The day started in a crappy way because I got knocked on my ass by a bus at work. The driver was going very slow but she was not paying attention and hit me when I was trying to stop traffic so emergency vehicles could get on the dock to tend to a sick passenger. It didn’t help when I called her boss and asked him not to send her back anymore and he basically told me to pound sand.
So on my way home from work this kid was zooming down the road and zig zagging in and out of both lanes trying to get ahead of everyone. He cut me off once and I had to take evasive action. It angered me but I decided to try and keep my cool.
Well about two miles later the kid was behind me somehow and and zoomed up to a slower car in the right hand lane and started to tailgate him. Just as I was about to pass he jumped into the left lane that I was in and damn near ran me off the road.
I slammed on my breaks and honked my horn. The kid reacted by slamming on his breaks to brake check me and gave me the finger. Well I don’t know what happened to me but I saw white and lost it and started to chase after him. I must have chased him for 10 miles and went way out of my way on my home going after him.
Finally he slowed down and got next to me and yelled out of the window that he was sorry and to please stop chasing him. Finally I realized what a foolish manner in the way I was behaving and pulled off the road to calm down.
I always pride myself in always remaining cool in stressful situations but for some reason today I snapped. I shudder to think what may have happened if I continued to chase after him. I was out for blood.
I just wanted to say that its not worth it. Sorry for ranting about it here.
And now said dipshit kid just might (maybe) think twice about the shit he pulls in traffic because his actions have finally had a consequence that concerned him enough to apologize when he clearly didn’t give two shits about you originally.
If such actions always had such consequences we’d see a lot less road rage because dipshits might consider other people in traffic in the first place.
So from all the drivers who might not have to put up with such stunts from this kid in the future because “maybe” he won’t be so willing to do them…THANK YOU.
I understand your entire point of maintaining self control and acting like a responsible adult, but part of being a responsible adult is also making sure dipshits don’t think they can do whatever they want, whenever they want to anyone they choose.
People piss me off nearly every time I drive somewhere.
Too slow, tail gating even though Im already at least doing 5 over with nowhere to go, left lane hoggers when they can get over but don’t, people with Obama bumper stickers, and the list goes on.
Im not afraid to call in aggressive drivers, drunks, ect. The cops around here would probably love it.
I honk at bad drivers at the drop of a hat. My wife hates it, but I think if everyone honked at bad drivers, they would eventually start asking people why everyone is always honking at them. That and the horn magically seems to draw stress out of me.
Must have been something in the air the other day. Had two guys where I work slamming stuff around and walked out on their jobs. In this economy? Wow.
On the way home, I had a police officer follow me home. I wasn’t speeding, made all the necessary signals, etc. About 6 miles of him following me, I actually started to get a little pissy. When he turned down my street, I got more pissy. When he slowed down when I turned into my driveway, I was damn near furious!!! Turns out, my other cop buddy told him I was selling an FAL. Damn, did I feel a bit sheepish.
The point, some days you get the cat, other days, the cat gets you. Chalk it up to a bad day but remember what it felt like so you can avert it next time.
I would have done the same thing and next time the kid might not act like such a jagoff. Doesn’t seem to be that big of a deal. No one died, no one got hurt, and the kid now knows that someone might in fact take exception to how he drives. Not a permanent solution, but temporary to start.
I had rage rage last week off duty, right up until I called the plate in to dispatch and passed the kid on the highway proned out by three troopers. It seemed he tried to actually “outrun” them before he finally stopped. Yep, any rage I had left my body.
Reminds me I have to call of those troopers for a beer.
Yesterday my wife headed towards town down our street driving the speed limit. A guy in a pickup pulls right out in front of her and cuts her off, she raised her hand like, wtf? He saw her in the mirror and locked it up and sat for about a half a minute shaking his hand at her. She was pretty shakin by this guy. It seems much more frequent these days for this kind of stuff. I had a similar post here a while back with a couple of kids harassing us on the freeway. I really came unglued during that incident, I certainly understand gman’s rant.
In this day and age, you never know who has a gun (leagally or not). Getting into these types of things are not a good idea (especially if you carry).
So just simply smile when they cut you off and call the State Patrol and tell them you have a drunk driver on your hands. Get the license number and be done with it.
While I can agree that simply standing by and not doing anything may lead the idiots to think they can get away with anything, there’s no way to know how far along that path they already are. What if he just locks up the breaks and pulls a gun on you? Over a traffic incident? I used to fly the one finger salute to all the idiot drivers and cuss like a sailor, but now, I fly the finger below the dash and mumble to myself. Still gets the frustration out but doesn’t exacerbate the situation into something else.
If they’re being that much of a hazard, call 'em in.
Some jack off went off on me a few weeks back. I was behind him for 15 or so miles. It was a heavy traffic weekend, so I was in no hurry. Not sure what I did, but he flipped me the bird, I returned the favor. He lost it, and grabbed a shovel and was shaking it at me. I was unarmed, so I just swerved my normal, disposable car at his green 65 Chevelle with easy to remember custom plates. He panicked and left the freeway promptly.
As for the original OP, its a good thing you found your breaking point (everyone has one) before someone got hurt. Being remorseful really says a lot about your character. I dont think 2 wrongs make a right, but you may have saved that boys life.
Wasnt there a thread here a few months ago in AZ, the older gentleman was chasing a kid, pulled behind him at a stop light a produced a gun, kid shot him and it was justified.
Absolutely. Typically on their phone, not paying attention, brake checking others, flipping the bird, screaming at other vehicles, left lane driving all day long… I used to have a bad temper and it definitely takes a lot to keep it in check in traffic, especially in CA.
I’d love to be NHP or CHP for a few days just to ticket all the idiots from CA driving in the left lane impeding traffic between Vegas and L.A. on I-15. I make the drive several times a month and it’s beyond frustrating.
I caught part of a report recently that they were considering to post signs for 3 lane highways to teach people the left is for passing, middle is for cruising and right is for slow & access. I just don’t know why it’s so hard to understand. If I’m in the passing lane and someone approaches on me I always move back to the right lane.
The left lane phone booth at 50 needs to be challenged for sure. I’ve seen these chicks hold up 20 - 30+ cars going under 55 in a 65. I’m not sure a blonde can drive an suv without a phone stuck to her head. It must be a real challenge.
I’ll admit, I have a tendency to drive a little fast til recently… I had a gentle lesson to remind me that it’s not acceptable… so I’ll be using the cruise control a little more often in the slow guys lane…
Chasing someone down the make sure they know they are a jackass and chasing someone down and pulling a gun on them and getting shot in return are two very different things.
If you are pulling a gun on somebody because you don’t like their driving then YOU are actually the problem. Just because I have a gun doesn’t mean I need to pull it just because somebody is an asshole. If that were the case I may as well walk around with a slung rifle.
South Florida is jackass central and I haven’t pulled a gun on anyone so far this year.
I thought sunroofs were invented for better one-finger salute visibility. Plus you can point first and then salute. Nothing like the finger flicked in a general direction and no one knows who it is for.
Actually its kind of the same. Its road rage. Chasing someone PERIOD is a good way to get shot.
If someone was chasing me until the point I had to stop, then exited his vehicle and was coming towards me, damn straight I would be ready.
If they are going to the extent of chasing me to begin with then who knows what they would do. I know what I would do it that situation, and I wouldnt take chances
