Was I outa line?

My biggest pet peeve when driving
are idiots that tailgate.

Okay, I had to pick up my 8 year old son just a bit
ago from his father's house and on the way home this
idiot in a little black sports car decides I should be
traveling faster, (in the pouring down rain mind you),
and he get's right on my .....a$$.

Well, I ignore the idiot for some time as I drive along-
I take a turn, so does he- still directly on my butt.
I take another turn, so does he.
I am getting very irritated by this point and still have
a way to go to get home.
I decided to slow down- he gets closer.
I just kept slowing down to the point that was not
illegal, but a bit under the speed limit.
It was pouring down rain anyway.
I just figured he wants to tailgate me fine-
he is going to do it at a snail's pace.

I wanted to flip this guy off so bad-
but my son is in the car and I don't want him to
learn by my example. I am just chatting with my son
like nothing is wrong as this idiot is revving his engine
and a hair away from my tail-end.
We finally get to a light where he takes a right and I am
in the left hand lane of him.
He speeds alongside us, screeches to a halt
and is flipping me off big time and yelling at me.
My son sees all of this.
I just smiled nice at the guy like he was an
old friend or something.

Was I outa line?
Should I have pulled over and let this idiot go by me?
(Which was not an easy thing to do where I was driving).
Now I feel like I didn't react very well...

I really wonder what I would have done if I'd been alone
in the car without my son?
I was so mad.....

And while I am here-
here is a recent picture of my son, Wyatt with
my grandbaby, Trinity.
He's 8 and she's 7 months old now!
(Hard to believe she is that - feels like she was just born!)
This pic was taken 2 days ago....

Yes, I am a proud Mom and Grandma!
:p

<img src="http://ChasingDownTheBlue.homestead.com/files/trinwy3.jpg">

Sage,

I'm a pretty even-tempered person but you handled the situation WAY better than I would have under the circumstances. Because you were a bad person and had mean thoughts about him...put out your hand. **lightly slaps Sage's hand** There you go, and don't make me do that again!! :D

Originally posted by Aloysius
Sage,
I'm a pretty even-tempered person but you handled the situation WAY better than I would have under the circumstances. Because you were a bad person and had mean thoughts about him...put out your hand. **lightly slaps Sage's hand** There you go, and don't make me do that again!! :D


LOL
Hey- I'm no Pollyanna here!
I went preeeeety durn slow on this guy...
which I did to annoy him on purpose.

I was just wondering that being I had my
son in the car, if I should have even done that?
Now, if I had been alone-
I most likely would have gestured
something obscene to this idiot.
Now, if this had happened
on one of my notorious PMS days-
ohhhhhh, the poor soul...
:D



<FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=768A76 FACE="Lucida Handwriting">~Sage~ </FONT><img src="http://ChasingDownTheBlue.homestead.com/files/femme.gif">

<FONT SIZE=2 COLOR=Black FACE="Tempus Sans ITC">They say theres a place
where dreams have all gone
They never said where
but I think I know
Its miles through the night
just over the dawn
On the road
that will take me home</FONT>
<FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=Black FACE="Freestyle Script">Mary Fahl</FONT>

I HATE TAILGATERS!!!!! They are the worst! No, you totally did the right thing. That guy is an IDIOT. Argh, I feel angry just hearing about it...

I usually slow down like you did and then tap on my breaks to freak them out even more, but in this age of road rage you are lucky if they don't have a gun.

One guy hurled a PEACH at my car... truly he threw his peach at me. Then when he finally got in front of me, it was ... construction traffic .. VERY slow, I got so close to his hiney that I actually bumped his rear end.

He stopped his car, got out, came to my window and SCREAMED at me.

I'm lucky he only had a peach and not a gun.

I can't stand people who tailgate. I can't stand bullies on the road! I can't believe how some people act like total idiots behind the wheel. I try to be careful with people like that; I figure that if they're nuts enough to drive that way, they probably wouldn't hesitate to use physical agression, either. I also hate riding in cars with drivers who have anger control problems!!

I had a very frightening experience with road rage while on vacation at Old Orchard Beach in Maine a couple of summers ago.

I think the man was literally trying to run my car off the road and kill us. I cant even think about it to this day because of how terrifying it was. It disturbed my son as well.

Sage, I think you handled it well because you never know what kind of Psycho is raging in that car behind you!
It can be very scary but I think if you can hold your temper its much safer...besides it took great restraint for you not to go ape sh1t on his butt with your beautiful son in the car with you!!!

He is beautiful as is Trinity, you should be proud!
:)

I think you handled it very well. It's so difficult to smile at crazy lunatics who have no regard for the welfare of others.

If you had not slowed down, but had been forced to suddenly brake, there would likely have been an accident.

You did the right thing. :)

You did the right thing, Sage...

When folks have tailgated me, I've tried to do things that will make them wish they had on dark pants. One of my favorite things to do, is apply the gas and break at the same time. (Gas has to be applied harder)...the front of your car dips down in a hurry...makes it look like you are slamming on your brakes to stop...scares the guy behind you, you know what'less...*LOL*

Also, if someone tailgates me on a multi-lane road, I create a rolling block with someone in the next lane. I catch up to a slower car...and do the same exact speed he's doing. I figure, if I'm going to piss someone off, I'm going to do it right and take the effort! *LOL*

The other thing I've grown accustomed to doing...is carrying a very large breaker bar right beside my seat. I'm 5'10 and about 230 pounds or so...so if I swing that thing and connect with it....it's going to hurt. I figure...with so many road rage imbeciles on the roads today...might as well carry a little protection...

Dang breaker bar has probably come in handy more times than the condom I carry in my wallet. *LOL* (Just kidding on that one!)

But yes you handled things perfectly, Sage...

*Hugs*

And Trinity is such a beautiful child, too!

*smiles*

~Dan

Thanks everyone, for the great responses!
And also for the compliments on my son and granddaughter.

I really do try to be a "courteous driver" on the roads-
and I am not one prone to getting real upset at people.
I do get annoyed though,
and the those that tailgate, annoy me the most.

Dan-
I would be to chicken to do what you do!
I'm so afraid some idiot is going to have a gun or
get out of their car and bash up mine.
I do carry a metal baseball bat in my car..

There is a 4-way stop by my house that is real bad.
The west side has cars coming down off a freeway exit
and these people refuse to wait their place in line!
I have lost count at how many times it has been my turn to
go, (usually from the south side of the stop), that
these idiots rush to go out of turn.
I know it gets backed up on that west side for them
with so many cars coming off that freeway,
but hey-
it's still a 4-way and they need to wait thier turn!
Grrrrrr...



<FONT SIZE=3 COLOR=768A76 FACE="Lucida Handwriting">~Sage~ </FONT><img src="http://ChasingDownTheBlue.homestead.com/files/femme.gif">

In Texas , carrying a baseball bat in your car is considered illegal...But, if you have a baseball and glove along with it, it looks like sports equipment;)
I think you reacted wisely ... I would have done the same thing...I just wonder why that creep followed your every move??
I was at a very long stoplight once, and the car in front of me was having probs with the car in front of him...the guy got out and went to the other car with a tire tool!! he was hitting his car shouting at him...the guy sat in his locked car in shock..then the light changed, and all sped off...I just wonder how far that scene would have gone if the light had not changed...I was terrified for that poor man..

Sage, what you did was very risky and something I hope you NEVER do again!!!

When someone is being unreasonable and tailgates you like this -- pull over and let them pass. Slowing down only makes them madder and crazier. What if this idiot had a gun in the car and was nuts enough to use it? It's happend and the results were deadly.

Never EVER taut someone like this! You could become a statistic and so could those beautiful children.

I let a guy past me last year and waved at him as he passed me. He followed me into a store parking lot screaming and threatening me until and I thought I was going to be attacked, and this from only a cheerful wave. You can never tell if someone is psycho enough to do more than yell. Please don't take any more chances like this.

Peace,
Jane

The first thing you have to assume when someone acts irrationally is that they aren't wrapped too tight. Crazy people can be dangerous people. All it takes is one guy experiencing road rage to ruin your whole day -- if not your whole life. You lose nothing except a couple of minutes when you pull over and let them pass. Isn't your safety worth that much?

I remember a case when I lived in Alabama where the man pulled a gun as he passed the slow driver. He shot her in the face, removing both eyes. She managed to get the car stopped without an accident, but she was permanently blinded...and they never caught the shooter.

I live in Connecticut where no one has heard of traffic laws. New England seems particularly bad and Boston is off the chart for rude drivers. The cops ignore people running red lights and our lights actually turn red all 4 ways so people will stop. I've given up trying to "get even." They are too freaking out there to notice. I have developed a very defensive driving style and go the long way to avoid bad intersections where I know they will crowd and act like raving looneys. I can spare the time to make sure I get home in one peace. The last thing Dave and I say to each other when we part is "Drive safe, my love." For him...I'm willing to make sure I get home safely.

Peace,
Jane

Ok, just to be a bit controversial about it, but I just cannot see why people get so wound up about something like this ...

Ok, in Germany we have a fair amount of free motorways (i.e. no speed limits) - so, what's so hard to get out of the way of someone who is faster than oneself and want to pass?!

Personally, I just let them pass, obviously they are in a hurry ;)

And ofc, I actually have a pretty fast car too, and yeah, I do hope slower cars pull over and let me past too, when they see me speed near :p

As for those of you, who like to be purposefully "obnoxious" to wind other drivers who annoy you up - no offense, but that makes you little better than them, imo ...

Chill, guys, it's just traffic - i.e. a motorized way to get from A to B ... No need to get on a power trip ... :p

The only time I get extremely jacked, is when I almost get nailed cause of some imbecile whose talking on thier cell phone. I don't care if it's man, woman or teenager. If you talk on the cell phone and have an accident with me...I'm going to be ticked and I'm going to make sure I get all of *MY money....

And I swear, the first person that nails me w hile talking on thier cell phone that gets snippy and pissy with me...is going to have to have the cell phone EXTRACTED from thier behind.

Other than that...I really don't get angry on the road. If someone makes a stupid move or a risky move, I may give them the "golf clap" as we roll along...but, that's about it...*LOL*

Originally posted by Carazy
Ok, just to be a bit controversial about it, but I just cannot see why people get so wound up about something like this ...

Ok, in Germany we have a fair amount of free motorways (i.e. no speed limits) - so, what's so hard to get out of the way of someone who is faster than oneself and want to pass?!

Personally, I just let them pass, obviously they are in a hurry ;)

And ofc, I actually have a pretty fast car too, and yeah, I do hope slower cars pull over and let me past too, when they see me speed near :p

As for those of you, who like to be purposefully "obnoxious" to wind other drivers who annoy you up - no offense, but that makes you little better than them, imo ...

Chill, guys, it's just traffic - i.e. a motorized way to get from A to B ... No need to get on a power trip ... :p


I think the case at hand is when you are already going as fast as you can and have no where else to go and they still ride your butt. I would of course ALWAYS pull over for someone that wanted to go faster but sometimes you can't and they are still there 2 inches from your backside. No need for that... NONE.

Dangerous behaviour. And my daughter is one of the worst offenders. I mean what's wrong with leaving a few feet between you and the car ahead of you if no one is going anywhere, i.e. stuck in rush hour traffic or a construction zone?

Originally posted by beenmisstaken
.....

Dangerous behaviour. And my daughter is one of the worst offenders. I mean what's wrong with leaving a few feet between you and the car ahead of you if no one is going anywhere, i.e. stuck in rush hour traffic or a construction zone?

Try to get your daughter to calm down.

It's folks like her that always buy the farm whenever
there's a sudden dust storm on I-5 in Southern CA
or a giant fog bank on a busy highway anywhere.

Taligating is about the dumbest form of social
behavior there is. :(

But, when someone crawls up on my a$$ while I am driving. I maintain the same speed until I can safely pull over and let them by.
I have found that speeding up doesn't work, it still wouldn't be fast enough for them, and I don't want to go over the speed limits anyway, especially within city limits.
Slowing way down and tapping your brakes will just annoy the other driver even more. And it is risky to annoy someone who already is driving with less than a full tank anyway.
I just find a place to pullover, and let them go on their way. If they yell at me and flip me off as they pass me by, well...I choose not to react to that.