Advocacy & Safety - Anybody use netDetective?

for just $30 netdetective.com lets you look up any number of license plates for three years. I wonder what percentage of license plates the database will return a valid mailing address?

Thanks to my helmet cam I have recorded license plates for several people trying to intimidate me. It's nothing serious that the police should be involved nor do I think they would care. For a small price of a postage stamp, I think a letter to the offender would be much more effective.

I think that the letter should say something about the rights of cyclists to the road. I always take the lane, so I could explain clearly why it is necessary for me to do so. I have had no success with confronting motorists as it always ends up escalating to a shouting match.

The letter would also say that I have recorded their offending behavior on video and will show it to the police if they do it again. now I know that the police most likely don't care, but I'm hoping the offender will think they will.

I don't think 30 bucks for three years is a bad deal. Considering I cycle 5000 miles a year, I'm sure it would come to good use every few weeks. the main question is is it worth the price of the postage stamp? And also I want to know how reliable net Detective is? Maybe somebody on bike forums can volunteer to use their account to search for other peoples plates. I think that may violate some terms of service so may not be a good idea.

that sounds like a good plan. You just want to make sure that the offender doesn't escalate it so perhaps sending the evidence to the police as well to start a paper trail will give you some protection if they escalate the situation.

I plan to do this for dangerous drivers / drivers on their mobiles when I get my helmet camera, the police don't really seem to have any idea about how to catch these people.

Good luck with your plan :)

I'm not sure it's a good idea.

People tend to take such things *very* personally, and the odds are reasonably good that at least a few of the motorists you mail will be able to figure out who you are -- you're the guy who's always on his bike, in the middle of the lane, taking the same route at about the same time each day, with something funny on his helmet that must be a camera!

You think it escalates to a shouting match now -- imagine how it will when somebody gets a letter at home -- obviously you either followed them home or looked up their license plate, and normal people don't do that, so what else have you been doing? They could also take it to the police as evidence of harassment/stalking.

I'd say keep using the camera. But sending out these letters would just be asking for trouble. When something bad enough happens that the police would be interested, bring it up with them and let them send the letter (or officer) out. And if it's not bad enough for the police, just hang on to it. Give it to the police later if the same car does something bad enough to warrant their attention later, but until then, just save it.

Make sure the return address is something like:

123 Some Street
Somewhereville, IL

I'm not sure it's a good idea.

People tend to take such things *very* personally, and the odds are reasonably good that at least a few of the motorists you mail will be able to figure out who you are -- you're the guy who's always on his bike, in the middle of the lane, taking the same route at about the same time each day, with something funny on his helmet that must be a camera!

You think it escalates to a shouting match now -- imagine how it will when somebody gets a letter at home -- obviously you either followed them home or looked up their license plate, and normal people don't do that, so what else have you been doing? They could also take it to the police as evidence of harassment/stalking.

I'd say keep using the camera. But sending out these letters would just be asking for trouble. When something bad enough happens that the police would be interested, bring it up with them and let them send the letter (or officer) out. And if it's not bad enough for the police, just hang on to it. Give it to the police later if the same car does something bad enough to warrant their attention later, but until then, just save it.

+1 just give it to the police, maybe they will issue a warning.

cops won't do ****. Put the video on youtube and annotate it with the name and address of the perp.

Or, you could just realize that not every boorish action requires a response. It might be saner and healthier to...just... let it go...




http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:IR8sf7brzF121M:http://www.teesforall.com/images/Seinfeld_Serenity_Now_Black_Shirt.jpg

The OP sweats the little stuff too much - he's just asking for a confrontation that didn't materialize when he wanted it to. Your letter isn't going to change the perception of the jerk on the receiving end.

Anyone wish to bet that he sends a complaint letter to the ants and other assorted insects in his house when they enter - without prior warning or permission - in order to eat the cookie crumbs on his floor?

-Kurt

NetDetective smells of scam.

http://www.ripoffreport.com/search/company/Net+Detective.aspx