Something happened to me and I didn't know how to handle it
 

I've not encountered anything like this in probably 15 years so I was at a loss as to how to react.

I was at a stoplight on the right lane waiting to turn. The car behind honked, maybe 4 times, and was waving his hands. It was a "No Turn on Red" corner so I was waiting for the green light. Apparently the guy behind didn't know. So, I pointed at the sign (but he probably couldn't see it) and stayed put until the green. As I turned, he sped up and got beside, rolled down his window, flipped me off and said, "Learn to drive, Slope!".

Now, I haven't been called a racial slur in so long that I was, at first, paralyzed. When I came to, I stepped on the gas to run the moth3rfuch3r down. He was in a new Mustang and I in my Dodge Caravan company car. By the time I reacted though, he'd gone past another light and I got stuck.

This happened this morning. I can't believe that in this day and age, in a metropolitan area, there are still racists among us. Maybe I'm living a fantasy but I just haven't encountered racism in a while. I suppose it's better to know who they are.

In my younger days, I probably would not have hesitated to chase him. But, I'm 41, in a shirt and tie and was on my way to see my customers. Not a good way to start the day.

best you didn't chase. About the only consolation is that in his next life he will probably come back as a slug or something. Karma...

***** that bastard. exact same schit happens to me almost everyday at the exact same location. i know, because i had the contractor install that sign, "no turn on red". live your life comfortable knowing that you are the better driver. who knows the bastard is probably late for his job, sweeping. i cant do crap but smile, because i am in a orange truck. but believe me,....

what the hell, does "slope" mean anyways?

Something happened to me and I didn't know how to handle it

Two choices:
1. You seek righteous justice and suffer in the process, even if you get away with it.
2. You allow Karma, or God, to do their job...which they inevitably will.

At this point, I more oft take option 2...Amazingly God is better at it than me...But it seems they ALWAYS get theirs, one way or another.

Most importantly, DO NOT let it bother you (as much as possible, not worth it).

sorry you had that happen to you cantdrv55. As a white man I can only try to imagine how it feels. But maybe there is some consolation in knowing that this person is ignorant, was reacting out of anger, knew he was safe in his car and is therefore a coward. And that you are the better person for controlling your anger.

Slope refers to sloping foreheads some Asians have, I believe. I think the term originated during the Vietnam War?

I remember when we discussed a device that is a programmable message ribbon, ticker-tape thingie that could go where the PORSCHE strip is between the rear lights of our 911's. It could say anything you like. I remember that discussion because this device would be a VERY VERY BAD thing for most of use to place into service.

Happened to me several times since i came to the US in 86. His ignorance is his problem, do not make it yours. Unless confronted FTF, like NS, Mul and Vash said just let it go. Live a good and worthy life.

A sad fact of life...that even today, A-holes come in all colors. You were wise to ignore.

I am so sorry that this incident happened to you, but try not to make it into anything more significant than insensitive BS from an idiot.

The fact that it's been a long time since you've run into a blatant racist is good, but they are still out there, maybe not in the numbers they used to be, but sadly, they're still around. And somehow being behind the wheel of a car often brings out behavior that's both rude and dangerous.

Although it's not easy to ignore an ******* in traffic, especially one that directly confronts you, reacting to them or chasing them or (worse) confronting them back is not a good idea.

I always try to remind myself that someone who would call me a name, flip me off or drive recklessly in traffic would be unlikely to change into a polite individual after a face-to-face discussion. Or, look at it this way - if you were at a party with a guy like that, would you spend any time talking with him? The answer is, no.

It doesn't make those first few minutes after such an incident any easier to swallow, but with the right perspective, an encounter like that can and should be forgotten.

That guy is a miserable piece of $hit. His life sucks. You are much better. I can't even believe you thought about him for more than 3 seconds.

no way, that is what that term means??? that is stupid and really un-original. doenst even make sense. he really should have made fun of your little.....:)

cheer up, you did fine.

one time, i had a man pull his eyes back in slants and in his best chinese accent, order fried rice. i asked him, you sure you want the fried rice? the dumbarse was seriously ordering like that. i smiled and we sold him "special" rice. when he left, he said, "hey i was just messing with you", then he got all serious, and asked me, "hey, what is the difference between japanese and chinese?" some people are just that stupid.

imho Just blow it off man, dont waste a second of your own life by stooping to the level of a loud mouth moron. If you had a plate number I would call it in just to give the punk a chance to hang himself, otherwise enjoy life, loved ones n friends. maby an occasional sad shake of the head for thoese that need to grow up.

Next time smile, blow the ****er a kiss and go on your merry way. That'll get him jacked up enough to blow an artery.

Rest easy knowing we all love you here.:D

Chris,

While I know nothing, that term always meant sloping eyes, at least as I have understood it. Same as slant. Either way, $hitty way to live.

I didn't even notice you were Asian??????

:)

-Chris

Isn't it funny? On the internet, I assume all of you look like me. Damn fine looking bunch we are. ;)

So Vash...how "special" was that rice???

Are you kidding, there are still tons of ignorant bastards like that running around, I'm sad to say. It was just a few years back when some piece o crap drug a guy behind his truck it Texas.

I think that type should be used for target practice and drug testing.

I can't even begin to put myself in your shoes. I had a black woman call me a "cracker" in anger once, but it just didn't mean anything to me.

Do you best to ignore it and put it out of your mind. We aren't all like that.

I had a black woman admonish me for being a smoker once and she told me that smokers should have to be in a different section. I told her she must have forgotten what it was like to have to sit in the back of the bus. .........she said no more about it.

Just got this in my email:

One night, at11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.

A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance, and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached..

It read:
"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others."

Sincerely,
Mrs. Nat King Cole.

Agreed. It has been my experience that people who behave badly rarely succeed in life. He's probably sitting in traffic right now muttering insults and wondering why he never seems to get ahead. :(

I don't and I guess never will understand why we all just can't get along. But then as someone else here said we all envision everyone to be like us. But ya know some dogs are just mean.

Actually, Chris and I are good friends and I was only teasing him about the whole thing :D


Funny about the cracker comment earlier. I have a good friend who married a black woman (insert African American if you like) and she is OK with some uses of the N word among friends, but she got all worked up when I started calling myself a cracker. That only made me laugh. Cracker, who cares?

All comes down to the people involved etc.


SmileWavy




-Chris

I figured that was the case, but think about it.... Unless people mention it, I never bother to think someone here doesn't look like me. I can't see you, I can't hear you, you only come across in the words you write. On the internet we're all equal.

Frankly, everytime this topic comes up I'm surprised how many of us Pelicans are not white yuppie scum like myself. :)

My guess is that in that situation, it would have been "stupid mini van driver" if you had looked like him.

That behavior is typical of someone whose life is a disaster. Instead of doing something constructive about it, they take it out on food service people, bank tellers, etc.

At this point in life, I expect the worst to happen almost everytime I get in my car. At least once a week some *****head does something like that (or worse) to me. I decided to laugh at him and point. Every so often they slow down and even roll down the window to give me a word or two. I hold up my cell phone camera and say loudly "Keep it up ***** face and I'll own your bass boat, piece of ***** pick-up and kids lunch!" Works 100% of the time - they go speeding off.

Hey Vash, were you working at the "City Wok"?

Love that place...

When I was in high school many many moons ago I had a friend named Jin Choe. Well Jin was from korea and spoke very bad english but worked through it with all the homor he was becoming known for. One evening after school a rather large classmate decided to make Jin the object of his ridicule. After the third time my friend told the idiot he no fight (with a thick accent) he started to walk away. At this point Jin was shoved very hard from behind. Well at the risk of sounding sterotyping Jin was very good at his brand of martial arts and showed the large moron. He spun around and threw a punch so fast all we saw was his hand coming back. There was a trail of blood and meat to the ground before the victim could grab his face.
My friend only said me no fight to which he got no answer except for the retreating idiot.
Some poeple can only feel good about thierselves by making others feel bad. These type of people end up lonley and hurt and they deserve it.
I ended up working for my friend about 15yrs ago and to this day he feels badly for braking that dudes nose. You did the right thing by letting him get away and come here to tell your friends about it.

Re: Something happened to me and I didn't know how to handle it
 

Excuse my ignorance, but what's a "Slope"?

I thought it was a reference to the shape of the skull of some Asians. CBeers thought it's slang for slant eyes. I've been called worse but it's been a while.

Lube you would get shot here for that.

Now U know how it feels to be Tabs on these Boards. I personally don't think we need to look any farther than this Board to find a bunch of louts...

The world is a cruel place, so Rule #1 is DO NOT BECOME REACTIVE, keep your wits about you, and remember where you are at all times. To fail in this can result in DEATH.

Even if that hurts plenty - disregard it. That person obviously still plays in the toddler division and his remark is on the same level as when a 6 year old refer to me as an old fart.

In an evolutionary sense I am afraid the world still is populated with a large portion of human beings lingering half way between apes and the rest of us.

Cantdrv55, I call those people "decorators". They are so unhappy with themselves, and the life they have made for themselves, that they "decorate" everything, and everyone around them with bull****.

You did the right thing. He almost brought you down to his level, but you kept your head.

Just remember, asshats come in all shapes, and sizes!

Exactly what makes you think livi, that your over here with the "rest of us" and not with the "apes."

Our friend who was driving that Mustang is on his Mustang Board, complaining about how bad "slopes" drive....That he was at this light honking at this ahole to move and he wouldn't do it. ....ouuuu how fustrating it is, why don't those fking people learn how to drive or go back to where they came from...morons....

Thanks for the support guys. I haven't been that pissed in a while. Look for me at the Pelican meet in Vegas. I'll be wearing the name tag marked "Slope and Proud of It".

that's why God invented LSD ,
to re-educate the ignorant among us!!

a 300ug + dose should do

Re: Something happened to me and I didn't know how to handle it
 

It is possible this a-hole knew of the sign, regularly make the turn on the red anyways, and expected you to break the law also.

About once a week on the L.A. freeway I get honked or flashed at from behind for leaving a car lenght in front of me so people can merge in freeway traffic that is moving 25 mph!

More than few times I have wanted to get out and punch some jerk but as (most) everyone else has said knowing that these idiots are their own worst enemy and letting them go on with their pitiful life's is the best revenge.