My first experience as a road rage victim

[Volznut]

I just dropped my daughter off at school and I'm driving down a busy 4 lane road, cars bumper to bumper.  I am in the left lane, but both lanes are going the same speed. Guy behind me in a Civic starts  flashing his lights trying to get me to go faster and starts tailgating me dangerously. Now understand that I can't go faster, there are cars in front of me.This goes on for a minute until we get to a light in which he abruptly pull to the other lane next to me, GETS OUT OF HIS CAR, and starts flipping me off and yelling obscenities. Now I am not a hot headed person, so I just kinda looked at him like "you're an idiot". Other cars started honking at him, so after a tirade of about 30 seconds after which the light turns green, I drove off, and I saw him get in his car in the rear view and drive off. I think I did the right thing.

[Clockwork Orange]

I think I did the right thing.

I concur. It doesn't help to feed #badword#s like that by raising the tension further. How old was this guy?

[Creek Walker]

That's why I do not travel without my handgun on me. Sounds like this guy was all bark and bluster and could be ignored. The next one might be a little more forward.

[Volznut]

I concur. It doesn't help to feed #badword#s like that by raising the tension further. How old was this guy?

He looked like he was in his mid thirties. Had no hair (shaved). Driving an old model civic with custom rims and a spoiler 

[Volznut]

That's why I do not travel without my handgun on me. Sounds like this guy was all bark and bluster and could be ignored. The next one might be a little more forward.

He didn't come towards me or try to attack me. If he had tried that, I can defend myself.

[VinnieVOL]

Folks be crazy.  Glad it didn't end worse.

[Volznut]

Folks be crazy.  Glad it didn't end worse.

Easily could have if I was a hothead too and got out of the car

[eVOLved]

I just dropped my daughter off at school and I'm driving down a busy 4 lane road, cars bumper to bumper.  I am in the left lane, but both lanes are going the same speed. Guy behind me in a Civic starts  flashing his lights trying to get me to go faster and starts tailgating me dangerously. Now understand that I can't go faster, there are cars in front of me.This goes on for a minute until we get to a light in which he abruptly pull to the other lane next to me, GETS OUT OF HIS CAR, and starts flipping me off and yelling obscenities. Now I am not a hot headed person, so I just kinda looked at him like "you're an idiot". Other cars started honking at him, so after a tirade of about 30 seconds after which the light turns green, I drove off, and I saw him get in his car in the rear view and drive off. I think I did the right thing.

Probably not the right or correct thing to do, but as soon as he got out of the car my defenses would have gone on HIGH Alert.   At the time he got out of his car, I would have slowly flashed my concealed sidearm and asked him did we have a problem.

[Clockwork Orange]

Probably not the right or correct thing to do, but as soon as he got out of the car my defenses would have gone on HIGH Alert.   At the time he got out of his car, I would have slowly flashed my concealed sidearm and asked him did we have a problem.

Why escalate the situation?

[Volznut]

Probably not the right or correct thing to do, but as soon as he got out of the car my defenses would have gone on HIGH Alert.   At the time he got out of his car, I would have slowly flashed my concealed sidearm and asked him did we have a problem.

And if he pulls out his concealed firearm and shoots at you?

[VinnieVOL]

Why escalate the situation?

Yep.  If I'm carrying, the only time I make it visible if I'm going to use it. Definitely a last, last, last resort.

[BanditVol]

That happened to me once in Chattanooga long ago.  Going north on 75, bumper to bumper dumass behind me was flashing his lights.  Nothing else occurred, but I was like, how stupid is this guy?  I couldn't get in the right lane even if I wanted to, there was no room anyway.  LOL!

Sometimes this has happened on an almost empty interstate with the right lane wide open.  Some idiot comes up, rides my tail and flashes his lights.   Once back in college I started pumping my brakes when this occurred, which was really a stupid thing to do in retrospect, it could cause an accident but I didn't know any better then.  The guy pulled up next to me in the right lane and indicated that he wanted to fight.  LOL!  I just rolled my eyes at him and kept driving and he moved on. 

Then another time when I was in my 20s and was heading south on 65 at night...I mean NO ONE was on the interstate except me and the other car, another idiot starts flashing and tailgating.  This time I just started slowing down gradually, to force them to pass me on the right.  Well, he kept slowing down also but staying on my tail, and eventually I came to a complete stop.  This is around midnight on the interstate, lol!  Nothing happened for a minute and then I popped my door open and he took off.  I wasn't trying to come to a complete stop, but it became like a game of reverse chicken and neither of us would back down, lol.

I wouldn't do stuff like that now, but what is with these idiots that want to flash lights and tailgate (a) when there is no where for you to go anyway, or (b) when the road is completely empty and they can pass on the right.  It's crazy. 

[Stogie Vol]

I just dropped my daughter off at school and I'm driving down a busy 4 lane road, cars bumper to bumper.  I am in the left lane, but both lanes are going the same speed. Guy behind me in a Civic starts  flashing his lights trying to get me to go faster and starts tailgating me dangerously. Now understand that I can't go faster, there are cars in front of me.This goes on for a minute until we get to a light in which he abruptly pull to the other lane next to me, GETS OUT OF HIS CAR, and starts flipping me off and yelling obscenities. Now I am not a hot headed person, so I just kinda looked at him like "you're an idiot". Other cars started honking at him, so after a tirade of about 30 seconds after which the light turns green, I drove off, and I saw him get in his car in the rear view and drive off. I think I did the right thing.

Sorry, I thought the lane was clear in front of you.

[Clockwork Orange]

That happened to me once in Chattanooga long ago.  Going north on 75, bumper to bumper dumass behind me was flashing his lights.  Nothing else occurred, but I was like, how stupid is this guy?  I couldn't get in the right lane even if I wanted to, there was no room anyway.  LOL!

Sometimes this has happened on an almost empty interstate with the right lane wide open.  Some idiot comes up, rides my tail and flashes his lights.   Once back in college I started pumping my brakes when this occurred, which was really a stupid thing to do in retrospect, it could cause an accident but I didn't know any better then.  The guy pulled up next to me in the right lane and indicated that he wanted to fight.  LOL!  I just rolled my eyes at him and kept driving and he moved on. 

Then another time when I was in my 20s and was heading south on 65 at night...I mean NO ONE was on the interstate except me and the other car, another idiot starts flashing and tailgating.  This time I just started slowing down gradually, to force them to pass me on the right.  Well, he kept slowing down also but staying on my tail, and eventually I came to a complete stop.  This is around midnight on the interstate, lol!  Nothing happened for a minute and then I popped my door open and he took off.  I wasn't trying to come to a complete stop, but it became like a game of reverse chicken and neither of us would back down, lol.

I wouldn't do stuff like that now, but what is with these idiots that want to flash lights and tailgate (a) when there is no where for you to go anyway, or (b) when the road is completely empty and they can pass on the right.  It's crazy. 

Not to be that guy, but when the right lane is clear and you are going slower than the guy coming up behind you, you need to be the one to get over rather than expecting him to pass you on the right. This is a big pet peeve of mine.

[murfvol]

Well played 'Nut. Gotta have two things to start a fire. It sounds like dude has some serious, serious issues.

The only time I've seen anything like that was a couple of years ago in Gatlinburg. A buddy and I were at a T intersection at a light near Pittman Center. Our light turned green to allow traffic to pull out onto 321.

Unfortunately a guy (frighteningly similar to your description) headed eastbound on 321 didn't realize this until the first vehicle (a minivan) in line pulled out in front of him. He slammed on his brakes and stopped in the middle of the intersection, hopped out, and approached the minivan.

This minivan was unfortunately piloted by a nice, but stupid woman who instead of pulling out and heading toward Cosby started to get out and converse with the Cretan. At this point my buddy and I jumped out of his truck and informed everyone to get back in their vehicles.

They complied, the woman drove off, and the guy who started it all found himself locked out of his vehicle when his light turned green. Unfortunately his girlfriend who was still in the car (?) unlocked the door and he drove off in a cloud of smoke.  

Please note nowhere in the story did I insinuate the individual was from Cocke or Hamblen County - though it is certainly possible either was his place of origin.  

[Stogie Vol]

Not to be that guy, but when the right lane is clear and you are going slower than the guy coming up behind you, you need to be the one to get over rather than expecting him to pass you on the right. This is a big pet peeve of mine.

I agree. I taught my wife and son to always travel in the right lane unless they needed to pass someone in the left.  Driving in East Tennessee sure is taxing on my patience.  I'm sure it's bad everywhere, though.

[Creek Walker]

Yep.  If I'm carrying, the only time I make it visible if I'm going to use it. Definitely a last, last, last resort.

A good rule of thumb that any competent firearms instructor will stress over and over is to never, ever pull your handgun until you're absolutely prepared and willing to use it. The last thing you want to do is escalate a situation that could otherwise be resolved peacefully. A hothead and a concealed carry permit is never a good combination. In fact, once I started carrying I found myself being calmer than I would've been before because the last thing I want to do is yell at some guy who cuts me off in traffic, maybe he is a bigger hothead than me and things become physical, the cops get called, and there I am with a concealed handgun on me . . . even if I did nothing wrong, it's a black eye for concealed carry in general and in certain situations I may have unintentionally violated the law by putting myself in that situation while armed.

[Volznut]

I agree. I taught my wife and son to always travel in the right lane unless they needed to pass someone in the left.  Driving in East Tennessee sure is taxing on my patience.  I'm sure it's bad everywhere, though.

I agree with that, if there isn't much traffic. However, it doesn't work in rush hour on a busy 4 lane. Both lanes are used and you can only drive as fast as the person in front of you.

[Stogie Vol]

I agree with that, if there isn't much traffic. However, it doesn't work in rush hour on a busy 4 lane. Both lanes are used and you can only drive as fast as the person in front of you.

I agree with that, too.

[RockinGrannyVol]

That happened to me once in Chattanooga long ago.  Going north on 75, bumper to bumper dumass behind me was flashing his lights.  Nothing else occurred, but I was like, how stupid is this guy?  I couldn't get in the right lane even if I wanted to, there was no room anyway.  LOL!

Sometimes this has happened on an almost empty interstate with the right lane wide open.  Some idiot comes up, rides my tail and flashes his lights.   Once back in college I started pumping my brakes when this occurred, which was really a stupid thing to do in retrospect, it could cause an accident but I didn't know any better then.  The guy pulled up next to me in the right lane and indicated that he wanted to fight.  LOL!  I just rolled my eyes at him and kept driving and he moved on. 

Then another time when I was in my 20s and was heading south on 65 at night...I mean NO ONE was on the interstate except me and the other car, another idiot starts flashing and tailgating.  This time I just started slowing down gradually, to force them to pass me on the right.  Well, he kept slowing down also but staying on my tail, and eventually I came to a complete stop.  This is around midnight on the interstate, lol!  Nothing happened for a minute and then I popped my door open and he took off.  I wasn't trying to come to a complete stop, but it became like a game of reverse chicken and neither of us would back down, lol.

I wouldn't do stuff like that now, but what is with these idiots that want to flash lights and tailgate (a) when there is no where for you to go anyway, or (b) when the road is completely empty and they can pass on the right.  It's crazy. 

I hate to tell you, but if you are in the left lane on the interstate with the right lane wide open -- YOU should be in the right lane.  Nothing pisses me off more on the interstate is folks that ride the left lane when there is no traffic in the right.  The signs that say "slower traffic keep right" are there for a reason you know!  If you are not passing, you should be in the right lane -- NOT THE LEFT!      But when I do run into people riding the left lane, I simply pass on the right because you don't ever know when someone has a gun with them...I don't do the blinking light thingy....  By the way, check the law in YOUR state here :  http://jalopnik.com/5501615/left+lane-passing-laws-a-state+by+state-map

[MIAUTIGER]

Not to be that guy, but when the right lane is clear and you are going slower than the guy coming up behind you, you need to be the one to get over rather than expecting him to pass you on the right. This is a big pet peeve of mine.

Werd!

[VinnieVOL]

Werd!

Double werd

[PirateVOL]

Double werd

tripplesec

[BanditVol]

Not to be that guy, but when the right lane is clear and you are going slower than the guy coming up behind you, you need to be the one to get over rather than expecting him to pass you on the right. This is a big pet peeve of mine.

Nonsense.  In all cases I was going well over the speed limit.  It's not like I was doing 55 in a 70 or anything.  I fly past people in the right lane all the time and if it's wide open and people want to go more than the 10-15 mph over the limit I'm already doing, they can get their asses over into the right lane.  I don't even think twice about it myself, I'm just glad there is room to pass them.

That's how I see it.   

[Creek Walker]

Nonsense.  In all cases I was going well over the speed limit.  It's not like I was doing 55 in a 70 or anything.  I fly past people in the right lane all the time and if it's wide open and people want to go more than the 10-15 mph over the limit I'm already doing, they can get their asses over into the right lane.  I don't even think twice about it myself, I'm just glad there is room to pass them.

That's how I see it.   

Sure, you can go around them in the right lane. But moving over is generally considered a matter of courtesy, something that is unfortunately in short supply in our society today.