What would you have done in this situation?

Adam · 23 Apr 2006 at 14:04

Firstly I am quite aware I was stupid, I wouldn't normally get involved in such a petty incident so im not looking for comments reminding me of this fact.

Anyway, I was stuck in slow moving traffic yesterday by a slow car 2-3 cars infront (about 30mph on a NSL country road). Car infront must have thought I was sitting a little close to him so his girlfriend decided she would turn around and give me some abuse. Ignored it for a while until I smiled at her which wound her up even more and then shrugged my shoulders at her which sent her over the limit (I know, I know, shouldn't have got involved!). The guy started slowing right down and then speeding up until we could overtake the slower car on a nice long straight which clearly meant I was closer to him than I would have liked. I then made my second mistake as I edged over the road to see if I could overtake him to get out of this guys way and hopefully turn off at the next exit which wouldn't be too far out of my way. He put his foot down so I didn't overtake him, and didn't meet him again until we were bunched up further on by another slower car where I began to get more abuse by his girlfriend which this time I ignored. We then moved into a built up area where he slowed the entire queue of traffic to a halt and then tried to block me in. Luckily I sensed what he was doing and managed to find a space in the oncoming traffic to pull around him as he jumped out of his car to go for me :eek:

He was then behind me for about a mile before he overtook me as the road split into 2 lanes and thankfully I didn't see him again (I made no eye contact as not to wind him up more). Made sure I doubled around the roundabout to give myself a little extra time incase he he was waiting for me etc.

My first road rage incident in 4 years of driving and it really shook me up. Unfortunatly I wrote the number plate down incorrectl

Im just so disappointed in myself for getting involved in something so petty. I am hoping there is no way he can track me down or he is a local as he did seem a proper nutter, maybe I am overreacting but it wasn't a pleasant situation to find myself in. I will certainly be giving other motorists more room in future so it cannot be percieved that I am trying to wind them up/provoke them. Be careful people, could have been an awful situation.

Ultra_Extreme · 23 Apr 2006 at 14:10

Me? Id have called the police and told them i had been stuck in traffic behind a man and a woman in a <insert car and reg> one of whom had appeared to have a pistol or similar weapon occasionally waving it and driving erratically, i would have added that the woman passenger kept looking back at you and that you were unsure if this was a plea for help. I mean heck, your just being a concerned, if over cautious citizen, and just maybe the git and his tramp have a nice big bag of weed in the glove box when they get pulled

blueboy2001 · 23 Apr 2006 at 16:16

I'd have backed off and given him a bit more space, then none of the rest of the incident would have occured. Doing this would also have put you in better position for a safe overtake, and would have meant you are not sat on the bootlid of a car with a couple of idiots in it who are liable to do erratic things that may cause you to run into the back of them if you are too close.

Having said that, when I was younger I'd probably have got out of my car and smacked him when he stopped, but I've grown out of that sort of behaviour now.

Mackass · 23 Apr 2006 at 17:23

I'd probably have done the same thing as you, minus the reaction. Don't worry mate, it's not your fault, there're plenty of idiots out there, and unfortuntely you just happened to come across one. I think you done the right thing in driving off when he approached you, you never know what these psychos will do to you, and you done the right thing in the end. I doubt he knows where you live, so relax. :cool:

Freefaller · 23 Apr 2006 at 17:30

blueboy2001 said:
I'd have backed off and given him a bit more space, then none of the rest of the incident would have occured. Doing this would also have put you in better position for a safe overtake, and would have meant you are not sat on the bootlid of a car with a couple of idiots in it who are liable to do erratic things that may cause you to run into the back of them if you are too close.

Agreed. Not worth the hassle at all.

evilowl · 23 Apr 2006 at 17:47

I'd have run him over and then banged his girlfriend on the backseat just to teach him a lesson.

Freefaller · 23 Apr 2006 at 17:49

evilowl said:
I'd have run him over and then banged his girlfriend on the backseat just to teach him a lesson.

Now that's a mature answer. :/

PMKeates · 23 Apr 2006 at 17:50

evilowl said:
I'd have run him over and then banged his girlfriend on the backseat just to teach him a lesson.

LOOOOL

Wouldn't we all?

Seriously, though (If serious is possible after evilowl's post!), best thing to do would have been to ignore everything - but it never works like that. I wouldn't put yourself down too much over your reaction!

atpbx · 23 Apr 2006 at 17:59

I would have done him as soon as he touched his brakes the first time.

People are so predictable.

Some guy did it to us the other day on the way to work, we were trying to get past him and this truck, and he didnt like the fact that we were daring to overtake him in a van, soon as his brakes lights came on, banged my foot down to the floor and swung out.

evilowl · 23 Apr 2006 at 18:08

Freefaller said:
Now that's a mature answer. :/

No sense of humour this afternoon?

Adam · 23 Apr 2006 at 18:09

I think it was an ego thing for him, his daft girlfriend was making a fool of herself and he didnt like it. The thought of jumping out and confronting him never crossed my mind in all honesty as im not really a confrontational person. Anyway, he was bigger than me

Shook me up a bit. What kind of mentality must you have to bring the traffic to a halt to jump out after someone, he could have had a weapon, baseball bat or anything for that matter. Oh well all done now, you hear of this kind of thing happening all the time but its quite a shock when it happens to yourself.

Freefaller · 23 Apr 2006 at 18:11

evilowl said:
No sense of humour this afternoon?

I would if it was a funny post. However, I suggest you leave it there.

Freefaller · 23 Apr 2006 at 18:13

Adam said:
I think it was an ego thing for him, his daft girlfriend was making a fool of herself and he didnt like it. The thought of jumping out and confronting him never crossed my mind in all honesty as im not really a confrontational person. Anyway, he was bigger than me

Shook me up a bit. What kind of mentality must you have to bring the traffic to a halt to jump out after someone, he could have had a weapon, baseball bat or anything for that matter. Oh well all done now, you hear of this kind of thing happening all the time but its quite a shock when it happens to yourself.

Lesson learnt for the future I guess. There are some really strange people in this world - it's really not worth doing anything to push them over the edge - some people would do all sorts of crazy things for a wierd sense of "pride" or something else ridiculous like that. I tend to leave people behaving like planks alone - let them go and wrap themselves round a tree, I won't shed a tear.