Road Rage

[XRCISM]

Just thought I would share my story since I actually made it to work!!!

I was travelling up quite a long crest in the right hand lane and low and behold a truck pulls out from the left lane to go around the truck in front of him!!! As we start to go up the rise, it is quite obvious that he has no chance in hell of passing anybody, so I am now presuming he is intending on turning right at the top of the hill. Nope - he just wants to cruise up the hill in the right hand lane. I now cannot get around him as the left lane is full of cars that are stuck behind the truck in that lane!! After we reach the top, the truck from the left lane pulls in front of him and he flashes his lights at him. By now I am in the left lane and when I too pull in front of him he flashes his lights at me too!!

Being the informative motorist I am, I put down my window and using hand gestures pointed to the left lane (no middle finger as you may have expected) to let him know that is where he should be. Holy crap - he found the accelerator in his truck and I now have him inches away from my bumper flashing his lights at me. I didn't accelerate or brake - just took my foot of the accelerator and rolled along gradually going slower and slower. This soon bored him and he dropped back. This lasted about 10 seconds. He then cuts into the left hand lane and pulls up beside me (window down yelling abuse). I ignore him. Now I have a truck swerving at me in hope I will run off the road. Now this has pushed me too far. I am not deterred at all by his intimidation tactics and hold my line in my lane. He is still leaning out of his window and going as close as he can to my car. My thoughts are that it is not in his best interests to hit me and he is obviously just trying to bully me off the road. Ain't gonna happen. I keep going ahead and he is so busy coming close to me that he doesn't notice his lane has stopped until he eventually looks up. Brakes on and grinds to a halt ........ I kept cruising along in my lane and never saw him again (he got caught up in the traffic).

Although it all worked out 'fair' in the end, my question is this: What do you do when confronted with a road rager?? Retaliation is not the answer but is it doing nothing?? Should you pull over or does that let them think they can do it again to someone else??

I am not one to talk - I would probably be the queen of road raging - but I would be interested to see what people have done or think should be done in road rage situations?? Plonky or VG - you may be able to give us another perspective on this topic also!!

[Guest]

Ignore them. but get the number and report them to coppers. In SA they reckon they keep tabs on reports and chat the driver.

[cvanxr]

Got to say that I am no angel, but when it comes to trucks, size will always win in the end. :(

[bez]

find something to throw at them

[Guest bat]

I do what you did .. if they're tailgating I just take my foot off the pedal & slow right down until they can't handle it and then pass be by - at least then they're not risking mine or my families life anymore. If they're in front of me, I can control the situation better. And get their rego number and make a phone call to the boys in blue.

Jill

[Guest Mac_Dude]

I back off (or take off, depending). They may not intend to hit you, but unexpected things can happen and the last thing you need is an accident.

I don't look at it as a win or loss, more from the point that the moron WILL have an accident with that attitude, but it ain't going to be with me...

[XRCISM]

find something to throw at them

If I did that I would expect to be side swiped!!!!!

However, I did see a passenger swinging around a baseball bat (while doing about 80k) at the car in front of me last weekend. I immediately slowed down as I did NOT want to be on the receiving end of that bat if it was thrown!!! Ouch!! :(

[sixfan]

Just wink and blow 'em a kiss.

They love it.

[Cro]

I have really bad road rage....

I do not keep a club lock, or the base ball bat my mum bought me in my car because I know I would use it.

If some one done that to me and if I had an older car I would of slammed my brakes so they run up my arse.

Let them buy me a new car.

Being in my Turbo that is not an option for the time being, so I have to keep under control and resist getting out at the next lights.

I stuck my finger up at some one for cutting me off the other night, and he/she followed me for a couple of kays around the back streats of my place. Eventually I got sick of them and put my foot down.

[KEN 24T]

In this situation I think you did the best thing possible.

One point though ... don't EVER stop! Who knows what this lunatic was capable of?

There was a story not long back, can't remember exactly where, but somewhere in OZ, where a guy followed a girl driver (after a road-rage incident) to a quiet spot ... assulted and raped her.

Stay in your car (moving) and if possible drive to a cop shop if he/she won't desist ...

2c.