[road]

Hello everyone,

I have stumbled upon a bit of a problem. I record my rides with a GoPro on the front and another on the back of my bike, both to share good videos but also to share footage of dangerous driving with the police. I’ve had success previously, with no fewer than 11 convictions (including one getting their licence revoked!) from around 250 videos submitted. It’s a lot of work and the rate isn’t great but I’ll do anything to keep vulnerable road users safe.

Here’s where we get to the problem. In one of my videos that I sent to the police, I have to admit that I did not keep a cool head, and used what they have described as ‘racially charged language’. I don’t dispute that, and it was a momentary lapse when I was almost run down by a man who was on his mobile phone at the time (I know because I caught him as such on camera). At this point, in shock of almost being killed, I screamed something I am not proud of as I reached for the most offensive term I could. The driver did not hear me, or at least did not react, and I consider myself lucky that he did not.

I submitted the footage to the police regardless, and explained in the same way that I did above why I said what I did, and that I am not a racist person. Their response was to telephone me while at work and ask me to retract the report or I would potentially face a conviction myself which, for reasons I don’t need to go into, is not something I want.

The issued me with what they described as an ‘informal verbal warning’. Has anyone else received such a warning before, and know what it means? I think it’s ridiculous that my momentary lapse of vocabulary as a result of almost being murdered by a dangerous driver could be used against me, when I’m helping the police out by submitting such videos.

Does anyone have advice on what to do next, and if this warning has any actual meaning, or is just a bluff? It won’t stop me on my crusade against murderous drivers, but it does make me unsure if I am putting myself at risk by doing so in future.

Thanks I’m advance.

Topic

[dubwise]

You are a racist and
You are a racist and fortunate to get away with an informal warning.

Do you shout white b*st*rd in similar situations?

[David9694]

Yes, it happens. omit the

Yes, it happens. omit the soundtrack or maybe just pass on that one?  Don’t overthink the warning – it doesn’t sound like any formal process. 

[NOtotheEU]

I’m guessing you used the n

I’m guessing you used the n word by your relief that the driver didn’t hear you? Not judging you but if I’m right perhaps consider why that was your first choice in a moment of (justified) anger?

Next time a video shows you doing something wrong, don’t submit it. If you ever lose your temper and shout something you don’t think the police will like, mute the video before submitting it. Better yet, mute them all apart from the odd one where the sound is relevent to the report.

On the rare occasion I’ve had a video that shows me doing something questionable like going through an amber I could have stopped at or really losing my temper and verbally abusing a driver (the day after a friend was killed in a hit and run) then I bin it. I make a lot of reports so I’m sure they would remember things like that and I don’t want to give the police any reason to look less favourably on any of them.

I found this on a legal website that claims to be a specialist in removing warnings etc.

The police can also sometimes give informal warnings, which effectively amount to a verbal ticking off. The officers may take a note of your name, which can be stored on their local records, but it will not create a record on the PNC.

And this from another site.

An enhanced DBS check will include certain information about you held on local police records, if the police consider it relevant.

[Gm_Crop]

The law can be an ass at
The law can be an ass at times: I suspect the sentence for racially charged language (no physical harm, and in a narrow sense no risk of physical harm) would be greater than the sentence for nearly KSI someone from the safely of a tin box.

That said, it is a crime and we are one of the first demographics to object to the momentary lapse plea.

Keep recording, but maybe don’t submit the ones with questionable language. Or better still don’t use it.

[Author]

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