Road Rage

windrider023 · December 24, 2011, 09:54 AM

In an unfamiliar part of town, I had to stop my car trying to make a left turn awaiting on coming traffic. I know I was not over far enough to the left and
the driver behind me came right up on my bumper and laid on his horn. He did not stop and I finally was able to make that turn but he pursued me. I returned a finger gesture and he pulled up along side of me with his window down yelling and then jerked his car right in from of me (barely missing me) and slammed on his brakes rolling smoke up over the road. I managed to stop without hitting him (barely).

I figured he had lost it and would come back to my car to try to hurt me. He sat in front of me (there was a car stopped several car lengths behind us waiting to see what would happen I guess). I retrieved my weapon and waited to see what he would do. He just sat there -- After a few minutes, I backed up and went around him at which time he continued to make threatening moves with his car until I turned off.

My question is (I had my lady with me in the passenger side) that thoughts
ran through my mind that he was going to approach me in a rage and try to
pull me out of the car and I wasn't exactly sure how things would play out.
The thought of shooting him if he did that was real.

Road Rage and my right to defend,,,,my dilemma.

JerryM · December 24, 2011, 10:04 AM

[I returned a finger gesture ]

Bad and immature move that did nothing to calm the situation.
Jerry

mrgoodwrench76 · December 24, 2011, 10:20 AM

You were in your car with ample opportunity to flee. Using your weapon would have been the wrong thing to do. Always excercise all other options before resorting to arms.

Wag · December 24, 2011, 10:29 AM

When you're carrying, you have to maintain a higher standard. Flipping the bird at another drive under ANY circumstances while you're armed is going to get you into serious trouble.

A jury is going to believe the attorney who tells them that you flipped a guy off just so you could provoke him into attacking you and give you "cause" to shoot him.

When you're carrying in public, you HAVE to let the other guy make ALL the stupid moves. You don't have the luxury of making ANY.

--Wag--

kinggabby · December 24, 2011, 10:39 AM

Quote:

When you're carrying, you have to maintain a higher standard. Flipping the bird at another drive under ANY circumstances while you're armed is going to get you into serious trouble.

A jury is going to believe the attorney who tells them that you flipped a guy off just so you could provoke him into attacking you and give you "cause" to shoot him.

When you're carrying in public, you HAVE to let the other guy make ALL the stupid moves. You don't have the luxury of making ANY.

--Wag--
_________

Even though we have no duty to retreat in Oklahoma and our car is treated just as if we are in our home I agree with this. Anything that may look like you were provoking is considered a no no here.

MLeake · December 24, 2011, 11:02 AM

Ironically, carrying tends to make us less bold, not more bold - and that is a good thing. I have to remind myself, sometimes, that even good people do very stupid things in vehicles... and I have to remind myself, sometimes, not to do any of those very stupid things.

This is especially true when carrying.

De-escalate before things get hot; leave before things get hot; leave quickly if things seem to get hot.

And try not to sweat the small stuff.

Wag · December 24, 2011, 11:11 AM

Even if there were no legal consequences for provoking someone, just the idea that you COULD have avoided shooting someone is enough for me to want to avoid such circumstances at all costs, no matter what.

I don't know if I could live with myself if I knew that I would not be in the position of having shot a person and knowing that I had flipped him off and sent him over the top. Yeah, I might still be protecting my life and yeah, the other guy probably shouldn't let a middle finger get under his skin either and yeah, the bastard might deserve to get shot eventually but on MY watch, I'll do everything I can to avoid provoking anyone for just the conscience alone.

--Wag--

shortwave · December 24, 2011, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Ironically carrying seems to make us less bold, not more bold...

Agree, as well it should.
And yes there have been times when that extra bulge in my pocket or on my side has made me rethink about an action or re-action that I might have taken some years ago.

Walking(or running) around trouble is always smarter than walking through it.

**Aguila Blanca** · December 24, 2011, 10:54 PM

While the two vehicles were sitting there, did you think to scribble down the make and model and color of his vehicle, and call 9-1-1 to report that you were being harassed by a dangerous driver?

Glenn E. Meyer · December 25, 2011, 11:49 AM

Not a L and CR issue. Please post in the appropriate place.

Closed.

December 24, 2011, 09:54 AM	#1
windrider023 Junior Member Join Date: December 24, 2011 Posts: 1	Road Rage In an unfamiliar part of town, I had to stop my car trying to make a left turn awaiting on coming traffic. I know I was not over far enough to the left and the driver behind me came right up on my bumper and laid on his horn. He did not stop and I finally was able to make that turn but he pursued me. I returned a finger gesture and he pulled up along side of me with his window down yelling and then jerked his car right in from of me (barely missing me) and slammed on his brakes rolling smoke up over the road. I managed to stop without hitting him (barely). I figured he had lost it and would come back to my car to try to hurt me. He sat in front of me (there was a car stopped several car lengths behind us waiting to see what would happen I guess). I retrieved my weapon and waited to see what he would do. He just sat there -- After a few minutes, I backed up and went around him at which time he continued to make threatening moves with his car until I turned off. My question is (I had my lady with me in the passenger side) that thoughts ran through my mind that he was going to approach me in a rage and try to pull me out of the car and I wasn't exactly sure how things would play out. The thought of shooting him if he did that was real. Road Rage and my right to defend,,,,my dilemma.

December 24, 2011, 10:04 AM	#2
JerryM Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 1999 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,889	[I returned a finger gesture ] Bad and immature move that did nothing to calm the situation. Jerry __________________ Ecclesiastes 12:13 ¶Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

December 24, 2011, 10:20 AM	#3
mrgoodwrench76 Senior Member Join Date: March 4, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 487	You were in your car with ample opportunity to flee. Using your weapon would have been the wrong thing to do. Always excercise all other options before resorting to arms. __________________ God Bless America!!

December 24, 2011, 10:29 AM	#4
Wag Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2010 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 988	When you're carrying, you have to maintain a higher standard. Flipping the bird at another drive under ANY circumstances while you're armed is going to get you into serious trouble. A jury is going to believe the attorney who tells them that you flipped a guy off just so you could provoke him into attacking you and give you "cause" to shoot him. When you're carrying in public, you HAVE to let the other guy make ALL the stupid moves. You don't have the luxury of making ANY. --Wag-- __________________ "Great genius will always encounter fierce opposition from mediocre minds." --Albert Einstein.

December 24, 2011, 11:11 AM	#7
Wag Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2010 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 988	Even if there were no legal consequences for provoking someone, just the idea that you COULD have avoided shooting someone is enough for me to want to avoid such circumstances at all costs, no matter what. I don't know if I could live with myself if I knew that I would not be in the position of having shot a person and knowing that I had flipped him off and sent him over the top. Yeah, I might still be protecting my life and yeah, the other guy probably shouldn't let a middle finger get under his skin either and yeah, the bastard might deserve to get shot eventually but on MY watch, I'll do everything I can to avoid provoking anyone for just the conscience alone. --Wag-- __________________ "Great genius will always encounter fierce opposition from mediocre minds." --Albert Einstein.

December 24, 2011, 11:02 AM	#6
MLeake Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Outside KC, MO Posts: 10,128	Ironically, carrying tends to make us less bold, not more bold - and that is a good thing. I have to remind myself, sometimes, that even good people do very stupid things in vehicles... and I have to remind myself, sometimes, not to do any of those very stupid things. This is especially true when carrying. De-escalate before things get hot; leave before things get hot; leave quickly if things seem to get hot. And try not to sweat the small stuff.

December 24, 2011, 10:54 PM	#9
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,457	While the two vehicles were sitting there, did you think to scribble down the make and model and color of his vehicle, and call 9-1-1 to report that you were being harassed by a dangerous driver?

December 25, 2011, 11:49 AM	#10
Glenn E. Meyer Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2000 Posts: 20,064	Not a L and CR issue. Please post in the appropriate place. Closed. __________________ NRA, TSRA, IDPA, NTI, Polite Soc. - Aux Armes, Citoyens

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