Nearly got hit by car today - What kind of legal recourse can I take?

[sadfcuk]

Hello folks. I just wanted to relate an experience I had this evening.

Today at around 5.15pm, I was at the traffic junction in front of the Thai embassy waiting to cross over to Far East Shopping Centre. The traffic lights were red for the cars, and the green man was on for the pedestrians. People from both sides of the road were already in the midst of crossing the road.

Suddenly from this empty lane, one sedan shot out (I didn't see it as my view was blocked by a bus in the extreme left lane) and shot through the red lights, just about a metre away from me (and the same for those who were walking beside me). Everyone on both sides of the road froze in their tracks, shocked.

The sedan zipped away and stopped at the next junction just before ION Orchard. It filtered into the left lane for a left turn towards Far East Plaza.

My question here is: I caught a glimpse of the car's license plate before it escaped the scene. It was S??5913?. Fortunately, nobody was run down. What kind of legal recourse (if any) can I take against this errant driver who beat the red lights and endangered the lives of the pedestrians?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Please don't flame me by saying "You die, your own business!" or "You deserved it". This is a genuine question I am asking.

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

You're going to run into difficulties with evidence.

 

[sadfcuk]

You're going to run into difficulties with evidence.

I had guessed that would be the reply. I had a friend beside me when it happened. Does 2 witnesses count? Or is it still of no use, since nobody was injured?

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

Then both of you please go make a police report.

Nobody injured means no civil action, and you can't seek compensation for yourself. But it doesn't change the fact that it's still a traffic offence, and a very serious one.

But if the driver wants to challenge your evidence, then the police and the driver will have to sort in out in the court, and both of you will be called as witnesses.

 

[sadfcuk]

Then both of you please go make a police report.

Nobody injured means no civil action, and you can't seek compensation for yourself. But it doesn't change the fact that it's still a traffic offence, and a very serious one.

But if the driver wants to challenge your evidence, then the police and the driver will have to sort in out in the court, and both of you will be called as witnesses.

Hello QSD, thanks very much for your advice. I'm not looking for compensation. I'm just wondering how much effort it would take vs. the punishment that this driver will possibly get (just a few hundred $$ fine? or jail for a few days? or ban from driving and suspend license?).

Personally, I'm sick and tired of such near-misses that I get with the green man in my favour. This is the 3rd close call I've had in 4 months. The drivers on the roads nowadays are too errant and have blatant disregard for traffic rules.

Or would it actually be easier to run up to the driver (if he/she gets stopped at the next traffic junction), and be a vigilante?

 

[jw5]

I had guessed that would be the reply. I had a friend beside me when it happened. Does 2 witnesses count? Or is it still of no use, since nobody was injured?

How far do you want to go with this?
If you think about it and say to yourself. "Ahhh, forget it, I'll get on with my life", then perhaps you should just get on with your life.
But if you can't stand the injustice and you can afford the time and possibly even some money, then go to the police and possibly seek legal advice too.
Even if you can't get legal redress, you will be able to identify the car and the driver and tell us all here.

Please note though that what happens next could also depend on who was driving the car.

Btw, I like what you said about being a vigilante. Do you watch this tv series called "Leverage" starring Timothy Hutton?

 

[dysentry]

saw the same thing in geylang, road discipline getting worse, next time carry a brick when crossing road.

 

[myfoot123]

I had guessed that would be the reply. I had a friend beside me when it happened. Does 2 witnesses count? Or is it still of no use, since nobody was injured?

Go back to the same spot. See got any any traffic camera nearby to be your potential evidence. Write down the time and date of the incident and file a police statement. End of story. Let the traffic police do the investigations. Let fate decide the outcome, you will get a reply via letter from police. Most importantly, your life is safe that matter for now.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

hi sad fcuk do u happen to know the gender of the driver?

Did u manage to get a glimpse?

 

[Queen Seok Duk]

Hello QSD, thanks very much for your advice. I'm not looking for compensation. I'm just wondering how much effort it would take vs. the punishment that this driver will possibly get (just a few hundred $$ fine? or jail for a few days? or ban from driving and suspend license?).

Personally, I'm sick and tired of such near-misses that I get with the green man in my favour. This is the 3rd close call I've had in 4 months. The drivers on the roads nowadays are too errant and have blatant disregard for traffic rules.

Or would it actually be easier to run up to the driver (if he/she gets stopped at the next traffic junction), and be a vigilante?

I'm not dishing out advice. I'm a nobody.

Since there is no injury or damage, the 'severity' of the offence cannot be measured accurately unless the act was captured via CCTV. It's possible that there could be some CCTVs around since it's outside Thai Embassy.

The driver is likely to get demerit points. The last time was 12 for beating traffic lights. Now I don't know.

 

[Whats4]

Hello folks. I just wanted to relate an experience I had this evening.

Today at around 5.15pm, I was at the traffic junction in front of the Thai embassy waiting to cross over to Far East Shopping Centre. The traffic lights were red for the cars, and the green man was on for the pedestrians. People from both sides of the road were already in the midst of crossing the road.

Suddenly from this empty lane, one sedan shot out (I didn't see it as my view was blocked by a bus in the extreme left lane) and shot through the red lights, just about a metre away from me (and the same for those who were walking beside me). Everyone on both sides of the road froze in their tracks, shocked.

The sedan zipped away and stopped at the next junction just before ION Orchard. It filtered into the left lane for a left turn towards Far East Plaza.

My question here is: I caught a glimpse of the car's license plate before it escaped the scene. It was S??5913?. Fortunately, nobody was run down. What kind of legal recourse (if any) can I take against this errant driver who beat the red lights and endangered the lives of the pedestrians?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Please don't flame me by saying "You die, your own business!" or "You deserved it". This is a genuine question I am asking.

few years back, i got this fucking cab just shot through the traffic light while the rest of the cars already stop for me and a lady to cross and the cab was just inches away from me as he just shot pass the traffic light.

that mother fucker even lift up his hand and sort of saying sorry to us as he speed away.

 

[tonychat]

The driver just cannot stand the sight of sinkies walking in front of his car and wanna drive away as soon as possible. That is actually a normal reaction.

It will really be a celebration if the driver really knocked down a sinkie, he will be doing something positive for the world.

 

[Logisex]

There was an old man in China who got fed up with drivers beating the red light at a busy junction near his house. So every night he will station at the traffic light with stones/bricks and he will throw the brick at any car who beat the traffic light.

There was this guy driving a BMW whose car got hit. He went up to the old man and questioned him, denying the fact that he had beat the traffic light. People around the place immediately rally behind the old man, fark the driver upside down and told the old man that they will be his witnesses. That driver lan lan went back to his dented car and drove off.

Maybe you should be like the old man if the traffic police can't do anything about it.

 

[sadfcuk]

How far do you want to go with this?
If you think about it and say to yourself. "Ahhh, forget it, I'll get on with my life", then perhaps you should just get on with your life.
But if you can't stand the injustice and you can afford the time and possibly even some money, then go to the police and possibly seek legal advice too.
Even if you can't get legal redress, you will be able to identify the car and the driver and tell us all here.

Please note though that what happens next could also depend on who was driving the car.

Btw, I like what you said about being a vigilante. Do you watch this tv series called "Leverage" starring Timothy Hutton?

Hello jw5. I took the time to make a police report today.

Btw, I don't watch this series, but I went to google it; it looks pretty interesting!

 

[sadfcuk]

hi sad fcuk do u happen to know the gender of the driver?

Did u manage to get a glimpse?

Hi Jah_rastafar_I. I did not manage to see the driver, as the car zipped by too close for me to see the drivers seat (or whoever was sitting there).

I was crossing from the side from Thai Embassy over to Far East Shopping centre. The car came from my right towards the left.

 

[allanlee]

Hello jw5. I took the time to make a police report today.

You just made the gahmen richer :p ...... the poodles will issue summons to the owner of the vehicle based on your report offering compound fine...... the owner either pays up (case closed) or denies the offence (oso case closed as the eventual fine will not be enough to cover the resources spent to pursue the case further).

 

[myfoot123]

Foreigners are not so cultured and Singaporeans. They are an impatient lot. With increasing numbers of them driving on the road, we have better be careful. If you are knocked down by another Romanian, PAP also cannot help you. This people got some sort of immunity.

 

[Cestbon]

Very hard le. No full plate no.! Color and type of car?
If you have all the detail police also cannot do anything because your word agianst him but the police report will act as a record. If the driver of the car run down pedestrain in future that police report is very important for the record showing bad driver.

 

[sadfcuk]

Very hard le. No full plate no.! Color and type of car?
If you have all the detail police also cannot do anything because your word agianst him but the police report will act as a record. If the driver of the car run down pedestrain in future that police report is very important for the record showing bad driver.

I didn't remember the color; I only know it was a dark color (could be brown, maroon, black, grey). No full plate, I know but I believe it should be easy to narrow it down... then again, I could be wrong.

 

[ashjaw]

Hello jw5. I took the time to make a police report today.

Btw, I don't watch this series, but I went to google it; it looks pretty interesting!

Just want to applaud you for taking the trouble to make a police report. Whatever the consequence, you have done your part.