Road Rage: Was My Life Threatened Today?

[arwalden]

Was it even road rage? Technically speaking did he threaten my life? Or was he just being an asshole? (Or am I over-reacting?)

On the way to take Mike to the airport, we had to stop at a traffic light. When it turned green, the one car ahead of us didn't move. Wait. Wait. Okay... five seconds... "b-beep".

Apparently that pissed him off because even though he proceeded through the light, he decided to "punish" me (and everyone else behind us) with a go-slow tactic driving just under 20MPH in a 30MPH zone.

The two lane winding road leading back to my neighborhood is very difficult to pass on (even if there was no approaching traffic) but with oncoming traffic, it was impossible to pass. Nothing else to do except follow along the full 2 mile stretch until the road widened into 4-lanes.

Finally... we reach the wider four lanes! We're able to pass him, but we get caught briefly by the next left-turn-lane light. Mr. Go-Slow pulls next to us in the through lane and just before our lights turn green, he sticks his arm out of the window and makes a "gun" with his extended index finger and thumb pointing upward. He points it at us, then mimes a recoil-action as he "fires" his finger-pistol.

Amazing! What's wrong with people?? Was he just 'acting-out' or was that a legitimate threat? If I had been thinking I might have taken down his tag number... but the seriousness of what he had just done didn't really hit me until he had driven off.

Idiots! Fucking idiots!

-- Allen

[Ron Green]

1. Ah, being called upon to be an amateur operator in the transportation

system brings out the worst in some people. Too bad we didn't build more trains when we had the chance.

[skygazer]

2. Just a moran

I always just smile and wave like I think they're being friendly. Then I try to get as far away from them as possible. I wouldn't take it as a serious threat - just another idiot.

[paula777]

3. This sounds like my daily commute

Seriously. Everyday I deal with situations like this. It's just unbearable.

[Jack_Dawson]

9. Where do you live? n/t

[paula777]

12. Los Angeles, commute is to Malibu

It's horrible. It's ruining my life.

[Jack_Dawson]

14. Aren't you going against traffic tho?

It would beat living in Malibu and commuting to Downtown LA, right?

[paula777]

17. That's what everybody says .....

but the 10 freeway is a total parking lot - especially at night. It takes me up to two hours to get home and it's only 20 miles total. I'm so frustrated I'm contemplating moving to an under-populated red state

[Jack_Dawson]

18. I'll move to a red state with you! They need our votes...

plus, we can buy a huge house there. :toast:

[paula777]

20. You live in LA too? What part?

[Jack_Dawson]

21. San Diego, actually

But I'm familiar w/ LA. The 405, in particular. Ugh.

[terrya]

4. I think that was for real.

Christ, if he had a gun....

There are people on the road who have no business driving. What you went through was inexcusible bullshit.

T

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

5. I tend to doubt anything would actually happen

Same thing happened to me, except the guy put the car in park, got out of his car, and started yelling at me and threatening me, saying that he had the right to do whatever he wanted.

I told him to fuck off and then asked him if he needed a written invitation to move his car before he'd get out of my way. Then, being a rather large man, I told him to get back into his car before I got out of mine. That worked.

[TexasLady]

6. He likes to pretend like the president......

I heard that some folks get as worked up with road rage as soldiers in combat. I do a fair amount of cussin myself, but would stop short of this guy's actions. I have been guilty of a one finger salute more than once when someone's actions put us in danger.Most folks just feel tougher behind a wheel.

Once my husband beeped at a cop at a light we were sitting at in our area. He did the slow, pull over, wait for us to pass, then follow us home routine. What a maroon. We just waved to him as we pulled into our drive and he passed us. :D

[the Princess]

7. Jesus

People are idiots - and some of them have guns. Scary.

BTW - I like the new Avatar Allen! :)

[Kire]

8. that's a terroristic threat

you could press charges

[MisterP]

11. re: your avatar

I believe the granddaughter of the Sunbeam girl is on DU (I don't know who, though)

[Kire]

23. She would be my second cousin.

But she doesn't exist. My aunt is not a grandmother just yet.

[MisterP]

24. I guess I meant aunt, and I meant you, then

[Kire]

26. LOL

that's great, I was getting worried there might be someone else with a different story and that my family has been lying to me

[DrWeird]

10. I'd have flashed my highbeams at him.

Just to piss him off more.

[Guaranteed]

13. Hell, just leave 'em on. nt

[yardwork]

15. This is the reason that I almost never beep at anybody at a light

even if they sit there for five minutes. Sure, it's a hassle if I'm in a hurry but usually somebody else beeps first.

Even being incredibly passive it's hard to avoid road-morans, though. I once let some people merge in front of me at a road construction site, then took my turn in an orderly way. Well, the guy behind me didn't like that. I was supposed to wait for him to catch up and then let him ahead of me too, I guess.

He followed right behind me in line through the construction site and then pulled around me, beeping loudly, screaming obscenities, and waving his finger out the window at me. Yeah, that'll teach me. :eyes:

[sbj405]

16. He's an idiot. In some places, he would have been shot back at.

Did you get his plate #? I'd report him if so. That definitely falls under the road rage category.

[KurtNYC]

19. had a real gun pulled and pointed at me

On the Conejo grade north of Los Angeles. Mini-truck, jacked up with muddy plates. Passed me and everybody by using the left shoulder (what little there is) and there is a merge right at the top of the grade. He pulls in front of me even though there is no room. I brake and toot. He flips me off. I laugh at him. He reaches under the seat, opens the split glass between the cab and the truck bed and points a big old handgun right at me.

I backed off about 40 yards and let someone in between me and the gunman. Couldn't get the plate due to the mud and really don't want to see him in court all things considered.

Haven't lived in LA for years but when I visit it seems worse now than ever, road rage wise that is.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

22. The minute any driver behaves in a threatening or antagonistic manner

I break out my cell phone and call 911 and give them the plate numbers. I don't take any chances.

[ReadTomPaine]

25. Bingo - the cell phone call works *every time* - Highly recommended.

Jerks shut down their freakshow act in seconds when a motorist they are harrassing actually pulls out a phone, paces them and starts to talk meaningfully into it.

It works better than intimidation, better than a faster car, better than insults. The few times anyone has tried to start with me, the phone comes out - sometimes I don't even call, just go thru the motions - and they turn into good little drivers, eyes straight ahead, reasonable motions with thier cars etc.

One guy actually jumped a curb to escape whatever imaginary boogey-man I was summoning with my dreaded cellphone, it was quite satisfying to see his face go from twisted-sneer arrogance to pure wide-eyed fright. It was probably the first time his SUV's tires had ever touched a non-paved road.

I highly recommend this in the future. I've never heard it fail and it's the lawful thing to do.

RTP