Conference terri::cars_uk

    Elaine,	
    
    Yep, i notice it everytime i drive. If at traffic lights i sometimes
    pick up the litter and hand it back to the driver. First time i done
    this the woman said
    
    'Sorry i didn't think anyone minded'
    
    She then put the cigarette wrapper in her ashtray.
    
    The second time i done this the guy looked like he was going to sock
    me one, so i let the matter drop! ;-) (Aren't i brave! ;-))

    
    >>
     The second time i done this the guy looked like he was going to sock
     me one, so i let the matter drop! ;-) (Aren't i brave! ;-))
    >>
    
    In leathers and a crash helmet I can afford to be brave! :-) 
     (especially as most people seem to think that bikers go around in
    packs just looking for a fight!)
    

Something suspiciously like a Horse Chestnut ricoched of my windscreen
on the M25 last week. Not many conker trees on the M25!

Dougie

>     The second time i done this the guy looked like he was going to sock
>     me one, so i let the matter drop! ;-) (Aren't i brave! ;-))
    
>    In leathers and a crash helmet I can afford to be brave! :-) 
>     (especially as most people seem to think that bikers go around in
>    packs just looking for a fight!)
    
    
 Be careful, chaps - you don't know who you are picking on...
    I was once cut up on a cold and icy morning when on my bike by a car
    being driven by some loon who had a six inch square scraped out of the
    ice on his windscreen.
    I was so upset that I chased him, overtook him, stopped in the middle
    of the road infront of him, leapt of my bike, and wrenched his door
    open, and in my best Sgt Major impersonation told him *exactly* what I
    thought of him. Half way through screaming abuse at him, I realised
    that this was the guy who had just interviewed me for quite an
    interesting contract only two days before. Needless to say, I didn't
    get the job.
    
    At least I didn't pick on an F1 driver :-)
    
    Amad�n    

    
    Re .4
    
>>>    I was so upset that I chased him, overtook him, stopped in the middle
>>>    of the road infront of him, leapt of my bike, and wrenched his door
    
    Very macho !
    
    Some idiot on a motorbike tried to do that to me once - I'm sure he
    needed a change of underpants when he realised I wasn't going to stop.
    
    Paul
    

> Some idiot on a motorbike tried to do that to me once - I'm sure he
>    needed a change of underpants when he realised I wasn't going to stop.
>    
>    Paul

But what had you done to make him run after you?

Greg

    
    Greg,
    
    he had forced me to brake by pulling in in front of me - so I hurled
    some abuse at him.
    
    Paul

    Paul, do you drive a volvo???   :-)
    
    You must've done something to upset the poor biker.
    Now come on, own up, what did you do???
    
    Huw.

    
    Re last few
    
    Huw - No it was an Escort - at least it wasn't a Sierra eh...
    
    Anyway, it was a nice hot summer's day and I was driving up to
    Basingstoke from Gosport via Bishops Waltham with my windows open. It's
    a fairly small, but busy road and I was in a line of traffic travelling
    at about 40 MPH. Anyway, this 'chap' on a motorbike was overtaking
    everyone when suddenly a big tanker appeared heading towards him as he
    was overtaking me - he suddenly swerved into the line of traffic in
    front  of me, forcing me to brake heavily. I told him what I thought of
    him, and because my windows were open - he heard me....
    
    He 'remonstrated with me' - made gestures at me and tried to thump my
    car and then realised I had no intention of stopping to continue the
    conversation - at this point he got deperate and stopped in front of me
    and started to get off his bike - I beeped at him and he eventually
    realised I wasn't going to stop - he moved his bike then followed me
    again. This went on for the next four or five miles before he
    eventually got bored and left.
    
    Given the same circumstances, I'd do exactly the same again. Note that
    I used to ride a motorbike in my 'youth', so I've got nothing against
    bikers - only idiots.
    
    Re .10 - is that directed at me ?????
    
    Paul

Back to the base note...

I think it's an excellent idea presenting the person's rubbish back to
them. Trouble is I've seen it so often on the M1, but I'd probably end
up in a plastic bag if I stopped to pick it up.


Greg

:^)

I have done this, too.  Presented a taxi driver (parked) with his sweet wrapper
that he just dropped out of his window.  He threw it out again as soon as I
had turned away - but I saw him in the shop window (ha, ha) and turned round
*again* and gave it back to him once more.  He stuffed it into his ashtray
when I questioned whether he had any love for his town (Ayr) or was simply
a passer-through.

When the population as a whole takes a genuine interest in caring for its
surroundings, then, and only then, will the litter problem disappear.  In the
meantime, I'll continue to hand back rubbish dropped by pedestrians (for
certain) and by motorists (if stationary at the time).  As a last resort, you
can always report drivers for objects thrown from their vehicles.  This was
very effective for me, once, when I had to swerve violently to avoid a
Lucozade bottle hurled out of a van.  The police prosecuted the driver for
"undue care and attention" - #50 and 3 points.

Hurling abuse never works, imo.  It just causes aggressive behaviour and can
lead to serious accidents, and even death, particularly to motorcyclists.
Idiotic behaviour rewarded by the same is sheer stupidity.

Brian

    
    There are so many people these days going on about 'green' issues, many
    of which it is difficult for the individual to do very much about. One
    thing they can do is be responsible for their own litter. It makes me
    very sad (and  cross :-) ) when I see articles in the paper about how
    bad Britains beaches/countryside/parks  are, and that 'someone' should 
    clean them up, when a very large % of the pollution is coke cans and 
    ice-cream wrappers. 
    
    Why is it always someone elses responsibility to clear up!
    
    End of soapbox 

Bring back the returnable deposit!  A small deposit on cans in some US states 
is enough to warrant people taking them to collection centres.  Good idea for
the Boy Scouts now that newspaper recycling is passe?

Or, if you really like, collect your aluminium cans and my cousin-in-law will
buy them from you at some high price per ton for re-smelting (he has his own
aluminium recycling business).  You have to take them to Telford, though :-(

Brian

    I was once following a self drive lorry that had the back gate open and
    a load of metal dustbins rolling around in the back (no this story is
    not a load of "rubbish", anyways I was on my bike and was just
    overtaking the lorry to try and warn the driver, when a bin fell out
    and yes you've guessed it, clobbered me.
    
    A car driver eventually stoped the lorry but the driver just made off.
    I reported it to the Police and they said that they would not take any
    action for it would be his word against mine.
    
    I had to spend �� getting the bike fixed!.
    
    Dave.

>    I reported it to the Police and they said that they would not take any
>    action for it would be his word against mine.

But surely *you* had the bin to prove it?  And a witness who stopped the lorry
for you?

    Somebody correct me if i'm wrong, but i thought that if you insisted on
    the Police prosecuting, then they'd have to follow it through?
    
    Is this right or wrong???

    The driver who stopped the lorry said he didn't wish to get further
    involved and as it was a hire vehicle and I didn't see who the driver
    was, things were stacked against a successful case. 
    
    As for the Police having to prosecute if you insisted, well this
    involves time and money and unless they see a lot of hard proof they
    ain't gonna invest. And if anyone had a grudge against someone
    then....., but I don't really know if they are in law obliged to do
    take action.
    
    Dave.

If you really make a big issue of it, they will refer the case to (I suppose)
the Crown Prosecuton Service. or whoever it is that actually conducts the case.
It is their decision as to whether it's worth going ahead.

However, the police officers involved are expected to use a certain amount of
discretion and experience to decide whether it's worth the time and paper
involved, and to advise you and their superiors accordingly.


Ian