I had road rage!! could not help it.

[dan330]

yesterday.. another driver pissed me off soo much..

driving through an intersection to go over the overpass...
a guy in an F150 quickly cuts right in front of me.. and there where only a few cars behind me, so it was not like he would miss the green light!
i honk at him.. to let him know it was too close (4 ft).
he break-checks me.. I see him laughing at me in his side mirror!!!!!

now.. people cut in all the time.. but they know they did wrong.
they normally just wave a sorry.. or just ignore me.
but to cut, then break-check, then laugh!!!!!!
oh i was pissed.. so.. i lost it.

yeah.. i acted like a child and had road rage!

i gassed the car.. and ran around him..
cut in.. and break checked him!
he started yelling at me.. and only pissed me more!!!

on the other side of the overpass. was a 2 lanes to turn left.. onto the service road. to enter the on-ramp to highway.
i was in far left with 1 car in front of me.. he was to my right, one car up.

as we turned left... i hugged the front car..
he was trying to force his way left.. so he an get on the on-ramp.
he had to get behind me... we entered the on-ramp.. one lane and both sides have a side barrier.
I came to a stop.. put it in park.
he had to stop behind me.. and was blocked but other cars from the rear.

i walked up to his window.. (windows rolled up)
yelled at him.. what was soo funny about break-checking a stranger??

he would not look at me.. and kept looking behind and to the right.. see if he can get around or away...
come out here.. and tell me what was so funny!!!

he looked like a scared puppy.. who had just got caught peeing on the carpet!
no place to run...

i was only there for about 1 min.. maybe 2.. hard to tell when your all hyped up. walked back to the car..and dove off.
Yes.. I know I was wrong to confront a stranger like that.. it could have been bad for me.

but.. I am 100% sure this idiot has done this to others.. and think he is a road bully. pushing others.. push women...
I hope this will scare him.. to be more polite to other drivers.
because others might be more aggresive than i was! and one day, he might just get what he deserves!

 

[MoodyBlues]

Been there, done that. And you know what? It's REALLY and TRULY stupid and dangerous. These days, you just don't know what any given stranger may have on them or may do to you. Like blow your head off with a gun. Or throw acid at you. Or...whatever.

I used to be really...really...bad about getting aggravated by stupid drivers [in Texas], and I would honk, shout obscenities, and wave 'the finger' so often my hands got tired. Then one day--after hearing about a car-to-car shooting--I realized it wasn't worth it. I had a daughter and husband to think about, so getting killed wasn't smart, and certainly causing an accident (by brake-checking the moron) wasn't smart, so I just stopped.

I understand the frustration that triggered your response, but I hope in the future you'll react differently. It would not be cool to lose you to some idiot stranger who had a weapon, you know?

 

[dan330]

yeah.. afterwards.. i was like.. what the hell was i thinking??? this is texas.. every one has a gun!!!

he was some mid 20s.. with a beeber hair cut..

it was not my car.. i borrowed a friends.
and rear-ending someone.. is automatily the fault of the person in the rear!
and it only has liablity insurance.
so it scared me!!! then he laughed..
it was too much!!!

 

[mikedt]

Getting cut-up about being cut-up? Try driving in China then, you'll soon get used to it. From what I've seen actual road rage is rather low, certainly compared to what I saw in the UK. Most of the time, you see something you don't like, give them a blast on the hooter, and just get on with the driving....baring in mind this is China, and not Texas.

About ten years ago, I took a one day defensive driving course. Which basically teaches you to treat all other road users as morons, to anticipate, and to always expect the unexpected. And I think for me driving here has paid off.

 

[sfbloodbrother]

He gets what he deserves...

 

[rich2626]

What I hate the most is tailgaters!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mplevy]

Nice, but getting out of the car can get you arrested, especially if you end up blocking traffic.

I was the recipient of road rage last weekend. I was on a highway, signs all over pointing out to keep right except to pass. I was overtaking another vehicle, pulled left to pass them, they then sped up. Next thing I know, I'm getting honked at and flipped off as a guy pulls right 2 lanes to pass us both. Now, I'm pretty sure I checked my mirrors and blind spot when I made the lane change, so I'm pretty sure I didn't cut him off, I can only surmise that he was pissed I was in the left lane but not passing.

 

[rabidhunter]

I don't mind people being jerks on the road, but what really gets me angry is when things go from jerky to dangerous and stuipid. Brake checking is just that kind of dangerous and stupid thing.

 

[breadnatty08]

Alright, I don't drive much. Can someone explain what break-checking is?

 

[dan330]

brake-checking....

is when someone is very close to your tail.. and you want to remind them that it is dangerous there. you break hard, then gas it. it scare them to hit their breaks to not hit you in the rear..

this gets tailgaters off your ass.

 

[mplevy]

That would be BRAKE-checking...

 

[zuben el genub]

I don't brake check. I just find a sharp corner that I'm familiar with and my truck will take with engine braking and downshifting and no brake lights. I've had panicked crotch rockets behind me on mountain roads. It always surprises me how little attention people pay to road signs. A lot of S curve signs also include the speed limit.
Some say "so what" until they hit a mountain road with a drop off on one side and a very low guard rail.

I want one of those programmable signs for the back window. A cell phone could probably program one.

 

[MoodyBlues]

I don't brake check. I just find a sharp corner that I'm familiar with and my truck will take with engine braking and downshifting and no brake lights.

That used to be one of my strategies, too.

On a somewhat related note, another thing I like to do--and, yes, I do mean in the present tense--is, while stopped at an intersection, let my vehicle roll back toward the vehicle behind me if they're getting too close. I've seen *PANICKED* looks on faces as the driver goes for their horn, before realizing I stopped before hitting them. Damn, I love manual transmissions. :evil: :rofl:

 

[zuben el genub]

I had a 67 Spitfire. I was taught to drive by some friends on the sports car circuit.

We had 4 cars in the family, and every last one of them was a manual transmission.
Kid took her driving test on a 75 Opel Manta. Had to file down a walking cast to drive the truck. Truck is a 96 4cyl Tacoma 4WD sport truck.

 

[Joelgp83]

I used to be really...really...bad about getting aggravated by stupid drivers [in Texas], and I would honk, shout obscenities, and wave 'the finger' so often my hands got tired.

What, you didn't condemn them to /DEV/NULL while you were at it?

 

[MoodyBlues]

What, you didn't condemn them to /DEV/NULL while you were at it?

No, no, I only do that to window$.

 

[TheAtheistReverend]

There is no such thing as "I couldn't help it".
Not in this kind of situation.

 

[starxpilot]

What a shame I can not simply break in-front of idiotic drivers, exit vehicle with a crowbar, and start smashing the other driver's 'windows'. *Including the two 'films' in his eyes*
~
While we're on the topic, and towards the OP, how do you all feel about Dash Cameras? (I've been considering getting one but can't seem to find any 'good quality' ones online, or one that I'm willing to risk some money for)

Edit: Here's something that I'm referring to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ueo4-xksKe8 or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8GGbn2uGOU

In some places, I hear (at work) that if you cut someone and either a police officer sees it, or you have video of it which leads to either a complaint filed with the state's DOT, or leads to having police summoned, you can get a citation, and a demand to attend a 'safety driving course'.

 

[TheAtheistReverend]

I saw someone here turn their old HTC Eris into a dash cam. If it is marketed as a dashcam it is probably marked way up from one that just takes a little creativity or ingenuity. Like how a cheap IP cam can be marked up 400% because it has a smily face on it and its sold as a video baby monitor.

 

[Frisco]

The portion of the thread title, "...couldn't help it..." is what we all relate to, I think.

There must be some sort of auto pilot for our indignity threshold that bypasses our common sense at times.

I've not had mine set off while driving or riding my motorcycle to the point of actually taking action. But I've felt pretty mad and just got the heck out of the way of the person being aggressive; let them "win," then carry on happily with my day.. usually takes about a minute or two to get over it.

I am not superior to those who respond to the aggressor and get in a lane changing race or fights or whatever. I want to. It's just that there's so much to lose by "winning" one of those fights.

 

[TheAtheistReverend]

...there's so much to lose by "winning" one of those fights.

/\..... /\
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[TJGoSurf]

Hmmm road rage. I drive about 400 miles a day for work. Nothing is more fun than watching a guy pass me on the shoulder with his family in the car. Hit the horn and flip him off. Then he followed me to my next well site. Pulled off the road into the well site. Jumped out and started screaming at me. I calmly told him that he was trespassing and needed to leave. He punched me in the jaw. I told him I really didn't want to hurt him in front of his family. He didn't listen and I put him on the ground. Dragged him to the well head and zip tied his hands to it. I told him I was placing him under a citizens arrest for trespassing. By then his wife had already called the sheriff and had jumped out to tell me that I should let him go. That's when I told her he was under a citizens arrest and we'll finish everything when the deputy shows up.

Long story short. Deputy shows up, honors my arrest, then also charges him for assault.

 

[general eclect]

I don't brake check. I just find a sharp corner that I'm familiar with and my truck will take with engine braking and downshifting and no brake lights. I've had panicked crotch rockets behind me on mountain roads. It always surprises me how little attention people pay to road signs. A lot of S curve signs also include the speed limit.
Some say "so what" until they hit a mountain road with a drop off on one side and a very low guard rail.

I want one of those programmable signs for the back window. A cell phone could probably program one.

I used to find that during the daytime turning on my lights makes the person tailgating think I've braked. If that didn't make them drop back I would brake check them.

 

[damewolf13]

I know how angry that type of thing can make you, and in the past I have also confronted others, but it is so NOT SAFE!
Just a few months ago, right here in Tucson, two young men in their twenties had a road rage incident which left one dead (the confronter) and a young Marine in prison for several years to come (the offender). It is so not worth it!!!

 

[huh]

i smile and wave and flirt and i am extra nice and happy on the road....on purpose

and everyone is nice to me right back...

people need to chill...