what his ute was capable of. Still no reason to be an impatient twat.

    Good on you for letting it go early on and not escalating the situation.

    • doctordv8 on 12/03/2024 - 10:19

      Some common sense…exactly my thoughts.

      Cannot understand the logic with your comment being negged.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 11/03/2024 - 16:25
    +9

    f150

    probably is the boss man himself - prob figures whats the worst that could happen? a 1 star google review?

    • AccioHagrid on 11/03/2024 - 16:31

      It did cross my mind but iirc Google also puts your name up when you leave a review. Worst thing? An accident if I hadn't slowed down and given way.

      • follow on 11/03/2024 - 16:35
        -1

        your name's not Google Account?

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 11/03/2024 - 17:15
        +2

        leave review

        you..dont need to use your real name.

        (and you can also just make a burner account…)

      • Sleeqb7 on 12/03/2024 - 10:40
        +4

        Whenever a company vehicle makes it into a Dash Cams of Australia video with a driver being a (profanity), the company ends up with negative reviews.

        Might be worth sending it in for fun.

    • JIMB0 on 11/03/2024 - 18:11

      If it's a small company it'd be easy to track him down and take action.

  • apsilon on 11/03/2024 - 16:25
    +25

    Guess you haven't heard of Dash Cam Owners Australia on youtube. This sort of thing happens all the time. Feel free to send them your video.

  • Eeples on 11/03/2024 - 16:31

    Did he get in front of you?

    With respect I wouldn't have tooted him back when he tooted you for not going. I would have waved in my rear vision mirror (to indicate to him you that you heard his toot).

    Certainly while he is trying to overtake me I would be tooting then (continiously) in order for him to see my position accurately.

    It is legal to toot to indicate your position to another driver.

  • bobbified on 11/03/2024 - 16:42

    I've seen a lot of (profanity) on the road. But I've also seen a lot of people who don't know how to drive properly and would just sit there because they're too scared to go. It still doesn't justify what he did.

    Why let the little things bother you? Reporting him to his company isn't going to get you anything and it's not going to give you any satisfaction either.

    You're better off recognising that there's going to be people like that on the road and just be prepared.

  • El cheepo on 11/03/2024 - 16:55
    +3

    I was in half a mind to call but idk to what end.

    Depending on the situation and circumstances plus how i felt, I might call to let the company know about someone driving poorly and giving their business a bad name.

    Annnnd by the response of said business, i would make my judgement as to whether or not to post the video to DCA and FB driving pages.

    Would have to be some pretty bad/dangerous driving to get me to bother calling.
    And would have to be a DB response from the company to make me go to the effort to give them free advertising.

    I was angry for a minute or so and then let it go.

    Ultimately, this is the best response and kudos to you for moving on and not getting angrier or going for petty revenge.
    (But i think your still a little pissed, you came to write about it here haha)

  • AustriaBargain on 11/03/2024 - 16:57
    +1

    I asked a few clients if they wanted their branding/advertising on their work vehicles and the owners said no because their employees drive like maniacs and they don't want people to know they are company vehicles.

  • Euphemistic on 11/03/2024 - 16:58
    +5

    Simplest option is to upload to dash cam owners australia. Or does your state have an anti hoon thing you can upload it to?

  • [Deactivated] on 11/03/2024 - 17:01
    +1

    You could make sure to enquire to all data sharing companies with his name and phone number. Maybe the mountains of spam calls will get him to calm down?

    • donga100 on 11/03/2024 - 23:34
      +1

      Maybe the mountains of spam calls will get him to calm down?

      I know they certainly calm me down.

    • Euphemistic on 11/03/2024 - 19:08
      +3

      Based on the description of the driving all that is likely to achieve is an earful of abuse.

      • bobbified on 11/03/2024 - 22:47

        that's fine as long as OP reports back with what happens! haha

  • Gotchas on 11/03/2024 - 19:49
    +1

    I can see both sides

    Been stuck behind a Sunday driver when in a hurry is not fun and very stressful

    Having someone in a meat head truck telling you to play Russian roulette when you’re on Sunday drive is also not fun

    • Ade99 on 12/03/2024 - 08:19

      So if having to rush then leave earlier, no excuse to take your mistake out on others.

      • Gotchas on 12/03/2024 - 09:09

        You must be fun at parties 🤦‍♀️

  • kwv42 on 11/03/2024 - 20:00
    +2

    Maybe he is the sole owner of the company or business and you would get them?

    But have you got a dashcam? As those who don't like dashcams claiming it is invasion of privacy etc are the ones who been caught on the dashcams?

    • bobbified on 11/03/2024 - 22:50

      As those who don't like dashcams claiming it is invasion of privacy etc

      Who says they're an invasion of privacy? Are random people driving into their loungeroom or something? lol

  • Kranbone on 11/03/2024 - 22:18

    I'm in 2 minds;

    A// Let it slide, could be in a genuine hurry (wife giving birth, medical episode or some other BS)

    B// Use this as the opportunity to call the driver out and shame them before they hurt someone else.

    If you got Dashcam footage, upload it to DCOA and let the internet work it's magic.

  • landi68 on 12/03/2024 - 02:16

    Report to WorkCover for dangerous driving, if he has an accident while driving a work vehicle he is covered by WorkCover. I'm sure they'd like to investigate dangerous work practices that may result in a claim.

    • AccioHagrid on 12/03/2024 - 20:26

      This is an interesting thought and perhaps the best course of action.

  • Leanne59 on 12/03/2024 - 08:46

    Was he diving or driving?

  • mapax on 12/03/2024 - 08:50
    +2

    Plot twist - Op missed so many safe gaps the ute thought OP had broken down and didn’t know how to use hazard lights…

    • AccioHagrid on 12/03/2024 - 20:26

      Written by M. Night Shyamalan

  • LFO on 12/03/2024 - 11:35

    I've got it all dashcam'd but not gonna share to avoid doxxing the guy.

    Bad move.
    She/he will do it again.

    It is NOT for punishment, it is for her/his road education.

    It will also confirm how "dangerous" the maneuver was.

  • Webber000 on 12/03/2024 - 12:22

    "You don't understand"… Thats the exact problem. You are a normal human being, and not everyone is. Some people don't care at all about anything. The quality of his/her driving is probably representative of the quality of their work also - so think of it as a win - you know not to ever use that company and will remember them if you ever come across them again!
    There are websites you can upload to and personally I would do it. Firstly the guy won't care, and if he found out he would probably be quite happy and would straight away tell all his/her mates and show off about it as thats how they think. Secondly, you are actually helping others - because this guy will do it again tomorrow and one day will crash - and hopefully those involved will find his rego on your footage and it will help them in some way support the fact thats how he/she drives and has done it before so will add to their evidence "when" the guy tries claiming the crash wasn't his/her fault.
    This is the exact type of person who will also drive up and over footpaths and the wrong way down one way streets, and who actually doesn't care when they get caught or fined.

  • 2esc on 12/03/2024 - 13:00
    +2

    He sounds like a idiot but would love to see the dash cam footage. Devils advocate maybe he thought you were having car problems?

  • stickingly on 12/03/2024 - 13:01
    +2

    If you call you will probably get him on the phone. and he will verbally abuse you

    Just post it online and let nature take its course

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