Make a complaint about SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS DRIVING by a supermarket delivery van?!

[Firstmum24]

Just headed home from a family visit in a nearby town. Sister is driving and I am in the back next to 5month old dd.
Come to a roundabout where we stop until it is safe to pull out. At the opening to the right there is a van indicating to turn immediately left off of the roundabout.
My sister starts to pull out as there is no oncoming traffic from the right when a supermarket delivery van comes FLYING past the indicating van (who is now pulling off the roundabout) didn't even pause or slow down at the roundabout and when flying straight through. my sister had to slam on the breaks, she wasn't going too fast of course because she was just pulling out. We were all a little jarred by our seat belts because of the sudden stop though.
The speed the van was going was INSANE and its making me feel sick to think that if we had pulled out a second earlier we would of been in a serious crash, probably killed by the van.

I know these vans have very intelligent monitoring systems so although we didn't get the licence plate, the surveillance company will be able to track the van in question.

I need to calm down before i make a complaint. DD seems OK - she was whining a little earlier which is rare from her - considering taking her to OOH docs just for a wee check over.

Am I being insane? I am very shaken up by this and realise i could be totally blowing out of proportion, and i am aware that the main thing is that none was injured. Cant help thinking that that driver is a danger to themselves and others.

Spitting nails here!!!

[MissDuke]

I am finding this impossible to picture so have no idea who is to blame. However you clearly feel very upset so I don't see the harm in making a complaint. I don't understand though why you have chosen 'to request the speed of the van' - wouldn't it be best to present the facts to the company and let them investigate if they choose? To be honest your post screams of someone who wants to claim compensation If the baby was correctly strapped into a well fitting car seat then I cannot see how an 'emergency stop' can have caused any harm. Is your sister as shaken up as you?

[Firstmum24]

Yeah she couldn't believe it either!
Not after any compensation - there was no actual accident.
Rather just need the company to know what their drivers are like. I appreciate you saying that its hard to picture - it really is. partly because every situation is different and secondly because the speed this van was going at truly was unbelievable - thats why I'm requesting the speed.
i admit i am being a bit pfb i will just keep an eye on her - first time mum can never be too anxious haha

[Firstmum24]

and thats unfair - not all drivers are like this. i take that back

[Lurkedforever1]

By all means complain. Just as long as you realise your complaint places your sister in the wrong too. Forget the potentially speeding van, your sister shouldn't have pulled out infront of the other one.

Even though it was indicating left, as it had right of way on the roundabout, strictly speaking she shouldn't have pulled out in front of it. And I don't see the issue with the other van over taking it, only possible fault is if it was actually speeding.

Rather than speeding from the perspective of someone sat in the back of a car who is shaken up because their sister made an error in judgement.

[GreenishMe]

OP, without the power of periscopic vision your sister can't have known there was a delivery van that would be entering the roundabout at speed after she was already committed to turning onto the roundabout. If we all sat and waited in case there were vehicles approaching roundabouts before we entered ourselves, traffic would come to a standstill.

You were there, you saw what happened. There'd be no gain for you in complaining for no reason so I think your complaint is both genuine and justified.

[BeautyQueenFromMars]

Lurkedforever1, The OP's sister didn't pull out in front of the indicating van - it was in the exit on the right, indicating to turn left. Both the sister and the indicating van appeared to have joined the roundabout at roughly the same time, if you'd like to read the opening post properly.

[Lurkedforever1]

beauty I have. Perhaps you'd like to familiarise yourself with basic roundabout and road rules. i.e that at a roundabout you give way to traffic on your right, so indicating (and speeding) vans in this case. And that whilst most of us are guilty of pulling out infront of vehicles indicating they won't be in our path, it's actually not correct driving to do so. And if you choose to do so, and that vehicle was obscuring your view of another, then it's your own fault.

Nowhere have I suggested that makes it ok if the other driver was speeding. But it doesn't do much for the complaint to the supermarket if by your own admission you also ignore other road rules when you see fit, and were doing so at the time.

[Kanga59]

You haven't got any evidence. its just one of those things you have to accept and move on. It wasn't 100% the other drivers fault either

[JeVoudrais]

I dobbed someone into their work place for driving dangerously last week. I have a dashcam, i.e. Unarguable evidence. Very handy. I see so many near misses it's reassuring to know everything is on camera!

[Firstmum24]

A Dashcam sounds like a good idea! I see a lot of cyclists wear them now.
Thanks all for responses. Definitely calmed down now but I am still riled by the dangerous speed the delivery van was going at.
As for not having any evidence - you are correct - however the vans surveillance thingumabob will back up my statement that he/she was going much too fast and lend credit to it.
I'l just ignore those comments that continue to think we pulled into oncoming traffic. I can see why you think that is what has happened however is is absolutely not the case. the layout of the roundabout meant that the delivery van pretty much just drove in a straight line at a very high speed straight through the roundabout - at such a speed that when my sister made the commitment to enter the roundabout the van wasn't even on the roundabout. It was like something out of a cartoon!!
I have made the complaint and hopefully they will be able to shed some light on why the driver was going at such a speed and hopefully it will mean that he/she slows down in future so none else is at risk!
DD was fine - she was just working on a tremendous poo.

[LifeofI]

report what you want

[lamiashiro]

With all due respect, I think you're over-egging this. I realise roundabouts can be difficult and drivers need to use some anticipation of what other drivers might do, but this basically sounds like your sister didn't quite think ahead, you all got a shock and now you're being angry after the fact and looking for someone to blame.

Frankly, I'd just chalk it up to experience and move on.

[lamiashiro]

Also, reporting it to the police will get you precisely nowhere because they don't generally act on calls complaining about other drivers (which I know from experience), and reporting it to the supermarket will at the most elicit you an email apology.

But if you feel the need to report it to someone, anyone to get it out of your system, go for your life.

[FeralBeryl]

Was your sisters vision obscured from the road which the speeding van was coming from? I've seen traffic approach roundabouts and where I normally know that I'd have ample time to pull out, I see how ridiculously fast they are going and hang fire. They are NOT on the roundabout at this point before you tell me to RTFT
From your information, yes the driver is wrong for going so fast, but it's your sister who has made an incorrect decision to pull out, unless the road is completely obscured. Which is iunlikely at a roundabout. Glad your PFB is ok, it's horrid and shakes you up when they're with you doesn't it.

[HazzaB89]

I have skimmed your replies so forgive me if I haven't picked up on which supermarket you are speaking about. My little brother is a delivery driver for ASDA and if this sort of incident happened where he works, absolutely nothing would be done about it. I'm not saying it isn't worth you complaining, but even getting a reply would be a bit of a win!