I’m a motoring lawyer – here’s why you should never leave an aggressive note on somebody’s car for bad parking

IT can be tempting to let a bad driver know how you feel by leaving them a note on their windscreen.

There are thousands of examples of drivers doing just that on social media, with many people congratulating them in the comments.

But drivers are being warned to stop and think before writing notes or driving aggressively in response to bad driving.

Dominic Smith, director at road traffic offence legal specialists Patterson Law said: “If the note was threatening, or abusive – especially if that abuse was racially, religiously or sexually motivated – then that might be an offence. 

“If you are going to leave a note, it’s best to leave out threats and abuse to ensure no offence is committed.”

Graham Conway, managing director at Select Car Leasing said: “you potentially leave yourself open to libel action, or being accused of damaging the car you leave a message on.

“While leaving a note on a motorist’s car to vent your anger might be tempting, we’d urge people to think twice. 

“If you touch someone else’s car, perhaps when lifting up a windscreen wiper to leave your note, you could be accused of damaging or scratching that person’s vehicle. 

“If the motorist you’re targeting drives for a living, you could also end up defaming them.”

On reacting angrily to aggressive driving, Dominic Smith continued: “Not only will this aggravate other drivers, but you will also put yourself at risk, reducing your own car control. 

“The best thing is to stay calm and continue to drive sensibly so as not to make the situation any worse.”

Drivers are urged to stay vigilant if they’re involved in a road rage incident.

If you’re involved in an accident, you should also be as factual as possible when making notes.

It’s advisable to note down the date and time of the incident and any other important information which may be helpful when arguing your case.

If there is an accident, whoever may be liable, you must report the matter to a police station or a constable directly as soon as possible.