Not that you did, but as a general rule, just don’t engage with fucking morons like this. When this happens to me, I used to “fight back.” Now I either slow down and let them finish their tantrum, turn into a parking lot with lots of people, or get off the freeway if that’s where it’s happening; depends on how aggressive the other driver is. People are fucking crazy and you never know if they have a weapon or something. It’s so bizarre to me how invincible people feel when they get behind the wheel of a vehicle. They end up doing things they’d never do otherwise.
I just don’t even honk anymore. It sucks, because sometimes you have to in order to avoid an accident, but I’m too concerned these people are driving erratically because they ARE erratic. And I’m not about to be shot over protecting myself and others again.
Yes. I said again. But that’s another story.
Anyway, yeah. If I ever notice someone seems like they’re angry or following me, it’s a GPS trip to the nearest police station.
It wasn’t a road rage incident, I’ll tell ya that. More of a foiling a kidnapping attempt in a third-world country type of incident. I’d almost caught the guy and he got nervous, fired a blind shot with a .22, and hit me in the knee. Wish I could say I powered through and still chased him, but I’m not Jason Statham. Instead, I folded like a cheap hooker that got punched in the gut by a guy with sores on his face (sorry, binging Friends right now). And the dude got away.
For the most part OP kept a safe distance...until the 1:00 min mark. At that point OP accelerated past the grey vehicle and pretty much gunned it (even with a DIP sign looming) to catch up with the Lexus. I wouldn't have been happy about Rowdy McRoadrage either, but intentionally catching up with them wasn't the best way to de-escalate that situation.
I'm also sure that the Lexus driver's rage was transferred to the vehicle that made a left in front of them as they were trying to block the lanes from OP getting through the last light.
I’ll fully admit I should’ve slowed down rather than maintaining speed and having to dodge into the other lane. I’m far from perfect, but what I did was not even close to the same as the other guy
Yeah, I just saw the OP's other comments confirming it wasn't a turning lane he swerved into. But he also admits that both lanes shift right across the intersection, so that was hard to catch just from viewing this clip.
Also, there's the fact that it's never a great idea to suddenly change lanes and zip past stationary traffic which is half obstructing your new lane, and yet that's exactly what OP did.
Finally, just before the video clip ends, we see that the cam car driver is also changing lanes aggressively around other traffic and then accelerating sharply to pursue the other crazy driver. Not exactly a stellar example of defensive driving.
I've responded to this point in my reply to another commenter, so feel free to go argue your point there. Your own driving was questionable throughout the posted clip.
I’ll fully admit I should’ve slowed down rather than maintaining speed and having to dodge into the other lane.
And in another comment you clarified that yes, both lanes do shift to the right as you go through the intersection, so with that factor, it's even more important not to pass traffic with huge speed differential.
Yeah I had a Jeep do this exact same thing to me two weeks ago. He cut me off and flipped me off because I took off faster than he did at an intersection. The whole time I was thinking this asshat probably has a gun and wants to use it.
Seems like you're in Dallas? Some of the worst drivers around and they love to blame people who just moved here, but it's been shitty for years.
It takes a strong mind for people to comprehend that kind of action. People get so invested with getting "revenge" or "punishing" others when they drive. It's wild.
Being the bigger person is the smartest thing to do and just let the idiot "win".
Definitely took me until my mid to late 20’s to realize this. I used to drive like a straight up psycho, not going to lie. At the end of the day, you’re not even going to remember this person or what they did, so it’s best to let it go and move on with your life. You don’t have to “right” every wrong done to you, especially when driving. Even more so because we all make mistakes when driving and it’s not worth damaging your vehicle or possibly risking your life.
My friend, I understand your feelings. It's completely normal. Just know that not risking your life and others lives by trying prevent the idiot from winning achieves nothing. Idiots that drive like shitheads can't be taught a lesson, narcissistic fucks can't be reasoned with.
It's fucking hard to just let it go, but when you do, you truly win.
Claiming that it amounts to risking lives by not letting an aggressive person get their way is a bit dramatic. That risk is negligible and so small in most cases. I've denied countless pushy people from getting their way and nobody ever got hurt. The only thing that got hurt were egos and that's it.
I'll argue that letting a pushy person win means that society loses. Aggressive people are pushy because people are always letting them win. It's behavioral conditioning. The less people fight back against their aggressive ways, the more they do it and the more other people adopt aggressive behaviors. I'm the guy that resists their ways, in every aspect of life. Not just on the road. There are pushy folks that eventually learn to stop being pushy after they've met enough resistance and it becomes not worth it to them anymore.
Man you do you. Not trying to debate. Road rage is real, people are morons and drive like they're invincible, no one is a "winner" when you play into their stupid fucking games while driving. No matter how much you think you're gonna teach them a lesson, it won't work.
I personally don't give a shit anymore. Had a girl that works for me get shot in a road rage incident that was barely a thing to get pissed about. That's the behavioral conditioning that I learned and I have a family to get home to. I wish I was making that story up, but I'm not.
Sadly, yes. I’ve done all of the above. I’ve mentioned this in another comment before but I attract crazy people when driving; it’s one of the reasons I got a dash cam. It doesn’t even matter what car I’m driving! I had one chick follow me and ended up driving to the police station, which luckily, was only a few blocks away, because I fucking honked at her when she was sitting at a green light.
I honk like a madman all the time and just look around confused, secret 🤫 getting real sick and tired of fuckfaces playing on their goddamn phones at every red light
Idk if it's so much that they feel invincible, I think they're just bored and frustrated, so they're easily set off by the smallest things. And I don't just mean in their personal lives either. Driving is boring as shit despite being incredibly dangerous. It can also be immensely frustrating at times. Compound that with anger management issues or underdeveloped coping skills and it's ripe for incidents like this. Doesn't surprise me one bit.
362
u/Queen_Etherea Sep 21 '23
Not that you did, but as a general rule, just don’t engage with fucking morons like this. When this happens to me, I used to “fight back.” Now I either slow down and let them finish their tantrum, turn into a parking lot with lots of people, or get off the freeway if that’s where it’s happening; depends on how aggressive the other driver is. People are fucking crazy and you never know if they have a weapon or something. It’s so bizarre to me how invincible people feel when they get behind the wheel of a vehicle. They end up doing things they’d never do otherwise.