Associate
- Joined
- 11 Jun 2004
- Posts
- 1,332
- Location
- Aotearoa
I was driving into work this morning on a dual carriage way when an Impreza to my right suddenly changed lanes and cut me up. I didn't have time to do anything but brake to avoid the idiot. He looked in his mirror and immediately began flicking me the bird and I responded by raising my arm in a 'what do you think you're doing?' type gesture.
The guy jammed on his brakes and stopped in the middle of the carriageway - horns ensued behind us. He then exited the vehicle and I thought '**** this' and drove off around him. Naturally he pursued me, passed me and then tried to cut me off again so I pulled over to the kerb, opened my door to make I was getting out and as soon as he was out of his car I was off.
This time he stayed back and followed me but when we came to a set of lights he pulled up and walked up to my door gesturing and swearing his head off. I ran the red (was turning left and the road was clear). I now knew I was dealing with a grade A nut job who had a point to make. I had no intention of a scrap - last time I retaliated it didn't turn out too well. So I continued driving for work hoping he'd get bored and go the other way but he wouldn't stop - at a round-about he drove into the oncoming lane and tried to block me in!
I'd had enough, so I called up Mr Plod. I was still on the phone as I drove into the work yard (I work for a transport company so big trucks, big forklifts & big drivers) and parked up in our loading area - the nut job followed me through the gate but didn't come all the way through the car park. The police said they were only a minute or so away so I waited in the car while this bloke sat in his by the gate facing me. A couple of drivers came to see what was up (cars aren't usually parked in the loading bays) and went to tell the guy to **** off.
When he saw them coming he turned around to leave, just as the police arrived and blocked the gate. I was now out of the car and off the phone - the guy sat idling in his car for a few seconds and then got out with his hands raised - it almost looked like an episode of cops (but without the drugs and guns). After they bundled him in the back of one of their cars an officer came to speak to me (I was now winding down in the office with a hot brew).
They took our statements, compared them and then came back to tell me he deeply regretted his actions and asked if I wanted to take this further. I raised concerns that he might retaliate and the officer that interviewed me said he doesn't seem the type. I said I would let it go and they sent him on his way.
Now several hours later, I strangely don't feel satisfied with the result. The guy was a lunatic and I can honestly say, I did not provoke that type of response. When he was sat by the gate watching me I thought he must be on drugs or something. I've been getting ribbed by the guys about it - I'm seen as a bit of a softy already because I work in the office (resident geek). In years gone by I would've been out there to give him a slap. I know I made the right choice letting it go, this nutter was so erratic with his driving he was probably running on pure adrenaline anyway. I just wonder, would you have handled this any different?
The guy jammed on his brakes and stopped in the middle of the carriageway - horns ensued behind us. He then exited the vehicle and I thought '**** this' and drove off around him. Naturally he pursued me, passed me and then tried to cut me off again so I pulled over to the kerb, opened my door to make I was getting out and as soon as he was out of his car I was off.
This time he stayed back and followed me but when we came to a set of lights he pulled up and walked up to my door gesturing and swearing his head off. I ran the red (was turning left and the road was clear). I now knew I was dealing with a grade A nut job who had a point to make. I had no intention of a scrap - last time I retaliated it didn't turn out too well. So I continued driving for work hoping he'd get bored and go the other way but he wouldn't stop - at a round-about he drove into the oncoming lane and tried to block me in!
I'd had enough, so I called up Mr Plod. I was still on the phone as I drove into the work yard (I work for a transport company so big trucks, big forklifts & big drivers) and parked up in our loading area - the nut job followed me through the gate but didn't come all the way through the car park. The police said they were only a minute or so away so I waited in the car while this bloke sat in his by the gate facing me. A couple of drivers came to see what was up (cars aren't usually parked in the loading bays) and went to tell the guy to **** off.
When he saw them coming he turned around to leave, just as the police arrived and blocked the gate. I was now out of the car and off the phone - the guy sat idling in his car for a few seconds and then got out with his hands raised - it almost looked like an episode of cops (but without the drugs and guns). After they bundled him in the back of one of their cars an officer came to speak to me (I was now winding down in the office with a hot brew).
They took our statements, compared them and then came back to tell me he deeply regretted his actions and asked if I wanted to take this further. I raised concerns that he might retaliate and the officer that interviewed me said he doesn't seem the type. I said I would let it go and they sent him on his way.
Now several hours later, I strangely don't feel satisfied with the result. The guy was a lunatic and I can honestly say, I did not provoke that type of response. When he was sat by the gate watching me I thought he must be on drugs or something. I've been getting ribbed by the guys about it - I'm seen as a bit of a softy already because I work in the office (resident geek). In years gone by I would've been out there to give him a slap. I know I made the right choice letting it go, this nutter was so erratic with his driving he was probably running on pure adrenaline anyway. I just wonder, would you have handled this any different?
