Roadrage? Really?

[Brokinarrow]

Originally Posted by SleepWarz

People like that are why I dont drive a beater. Would have put them in the ditch lol.

I'd actually love to drive a beater around and just let people hit me when they do stupid stuff like that, then laugh as the cops arrive to write the dumb@$$ a ticket.

[jmaynard]

Originally Posted by Steve Dallas

My car was in the shop before Christmas. I had a Chevy Aveo rental.

I was driving north on I-5 to go pick my real car up, and traffic was moving along reasonably well, with everyone able to do 60. I'm even able to pull back into the middle lane of 3 lanes when I'm not passing. Because I was in a POS Aveo, I really wasn't even driving fast or anything. Doing 62-64 in a 60mph zone. Everyone else was doing 60+.

Except this guy in a POS Hyundai driving 55 in the left lane of 3 lanes. Now, I'm in a POS Aveo, so I really don't have any room to snicker much at the POS Hyundai. Still, I had just pulled out into the left lane to see that he was going slower than everyone else up ahead. I was able to pass a car and get into the middle lane, still doing 62ish. As I pass by him, I look at him and just slowly shake my head. Didn't even flip him off. It was dark out, and I guess I'd be surprised if he really saw me...yet I guess he did.

I'm almost past him, when he speeds up to match then slighly exceed my speed. I mentally do a facepalm and look over at him again as he passes me. I shake my head again. I'm approaching the guy ahead of me, and know I'm going to need to pull in behind this guy, but as the POS Hyundai's rear bumper gets just past my front left tire, he cuts hard into my lane. About halfway into the lane. I'm a bit surprised by this, and manage to avoid him, but almost hit the guy to my right rear. I was able to just miss him and the POS Hyundai.

By this time, all the cars behind us have stood on their brakes, and a large gap of no cars opens up both behind and in front of us. The POS Hyundai continues in the left lane and starts going 55 again. I'm about 4-5 carlengths behind him at this point, and decide to pull into the left lane and put on my brights for about 5 seconds to make a point. The guy break checks me. When I'm 4-5 carlengths behind. Though I had only planned on keeping the brights on for a short while, I decided to keep them on a few seconds longer. I pull back into the middle lane when I'm done and continue driving normally. Of course, he's doing 55 and I'd like to do the speed limit. So I start speeding up.

At this poing, I remember I'm in a rental, but DAMN!!! I didn't get the insurance. So I really will need to avoid this guy and not pit maneuver him or something wonderful if he pulled that crap again.

So...when I'm about 2 carlengths behind him, he decides to try to run me off the road again....but I'm I pretty much see it coming...and easily avoid him. I get behind him and put on my brights again from about 5 carlengths back...and pretty much stay that way for a while. He pulls off the freeway.

What was weird about this is...I didn't do anything like flip him off. Just shook my head.

So to counter his a-hole you place yourself into his mode as a much bigger a-hole. Did you accmplish anything by these gestures of humanity, other than looking like a boig a-hole yourself? So this day there were two road rage people endangering the public out there. Nice to know.

People, if you engage you are as back as, or worse, than the other idiot. Yes, it might make you feel good for the moment, but if you ill someone you have to live with it or yo lifetime.

Sorry to come down so hard, but your actions were inappropriate, even if he did deserve it. The problem is that the other people having to aviod the two of you did not. Let's all try to be a little more considerate and forgiving and perhaps everyone arrives home safe and alive.

[jmaynard]

Originally Posted by dolt45

Ever have someone go total Road Rage on you for no apparent reason?

Happened to me tonight. Guy cuts me off, started brake checking me to keep me from passing an 18 wheeler that had been doing 10mph under the speed limit. Once another lane opened up I passed them both and the guy gets behind me and starts hammering his brights like a Christmas lightshow. A few minutes later he gets beside me, rolls down his window and starts yelling and flipping the bird. I never looked up, never returned the finger gestures, nothing and the guy continued completely losing his mind. Finally his exit came up and he was out of my life. Hopefully forever.

I truly have no idea what his problem was. I was on my daily commute and, as usual, was driving slow and easy to keep my MPG down. I normally drive like a Boy Scout (other than an occasional hot sprint in the highway on-ramp) so… ??

Serious WTF moment.

The only thing I can figure is that he must be a Ford fanboy.

Glad you kept yor cool and became conscious of his next move. This is the lesson some other need to learn. You both arrived safe and that is the goal.

You may have done something that you did not even realize doing. He might have just had a bad day and you looked like one of those fat cat nice car owners and he wanted to vent on you. No telling, but whatever the reason you kept a level head. A-hole = 0, you = 1. You win.

[midnighter]

I have had the same happen and I just ignore them because there are many crazies out there who would pull a gun out in a moment of road rage. My brother had a gun pulled on him on the highway because his immature female passenger started messing with a truck they passed and the truck sped up next to them and the driver pointed a gun and smiled at them. He didn't shoot but he sure scared my brother and his twit friend. So yes, it's best to ignore the angry jackasses.

[hrpiii]

Originally Posted by jmaynard

People, if you engage you are as back as, or worse, than the other idiot. Yes, it might make you feel good for the moment, but if you ill someone you have to live with it or yo lifetime.

I don't retaliate, but the one guy being as ahole in a big quad cab was being rude and everything else to me and I had no idea what I did, so I asked him to pull over to discuss. Wow, he was pissed and mad and all when he got out of his big truck, slamming the door and pointing at me. Then I stepped out of my truck, and being a 225 lb powerlifter to his 160 lb ahole frame, I couldn't get anything out of him but an apology and he returned to his truck before I even got to him. He sped away, and to this day, have no idea what I did to piss him off.

was I being an idiot, no, but I can live with the outcome.

[Brokinarrow]

Originally Posted by jmaynard

So to counter his a-hole you place yourself into his mode as a much bigger a-hole. Did you accmplish anything by these gestures of humanity, other than looking like a boig a-hole yourself? So this day there were two road rage people endangering the public out there. Nice to know.

People, if you engage you are as back as, or worse, than the other idiot. Yes, it might make you feel good for the moment, but if you ill someone you have to live with it or yo lifetime.

Sorry to come down so hard, but your actions were inappropriate, even if he did deserve it. The problem is that the other people having to aviod the two of you did not. Let's all try to be a little more considerate and forgiving and perhaps everyone arrives home safe and alive.

So in summary we should just roll over and let assholes be assholes? Sorry, but that's borderline un-American. If someone is doing something wrong, I'll let them know it. If no one tells them they're being a douche, why would they ever stop acting that way?

[NYJETSFAN]

I think you did the right thing. You said that was your daily commute and the last thing you need is to be in your car with your family and have this idiot remember you and try to do something ignorant.

But as for me, I am his nightmare. I don't think I could have let it go that easy..

[Ivas]

When the enraged mofo' gets outa' his hooptie and saunters over to your car to remonstrate directly wit' cha', and he says sumpthin' like: "Get outa' that car, asshole!" All you gotta' do to calm things right back down is to tell him, "No thanks, I don't need your blow job just now." 'Course mebbe there is another way...

[Steve Dallas]

I never -raged-, yelled or did anything on the road inappropriately. Yes, I did turn on my brights...but that is a benign indication to him that he screwed up. It is FAR FAR different from basically jerking your car to the right halfway into the other lane. If I hadn't been paying attention, he would have hit me if I hadn't reacted.

Sorry...brights were well deserved in this case. I didn't go racing after him, and flipping him off. Big difference.

[buzzy56]

Just remember one thing , you are no match for a gun.Believe me there are too many fools out there carrying illegally.Your best is to let it go & fall back and let them go blow off on someone else.Times are different now.No one wants to fight even up.They want an advantage.Knife, gun ,et'c.Not worth it if you have a family.There are more and more fools out there now days and it is not going to get any better soon.

[jmaynard]

Originally Posted by hrpiii

I don't retaliate, but the one guy being as ahole in a big quad cab was being rude and everything else to me and I had no idea what I did, so I asked him to pull over to discuss. Wow, he was pissed and mad and all when he got out of his big truck, slamming the door and pointing at me. Then I stepped out of my truck, and being a 225 lb powerlifter to his 160 lb ahole frame, I couldn't get anything out of him but an apology and he returned to his truck before I even got to him. He sped away, and to this day, have no idea what I did to piss him off.

was I being an idiot, no, but I can live with the outcome.

I would really advise against confrontation. I can teel you that the single time someone confronted me, while I was on the phone with the PD about his driving, I had the .40 cal on my lap. As he approached the car if went from lap to hand on gun in lap. He wised up and left. PD proceeded to pull him over later to discuss his driving habits. Seems running multiple stops signs is not a prudent thing to do.

Lesson here, and what a lot of others have indicated, some carzies, and some of us who are not, are armed. Most people carrying exercise a considerable amount of control in order to maintain our license. Then there are those NOT licensed. Would not want to be in an event with one of them.

[jmaynard]

Originally Posted by Steve Dallas

I never -raged-, yelled or did anything on the road inappropriately. Yes, I did turn on my brights...but that is a benign indication to him that he screwed up. It is FAR FAR different from basically jerking your car to the right halfway into the other lane. If I hadn't been paying attention, he would have hit me if I hadn't reacted.

Sorry...brights were well deserved in this case. I didn't go racing after him, and flipping him off. Big difference.

Road rage comes in many forms. Running behind someone with your high beams on intentionally to 'get his attention' meets what any law enforcement officer would determine to be road rage. Just saying, sometimes, most times, it is best to let it go. If you are the one caught it is only you explaining on the side of the road with all the pretty lights behind you, not the original a-hole. In addition, when you do get his attention and he does something stupid in response and kills someone as a result, you are attached to any crime he commits; meaning you would be an accomplice. Now that would really suck. He would learn the lesson ad both of you would pay the price.

[Brokinarrow]

Originally Posted by jmaynard

I would really advise against confrontation. I can teel you that the single time someone confronted me, while I was on the phone with the PD about his driving, I had the .40 cal on my lap. As he approached the car if went from lap to hand on gun in lap. He wised up and left. PD proceeded to pull him over later to discuss his driving habits. Seems running multiple stops signs is not a prudent thing to do.

Lesson here, and what a lot of others have indicated, some carzies, and some of us who are not, are armed. Most people carrying exercise a considerable amount of control in order to maintain our license. Then there are those NOT licensed. Would not want to be in an event with one of them.

and I think this varies from state to state (so don't take my word for it, look up your local laws) but the person that exits the vehicle first in a road rage situation is automatically in the wrong, and you're allowed to defend yourself.

[Steve Dallas]

Originally Posted by jmaynard

Road rage comes in many forms. Running behind someone with your high beams on intentionally to 'get his attention' meets what any law enforcement officer would determine to be road rage. Just saying, sometimes, most times, it is best to let it go. If you are the one caught it is only you explaining on the side of the road with all the pretty lights behind you, not the original a-hole. In addition, when you do get his attention and he does something stupid in response and kills someone as a result, you are attached to any crime he commits; meaning you would be an accomplice. Now that would really suck. He would learn the lesson ad both of you would pay the price.

Perhaps, though I disagree that it should be considered road rage. I grew up and started driving in an age where it was polite to flash your beams to warn people going the other way of cops, to flash your brights at someone in the left lane as a signal to get over, and that you honked your horn when someone did something stupid. This guy INTENTIONALLY tried to cause an accident for no reason. My turning on, and keeping the brights on, got this guy to pull off at an exit, and thus not endanger others. And, getting your panties in a wad over brights is pretty lame anyways. Every driver should know how to 1) change your mirror to the darker setting to reduce headlight glare and 2) if it's oncoming, to be able to look at the white right line and steer that way without looking at the lights. If you're unable to do this, you probably shouldn't be driving at night.

Seriously, people in europe flash their brights all the time. I hate that our traffic laws have become so regulated as to take away honking horns and flashing brights. But that starts to delve too much into politics...so I'll leave it at that.