? for law enforcement officers Re: Reckless Driving

I think this is the appropriate forum for this post; if not, mods can feel free to move it. In essence, this is directed to any law enforcement officers who may be present on the forum. I recall seeing posts I believe to have been written by LEO`s on this forum before, so I assumed this was the appropriate spot to direct my inquiry. My post also touches on social behavior.

A few years ago I was involved in a traffic accident. Without going into too much personal detail, my vehicle was rendered a glorified paperweight in the resulting collision, and I was left with difficulty walking and a stress disorder that had only of recent been professionally diagnosed. Having obtained a new vehicle, and begun the process of re-acclimating myself to driving alone and dealing with the stress that entails, I`ve noticed that I`m far more aware now of the behavior of my fellow drivers- in particular, I`ve found it increasingly distressing when I see reckless behavior on the part of other motorists, behavior that could potentially endanger other drivers.

I`m sure LEO`s are familiar with the behavior I`m referring to- basically, an 'I own the road' sort of attitude. Though I dislike generalizations, I have noticed the behavior to be particularly pronounced among younger people driving newer (presumably leased) pickup trucks and SUV`s. Oftentimes, I`m not sure that the behavior I`m seeing is technically even illegal- I doubt cutting others off in traffic repeatedly (the act of waeving in and out of lanes looking for the 'best spot' is what I`m referring to here) would warrant some sort of reckless endangerment charge, particularly when the person I see engaging in that sort of pratice isn`t even really speeding in any way I can discern. I`m relatively sure I`ve even seen people engaging in this 'me first, get out of my way' behavior right in front of police vehicles, and noticed the officer having taken no action to stop it.

I had noticed myself becoming increasingly frustrated when I see the situations I`ve described above, and it occured to me that perhaps I wasn`t getting the whole picture, as I`m not there during every occasion and I don`t always see the response of police. So my question to law enforcement is this: what do you do when you see someone engaging in this sort of behavior? To wit; is there anything you even could do, any action you can take, under the law? Does this sort of behavior frustrate you folks along with other responsible motorists?

Any other drivers who wish to comment here can feel free to do so, but responses from LEO`s in particular would be appreciated. Thanks!

I'm not in law enforcement, but the behavior you described is illegal, though I think what it's called depends on the jurisdiction.

Many areas have a hotline for dangerous drivers, including drunk drivers. You should investigate what the options are in your area.

We have LEOs aboard, so I hope they drop by to give their view of the situation.

Many different statutes apply to the behavior you describe...

In the three states I have worked in, though never exclusively traffic we have to know the laws of course, the charges could be...

1. Careless Driving.... (At Least) Fine and Points
2. Improper Lane Change.... Fine and Points
3. Reckless Driving.... Fine, Points and Loss of Driving Privilege

Some States also have an "Aggressive Driving Charge" that is specific to that sort of driving....

Call and report it whenever you see it, it is dangerous and potentially life threatening...

Hope this helps...

Semper

Thanks to both of you who replied, I definitely appreciate the advice- I`ll have to look into the possibility of a reckless driving hotline, or something similar, in my area.