Dealing with malicious drivers

[JHZR2]

Driving north today, traffic jam where an empty exit only lets tons of people cut in. I didn't let one pickup filled with trash yokels in. They took their lighted cigarette and flicked it so it landed and smoldered on my hood. Idiot.

He was taking advantage of the traffic pattern and me, from out of state, knew to be over and out of the way.

Of course he will get his and I hope it to be a long and painful cancer from those cigarettes.

But what does one do and what recourse is there against such idiotic behavior?

Another example, once in a snowstorm, guys in a van threw snowballs at other cars, one hit my wife's.

What is the appropriate response, 911? Police report? No reason people should tolerate such behavior.

I do wish police would hang out at exit only chokepoints where a select few pass by and cut. Give them all $100 tickets for reckless and inattentive driving not with the pattern, and solve some budget issues...

 

[Lead Shoes]

If all of the above fails... teach them a lesson the American way, beat some [censored].

 

[dparm]

This works every time.

I kid, I kid.

 

[Donald]

If only one could buy an RPG at a 7-11.

 

[Mr Nice]

Take a deep breath and just ignore them.

You have much more important things in life to worry about.

 

[Drew99GT]

It's gotten so bad around my area that I just hunker down, let people in, give them the benefit of the doubt etc. I used to try and fight back, but it's utterly pointless. Calling the police won't do anything unless someone really vandalizes your vehicle or threatens you with harm.

It sucks and like I've said before, it's absolutely a reflection of the degradation of our society. In my neighborhood, people don't even slow down for stop signs anymore; they look and keep on going, and they'll try and race you to a 4 ways stop.

 

[fdcg27]

Last month, I was driving home from Columbus south on I-71, and there was an older guy in a POS Ford conversion van who would not get out of the left lane.
I had observed him moving right when passed on the right by a car ahead of me.
I followed him for a little bit, and then decided that I could either pass him on the right or follow him all the way to my exit, about 60 miles south.
I went down to fourth and blew on by him on the right.
He responded by swerving to the right, flashing his lights and sounding his horn.
I had the top down, and I waved at the guy.
The guy then decided to give chase.
I cranked the little BMW up to 90+ for a few miles, and dropped him.
I had no desire to get into a confrontation with an apparently crazy old fool who might be armed.
You do run into some drivers who go beyond mere distracted operation.
Maybe I should have called OSP?
The guy may have been either drunk, stoned on meth or crack, or mentally ill and full of undirected rage.
He clearly had some sort of problem.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Take a deep breath and just ignore them.

You have much more important things in life to worry about.


I agree.

Why be bothered with low life ?

 

[glum]

I know exactly how you feel, and I'm sorry you had to go through that. Of course, the people saying to let it go are right. But for some of us, that's not easy. I know I should let stuff go, but it's really hard for me. I don't drive aggressively--even when I am in an extremely bad mood--but sometimes I just want to beat people to death for putting me and my family at risk for no reason.

I drove in Rochester, NY for about 21 years before moving to NC. I didn't notice any difference when I moved down. But whenever I visit Rochester now, I notice people driving more aggressively. Tailgaiting in particular, which drives me insane. Idiots trying to shove their way in on right lanes that end (had a guy try that in a dump truck, from a stop light. Right lane ended maybe 50 yards in!).

I used to do crazy stuff in retaliation, but I'm a bit past that now. What I do now, if anything, is to simply mock them. For idiots who drive aggressively like their schedule is more important than my kid's life, I wait for them to pass and then I put on a super-worried, anxious look, and wipe my forehead furiously. I don't do that every time but it's sometimes a fun little stress reliever. Oh yeah, I'm nuts.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Take a deep breath and just ignore them.

You have much more important things in life to worry about.



I agree! Besides, Karma will get people like them in the end.

 

[glum]

Originally Posted By: Patman
Karma will get people like them in the end.

I don't get why people say that. Surely you don't really believe that, do you? It raises so many questions involving beliefs based on bad evidence.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Take a deep breath and just ignore them.

You have much more important things in life to worry about.


I agree.

Why be bothered with low life ?


I don care about the low life but rather the fact that he purposely dumped a cigarette on my car that smoldered for minutes. That is vandalism.

 

[Trajan]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/157751/woman_charged_in_mcmissile_case_receives.html?cat=17

 

[Fazzone]

While we don't have traffic like that where I live, the same thing happens where there is construction. Traffic will be backed up a mile and there will be a handfull of idiots that will blow by and try to cut in right where the lane is closed. Last year I had enough of it and blocked a guy from cutting in. He came within inches of hitting me and then started yelling. I pointed out what he had done and rolled the window up. About a mile down the road I realized how stupid what I had just done was. For all I know he had a weapon or what not. Hopefully he realized the same. I have never thought about doing that since. Just not worth it.

 

[LS2JSTS]

Flip em the bird and be on your way.

Life is too short.

 

[glum]

Originally Posted By: Trajan
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/157751/woman_charged_in_mcmissile_case_receives.html?cat=17

Wow--instead of Hall being punished, I think Pete Ballwin should have gotten 10 years of hard time...

 

[jcwit]

Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
Flip em the bird and be on your way.

Life is too short.


Right! And my Kimber .45 ACP appears on the dash, as I also call 911 to report an impaired driver.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

You need to buy a P71 Police Interceptor [with the spotlight,pushbars and tint] and all that nonsense will come to a stop..Even my white Vic with dark windows makes the bulk of the drivers behave better..

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
Take a deep breath and just ignore them.

You have much more important things in life to worry about.



Agreed. Getting upset, angry or reacting does nothing more than give them the satisfaction of knowing they got under your skin.

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I didn't let one pickup filled with trash yokels in.


How mature of you. If you had given an inch to begin with, you would have avoided the entire scenario. Instead to choose to bring yourself down to their level. The fact that you start your post with name calling and stereotyping speaks volumes.

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I don care about the low life but rather the fact that he purposely dumped a cigarette on my car that smoldered for minutes. That is vandalism.


And you'll do exactly what? Try to stop him and beat him up? Call the police? I'm sure they'll send the swat team with sirens and lights a blazin' and throw him in the slammer. You'll stand there and scream at him about a cigarette on your hood? Yeah, right.

The reality is that there isn't much you can do about it, so you're better off acting like a mature adult, shrugging it off and concerning yourself with important issues.

After all it's just a car, and if you actually drive it things will happen on occasion.

Originally Posted By: glum
I don't get why people say that. Surely you don't really believe that, do you? It raises so many questions involving beliefs based on bad evidence.


I'm not sure how you couldn't believe in karma. Genuinely good people usually make good decisions and have lots of positives in their life, while bad people tend to make bad decisions, and those bad decisions often come back to haunt them. It has little to do with beliefs, but rather the ability to make good or bad decisions. After all, look at the ramifications that JHZR2's decision about the pickup "filled with trash yokels" had.

 

[Spazdog]

Ever notice how you come across someone you shouldn't have [messed] with?

Nahhh. I make it a point to put some distance between myself and the offender. I don't display a sidearm. No point in seeing if we can have an arms race.

Don't get me wrong. If the situation is appropriate and I can't just leave, the situation will be handled appropriately. But I would rather just leave the situation.