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Speedfreaks101
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 01:57 pm: | 
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There is no doubt you did the right thing, especially in the presence of his kids. Kids should never see their parents injured even if they deserve it.
Many times you can prevent a confrontation from becoming physical by using your head, other times you can not. There are times when you come in contact with totally irrational people and using a cell phone will not help when you are being assaulted and the police are miles away. Those times you need to know how to defend yourself and more importantly your family.
I would suggest some self defence training like MMA or boxing. It will allow you to have more self confidence when dealing with people such as this guy. It is not an excuse to fight but rather a backup plan. It also helps to rectify the feeling of being a wimp when you know you have the ability but now can choose not to use it and take the higher ground. Skill can and will rectify the size issue.
Also an EXCEPTIONAL book to read would be
"Fear: The Friend of Exceptional People" By Geoff Thompson. It will help, in more than just this area of life. |
Fast1075
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 02:17 pm: |
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I drive VERY defensively...leave plenty of room for the guy in a hurry to have a place to go...no need to "cut me off"...I have very good situational awareness and fortunately have great peripheral vision...I watch my mirrors...I also drive the speed limit and am courteous to all. I give noone reason to see me as a threat.
By the same principles, I expect others to give me the same courtesy...most likely because I sent so much time driving a "Rolling Billboard" company van...they attract idiots like moths to a flame...
Hence my non-confrontational approach. I am angry as hell, but I don't allow myself to express it (usually)...on occasion I have forgotten I am now 60ish and not as physically tough as I once was...but on those occasions, my adversary backed down so I came out ok...(I do have the presence of a pissed off D.I. when angry)...But I haven't confronted anyone in quite some time now.
We should be able to mount paintball guns under the bumper...and shoot idiots with orange paint balls....cop finds a vehicle with orange paintball splatter, pulls em over and writes em up...  |
Doerman
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 02:24 pm: |
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Yeah, you did the right thing after the situation had developed.
I would not have tailgated in the first place. It achieves nothing, but the potential to have things escalate. You can not control a situation or educate a fellow driver from your driver's seat, so might as well back off right away and not create a reason for escalation.
Good thing it ended well, Mark! |
Xl1200r
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 02:29 pm: |
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I would love to be a fly on the wall when the wife finds out that her dumbsh!t hubby is pulling this kind of crap with the kids in the car.
The lady and I went to get some dinner after all this in the same vicinity where this happened (all not far from my house), and was half-way hoping to run into him with his family.
mommy vans and suv's. I give them a wide berth in the car, and even wider on the bike.
any chance he was driving one of those ?
It was kind of funny, actually - this guy looked like a man's man, working class, physical labor-type job, Carhart jacket and all... and was driving a newer Volvo station wagon.
I would suggest some self defence training like MMA or boxing. It will allow you to have more self confidence when dealing with people such as this guy. It is not an excuse to fight but rather a backup plan. It also helps to rectify the feeling of being a wimp when you know you have the ability but now can choose not to use it and take the higher ground. Skill can and will rectify the size issue.
MMA = Military Martial Arts? This has crossed my mind many times, especially boxing. I know it's not the most effective means to defend yourself, but I'd imagine there are some fundamentals, there. I've watched a couple youtube videos on "street fighting" and what not and it seems the most effect means to end a confrontation are to just get in close, get some leverage and start smashing things, lol. Or throw him to the ground. A major setback for me has been physical condition (working on it) and my back issues - I wouldn't want to risk further injury in training or whatever, but I'm working on getting the back better so that may be an option.
To be honest, the one that terrifies me would be being unable to defend against someone attacking someone I love. Had my girlfriend been in the car with me, I'm betting the "fight or flight" response may have taken the other side of the coin - I'm not going to stand around and risk her getting hurt. Me, on the other hand, I can take hit, it's happened more than once and have been to the emergency room to get my face x-rayed to make sure my skull didn't break in the process.
(Message edited by xl1200r on February 09, 2011) |
Xl1200r
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 02:43 pm: |
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Hey, Asbjorn - yeah, tailgating was a bad move, I had a momentary lapse in judgement and I freely admit that.
People around here are just funny with 'traffic manners', as they are with life in general - if they do something wrong and you call them out on it, you're the a$$hole. Now, I'm not saying that I go around looking for people to do something wrong so I can call them out, but if you pull out in front of me on frozen and slick NY roads and I have to brake heavily to avoid smashing into you, I'm going to have an opinion on it. |
Scooter808484
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 03:09 pm: |
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Hey, Asbjorn - yeah, tailgating was a bad move, I had a momentary lapse in judgement and I freely admit that.
That, to me is it in a nutshell. If you hadn't have tailgated, you'd have gotten over the a'holes move in a couple of minutes, not have had to deal with the whole stressful situation, and could have spent your lunch hour reading about bikes instead of typing this post.
Now, if you figure out how to think in that level headed manner in all of those situations, please PM me and let me know how you do it, because I get pi$$ed off in those situations constantly.
I got a little better when I started riding. If you flip someone off on a bike, and he decides to use his vehicle as a weapon, that's a tough battle to win. |
Guell
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 04:34 pm: |
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MMA is mixed martial arts |
Sifo
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 04:39 pm: |
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Kids should never see their parents injured even if they deserve it.
Then again, it might make the next generation just a bit smarter having seen dad get a beat down for escalating a minor traffic issue.
Not that I would ever condone such a thing. |
Cowboy
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 04:51 pm: |
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As a old man I would have roled down my window and let him asault me then I would have blown his S%^$t away. That is whyt I carry a Glock 40. |
Ourdee
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 06:08 pm: |
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I had a road rager play games with me once. I was trying to avoid him and in his manuevering he cut off another guy in a little red car. We all caught the next light red and the guy in the red car got out and beat the tar out of him. Karma was a bear that day. I drove off as the light turned green. Some people just need whooped. I had a headache and one of my sons with me. |
Whisperstealth
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 06:58 pm: |
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You did the Right Thing!!! I'm happy for you, and that you did not get hurt, or have to hurt someone else. You are not a pussy, but someone who made a wise decision.
I have been involved in road rage a number of times living in California.
People have gotten out of their cars and come at me. The first time it happened I was scared sh#@less, and just sat there till the light changed. The next time, after telling myself I'd fight next time, did just that. I came out of the car with a t-ball bat, and the guy backed down. That's happened a couple of times.
On the flip side, I've been the a$$hole jumping out of the car. At 300+, holding a bat and looking psychotic, it's by God's grace I wasn't shot a few times. I've busted a window, a couple tail lights. Socked a guy and tried pulling him out of his car through the window. Been put in the back of a Cop car because of my actions. The sick twist of mind, and the state I was in is dangerous. To myself and everyone else. It would not have mattered if someone had pulled a gun, was bigger / stronger, and had gotten out to confront me. I am very grateful that I never hurt anyone badly, much less was hurt myself.
Today, I largely just let it go. I might honk the horn a little, but don't lean on it. I avoid confrontation when possible, and am happier doing so. I also know that their are others out there who are as sick, as I once was. Their thinking is not right, they are dangerous, and just not worth the risk... |
Just_ziptab
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 06:58 pm: |
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Just tonight:I check my surroundings and when the light turns green,I start to pull ahead...regardless that someone was running their red light. He gave me a "oh crap" look. I'll risk a swiped front end.....but would rather risk the box as it's starting to rust around the wheel wells. Insurance company will try to pin "some " of the blame on me........DAMHIK. My answer.....he ran the red light and from that point on,my actions to avoid a collision were insignificant in the outcome. It's nice to have a pickup that owes me nothing......and a spare truck with the same debt to me in the basement |
Paint_shaker
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 08:06 pm: |
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Driving away is the best thing. |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 08:39 pm: |
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Unfortunately most folks - if they even USE a signal - figure a turn signal equals right of way, instead of asking permission to merge/change lanes.
That said...you did the right thing. Me, I would have pulled out the cell phone. One picture of his plate. One picture of his face, coming at your car. Dial 911. Let him see it ALL happen. Either he charges while you're on the phone with 911 (not bright), or he shuts up and leaves. Depending on how he exits...request to the nice person on the other end of the phone that they have someone find plate XYZ and explain to Tough Guy what he did wrong.
If he reacts to the LEO the same way he reacted to you, I bet our friend the LEO will find every cracked taillight lens, seatbelt violation, and minor infraction they can come up with. |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2011 - 08:40 pm: |
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encounters like this are exactly the reason I spend most of my riding time off pavement, off grid.
And when I hit the trail, the gun goes to the hip in an open carry. Welcome to the back road wilderness of Washington. Be polite, it is always returned. |
Blake
| | Posted on Thursday, February 10, 2011 - 01:25 am: |
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Reminds me of my first experience driving in Britain. Coming to the toll booths at the Themes I think it was. Ended up on a toll-pass only lane. Nearby attendant said to wait just a bit and "the Bobby" would be there to get us through. Guy in car behind was laying on the horn, wouldn't stop. So I unfold myself from the little car, got out, horn stops, driver slinks down into his seat, I walk back to the horn blower's driver side window. I say real friendly Texas-like "I'm real sorry partner, I pulled a boner, don't have the required toll-pass card, the Bobby is supposed to come let us through right quick." He recovers from his slink and says curtly "you need one of these", as he shows me his toll pass card. I ask, "can I use yours? I'll happily pay you the toll fee in cash." This is the funny part. He jerks his card back and exclaims "No!" LOL! I just walked back to the car scratching my head. I guess he thought I was a toll-card thief.
People are funny.
I'm sure he's on a forum somewhere telling his side. "This giant Texas ape tried to nab my toll-pass, but I fought him off..." |
Slaughter
| | Posted on Thursday, February 10, 2011 - 09:50 am: |
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You've learned HOW NOT TO fight. Much better skill than learning HOW.
All the short-peckered discussions about how tough we are and how we'd have handled it differently are somewhat like the lard-ass sitting in mommy's basement on the computer talking sh!t about how they're scoring those hot ladies.
MMA, Guns, Knives, attitude - is only going to get your ass pounded by progressively bigger and better armed adversaries.
Your choice. |
Badlionsfan
| | Posted on Thursday, February 10, 2011 - 10:06 am: |
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back in the 90's when road rage really became an issue a friend of mines brother went to jail for involuntary manslaughter over road rage.
I don't remember all the details, but basically road rage turned into a shoving match on the side of a 5 lane road. My friends brother shoved the guy back pretty hard after a few back and forth shoves, and the guy stumbled backwards into traffic.
dead. |
Swordsman
| | Posted on Thursday, February 10, 2011 - 10:07 am: |
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Court, I hope I get to meet you in person one day just so we can sit down, have a few beers, and maybe you can recount all these crazy stories you give us little glimpses of. Sounds like you've led one crazy life thus far.
~SM |
Speedfreaks101
| | Posted on Thursday, February 10, 2011 - 10:19 am: |
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It's not about fighting it's about retaining confidence when you walk away. For those that remember the original Karate Kid movie you might remembers Mr. Miyagi asks Daniel why he trains. The answer is so he does not have to fight. Self confidence allows you to make the right decision and FEEL good about it.
Backing down makes most men FEEL like a pussy. Knowing that you have made he right choice does not help when you feel like your balls have been ripped out of you body. Being able to walk away with confidence is priceless and can/will help in other area of life. |
Court
| | Posted on Thursday, February 10, 2011 - 10:24 am: |
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>>>>Sounds like you've led one crazy life thus far.
I'm just getting started . . . I confess I learned a great deal of my "defuse and scat" skills about 2am while completely wasted and in the bowels of a foreign vessel.
We'd been drinking with some guys we met in the Kansas City Bar (you remember it from the bar scene in Top Gun . . it's since burned down) . . . some guy suggested that rather than pay $2.00 a beer we simply all go to their ship.
Seemed . . . as these things always do . . .like a great idea at the time.
It was the wee hours with a good deal of CH3CH2OH on board when we conversation evolved to the point where we found out that one of the fellows' wife had run off with an American Marine the last time the foreigner was deployed.
He . . of course . . ask us "what branch of the service are you guys in?" When we told him we were Marines . . . well, things went downhill.
It was just Jones and I . . . about 7 decks below waterline in a makeshift bar with a vending machine that spit out $0.50 Molsons. Marines typically aren't known for talking their way out of fights . . . but as I looked around, aware that not a soul in the free world knew where we were, the odds favored diplomacy.
Anyway . . . It was a great intro to the concept of "bullshit or perish". |
Mr_grumpy
| | Posted on Saturday, February 12, 2011 - 11:13 am: |
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Dartford Crossing that is Blake.
Thanks for the laugh.
The only sensible course of action in these circumstances is to exit the scene, just let it go, it's a no win situation.
It happens to me nearly every day, there are so many cretins on the road.
I was in the middle of London on thursday evening in the rig, waiting to turn left at a light, with a 45ft semi hanging on the back I'd straddled the lanes but a daft cyclist rode up the inside (drive on the left there) & cut in front just as the filter light came on, I gave a blip of the throttle to let him know I was moving & that if he didn't shift the front of the trailer was likely to rip his head off, but he just scowled at me. The quad air horns informed him of the impending squelch & he soon shifted much to the mirth of the massed tourists wandering about. |
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