I was run off the road this morning

[chrisf]

While driving my 911 to work, I was passed by an SUV hauling ass this morning. She was going much faster than me, but I caught up when she got stuck at a few red lights down the road. A few blocks later, we turned right onto a four lane, she went wide and I stayed right. It was a long up hill and after 20-30 yards I started to go around her on the right. She saw me going around and started coming over. She was looking at me in her side view, I saw her looking I know she saw me. I started braking and getting right, and laid on the horn. She then came quickly all the way over, completely cut me off, and slammed on her brakes. Then she took off. My side view was folded back and the right side of my car is covered in mud/debris where I had to get off the road. I took off after her, calling 911. She got caught at another red light, and I pulled into a church parking lot at the corner, and motioned to her while on the phone. She pulled into the parking lot and played ignorant. I noticed that every single body panel on her car was dented. Her bumpers were all tweaked, her front one was hanging off on one side, and she was missing a parking and a head light. As we were waiting for the police, she goes from total denial of what had transpired, to becoming irate & very aggressive. Calls her husband and tells me that he is coming down there to take care of this. We wait about 20 mins, and nobody ever shows up. Since there is no damage to my car (I popped the mirror back into place) we decided to leave. I was hoping that an officer would listen to both sides of the story, (technically she left the scene of the “contact”) and let her have it. I do have all her info. Instead of feeling lucky, I’m feeling very uneasy about the whole thing. I’m feeling as if I should have just hauled off and cracked her freaking nose while she was sitting in her car, but I know that is not right. What she did was intentional, and we both knew it.

I have sensed that other drivers becoming very aggressive whenever I drive my 911, and my girlfriend is starting to notice it too. Other cars seem to accelerate much quicker from red lights than they should under normal driving conditions, lane changes are quicker and seem to be closer to my car, etc….And it seems to be getting worse. This incident is just driving it home for me. Ya’ll be careful and attentive out there.

[widgeon13]

You should at least go and file a police report to get it on the record, especially if there was contact.

[chrisf]

will that affect my insurance?

[widgeon13]

It shouldn't effect your insurance as you are not filing a claim. It does get your facts on the books if she decides to blame it on you or the old man wants to get physical about the situation. Perhaps she has a record of this kind of behavior, she needs to be reported. Your insurance company should be thankful you took the initiative to report her threatening behavior. If they modify your rate then drop them as you insurance company.

Whether she doesn't like Pcars or sports cars or men or whatever, she most likely has done this before. This is not normal behavior.

[Paul K]

Chris:

Sounds like things could have turned out way worse. Glad no shots were fired.

FWIW, I've noticed other drivers doing stupid/aggressive stuff while I'm driving the 911, especially truckers and ricers. I'm starting to think a dash-mounted camera may be a wise investment...

Cheers,

Paul.

[ckissick]

Do you go to the track? I find that after a day on a race track, no amount of aggressiveness from other drivers can get even the slightest rise from me. It's very therapeutic.

[T77911S]

people are different towards a porsche.
you should not have tried to "compete" with her. i will actually accelerate much slower if i know someone is "racing" or messing with me. stay behind, maybe you will see a wreck. i drive fast, but not if it means i have to weave in and out of traffic so not to draw attention and look like the a$$ that has to go faster than everybody else

[Jim Richards]

Chris, you probably shouldn't have tried to pass her on the right. When you're dealing with aggressive drivers, it's usually best to keep clear of them. I'm glad your car (and you) came out of this OK. And Charlie (ckissick) is spot on, a day at the track will make this seem less stressful.

[masraum]

Back when I had my 911, I noticed the same thing. Folks were more aggressive and idiots around the 911 than they would normally be. I've had it happen a little with the miata, but not as much.

[widgeon13]

I would certainly agree with what others have said about a day at the track and removing the urge to drive aggressively on the road. Not saying you were driving aggressively but Pcars seem to make other jealous or have very strange behavior.

Most of the time when driving my car, I'm very conservative in traffic and only hammer it when out and away from others.

[Steve Carlton]

I'll bet she's great in the sack.

[madmmac]

Glad everything turned out OK.

I always drive with my headlights on, just in the hope that people are more aware of that smallish German car around them.

I have been astounded by how many people actually pull off the road when I come up behind them with my lights on during the day. I don't ride their a$$ or anything, but many times they will slow, pull to the right and let me by. This occurs on our many 2 lane roads that we have everywhere.

[chrisf]

I went ahead & filed a report with the local PD. I'll hear from them in 3-5 days.

Charlie, I understand about the track thing. I've done autocross this summer, in fact just did one in Atlanta Sunday. And yes, since the very first one, it has changed the manner in which I drive on the roads, much more conservative, and others aggresions just meerely roll off my back.

I was maybe a mile or two from the house when she originally passed me. It was 30 or so deg out this morning, so my car wasn't even warmed up, so I wasn't racing it or her. I wasn't trying to "compete" in anyway. When she originally passed me, she got really close and flew by with great speed. I think it pissed her off to have me catch her when she got stuck at a few lights later down the road. What she did was intentional. When we were turning right, she was moving very slowly....and once on the 4 lane, she wouldn't accelerate. I was in the right lane, she was in the left. I had a feeling something funny was about to happen. Remember she had been driving much faster than me, so I assumed she'd take off again. But she wasn't accerlating and I was waiting before I tried to pass her on the right. When it was obvious she wasn't going to go (we were doing like 20 mph) I started to come pass her. This was a stand off. I'm not exaggerating. She literally cut me off, and then slammed on her brakes, then took off once I stopped. When she realized I was going to catch she started making right hand turns and we finally wound up at another red light next to a church parking lot where I got out and motioned for her to join me in waiting for the PD.

[livi]

Glad you were not hurt or damaged your car, Chris. Some people..

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by chrisf

We wait about 20 mins, and nobody ever shows up. Since there is no damage to my car (I popped the mirror back into place) we decided to leave. I was hoping that an officer would listen to both sides of the story, (technically she left the scene of the “contact”) and let her have it.

Do you regret not waiting longer for an officer to arrive?

Will you still be able to pursue some sort of retribution against her?

I would've sat there an hour or more... made another call to law enforcement... she needs to take a hit because it sounds like she's got "problems."

No doubt she only behaves the way she does because 1) she has a larger vehicle and feels powerful inside it and 2) she relies on threatening a call to her husband as a way to get people to back down who call her on her behavior.

[legion]

I would have waited as long as it took for the police to arrive.

One trick I used to do with the 951 was when I was at a stop light and someone wanted to race me, I'd rev the engine. They'd take off flying and I would gently accelerate.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by legion

........when I was at a stop light and someone wanted to race me, I'd rev the engine. They'd take off flying and I would gently accelerate.

Heh heh. That reminds me of a story a friend told me. A guy he knew hated speeders and street racing punks. One day one pulled up beside him at a busy intersection downtown and revved his engine.

He looked over at the guy and revved his engine. The guy revved his in return.

He kept looking at the guy and revving his engine... this was a long light.

Then with the light still red, he takes off for a split second, then hits his brakes.

The guy thinks the light has changed and launches into the intersection.

And gets t-boned.



Yeah, I know it's vigilante justice, and I'm usually not in favor of it, but this story made me laugh.

[chrisf]

I did get a call back from the dispatch saying that a unit was on the scene...that was almost an hour after my original call. I made the call to leave after considering the situation from a non-emotional point of view. no damage, etc.....

but after thinking some more about what she did and the condition of her vehicle from prior collisions (did I mention the black circular scuffs on the side?) I felt obligated to take action, not for retribution, but from a sense of duty. Does she have a prior record of this type of behavior?, etc.....

When I called the police department, the lady that transferred me to the appropriate unit said I did the right thing. The next lady was very enthused about my situation as well. I got a call no less than 5 minutes later from a dispatcher saying a unit was at my place of work. He came around to my car and got all the info and was very sympathetic with what had happened. He said he has a BMW he drives and notices that people seem to behave more aggressive when he’s in that. Of course I guess he normally drives a cruiser….

So maybe something will come of this. We'll see I guess.

[Oh Haha]

You did the right thing by contacting the police. Who knows what kind of record she has or who else she may have had "contact" with recently.

[Jim Richards]

It's great that they are looking into this incident, Chris. If nothing else comes of it, the police will have some history on this women to support prosecution of any future incidents that she might involve herself in.