[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Road Rage: Lessons Learned ? (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 4/25/2003 2:18:31 AM EDT
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A few years back I was driving in the city when a car suddenly cut me off. He stopped at a red light, and I pulled up alongside him. We lowered our windows. "So what the fuk you goana do 'bout it, motha-fuka?", he challenged. As younger 'storm I was kind of arrogant, so I obligingly got out of the car. I could see him mouth "Oh s..t!!" He looked straight ahead, and without looking, shot straight throught the intersection, oblivious to traffic. Screw him, I thought, and waited the light out. Ten min later I noticed the car parked by a payphone by a convenience store. So I pulled into the parking lot. He saw me, dropped the phone, and drove out, burning rubbber in the process. People looked from him to me and back. I parked the car and walked over to the phone, which was hanging from its cord, and swaying back and forth. I yelled into it: "You tell your friend that he dooesn't have any (testicular fortitude)!!," and hung it up. I thought about the whole thing later, and realized that in my mood I lost all rational thought. LESSONS: Stay in your car. He could have had a gun or three sleeping buddies in the back, eager to get it on with you. Lots of opportunity here for arrests, litigation, jail time: things to explain on job applications. Always let the a/h go. Stay out of his space. Don't acknowledge his rudeness, or make eye contact with him. I'd like to live long enough to bounce my grandchildren on my knees. |
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1. Do not go home with him following you 2. Call Sheriffs Dept. or Highway Patrol 3. Drive to the PD and take it from their. Or When I was with my Grandfather, some fool wouldnt merge with traffic coming onto US 24. So I flick him off. The Lincoln isnt very fast so he tried to pace me all the way home. So about 3 miles from my house I slowed down to 30mph all the way home with him on my tail. Pull in the drive way look down the lane and he was creeping up to the house. Grabbed the SAR out of the back seat, put a loaded 40rnd mag in(didnt chamber). I know the laws with loaded mags in Ohio, and mags that hold over 30rnds. Anways, jumped out of the car in an agressive manner. 40degreez out and the ass hole had his window down. I yelled something, cant remember. Then a train went by, while the guy started yelling. Couldnt hear him 100+ft away. So I put the AK on the trunk. Walk up to the guy, and all he has to say to me after following me and my grandfather home, at high speeds, is "Do you have a PROUBLEM?" Ya ass, fuck you budy. Move on down the road. "Why did you flick me off hu, hu" Fuck you learn to merge with traffic" Then my (69yr old) grandfather walks up to see what the fuck is going on. After retreiving the P11 from my kitchen. Then the guy starts to yell at my grandfather. So my (69yr old) grandfather gives this guy a lesson in life he wont be forgetting for a while. Anyways I tell him to get the fuck out of my face, after he said something along the lines of "Fuck you old man" to my (69yr old) grandfather.Then he ask me my name and I told him "Bob Dole". Then when he was leaving, he through stones on my lawn and Cub Cadet. I called the Sheriff Dept (Defiance County) and a dispach officer told me to call 911 if I see him again. Point, dont confront someone if you cant stomp them into the ground. Dont let them follow you home!! He could stop by at 3am and pay me a visit. He would die but still..... I dont like strange surprises. Grandfather (Wayne) was ok. I apologize for the language, but thats how it happened. Jason [email protected] |
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what has this world come too? when we have to run from a fight? don't look at the other driver in the eye? you mean cower and whimper? this world is now bullshit,stand up, be a man. oh, the other guy might have a gun, deal with it, way too many people are afraid and others tell us to run and hide, do nothing, call the police, bs take care of business. enough road ragers get the crap beat out of them, there will be no more road rage. consequence of actions teaches a lesson. |
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Funny Road Rage Story: I'm out drinking one night with a buddy. When we leave the bar he pulls out in front of another car causing the driver to slam his breaks. The offended driver loses it and pulls around us cutting us off in the middle of the road. He jumps out with a ball bat and slams it on my buddies hood. I think, OH SHIT, this is going to be bad. My buddy who was a contractor with CCW pulls out his handgun and points it at the guy who turns white as a ghoast. He orders the guy to strip naked and then drives off with his clothes and car keys leaving him naked in the middle of the road with his car blocking traffic. I would have loved to hear that explaination to the LEO. I have always been taught if you are willing to fight be prepared to defend your life for it will be at risk. Personaly, I don't think a traffic atercation is worth dieing for. |
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tequilabob posted: "what has this world come too? when we have to run from a fight? don't look at the other driver in the eye? you mean cower and whimper? this world is now bullshit,stand up, be a man. oh, the other guy might have a gun, deal with it, way too many people are afraid and others tell us to run and hide, do nothing, call the police, bs take care of business. enough road ragers get the crap beat out of them, there will be no more road rage." [b]Wrong answer.[/b] |
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Quoted: what has this world come too? when we have to run from a fight? don't look at the other driver in the eye? you mean cower and whimper? this world is now bullshit,stand up, be a man. oh, the other guy might have a gun, deal with it, way too many people are afraid and others tell us to run and hide, do nothing, call the police, bs take care of business. enough road ragers get the crap beat out of them, there will be no more road rage. consequence of actions teaches a lesson. When you grow up might get a clue. I kinda got you pegged for about 17 or 18. |
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1) I don't honk in anger anymore. Most people who are asinine enough to cut you off in traffic won't take it well when you chastise them. 2) Absolutely don't let them follow you home. If you can't lose them, call 911. 3) Backing down from this kind of confrontation is the smartest thing you can do. [b]Any time[/b] you help a fight get started, someone can die. If you're both driving a ton of steel down the road, that person could easily be a bystander. |
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While it's difficult to do, if someone cuts you off, just ignore them and go on with your life. In the bigger scheme of things, it's not really a major deal, is it? Now if they are the ones with road rage and are trying to escalate things, then do what you have to and don't increase your risk by leading them home or anything. While you can call the police on your cell phone, they are not going to be able to respond quickly, and you have to figure they get millions of calls like that everyday, so you're on your own. Just think about what your next step is and how it will effect the situation. It may be because I drive for a living, and therefore get cuttoff several times a night (amongst the other usual things that dumbasses do in traffic), so now I don't even bat an eye at it, let alone get upset. Let them go down the road and get in a shootout with someone else. Ross |
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Quoted: Quoted: what has this world come too? when we have to run from a fight? don't look at the other driver in the eye? you mean cower and whimper? this world is now bullshit,stand up, be a man. oh, the other guy might have a gun, deal with it, way too many people are afraid and others tell us to run and hide, do nothing, call the police, bs take care of business. enough road ragers get the crap beat out of them, there will be no more road rage. consequence of actions teaches a lesson. When you grow up might get a clue. I kinda got you pegged for about 17 or 18. wrong answer yourself. nope 49 years old, 5'13" 250 lbs born and raised on the south side of chicago. just like in jeferson's post, teach a rager a lesson. |
| I've worked in law enforcement for 10 years, so please heed this advice: If you EVER have to draw a weapon in public, right or wrong, be smart enough to file a police report in the matter. (It becomes a race to the PD to file the first report, and the first person usually wins. We call this a "pissin' contest") The guy at the payphone referenced above may have been calling the police to report you as a lunatic with a gun. Now you'll get pulled over, or if he got your tag number you may get a visit at home, by authorities who have only THE OTHER GUY's SIDE OF THE STORY!!! They will have probable cause to search you, your car, your house, etc. all because of some prick who cut you off in traffic. |
| Good advice Pale Rifle. If I can add my $0.02 worth, anyone carrying a weapon would be wise to stand down road rage incidents. Suck it up and let it go... you're carrying a loaded gun... you don't need to prove anything. Anything you do to provoke a road rager could be used against you should you have to use deadly force... even flipping the bird. In any deadly force encounter, cops looks for mitigating factors. If you could deescalate the situation by simply driving away, but choose to escalate the situation, you could be held criminally liable for shooting someone. No, that's not pussing out. That just the way it is in the real world. |
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Quoted: He orders the guy to strip naked and then drives off with his clothes and car keys leaving him naked in the middle of the road with his car blocking traffic. Damn buddy, I didn't know Tennessee was as bad as West Virginia. [img]http://home.att.net/~frankpat/jpg/deliv.JPG[/img] [img]http://www.chrisglass.com/things/movies/img/deliverance.jpg[/img] |
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Last Friday I was with my wife. We were in my jeep as we rounded the corner from my house this guy in a big lift kit Dodge truck pulls out of the gas station immediately right on my ass, I pull to the red light and he's literaly a half inch off my spare tire laughing. I turned around in my seat, adrenaline and blood pressure at extremely high levels, I cussed him out. He could definately read my words. The light turned green I moved forward as I go strait slowly, he jumps the truck at my ass end and turns right. I had a split second as to what to do next. My wife was with me, I did not want to put her in danger. Did not know whether to turn around and go after him or keep going. I kept going, but it bothered me for hours later. I think I did right by not going after him? It's a small town and if he's from here I know I'll see him again. If he starts again, If I'm alone should I confront him? If my wife is with me do I call the cops? Kev |
| A man was driving in a road rage state of mind when he hit my daughters car. She was in a coma for 7 days and had 6 months of therapy to get back to where she was before the wreck. 7 days of not knowing if my beautiful 18 year old daughter was going to die or be brain damaged. Every day I have to talk myself out of doing what I feel is the right thing to that man. I hope he dies a terrible death. Is that wrong? |
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If you're carrying a weapon, you have a responsibility to try to de-escalate a situation [as was stated earlier in this thread]. If you can't turn the other cheek over something that small, then you probably don't need to be carrying a weapon, IMHO. Of course, if someone attacks you on the road, after you have done nothing, then that's a different story. I used to drive for a living, so i've seen and been a part of many road rage 'incidents'. Like metalstorm, I was hot-headed when i was younger, and i've beat some asses, and had my ass handed to me...and looking back, i was pretty stupid. It ain't worth it. Let it go. Life's too short and precious to squabble over something so petty. Maybe we can start a thread of road rage stories, I've got some pretty good ones... |
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Quoted: what has this world come too? when we have to run from a fight? don't look at the other driver in the eye? you mean cower and whimper? this world is now bullshit,stand up, be a man. oh, the other guy might have a gun, deal with it, way too many people are afraid and others tell us to run and hide, do nothing, call the police, bs take care of business. enough road ragers get the crap beat out of Nonsense. I'm not fighting World War 3 out there on the streets. Doesn't have anything to do with "cower and whimper" but with being a polite and forgiving driver. What could I possibly gain by flying off the handle everytime the guy in the other vehicle does something funny? |
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Since I've started carrying concealed I have developed a much thicker hide. I notice that although I am surrounded by the same number of stupid people it takes more to get me mad. I have a lot more restraint, which has been imposed by the increased responsibility that now accompanies me. Stupid people are out there. Flipping them off and calling them names, however accurate they might be, will not educate these people. For the typical idiot in traffic, I just give him more room, then FIDO (forget it & drive on). For somebody who is actively threatening me, I have the means of defending myself. |
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Quoted: Last Friday I was with my wife. We were in my jeep as we rounded the corner from my house this guy in a big lift kit Dodge truck pulls out of the gas station immediately right on my ass, I pull to the red light and he's literaly a half inch off my spare tire laughing. I turned around in my seat, adrenaline and blood pressure at extremely high levels, I cussed him out. He could definately read my words. The light turned green I moved forward as I go strait slowly, he jumps the truck at my ass end and turns right. I had a split second as to what to do next. My wife was with me, I did not want to put her in danger. Did not know whether to turn around and go after him or keep going. I kept going, but it bothered me for hours later. I think I did right by not going after him? It's a small town and if he's from here I know I'll see him again. If he starts again, If I'm alone should I confront him? If my wife is with me do I call the cops? Kev You did the right thing, You just have to realize that this world is full of jask-asses, confronting him would have only put you and your wife in danger for no reason. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: what has this world come too? when we have to run from a fight? don't look at the other driver in the eye? you mean cower and whimper? this world is now bullshit,stand up, be a man. oh, the other guy might have a gun, deal with it, way too many people are afraid and others tell us to run and hide, do nothing, call the police, bs take care of business. enough road ragers get the crap beat out of them, there will be no more road rage. consequence of actions teaches a lesson. When you grow up might get a clue. I kinda got you pegged for about 17 or 18. wrong answer yourself. nope 49 years old, [red]5'13"[/red] 250 lbs born and raised on the south side of chicago. just like in jeferson's post, teach a rager a lesson. Say what? 5'13"? Knowing when to fight is every bit as important as knowing how to fight. Break some guys nose or jaw in a dispute about who cut off who, and you can rapidly find yourself convicted of felony assault. I'd expect a 49 year-old to know better. God, am I actually agreeing with Rip on something??? [:D] |
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Quoted: Quoted: He orders the guy to strip naked and then drives off with his clothes and car keys leaving him naked in the middle of the road with his car blocking traffic. Damn buddy, I didn't know Tennessee was as bad as West Virginia. [url]http://home.att.net/~frankpat/jpg/deliv.JPG[/url] [url]http://www.chrisglass.com/things/movies/img/deliverance.jpg[/url] Funny actually it was in Houston TX and my buddy is a Texan. Us hillbillies don't pull em less we shoot em. By the way, Diliverance was northern GA and since I play music and am an avid conoeist. I hated the movie. Have had some fun boating with my buddies from up north at night. "You gotta a pretty mouth boy." and they flip out. LOL [:D] |
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Been there done that on the road rage thing. Years ago (was more of a hothead in those days) I was driving through the slums of town and a compact truck was ridin' my arse and flashing his brights. I pulled over and he drive by. So I got back on the road and started driving. He then slowed down to almost a stop and pulled over. By then I am PISSED. I pull over and get out. And out of this little truck gets three Native Americans. By now I am thinking that this is stupid and they could have guns or knives. So I get back in my car. The biggest one punches my driver side window out and the scrawniest one throws a 30 pound rock through my rear window. Now I am REALLY pissed! So I get out and they get back in their truck and drive off. I chase them and hold onto their tailgate while hookybobbing a block on dry pavement. Filed a report after that and the cops caught the big one. I don't think the punk ever did get his due. But I am lucky we never laid a hand on each other. I can fight. But realistically those three would have beaten me to a pulp if not to death. It wasn't worth it with two windows broken out -- much less if I'd been seriously injured or killed. Repeat to yourselves IT'S NOT WORTH IT... IT'S NOT WORTH IT... IT'S NOT WORTH IT... IT'S NOT WORTH IT... The ONLY time EVER that one should "escalate" a road rage scenario by standing up for yourself is when you are stuck in the situation and have no choice. That's what my compact 1911 is sitting in my glove box and ready for. Otherwise, just put your foot on the gas and drive in the opposite direction. Too many road rage stories where someone shoots someone else and gets tried in the media and courts for it. IT'S NOT WORTH IT... |
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While I can't condone Impersonating an Officer, when I'm off duty and somebody flips me off or tries to provoke a confrontation in traffic, I reach above my sun-visor and get my badge wallet with ID and calmly hold that up in the window. (Don't get me wrong, I do not go looking for trouble, too much paperwork.) No hot-head has ever slowed down enough to see that it was real (or some toy my 7 year old got at the dime store). In fact, they usually slam on the brakes and take the nearest exit AWAY from me. It diffuses situations quickly. The end point, and first rule, is to get home safely. If you do that at the end of every shift, you have completed your assignment. Anger lasts a few minutes but actions last a lifetime. (eidted fir spelin) |
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Quoted: While I can't condone Impersonating an Officer, when I'm off duty and somebody flips me off or tries to provoke a confrontation in traffic, I reach above my sun-visor and get my badge wallet with ID and hold that up in the window. No one has ever slowed down enough to see that it was real (or some toy my 7 year old got at the dime store). In fact, they usually slam on the brakes and take the nearest exit AWAY from me. It diffuses situations quickly. The end point, and first rule, is to get home safely. If you do that at the end of every shift, you have completed your assignment. Dang man... that's a GOOD one. I should try that. My dad has this CCW thing that looks like a badge. I should get one too. Then I could hold it up. And I wouldn't be impersonating a LEO. But the ragers wouldn't know that. And even if they did see what it really was, they'd still probably be inclined to back off. Hmmm... |
| what you need to do is to let the rager get in front of you. then get his liscense plate number and description of the car and of him/her if possible. call the police and tell them you think this person is drunk because he is swerving all over the road, and just cut you off, and you are afraid he may cause an accident. if you are lucky the cops will find them and pull them over. you never know, they may actually be drunk.... |
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busting a guys nose for cutting you off?? pulling a gun on someone that is riding your bumpmer? i never said any of that, road rage is not just cutting someone off, if a guy is freaking out, weaving thru traffic to catch you, endangering your life, that is road rage. then it is time to stand ground, never said take a life, just a few well placed kicks to the shins and mabey a bitch slap and yeah 5'13" bad in math? |
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Quoted: Anger lasts a few minutes but actions last a lifetime. (eidted fir spelin) Just wanted to see this as a stand alone statement from a guy who deals with such situations for a living, and sees the end result all the time. It also illustrates why I could not do his job. Other peoples pain does bother me...... a lot. Found that out, when I worked as a Cardio-pulmonary tech over 30 years ago.(Cripes, THAT long ago? geesh) |
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Quoted: My favorite thing to do with a road rager behind me is to pull my parking brake to slow my car down without triggering my brakelights. That usually sobers them up quickly. Funny you should mention that. I just completed 4 days of jury duty involving two counts of vehicular homicide. Long story short; it was a road rage incident and while the guy on trial wasn't responsible, he did contribute to the accident. He was being chased by another hot-head whom he'd cut off. They were doing 70 mph in a 35 zone. Guy in front hit his brakes causing the driver behind him to lose control, launch the car into the air after hitting a median strip, landed into oncoming traffic, and killed himself and his girl friend. It was a tough call to make. We ended up finding him guilty of the lesser charge of "reckless endangerment resulting in death". He was sentenced to 5 years |
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Quoted: Since I've started carrying concealed I have developed a much thicker hide. I notice that although I am surrounded by the same number of stupid people it takes more to get me mad. I have a lot more restraint, which has been imposed by the increased responsibility that now accompanies me. Stupid people are out there. Flipping them off and calling them names, however accurate they might be, will not educate these people. For the typical idiot in traffic, I just give him more room, then FIDO (forget it & drive on). For somebody who is actively threatening me, I have the means of defending myself. |
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Quoted: Quoted: My favorite thing to do with a road rager behind me is to pull my parking brake to slow my car down without triggering my brakelights. That usually sobers them up quickly. Funny you should mention that. I just completed 4 days of jury duty involving two counts of vehicular homicide. Long story short; it was a road rage incident and while the guy on trial wasn't responsible, he did contribute to the accident. He was being chased by another hot-head whom he'd cut off. They were doing 70 mph in a 35 zone. Guy in front hit his brakes causing the driver behind him to lose control, launch the car into the air after hitting a median strip, landed into oncoming traffic, and killed himself and his girl friend. It was a tough call to make. We ended up finding him guilty of the lesser charge of "reckless endangerment resulting in death". He was sentenced to 5 years I found this very interesting. If I read this right the driver in the lead car was being chased from behind at excessive speed way beyond the speed limit. The lead car puts on his breaks and the follow car loses it resulting in death. The lead car driver goes to jail or probation whatever for five years. This doesn't ring right to me. If a driver slams his brakes in traffic and I rear end him it's my fault but if he dies it's mine???? Is there something missing from this story? Sounds like the convicted must have done alot of wrong things, talking without a lawyer, etc. Appreaciate the come back. TJ |
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One thing for sure is if you get out of your car and advance towards someone and you end up having to shoot them to protect yourself....You will definately go to prison! The bad part about road rage is that you cannot apologize for screwing up. I have pulled out in front of people or other dumb things and wished I could stop to say "I'm sorry that was stupid!" I think it would help. People also use their car as a weapon. When you are in your car you have that separation to act tough. Kinda like the guy (we all have known one) "Yeah.....Well, your lucky I have to go bake some cookies (Insert any lame excuse) or I'd whoop your ass!" In reality he is very glad your not hitting him amongst the face and chest! |
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Quoted: Quoted: My favorite thing to do with a road rager behind me is to pull my parking brake to slow my car down without triggering my brakelights. That usually sobers them up quickly. Funny you should mention that. I just completed 4 days of jury duty involving two counts of vehicular homicide. Long story short; it was a road rage incident and while the guy on trial wasn't responsible, he did contribute to the accident. He was being chased by another hot-head whom he'd cut off. They were doing 70 mph in a 35 zone. Guy in front hit his brakes causing the driver behind him to lose control, launch the car into the air after hitting a median strip, landed into oncoming traffic, and killed himself and his girl friend. It was a tough call to make. We ended up finding him guilty of the lesser charge of "reckless endangerment resulting in death". He was sentenced to 5 years Well, since I would never think of doing double the speed limit in a cat and mouse chase like that, I don't think I would ever be creating any "contributing factor". This leaves the perpetrator engaged in the act of failure to assure minimum cleared distance. In the State of Ohio, if you rear-end a car, it's an automatic at-fault citation. Since there were never any brake lights seen, but when an officer comes to the scene to investigate and finds my brakes in working order, Mr. Road Rage will get the ticket and I will get a nice insurance check. |
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Brake checks are a bad way to bet that the tailgater is sober/smart/alert enough to slow down suddenly and not hit you. You are also betting that if he hits you, it will only be a tap, and you won't be punted off the road. If you lose the bet, your chance of getting killed climbs dramatically. Brake checks=dumb. |
| I'm usually in no hurry to get where I'm going anymore....so about 5-10mph under the limit in town usually gets someone riled up. When they come around and gesture wildly and give the usual FU's. I wave slowly and smile, they really get torqued then. It's pretty funny. The wife laughs at it. |
| Not really a roadrage story (because he could never catch me!), but about 12 years ago I was driving the (now ex) wife's Toyota Supra Turbo, and was in the right lane of a 3 lane road merging into 2 lanes. I did not pay attention to the primer grey Camaro next to me, and when I got a green light, started accelerating normally. This dick decides it's a challenge to his ego, and tries to cut me off. Now, except maybe for a Vet, no POS American sportscar could even hope to outrun the Supra, so when I gas it, I leave him in my dust. He starts tailgating me, and at 70 miles per hour, it did not amuse me much. So what do I do? I slam on the brakes, and Supras can brake better than Camaros as well, so when this fellow AZ resident (but from a more Southern country) prick sees imminent doom coming, he runs off the road into a cotton field, spins the car about 6 times, leaves a huge cloud of dust in his wake, and finally runs into a humongous rock. I was more than slightly amused by this, and laughed so hard, that 15 minutes later when I got home, I was still in hysterics, and the wife did not know if she should call for "professional help" for me. As a former Arizonan, having been all over this country and a lot of other places around the world, the Phoenix drivers are the absolute worst I have ever seen. Too much meth truly does fry your brain! |
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Quoted: what has this world come too? when we have to run from a fight? don't look at the other driver in the eye? you mean cower and whimper? this world is now bullshit,stand up, be a man. oh, the other guy might have a gun, deal with it, way too many people are afraid and others tell us to run and hide, do nothing, call the police, bs take care of business. enough road ragers get the crap beat out of them, there will be no more road rage. consequence of actions teaches a lesson. I understand your point. Think though, most people think like you but when it happens they get their a$$ kicked, then call the cops. When I was a kid, people fought and the cops came. Joe 1 calls Joe 2 "gay", Joe 2 punches Joe 1. Cops arrive & findout that Joe 1 got what he deserved. Everyone went on their way. When I screwed up as a kid a stranger could spank me and if I told my parents, they wanted to know what I did and then spanked me again. Now its "Not my kid" and "my kid would never lie to me". Thats why all todays kid are losers. GG |
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Quoted: People looked from him to me and back. I parked the car and walked over to the phone, which was hanging from its cord, and swaying back and forth. I yelled into it: "You tell your friend that he dooesn't have any (testicular fortitude)!!," and hung it up. I thought about the whole thing later, and realized that in my mood I lost all rational thought. That would have been really funny if you had yelled at a 911 operator. You could have made the dumb criminal files of the local newspapers. |
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I drive a class A truck sometimes and I am amazed at how stupid people are but........ I could never forgive myself if I hurt someone on the road!!!! In my private vehicle My "DRIVER ONLY CARRIES $20 WORTH OF AMMO" STICKER seems to help curb road-rage [:)] ALWAYS ASK YOURSELF IS IT WORTH DIEING OR GOING TO JAIL FOR??? BIG |
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Quoted: busting a guys nose for cutting you off?? pulling a gun on someone that is riding your bumpmer? i never said any of that, road rage is not just cutting someone off, if a guy is freaking out, weaving thru traffic to catch you, endangering your life, that is road rage. then it is time to stand ground, never said take a life, just a few well placed kicks to the shins and mabey a bitch slap Hope you know the guy you're about to bitch slap - you just might wind up being his bitch. |
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I also went a bit overboard when I was a bit younger and had a guy key my car in a parking lot. I was about 21 years old and it was my first new car ( a 1988 Camaro) and to say I totally lost it is putting it mildly. Seems him and a buddy thought I stole thier parking spot (2 spots right next to each other) so one of the guys put a 8 inch scratch in my fender. I went after both guys with my steering wheel club. Thankfully they had the smarts to stay locked in thier car. And, Thankfully for me neither of them was armed. I got thier plate number and had a friend that had DMV access get the home address for me but by by that time I had suffeciently calmed down. When I feel the urge to explode while driving I just remember how different that incident could have ended and it usually calms me down. Today, I rarely let things bother me. Most incidents aren't worth loosing either my freedom or my life over. |
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Quoted: I found this very interesting. If I read this right the driver in the lead car was being chased from behind at excessive speed way beyond the speed limit. The lead car puts on his breaks and the follow car loses it resulting in death. The lead car driver goes to jail or probation whatever for five years. This doesn't ring right to me. If a driver slams his brakes in traffic and I rear end him it's my fault but if he dies it's mine???? Is there something missing from this story? Sounds like the convicted must have done alot of wrong things, talking without a lawyer, etc. Appreaciate the come back. TJ I know what you're saying; if I had read the same story here or elsewhere I'd have thought the same thing. Serving on the jury and hearing the full circumstances along with the evidence, testimony and judges instructions regarding the law was an educational experience. Basically what we had to decided was if [b]any[/b] of the defendants actions contributed to the accident and resulting deaths. There was no question that the driver of the other car was to blame also (even the prosecutor acknowledged that), but we weren't there to judge his actions. The way the law regarding vehicular homicide is written, we would have had to agree with the prosecution on each of the 5 separate elements that define the law. If we could only agree on 3 or fewer, then we could only find the defendant guilty of the lesser charge. Regarding the scenario you mention, that's what the defendant was attempting to do: wait till the guy behind him was right on his ass, hit his brakes so he'd force the other driver to either swerve or rear end his car (and assume all the blame). Actually the defense lawyer did a pretty good job; there were too many witness's to dispute that his client was totally blameless. He performed well enough so that his guy wasn't found guilty of the vehicular homicide charge. I should probably add that the defendant was also found guilty of leaving the scene of an accident and intimidating a witness. I didn't mention it in my original post since it really didn't pertain to the consequences of road rage incidents. |
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Quoted: Well, since I would never think of doing double the speed limit in a cat and mouse chase like that, I don't think I would ever be creating any "contributing factor". This leaves the perpetrator engaged in the act of failure to assure minimum cleared distance. In the State of Ohio, if you rear-end a car, it's an automatic at-fault citation. Since there were never any brake lights seen, but when an officer comes to the scene to investigate and finds my brakes in working order, Mr. Road Rage will get the ticket and I will get a nice insurance check. Sorry, wasn't trying to make it sound like you'd willfully engage in a situation where someone could be injured or killed (which is what the person in my post had been doing). Your response just struck home with me since I had just heard first hand the consequences of a similar action. But, even at low speeds there's no telling what could happen in a rear end collision that could have been avoided by your not using the emergency brake. I was reasonably certain that the driver in the case I listened to didn't intend (or even begin to think about) the results of his actions. But, nontheless it happened and two people were killed and one fucked the rest of his life up. It wouldn't have happened if either of them had just backed away from the situation. |
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Quoted: I know this is a serious thread although I thought a little humor was needed: Here's when you just had enough: [url]http://photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/IG_LoadImage.asp?iImageUnq=11204[/url] Kevin_M4 there aren't enough rockets/missles on that thing for all the dumbasses in Minnesota! I've also found smiling and waving gets them angrier too and you aren't at fault! |