Going Too Slow Accident Prosecution

[aussiblue]

Change from right lane to left lane
Speed up
Pull off the road

Not always possible; single lane or already in LH lane, already doing or exceeding speed limit, no place to (or legally) pull over.

I (well my car) was once attacked by a tailgater for refusing to be bullied. Some 20 years ago, I was travelling home south on the Kwinana Freeway doing the speed limit in the LH lane with no traffic in the right hand lane. Late Friday evening. The offender in beat up and rusty Holden ute followed me for several km less that .5m from my bumper flashing his lights and tooting his horn. Eventually I slowed and he passed me cutting across my nose . I found him waiting at the South Street off ramp where the Freeway finished in those days and he got out of the car punched my windows (when I locked my doors and refused to get out and let him " punch my lights out") then kicked the doors and sill damaging my car. A witness to the attack and the tail gating (he was following us) with me reported the matter at the nearest police station. The officer at the desk looked up the car rego details and then refused to give me these details explaining that the offender was "a known very violent criminal" and if I tried to recover cost of repairs or otherwise contact him, he would likely assault me or worse. The Police also said this was a not infrequent Friday night road rage issue with violent drunks and on that on the previous Friday someone in almost identical circumstances had put an axe through the other driver's roof.

I had one similar incident (again in LH lane doing the speed limit) one morning on the Kwinana where the offender eventually passed me and then swerved across onto my lane deliberately me pushing me off the road. Again there was a witness, or I gather witnesses (who reported it independent from me - I hadn't as I was too shaken to remember the rego). The Police contacted me to see if the offender was known to me or if I knew any other reason or preceding incident that might have initiated his tailgating and subsequent action, and my willingness to attend court if required. The police indicated they were proceeding with charges but I was not required to go to court so I assume he pleaded guilty.

So in both cases:
Already in LH lane;
Already doing the speed limit;
No place to legally pull over.

In the second case there was also traffic in front of me so even exceeding the limit wasn't an option unless I was also prepared to tail gate. It was early morning rush hour.

The fact is tailgaters are just another type of bully.