Worried about being reported for dangerous driving

[ljn1650]

I was exiting a motorway today via a roundabout. I misjudged the gap, and pulled out in front of another driver. It was entirely my fault and I accept responsibility for it.

She naturally went mad, beeping and gesturing at me, then carried on driving her way in another direction to me.

I feel terrible, and wondering if I'm going to get into trouble if she reports me.

[RunningFromInsanity]

They recently changed the lane structure at my local roundabout so I automatically assumed the car had to be going right at the roundabout rather than straight on.
Pulled out infront on her (2 lane roundabout) and she had to emergency brake. She obviously beeped and waved at me angrily, completely understandable as I was in the wrong.

It happens.

[5foot5]

I'm a v calm driver but I think in a near miss that could have been a very serious accident like the one the OP describes, it's a pretty normal reaction to beep the horn and 'go mad' at the person who has caused it, unless you are a Buddhist monk!

If someone has the time to go for their horn in this situation then it can't have been that much of a near miss.

[iluvgab]

She won't report you but you need to be more careful in future.

[cologne4711]

She naturally went mad, beeping and gesturing at me, then carried on driving her way in another direction to me

Which is actually also illegal so if she did have a dashcam, she'd be ill-advised to go to the police.

My mum always says that if you have time to beep, you have time to brake.

[cologne4711]

(assuming her dashcam has sound)

[honigbutter]

These things happen countless times every day.

It feels awful to do something stupid when driving but it's a good reminder to be more careful in future.

[RozHuntleysStump]

We all make mistakes. It’s over now.

I once pulled out on the motorway to overtake once in the wrong gear. I couldn’t get going fast enough and I was in a fast car. Got in a flap and didn’t change down in time to get moving. The car behind was miles away, had loads of time to react but still thought it appropriate to overtake me once I’d pulled back over and slammed his brakes on in front of me. I’ll never forget it. I nearly wet myself I was so shaken.

Bastard

[ApolloandDaphne]

Nah she won't report you. Sometimes we make mistakes. Just put it behind you and pay more attention the next time.

[ConquestEmpireHungerPlague]

Pretty sure the Highway Code specifically prohibits sounding your horn 'as a rebuke'* (it used to back in the day anyway) so she's hardly squeaky clean herself.

We've all been there. Live and learn, and all that.

(*Before everyone piles in, you're only supposed to use it to issue a warning that can be heeded to change the outcome of a driving decision - not after the event.)

[pointythings]

She won't report you. You fucked up - we've all done it and we've all had it done to us by others. This time you got away with it, you're now going to be extra careful on roundabouts and then it will all settle down again. Deep breath, chin up, nobody's perfect.

[LilaButterfly]

You probably scared her and her reaction was warranted, but i really doubt she would be bothered ro report it.

[CheetasOnFajitas]

Can you really imagine anyone calling the police and saying “I want to report registration blah blah blah for pulling out in front of me today”

“Where did the accident occur madam?”
“Oh, there wasn’t an accident, but she needs a right good telling off”
“Stop wasting police time”

[Serin]

You could have killed her OP.
No wonder she was angry.
We have dashcams in all our cars and I would probably have reported you for this.

And the Police do follow up, my idiot cousin got a visit from them after a driver uploaded footage of him driving like a dick.
Maybe get some motorway lessons.

[Disfordarkchocolate]

I think it's unlikely. I see worse every day and I've only ever reported 1 incident.

[bpirockin]

If she does report you, the Police are obliged to visit you so that you are aware. Nothing more than that when you did nothing illegal as such, and no accident resulted.

[TheyreComingToGetYouBarbara]

Probably not, but maybe the fear, guilt, and anxiety will help you be more cautious. (Speaking from experience here... I still feel awful when I think about my mistake, so even without any official comeuppance, I've learned my lesson, I hope.)

[Staffy1]

This is why I hate roundabouts. The smaller, busy ones can be a nightmare to get on with everyone already on them going at high speed. Wish they would do away with the lot of them.

[tttigress]

I doubt you would get report.

But maybe you should be taking driving more seriously, you could study to take an advanced drivers test rather than being s liability on the road.

[CatkinToadflax]

I reported someone once but because they were driving deliberately dangerously and trying to intimidate me over a couple of miles. They were sent a warning letter by the traffic police because whoever reviewed my complaint agreed that this wasn’t accidental but entirely deliberate behaviour.

[Sparklesocks]

Near misses can be rattling, she probably was a bit scared that you nearly had an accident and her reaction was a measure of that. But it’s very unlikely to go further than that.