Depends on a few things for me really.The severity of the incident in question would be one and also how aggresive the person/persons involved were.
I am far more chilled today but if the wrong buttons are pushed i would get out and want to say my bit every single time.
I also can't stand those moments where someone else is 100% in the wrong, but **** you off for it.
I would follow those people to the ends of the earth if i had to because it bugs me.Stupid? probably, but far more satisfying for me personaly to of said my bit.
Just one example of what i mean would be the time i had to stamp on my brakes (was only doing 30mph) because a motorcyclist pulled out of a junction about 10 feet in front of me. After avoiding him by about half an inch and calming down from the shock waves surging through my body, he then gave me the special blend and roast gesture and rode off.
I didn't have time to turn around really so just followed him in reverse as fast as my car would go ( i think only dogs would have heard the high pitched whine it was making) before spinning around, blocking him off and having a quiet word with him.
However, i am not stupid enough to think i am always in the right or that everything is so truly terrible or personal that it requires action to be taken.I sit firmly in the middle in the road rage stakes.I appreciate they are just cars, i don't take things personaly etc, but as in other real life situations, there are always times a line is crossed and they are nearly always by angry idiots who no doubt get away with similar things day in day out.
Even when i was a rather hot headed youngster i still knew what was deemed road rage worthy or not if that makes sense.
I can honestly say hand on heart any incidents (and there have been a few including physical stuff) i have been involved in were down to other idiotic or angry drivers and nothing to do with me being even slightly in the wrong.Sure some will say i am in the wrong to act apon such situations, but to be honest i don't really care.I was also told it was stupid to throw drunk teenagers out of an off licence once while they were abusing the woman behind the counter, but that felt great aswell.Maybe i just enjoy doing what many would think is the right thing to do or something they themselves would like to do but never would, i dunno.
I certainly never get out with a view to having a punch up anyway and i never scream and shout, i am always totaly calm but just get my point across.
An example to show what i mean by that would be the time a classic car was being driven like a loon and missed me by a few inches twice in an overtaking attempt.Twice i was the one who had to avoid a collision yet i got a look of death from the driver as he passed.
I flashed him, indicated, he pulled over and i simply asked "what a lovely car mate, did you do all the work yourself?"
looking a bit bemused he said he had done all the work himself, so i then simply suggested what a total waste of time it was if he was now going to smash it up by driving like a punt.
Another time i tapped on a window of a guys car and told him he needed to remove the child on board sticker from his window because he was going to kill his kid driving in such a manner.
If people ever do stop (sometimes i actually prey they will because often they never do and it makes a change!) you can pretty much assume they are angry drivers or people having a bad day.In that case, if they decide to get physical i will do what i have to do and hope for the best.Something that has left me laying in the road before now looking up at the stars and finaly waking up to realise my clothes were out of fashion! : p
As Gilly says though, most times, people who have been super heros all the time they know they are nice and safe and going in the opposite direction etc will never get out if confronted.Or they will jump back in and drive off.
So as chilled as i am and as forgiving for genuine silly errors (let's face it, some people look for excuses to have a row on the roads :/) if something happens that leaves me shaking my head in disbelief or puts me in danger i will often react.
On the other hand, as of yet i have never (not once) caused a road rage incident that i know of so i can't comment on what would happen if i was approached.
A few times i have made an error i have just held my hands up and mouthed the words "sorry!".
Long boring post over, it is safe to come out now
. Think he thought dad was going to kill him lol so we just drove on.
fool
