Road Rage

[kwm]

I had an interesting experience regarding road rage this morning where some guy flipped out on me. He was flipping me off, blowing his horn, tried to follow me, etc... Does anyone have any interesting stories involving road rage? I ask b/c after I got to work I realized that almost everyone has a story of their own. Good bad or ugly...you where wrong or they where...whichever.
This guy also held up a pen and mouthed that he wrote down my plate number. Why I am not sure. Does anyone know if you can get access to addresses and stuff from a plate number if you are not in law enforcement or is it pretty easy to get access to this info. Sleeping with my 40 cal under my pillow can be a bit uncomfortable.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by kwm

This guy also held up a pen and mouthed that he wrote down my plate number. Why I am not sure. Does anyone know if you can get access to addresses and stuff from a plate number if you are not in law enforcement or is it pretty easy to get access to this info.

He may have a bud in law enforcement... or at the DMV.

Or he may just want to make you squirm.

What did you do to piss him off?



Most likely, he would just committ some vandalism on your ride at 3 A.M. if you don't have it inside a garage.

[legion]

Back when I was home for the summer in college and I had the 300D...

I had a pulled out onto a road when there was a Jeep maybe an eighth of a mile away. Well, he must have been travelling MUCH faster than the 30 mph speed limit as he was on my ass the second I could see him in my rear view mirror. He followed me for miles He tried more than once to get out of his Jeep but the light always turned green just in time. I didn't have anything to do that day so I thought: "If this jerk is going to follow me, I'm going to take him on a road trip." I started to head down to Bloomington. He stopped following me about half way to the Interstate.

[kwm]

I was getting on a major interstate and I still had dew all over my sideview so I raally could barely see out of it, plus the S-10 is slightly lacking in acceleration. He would not and did not move over for me to merge (which is a huge pet-peave of mine) onto the I-state even though he had plenty of room. It kinda scared me too since I could not see him and I had to ride the rumble strip for a few. So I came around his back to the left side and pulled in front and slowed way down (although most of that was due to traffic). Then he really flipped out very easily. Then he tried to exit along with me despite being infront of me at this time.

[Heel n Toe]

I'd say it would be advisable to wipe the dew off your sideview before you hit the road in the mornings... that is an "equipment problem," and stuff like that is on you... not everyone else.

The "pull around on the left and pull in front of him and slow down thing" wasn't too classy... traffic or not. Why did you get back in the right lane? Did you just want to diss him because you were pissed off yourself?

Technically, that's a form of road rage too, you know.

Sure, he could have moved over a lane to let you in, but if your mirror hadn't been obscured, you could've seen him and held back a bit and come in behind him.

You mentioned the S-10 isn't loaded with horsepower, yet you had enough to pass him... and then you needed one of the next exits? Kinda doesn't make sense.

I see you're in Concord. That might not be a good place to piss off the bubbas if you know what I mean.

And I'm sure you do. LOL

[vash]

my girlfriend (at the time, now my wife)and i almost got killed by a road rager. he tail gated me, and then zoomed past. as he went by, i gave him the bird. i was on my motorcycle with her riding behind me. he was inches off my back end. anyways once he saw my finger he swerved into me. i dont know how i managed to steer clear with one hand. DUMBEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE. if jen was not with me, i would have given my health up to get a piece of him. i would have killed him, no doubt. i was blind with anger, but having this woman on the back of my bike gave me clarity. i calmed down, drove home, and relaxed. i dont let anything bother me on the road anymore.

i did mentally memorize the dude's car. i suspect he didnt live far. if i ever saw him, it was GO TIME! i would have destroyed his ride.

[dhoward]

Wondering what makes anyone expect someone in the next lane to move over?
All highway entrances I drive on have a yield sign on them.
I have to make accomodations for the flow of traffic. It's MY responsibility.
Get in front of him and slow down?
Sounds like a douche to me.

[masraum]

I've had a couple of weird experiences. I'm sure I've pissed a few people off in my time, but I've also had folks flip out on me without me having done anything to them.

Here in Houston there are lots of double turn lanes. On the way home one night, I was turning right from the left turn lane and an expedition was turning right from the right turn lane. I still had my 911 at the time.

She decided to turn right into my lane where I was. Fortunately, there was a paved median, so I swerved into that and hit the brakes to drop back behind her. I got behind her, saw that there was room to get around her in the other lane (the lane she had started in), so I pulled out and started to go around her. At that point, she gunned the gas and got next to another vehicle in the lane that I had changed into. When she got next to the other vehicle she hit her brakes and paced them until she turned.

Another time, I was driving down the road in my miata on a 35mph road where they were building new subdivisions. I was probably going around 40-45. I looked in the rear view to see a Ford truck bearing down on me at about 70mph. He swerved at the last minute around me and then cut back through my lane to get in front of me and jabbed on his brakes. I have no idea where he came from. I just stayed behind him for a while and he seemed to be driving sane. So after a bit I slowly changed lanes and started to pull along side to pass. As I got next to him, he swerved over into my lane and started yelling and shaking his arm at me out the window. He didn't stop, so I slowly started edging closer to his truck until he swerved back into his lane and left me alone. I never reacted or flipped him off or anything.

About 3 months later I ran into the same guy in the same truck on the way home again. I got off of the freeway onto a 3 lane frontage road. I was in lane 1, he was in lane 2 and other traffic was in lane 3. I was slowly passing him, I guess, until he recognized my car at which point he gunned the gas and swerved in front of me. I tried to speed up to get past him, but he sped up too, so I slowed down and went behind him into the far right lane. He was slowed behind traffic, but eventually came along side and got along side me in my lane like he was trying to run me off the road. Then he swerved back and got in front of me several cars up in traffic. While we were sitting waiting for the light to turn, he came back and stopped about 3 car lengths from me screaming about getting my license number saying that he had friends that were cops. He was a little short guy, a bit stocky with a flat top and the collar of his polo shirt flipped up. He was in a big Ford "King Ranch" pick-up truck. I suspect he had a bit of a Napolean thing going on.

He was the scariest person I'd ever experienced on the road. Fortunately, I don't drive that route any more.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by dhoward

Wondering what makes anyone expect someone in the next lane to move over?
All highway entrances I drive on have a yield sign on them.

Yeah, kvm... you need a new pet peeve.

This one ain't workin' for you.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by dhoward

Wondering what makes anyone expect someone in the next lane to move over?
All highway entrances I drive on have a yield sign on them.
I have to make accomodations for the flow of traffic. It's MY responsibility.
Get in front of him and slow down?
Sounds like a douche to me.

Well, yes, for him to have pulled in front and then slowed down was pretty douchy and means he was as much a problem as the other dude.

As you've said, I plan my merge so that I have open lane when I get on whether I have to slow down or speed up.

BUT....

I also think that we all share the road with each other. If I'm driving down the road in the right hand lane, and I see someone getting on at an on-ramp or waiting to turn from the right, I'll move to the left to give them more room.

In my mind, it's only natural to try to make room for folks when you can.

It's courteous.
It should reduce traffic. (If the guy is sitting waiting, or has to slow down, that slows down everyone else).

It's also a pet-peeve of mine that folks will tool along in the right hand lane and not try to make it easier for folks to merge from the right.

I try (not 100% effectively) to be courteous and drive in a way that promotes less traffic.

[dhoward]

I agree.
And I will move over if I can do so.
I don't expect anyone else to though.
MY responsibility.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by masraum

I also think that we all share the road with each other. If I'm driving down the road in the right hand lane, and I see someone getting on at an on-ramp or waiting to turn from the right, I'll move to the left to give them more room.

I do that, too.

I usually move to the left lane 1/2 mile or more before the interchange.

But if I am coming down a ramp to merge, it's on me to do it smoothly... not expect others to speed up, slow down, or move over.

There's not always a way for those people to do that, so I would be stupid to charge down the ramp with a "worry about it when I get there" attitude.

[VincentVega]

I've had my share of incidents on the road, but since I've been riding a bike they really stand out.

Last week I'm riding home just after dark. Traffic is moderate and I'm in the left lane of a 2 lane primary road keeping up with traffic, ~55. I come up on a guy going 50-55 and dont have room to pass, on the right?! He checks his mirrors a few times and them taps the brakes a few times. WTF? If I was following too close I figure I deserve that but I was normal distance. This charade went on for maybe a miles until I was able to pass him on the right. Then the guy decides to speed up and blast his brights. Ok, I get it, you dont like motorcycles.

I've also become fairly attentive to people not signaling or making strange or rapid moves. On the bike I really try to think ahead and find an escape route but sometimes, well, I get lucky I guess.

What's the big deal with the concept of slower traffic staying right? Oh, and why is signally before a turn/lane change so difficult??

[vash]

seriously. driving on the far right lane is foolishness. that thing is really reserved for merging on and off the hwy. if you are not about to do either activity, the manual encourages you into another lane. i just took traffic school... i am educated...

glad nothing really happened.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by dhoward

Wondering what makes anyone expect someone in the next lane to move over?
All highway entrances I drive on have a yield sign on them.
I have to make accomodations for the flow of traffic. It's MY responsibility.

Uhm, I do it all the time.

If there is room I move over a lane.

Called courtesy and honestly is safer for everyone.

How do I know the car entering is not being driven by a drunk or a senior with bad reaction or just a plain idiot.

[Heel n Toe]

I think all that has been pretty much covered... maybe you haven't read the whole thread.

Most here are in favor of moving over if you can.

Most here think it's asking for trouble to charge down a ramp and expect people in the right lane to move over.

They may not be able to.

Or they may not be able to do so without cutting someone off.

I won't cut somebody off to my left just to make a space for a hard charger coming down the ramp who thinks it's all about him.

Or her... happens with the ladies, too.

[Rikao4]

let me put it this way
he was tough,
he was behind her''he was tough & big truck'
until her husband 2 cars back)stuck a 45 under his nose..
you don,t fk with my love or dogs..
when I left ,,he was still crying
Rika

[Rikao4]

oh, yes I was serious..this is Texas..
wifes and dogs

in my neck of the hood..
jury..he needed killin

love this place

Rika

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Rikao4

let me put it this way
he was tough,
he was behind her''he was tough & big truck'
until her husband 2 cars back)stuck a 45 under his nose..
you don,t fk with my love or dogs..
when I left ,,he was still crying
Rika

Hmm, Rika is in TX. Mental note.....

Yeah, just another reason to try to be extra courteous in Houston/Texas. Lots of folks with guns.



Be nice or else.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

I think all that has been pretty much covered... maybe you haven't read the whole thread.

Most here are in favor of moving over if you can.

Most here think it's asking for trouble to charge down a ramp and expect people in the right lane to move over.

They may not be able to.

Or they may not be able to do so without cutting someone off.

I won't cut somebody off to my left just to make a space for a hard charger coming down the ramp who thinks it's all about him.

Or her... happens with the ladies, too.

I read the whole thread and inserted my two cents where I thought it was appropriate.

If you want to moderate a thread start your own, otherwise this one's open for comment.