Road Rage

So I was doing my daily commute in to work this morning, and on the main street which I have to take to get to the highway is also a HEAVY Commuter bus street. As only Miami can do, these buses which nobody but 4-5 homeless or crazy (or both) people ride each day-stop ON THE STREET, and do not have an area where they stop and do not obstruct traffic. The original intent was to make traffic better, where they actually make it FAR WORSE.

 

So I am in the right lane, and I see a Bus is stopped ahead. I put my turn signal on for 4-5 seconds to signal I need to move to center lane to avoid being stuck behind the bus for god knows how long, and this douche in a GMC Sierra starts to speed up to not allow me to merge into the lane. So I of course merge into the lane anyways and get around the bus. He is RIDING MY A$$ at this point, and I move to the right lane so he can get around me, and he starts to swerve at me pulling that Im going to hit your car with mine deal that is all so scary (you can hear me shaking in my boots). He does it 2-3 times on different occasions as we drive up the road. In my experience nobody that does that ever has the b@lls to take it all the way and actually hit my car.

 

Luckily for him, 2 things were in his favor: My wife who is expecting any day now and daughter were not in the car, and I did not have any of my weapons on me (and I didnt know if he was carrying either-but I always assume that is the case in Miami).

 

I did not roll down my window, or make any gestures, etc in the process. Just stared at him each time I was next to his car. I kept telling myself to calm down and thought to myself last thing I need is to get out and kick this guys teeth in, and go to jail and miss the birth of my son this week. Or even worse, get shot or stabbed for getting out of the car and miss my kids growing up. So I took the high road and did nothing.

 

Does having children make you soft? Prior to kids I would have at least rolled my window down and tried to entice the guy to get out of his car and pounded his face in if he did....

 

I feel like I did the right thing in this situation, and took the high road.

Does having children make you soft? Prior to kids I would have at least rolled my window down and tried to entice the guy to get out of his car and pounded his face in if he did....

 

Not soft, smart!

 

The obvious response form people that will comment is that he might have tried to hurt you. But how about the opposite? What if he got out and you "ass whooped" him so bad that it caused major damage?

Not soft, smart!

 

The obvious response form people that will comment is that he might have tried to hurt you. But how about the opposite? What if he got out and you "ass whooped" him so bad that it caused major damage?

 

Thats the other thing I thought about. It was in the middle of heavy traffic, and I know every single person around us would have filmed it, including our license plates, etc. If I broke his nose, or orbital socket (or worse-his neck), etc and then I get sued and go to jail for assault.

You absolutely did the right thing. It takes a different mind set to not let these situations get the best of you. Having kids changes everything. Who knows what that moron is going through in his life. Whatever it is, he was trying to take it out on you at that very moment. Good thing you just let it go and move on. Your life is way more precious, especially with your wife and baby on the way. Congrats on the baby and all the best with the delivery. Exciting times.

Definitely not soft...just smarter. Thats a lose/lose situation these days. Even if you taught him a lesson, who knows what the effects of the altercation should have been. Why is it almost always pickup truck drivers that drive like the biggest assholes (no offense to ALL pickup drivers) but they are either contractors who seem like they are on the phone while bidding jobs in the middle of driving and no paying attention to the road, or they are some fcuking piece of trash who thinks his truck is a fcuking indy car, and they drive like maniacs cutting everyone off and thinking they control the road.

You absolutely did the right thing. It takes a different mind set to not let these situations get the best of you. Having kids changes everything. Who knows what that moron is going through in his life. Whatever it is, he was trying to take it out on you at that very moment. Good thing you just let it go and move on. Your life is way more precious, especially with your wife and baby on the way. Congrats on the baby and all the best with the delivery. Exciting times.

 

Thanks buddy-wife is due next week, but I have a feeling she will be induced this week.

 

It is tough sometimes to let calmer heads prevail with so many stupid people out there.

 

 

Best is to let it go.... you have too much to lose and really nothing to gain.

I don't think it is even kids...older and wiser. When I used to commute into DC, stuff like this would happen daily and I could literally feel my myself getting hot with rage. I'm 32 too now, and if something like this happens I'm more likely to smile and wave just to piss them off more cause I really don't care anymore. Even beyond the road rage, I had a girl friend who had ridden with me and she was younger and commented that I was slow since I wasn't whipping around in traffic or running 15 over, which I used to do and now it's just smarts that says why risk a ticket to get somewhere a couple of minutes quicker. Whoever the guy was, maybe younger and doesn't know better or just one of the many immature adult idiots out there driving.

Side note...I was on the hayabusa yesterday in broad daylight and a lady with a handicap decal merged over directly where I was, have no idea how she didn't see/hear me but when I ripped that throttle and luckily was able to get past, the look on her face was priceless. Sure I wanted to say something but I quickly pushed it out of my mind.

I can't believe you are second guessing yourself. Who needs the bullshit over a silly incident of road rage.

not soft...just the smarter adult thing to do.

 

Its like arguing with a stupid person...its just not worth the time.

I can't believe you are second guessing yourself. Who needs the bullshit over a silly incident of road rage.

 

I hate to think that my wife will be the next one this guy pulls that stunt on with my kids in the car, or my parents, etc.

 

 

So I took the high road and did nothing.

 

No kids here but I try to just not respond to road ragers. I do the same thing, nothing. I drive like nothing happened and if they want to be an asshole, they can be an asshole. If they decide they want to be threatening I'll call them in, and that has only happened on one occasion, otherwise they just get pissed, pass me and move on. I recently had an incident where me and my girlfriend were on a road trip together and for some reason this guy decided he was unhappy that the rest of traffic was going 60mph (mind you there's 6 cars in front of me causing this). He was riding my ass so close that I couldn't see his headlights at one point, and he kept honking as if somehow I had control over the traffic in front.

 

I didn't do anything, I just let him rage and I kept driving like a normal person. He eventually took a really super risky pass on a straightaway and moved on. If I'm on my motorcycle I just pull over and let the idiot go ahead, because in any road rage incident a car is going to win with a bike. Perhaps it's my getting older and getting more self preservation, but I just try to remind myself to calm down, handle it rationally and not let them get to me.

 

I've had ONE incident on my motorcycle where I actually couldn't stop. I passed a guy, he flipped out, sped up and got on my ass, honking and everything. I sped up a little more and he sped up. So I said "OK if that's how it is i'll pull over." and he started to pull over with me. That's when I went "NOPE." and got on the throttle and was out of there like a bat out of hell. I just pulled out the stops and went as fast as I could, got away from the bastard and didn't look back.

 

(edit) I just realized you aren't much older than me.

Many years ago I was on the receiving end of a pissed off bicyclist. For some strange reason he thought that traffic laws did not apply to him and some how everything was my fault. At the time I was in my hopped up '67 Camaro and I had a fire extinguisher onboard. I calmy waited for him to approach my window. When he looked down and saw it in my lap pointed at his face, his reaction was priceless! He went from "I'm going to kick your ass" to "I just wanted to apologize"

 

Probably one of the very few road rage stories that ended up funny and OK.

I can't believe you are second guessing yourself. Who needs the bullshit over a silly incident of road rage.

 

 

Occasional road rage ass pounding is a great way to relieve stress though...

 

Perhaps under different cicumstances, Ie no traffic, things would have been different otherwise you did the right thing. I go through this 100 times a day on US1. Strangely enough it's almost always a jerk off with a pick up...

I have a friend that recently had a similar experience as mine this morning where he was driving alone and minding his business, and a car behind him thought he was driving too slow, so they tailgated him and were honking/flashing thier lights at him, so he tappedd on his brakes to let them know not to tailgate him. He saw a Red light approaching, and that the car was filled with 4 grown men, so he grabbed his CW from under his seat, and waited. Sure enough they all got out of the car to beat him up. He kept his window rolled up and simply put his Glock 40 on the dashboard as they got close so they could see he wasnt really "alone", and all 4 of them quickly walked back to the car with their tail between their legs. He did not point it at them, did not make a threatening move, just let them know if you pound on my car, you will get shot.

So many shitty people out there. Obviously you can't hold back your rage because it's a natural thing. You can only hold yourself back long enough for the rage to dissipate and you regain your self control. Once I've done this I think about how great my life is and how shitty his must be. Then I'm relieved that karma has already decided the fate. You go home to your beautiful family and he goes home to his miserable existence.

When ever deciding retaliate or not to retaliate ask yourself this.....

 

Am I prepared to make this loser an instant millionaire if I drop him and he sues me?

 

If the answer is no, and your life is not in imminent danger, the smart money says walk away.

 

 

When ever deciding retaliate or not to retaliate ask yourself this.....

 

Am I prepared to make this loser an instant millionaire if I drop him and he sues me?

 

If the answer is no, and your life is not in imminent danger, the smart money says walk away.

 

In my case, it would be a hundred thousandaire, but yes I see the point!

 

I did the right thing in this case for sure, I just think its funny how people change over their lives, and how perception of everything changes as you get older and wiser. I think society is changing quite a bit as well. I think if I would have gotten out of my car in the late 80's we could have fought and shook hands at the end and gone on our way. Now everyone wants to get lawyers involved, and are SOOO hypersensitive to everything.

 

Also, people wouldnt have filmed it back then, and they would have had to walk to a pay phone to call the cops! lol.

I'm more likely to smile and wave just to piss them off more cause I really don't care anymore.

 

 

I read this and bursted out laughing because that is exactly what I do. I have this happy go lucky look on my face and smile/wave like i really dont know whats going on and just happy to see the person.

 

It absolutely sends the other person in a crazy rage ..... its hysterical.

I don't think it makes you soft, I just think you're probably a better person and wanted to avoid all of the headache all together. About three weeks ago, I was pulling out of the base housing exchange (off base), here in Hawaii. I have poor vision, but enough to see what I need to see. I stopped at this stop sign, before the exit of the exchange parking lot, then turned right to stop at the stop sign that is right next to the other one. Right as I'm pulling out, this car turns on it's headlights, coming straight toward me, that I obviously couldn't see it, because it was night time and pitch black and I'm still adjusting to the lack of light from just being in a lighted store. I stop at the next stop sign, and the car pulls right up on my ass and lays on the horn. I yelled out the window; "Maybe you should hve your headlights turned on and I would have been able to see you." The guy in his car gets out and yells "Shut yo' bitch ass up, cracker. I'm gonna bust yo' ass up whitey." He then proceeds to get back in his car and follow me all the way down the street, yelling things like "cracker" and "faggot" at me, as well as "little bitch," mind you, kids are walking down the side walk at night, hearing these things. Luckily in my car, I had OC spray, which is a LOT stronger type of pepper spray that will take even the toughest people down in small doses. I outran him though, and didn't have time to get a license plate number or anything. If it wasn't Hawaii, and I was able to have my gun in my car, he would have definitely had one pointed at him if he tried to walk up to me. I was furious, so I can say, I know what you're going through man.

If anything i think your crazy for second guessing your decision.

Mike, in all my years driving I've only retaliated once. Years ago, same scenario, I signalled to let me in, he didn't, I did anyway, got on my ass swearing and flipping me off. Came to a red light, I was in a Rover, he was in a BMW, he's still yapping away. Decided I would make a move.

 

I backed up and drove up on his hood. Crushed his car. Totalled it.

 

Thought it would feel incredible. Felt incredibly stupid the moment I did it. To this day one of the only things I ever regretted in my adult lifetime.

 

Cannot fathom how much regret I would have if I ever assaulted someone (physically, with firearm, etc.) as retaliation and lost part of my life in jail. Idiotic.

 

Everyone has a big dick online, but time again during confrontation, intelligent people have part of their brain that tells them to walk away and get on with their successful lives.

Mike, in all my years driving I've only retaliated once. Years ago, same scenario, I signalled to let me in, he didn't, I did anyway, got on my ass swearing and flipping me off. Came to a red light, I was in a Rover, he was in a BMW, he's still yapping away. Decided I would make a move.

 

I backed up and drove up on his hood. Crushed his car. Totalled it.

 

Thought it would feel incredible. Felt incredibly stupid the moment I did it. To this day one of the only things I ever regretted in my adult lifetime.

 

Cannot fathom how much regret I would have if I ever assaulted someone (physically, with firearm, etc.) as retaliation and lost part of my life in jail. Idiotic.

 

Everyone has a big dick online, but time again during confrontation, intelligent people have part of their brain that tells them to walk away and get on with their successful lives.

 

Wow. Crazy story.

 

I have another Range Rover story that ties into this. Funny enough, I was also in a BMW.

 

I was on the airport expressway in Miami heading West with a friend of mine (must have been 2002 or 2003). I was in my 3 series coupe at the time, and on the left lane of the highway. I drove the hell out of that thing 24/7 and was driving fast, but then saw a cop in the middle lane of a 3 lane section of the highway. There was a car next to me going the same speed. A Black Range Rover comes FLYING onto my rear bumper flashing his high beams. Honking, etc. I stick my hand out of my window pointing at the cop in front of us telling him, I am not speeding up to get a ticket there is a cop in FRONT OF US! He keeps honking and flashing his brights. I tap the brakes. He brakes hard. Cop gets off highway, and coming up ahead is a hard right embankment with essentially a small grass cliff off to the left of it. Range Rover Flys up behind me again. Guy gets next to me and swerves HARD at me-literally tried to drive me off the highway down the side of the grass embankment that would have flipped my car. Had I not swerved it would have hit us and drove us off highway. In my mind this was attempted vehicular manslaughter, but could not catch up to him afterwards.

 

Again, I wouldnt retaliate unless he threatened my family or children (I assume you would feel the same now with the little ninja at home). Had he escalated things and actually hit my car, I could see how that would be grounds for further escalation if he was truly threatening my life by hitting my car.

 

I thought about the e-d!ck thing before I posted this too. lol. Everyones a tough guy online. This morning my brain was working even though I had just woken up 30 minutes before the incident.

Mike, in all my years driving I've only retaliated once. Years ago, same scenario, I signalled to let me in, he didn't, I did anyway, got on my ass swearing and flipping me off. Came to a red light, I was in a Rover, he was in a BMW, he's still yapping away. Decided I would make a move.

 

I backed up and drove up on his hood. Crushed his car. Totalled it.

 

Thought it would feel incredible. Felt incredibly stupid the moment I did it. To this day one of the only things I ever regretted in my adult lifetime.

 

Cannot fathom how much regret I would have if I ever assaulted someone (physically, with firearm, etc.) as retaliation and lost part of my life in jail. Idiotic.

 

Everyone has a big dick online, but time again during confrontation, intelligent people have part of their brain that tells them to walk away and get on with their successful lives.

 

 

Damn that was a bold move! I wouldn't have felt good about that either.

 

 

 

 

Walking away is always the better solution. Just go spend an hour on youtube looking for road rage clips. There's so many god damned morons out there assaulting others, and breaking peoples shit.

There's really no situation where this is necessary.

Wow. Crazy story.

 

I have another Range Rover story that ties into this. Funny enough, I was also in a BMW.

 

I was on the airport expressway in Miami heading West with a friend of mine (must have been 2002 or 2003). I was in my 3 series coupe at the time, and on the left lane of the highway. I drove the hell out of that thing 24/7 and was driving fast, but then saw a cop in the middle lane of a 3 lane section of the highway. There was a car next to me going the same speed. A Black Range Rover comes FLYING onto my rear bumper flashing his high beams. Honking, etc. I stick my hand out of my window pointing at the cop in front of us telling him, I am not speeding up to get a ticket there is a cop in FRONT OF US! He keeps honking and flashing his brights. I tap the brakes. He brakes hard. Cop gets off highway, and coming up ahead is a hard right embankment with essentially a small grass cliff off to the left of it. Range Rover Flys up behind me again. Guy gets next to me and swerves HARD at me-literally tried to drive me off the highway down the side of the grass embankment that would have flipped my car. Had I not swerved it would have hit us and drove us off highway. In my mind this was attempted vehicular manslaughter, but could not catch up to him afterwards.

 

Again, I wouldnt retaliate unless he threatened my family or children (I assume you would feel the same now with the little ninja at home). Had he escalated things and actually hit my car, I could see how that would be grounds for further escalation if he was truly threatening my life by hitting my car.

 

I thought about the e-d!ck thing before I posted this too. lol. Everyones a tough guy online. This morning my brain was working even though I had just woken up 30 minutes before the incident.

 

 

Interesting, I was in Miami in 2003. There was this a-hole in a Bimmer driving the airport expressway rocking out to Backstreet, flipping me off. He was kind of Mexican looking but with beady little eyes. He kept trying to tell me there was a cop in front of him. Wait...