Road rage yesterday!

[Wcross]

I was on my way to work on the interstate. A car ahead would not move over to the right lane to let others pass. I proceded to try and pass the vehicle in the right lane and of course they guy decided I shouldn't. He was going 68-70 when I first started my attempt. By the time I came up on traffic in the right lane and had to back off we were going 85! On the next attempt I got ahead of him only because he had slowed back down to 65 or so and I was able to get by him quickly before more traffic blocked the right lane and there was at least three car lengths between my car and his when I pulled in front. The limit is 70mph and I was going my usual 80 or so. Now all of a sudden he has an urge to go faster than what he had been doing at the start of all this?

He got on my bumper, flashing his brights. He proceded to pace me for at least ten miles demanding I pull over! What? He was getting dangerous trying to remain next to my vehicle so I slowed it down and went to the far right lane hoping the boy would go away. Nope, he was demanding I pull over, so I did.
He pulled up behind me and jumped out of his brand new car, got ten feet from it and about five feet from my bumper- I pulled up another twenty feet or so and he had a fit! He started running towards my truck, I pulled up another twenty or so. Another fit, ran again, I pulled up some more. I then blew him a kiss and got back on the road.
It was a mile or so to my exit and I figured by the time he got back in his car and on the road again I would be pulling into the gate at work.
It is real easy to mess with idiots, and fun too!

[Kathy in Cambridge]

1. You're lucky he didn't have a gun

It's dangerous to buy into road rage. I live in Boston and have witnessed people in fistfights over road rage incidents and parking spots.

Be careful out there.

[Wcross]

2. I wasn't gonna fight!

It was funny that this guy thought I would though! I am about as mellow as you can get on the road, I never lost my temper during the whole incident. I thought it would be safer to get the guy away from his car so his dangerous driving wouldn't hurt anybody. He probably had time to think about it when he was walking back to his car.

[MoonGod]

3. I remember when I had to do traffic school...

... they showed a video about road rage. There was this one guy who got into a similar sitch to the one you describe, except he pulled out a handgun and emptied the clip into the other car, killing the driver and the passenger. They interviewed him and he actually said at one point something along the lines of "Well.. what would YOU do?" All I could think was "Well, I wouldn't pull out a gun and start firing!"

[Deja Q]

10. Do unto others, that guy deserves the dealth penalty for what he did

Treating the issue of life harshly won't ever stop all the nuts and nazis from killing others in a fit of pique (bloody savages they are...), but it'll at least make 'em THINK before doing it. Except for the nuts and the nazis who'd do it anyway, as George W Bush* is showing us, are a far greater danger to society and the world. (Given the info pre-9/11 between Bush's cabal and the Afghanistan goverment of the time, I'm certain Bush was bullying them for his corporate oil buddies and didn't get what he wanted. Plenty of evidence exists that Bush KNEW about the attack in advance. His own actions made 9/11 happen, forget his inactions which made it easier to accomplish.

[MoonGod]

11. Wow... amazing...

... you managed to segue from road rage to LIHOP/MIHOP.

Either way, I'm completely opposed to the death penalty. The time is long overdue for our governments to stop willfully killing people. This just sends the message that killing can be justified in circumstances other than immediate self-defense, and that message keeps being all muddled up.

[avtho]

4. As long as

you didn't let him get too close to you you're ok, been there done that, it is funny to watch the fools run after you. If he had pulled a gun from behind you were probably pretty safe, if he got close you may have had to drive over him in reverse if necessary if he had a gun.

Naw it's probably best to ignore them, but remember this guy is getting ulcers today cause he's still pissed about it.

[NightTrain]

5. As a full-time delivery driver...

...I witness (and am subjected to) that kind of stupidity all the time. When I feel that a driver is particularly dangerous, I memorize his (or her) plate number and the make and model of that person's car, and I call the cops on them.

[Wcross]

7. I should have

I should have gotten the plate in hindsight. I just wanted him to go away- didn't think about the plate at the time.

[blackcat77]

6. Very bad idea

Why play games with potentially dangerous idiots? You REALLY want to hassle the guy -- call 911 on your cell and report him to the police.

[Wcross]

8. No cell phone!

I am one of the last people that doesn't own a cell phone!

[Deja Q]

9. I might have slammed the brakes

It's the responsibility of the driver to remain a safe distance behind. The person can front can brake for any reason. In such an accident, the dude in the back is the one who caused it, no exceptions...

I love your solution though, though I'm glad that idiot didn't have a gun!