Porsche Jealousy.........Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Vron]

On monday after enjoying a day's shopping at Meadowhall for my birthday, two to$$ers in a Renault van thought it would be funny to drive alongside me whilst I was waiting to turn right at a roundabout and throw their chav McDonalds strawberry milkshake in through my sunroof. They then screeched off across 2 lanes and left down onto the dual carriageway. Fortunately for my the car behind witnessed everything and I reported them to the Police.

The Police said it was a works van and they would be speaking to the Manageress and the persons involved and get back to me.

They cannot bring any charges as there is no permanent damage as the car can be cleaned - (by me) (except for my top which has had to go in the bin), so no dangerous driving, endangering other road users, littering, but a minor speeding offence gets you a ticket and fine []

 

[spyderman]

...and with a bit of luck, the gits will get the sack!

 

[adrian996]

I think that the fact that it was a drink is irrelevant. Some "kids" thought that it might be a laugh to throw stones at cars as they drove along a road near me recently. They hit one guys car, the shock of it hitting the car caused him to swerve a hit a bridge support - dead, end of story.
You could have easily let your foot slip off the clutch or similar and been in serious trouble. It's great that you've got a witness. They should be able to track them down - and hopefully made to pay for a full valet![]

(Sorry - just realised that you don't have a clutch![])

 

[juliany27]

Causing damage which requires cleaning or, in the case of your top, replacing, at your expense is, indeed, criminal damage. Just look at the various cases of defacing of pillar and telephone boxes and underground trains.

Go back to the police and tell them to do their jobs properly - or just forget it.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Go back to the police and tell them to do their jobs properly

Absolutely - if this doesn't count as an assault with potentially serious consequences then what does?? Don't let them fob you off just because they can't be bothered - you've handed them a witness and the suspect for ****s sake! [][]

 

[Vron]

The Police told me it is only criminal damage if it is permanent damage. The officer used the example of someone throwing eggs at your house is not as it can be cleaned off, but graffiti is as it cannot be cleaned off (or is very difficult). I made the point to him that I could have panicked and crashed but he just said he will speak to the Company involved. I am not confident they (Police) will actually speak to the Van driver.

I have asked to be kept informed of what happens and have been given a reference number - whether it is a crime number for statistics I don't know. I despair that if they just speak to the Manager of the Company involved then they will probably all just have a good laugh about it if their 'employees' are any reflection of the company standards.

I thought they could at least get one of those fixed penalties for littering if nothing else

 

[adrian996]

Absolutely - if this doesn't count as an assault with potentially serious consequences then what does?? Don't let them fob you off just because they can't be bothered - you've handed them a witness and the suspect for ****s sake!

He's got a point. It is the small differences that'll make the bigger changes! I'm afraid that some people just know that they can do just what the hell they want - to you or your property - because they know that they're going to get away with it, to the extent that some are looking for the next level of crime these days. A guy in Wales beat another man to death the other day - and filmed it on his 'phone to show off to others about it!!?? You've got to think about the psychology of this; the guy didn't even consider that he'd be done for it!

I realise that your situation isn't comparable to this - but you might well be thinking very differently if the outcome had been more serious?[8|]
How the hell did they know that you or you passenger didn't have a heart condition? Nail the bas****s, I say.

 

[adrian996]

I made the point to him that I could have panicked and crashed

...And there lays your trump card. You were in charge of a car for God's sake?!

 

[POR_NT]

Even though this may not be serious enough (in the eyes of the Police) to warrant criminal proceedings it should be pursued as a civial offence.

I would ask the Police to put you in touch with the company to whom the van belongs with the aim of having a discussion with the owners.
At the very least they should be offering to have your vehicle professionally valeted and your top replaced.
If they don't provide this offer then I would pursue this through the small claims court (it's much easier to pursue someone thru the small claims procedure than you think - I've done it, when someone smashed my wing mirror off, cos they were on the wrong side of the road, and the driver got a shock, but eventually paid up!).

I certainly wouldn't let those smug little b******s think they've gotten away this!

 

[Vron]

Will the police give me the details of the Company involved? When I spoke to the officer I told him my about my top (white) and that I had put it in the wash, I didn't realize until after it had been washed that there are pink stains left on it so it is ruined.

The thing that really annoys me is I got called for Jury service last December to Sheffield Crown (yes Crown) Court and the case was a girl had called a boy 'specky four eyes' and pulled his top which had ripped !!!!!! Can you believe it? In the Judges summing up he went into a long spiel about how it was right that the case had come to court as he could see how disgusted the majority of the jury were. So South Yorkshire Police will act for that but it appears not for me

 

[chrisbradley]

Threaten to write to the Police Authority - the one thing cops hate is politicians on their back !

Chris (former local authority lawyer)

 

[ubertub]

tell plod that your missus works for the IPCC and you have to report all contact with the Police and ask for his number for your report.. which you have to file in one week. See if it encourages some action.
Is spitting in someone's face also okay these days? Not a massive difference... just a lot of Stawberry flavoured spit.
toerags.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

It's a shame that I would usually suggest a call to the local paper, and possibly national press, to run the story. The problem is that, right or wrong, a large number of people would consider this fair sport - see thread title! []

My better half took my car to work one day as our Legacy was in for a service - £16K car. The grief, you would say nasty and abusive, she got for her boyfriend owning a £3k car was enough to never take it again. Even the boss suggested that she wouldn't need a bonus if she could afford a Porsche.....[&o]

Seriously, we all need people to take a stand here and not let the police avoid their responsibilities. What if these guys feel more confident next time and hit a moving car? It could be one of us.

 

[Mike IRL]

are incidents like this that frequent with 911s? I have heard of people getting their paintwork "keyed" but why the hatred for Porsches? ?

 

[pauljmcnulty]

ORIGINAL: Mike IRL

are incidents like this that frequent with 911s? I have heard of people getting their paintwork "keyed" but why the hatred for Porsches? ?

Drive a red Porsche for a day and see how many people let you out of side turnings? [&:]

 

[Mike IRL]

...but why?

I know people sometimes take the attitude that BMW or Merc drivers think they own the road but Porsches are a lot rarer on the road and I must admit I never came across a Porsche driver being an a**hole on the road so why the attitude?

I am picking up my first 911 in a few days and now this is taking a little bit of the polish off it. I'm buying it because from a young age always wanted one and love they way they handle and perform. I do suppose some buy purely for the badge and to be seen so is this why people react negatively?

 

[barks944]

Yeah its a shame, my hairdresser noticed I had a Porsche when she came the other day and all she had to say was "Is that a status thing?". Suffice to say I wanted to slap her.

 

[spyderman]

ORIGINAL: barks944
...my hairdresser noticed I had a Porsche when she came the other day and all she had to say was "Is that a status thing?"

I had the exact opposite reaction from mine - she wants to borrow it!

Whilst I agree that the matter should be persued by them, the only problem with pushing the police into doing something they don't want to (too much paperwork for 'em I guess) is that they won't forget it - or you.

 

[Vron]

I will see what the police come back with, it has only been a couple of days since it happened then I will decide what to do depending on the outcome. The problem with small claims is I don't want the purpetrator to find out my address for obvious reasons which would surely be on the small claims forms?

 

[Paul Fraser]

Vron, I know it would probably be easier to let this go but I would:
1. Write to the Chief Constable stating why you are unhappy this incident isn't being pursued to the point that charges will be brought/someone cautioned.
2. Write to the owners/managers of the company concerned asking for the indentities of the personnel involved so you can pursue recovery for valeting/shirt or small claims court action, with the backup that if they don't you will be going after them as a works van/works staff were involved. I don't think that the grief and aggravation caused by a police visit and threatened legal action will have them and their employees having a good laugh about it. On the contrary, it will probably result in some grief for the personnel involved.
It's worth half an hour on the word processor and a couple of stamps just to get it out of your system.
PS I'd use a c/o address for the second letter.