Road Rager Didn't Like Me Driving the Speed Limit

[E.Marquez]

Kawabuggy,
Please read the original post and tell me where the OP said he had the opportunity to turn or change lanes to get out of the ragers way. As I read it, he was in a construction zone and only had one lane going his direction. He did not mention any cross streets or parking lots he could have turned into to wait his "five minutes" for him to pass as you would have done. Do you know exactly where this took place and can provide information that proves the OP didn't do what was proper and legal?

The only thing I think the OP should reconcider doing based on the information he provided in his original post is refrain from laughing at the guy that was in the wrong and in a rage.

Not impressed with your reported stature as my sixteen year old is bigger than you are. Not that that makes a hill of beans. Also, thanks for the condescending lecture. Remember, you do not know for sure to whom you are talking on these forums. I have a feeling there are plenty of millionaires, business owners and CEO's on here.

Kind of what i was thinking when I read Kawabuggy's diatribe and parenting lecture.
Was also thinking he was posting to a different thread then he intended to...as I did not find much of his lecture in context to what is in THIS thread.

To the topic....drive speeds your comfortable with.. if slower than others, move right as conditions allow.

Overt actions like giggling at other drives lunacy in my opinion is not escalating the situation.. If the other drive did not want to be laughed at, they should not drive like a tool.

But returning the aggressive behavior with hand gestures, yelling, or vehicle maneuvering would in MHO be escalating the situation.

[Oldgringo]

I usually never exceed the posted speed limit and most often drive 5-10 mph under it. If y'all are in that big of a rush to beat me to the next town or red light, you need to leave your starting point a little earlier.

In case your looking for it, It's an inferno red Dodge 2500 Cummins with a Rancher grill guard in front and a honkin' big trailer hitch in back. In between, is a cool, steely-eyed and armed, Sr. Gent enjoying your highway antics.

Y'all be careful, ya hear?

[ScooterSissy]

I see that some of you agree with my earlier statements, and some of you don't. To those of you who disagree, let's talk about that word "de-escalation" that get's bandied about on this web site all the time.

If you go up to a bear in the woods and poke him with a stick and he attacks you, who is at fault? Remember he is just a bear and YOU are not going to change him, or his attitude. Now let's say that the bear is a metaphor for idiot drivers. It's all so clear, unless you let pride, arrogance, or attitude on your part enter the equation. By not removing yourself from the equation when an idiot driver is involved, it could be said that you are intentionally escalating a situation.

Sorry, gotta call you on that one. A guy in a car isn't a bear. He's a guy in a car. In the scenario we're discussing, he's a guy in a car doing something he's not supposed to do. We're the guy in the car dowing what we are supposed to do. That's not escalating, and that's a pretty far reach you're employing to attempt to portray it as escalation.

In short - you're wrong.

Let's use another example.. You drive by a Wal-Mart and see a suspected drug deal going down. Do you drive over so that you can observe while allowing them to see you? No you say? But yet, an idiot driver up in your face, causes you to shift mental gears to "self-appointed-road-policeman" in an instant.

Wrong again. A more accurate comparison would be "so you turn around and leave the area of Wal-Mart to avoid the possibility of confrontation". Proceeding to the Wal-Mart to finish your business would be comparable to remaining in your lane driving the speed you were driving.

Those of you attempting to justify your position in regards to why you would not remove yourself from a potentially dangerous, or deadly, situation need to rethink your attitude.

Uh, no we don't. Just because you behave that way, doesn't mean we have to, or that we're wrong in not doing so.

You are obviously escalating a situation that you can remove yourself from, if you are intelligent enough to do so. That being the key. Are you smart enough to over-ride that sense of pride, attitude, or arrogance? Some of you by your own admissions clearly are not. Maturity? Yep, I'd say that's a part of it, and a lack of it on your part to de-escalate a situation. Some of you are Billy-Bad-Ass sitting in anonymity behind the wheel of your vehicle with your tinted glass. Good for you.

See, that's where this whole bit of nonsense you're spouting becomes a problem. Because we don't do what you do, we lack intelligence, we're not smart enough, we have too much pride, attitude, and/or arrogance (not to mention we're lacking in maturity). The "Billy-Bad" is simply over the line.

You throw around "arrogance" a lot - I suggest you use that intelligence and smarts and learn another word - condescending.

In regards to idiot drivers, I have a beautiful wife & kids at home waiting for me everyday. If I have to pull over a dozen times and wait 5 minutes each time to merge back into traffic to get home safely I'll do it. I can justify the extra few minutes of being a coward (as some of you have intimated) sitting on the side of the road to get home to hugs & kisses from my wife & kids. I don't know, maybe your wife & kids are not that important to some of you. Mine are. Have a great day!

Here's one to think about - the numbers you just gave, assuming you live another 20 years, that's roughly 220 days of your life you'd be giving up, all in order to avoid a confrontation that may not occur, and actually may even escalate because of your attemps to avoid the "bear" behind the wheel.

I don't begrudge your opinion. I'm not going to even call you arrogant, immature, lacking intelligence, or even Billy-Scaredy. It'd be nice if you showed the same level of respect.

[Keith B]

OK folks, keep these discussion free of attacks on members or the thread will be locked.

[Bob in Big D]

So I am driving along in a single lane construction zone at the speed limit as a road rager comes roaring up behind right on my tail flashing lights honking horn. Being a curtious old guy I speed up maybe 5 mph but hopefully not enough to attach the attention of any LEO's hanging out. This road rager is going bananas behind me. We come to the end of the construction zone so there are now two lanes. The RR zooms past me as he is giving the one finger salute. I just wave back with all 5 fingers visible. He pulls into my lane and hits the brakes hard, luckily I stop in time. Iam on my cell dialing 911 with his license plate number. He sees me on the phone and pulls over to the side as I go past still on the phone he jumps out of his car with what looks like a baseball bat and makes motions like he wants me to stop. I think I laughed into the phone when I told the 911 operator what was going on. Like there was no way I was stopping even though he would have brought that bat to a gunfight. Yeah I was armed! I told the 911 lady I have a CHL and it would be very good idea if they got an officer out there right away because this guy keeps coming and if he forced me to stop I may not have a lot of options. The RR had gotten back in his car and was trying to catch me. I was doing 75 by then so it took him a few minutes. About the time he caught up with me on my tail there were 3 police cars coming from both directions with lights on. I immediately pulled over while RR kept going until the cops caught up and lite him up. One officer stopped and took a report from me and asked me drive down to where the RR was and identify him. I did. He was trying to say I was the RR but the 911 call said otherwise. He was arrested. Last I heard he pleaded guilty and I didn't have to appear. Don't know what he got. This was last Jan on my Way home to Dallas from Dennison on 75.

[ScooterSissy]

So I am driving along in a single lane construction zone at the speed limit as a road rager comes roaring up behind right on my tail flashing lights honking horn. Being a curtious old guy I speed up maybe 5 mph but hopefully not enough to attach the attention of any LEO's hanging out. This road rager is going bananas behind me. We come to the end of the construction zone so there are now two lanes. The RR zooms past me as he is giving the one finger salute. I just wave back with all 5 fingers visible. He pulls into my lane and hits the brakes hard, luckily I stop in time. Iam on my cell dialing 911 with his license plate number. He sees me on the phone and pulls over to the side as I go past still on the phone he jumps out of his car with what looks like a baseball bat and makes motions like he wants me to stop. I think I laughed into the phone when I told the 911 operator what was going on. Like there was no way I was stopping even though he would have brought that bat to a gunfight. Yeah I was armed! I told the 911 lady I have a CHL and it would be very good idea if they got an officer out there right away because this guy keeps coming and if he forced me to stop I may not have a lot of options. The RR had gotten back in his car and was trying to catch me. I was doing 75 by then so it took him a few minutes. About the time he caught up with me on my tail there were 3 police cars coming from both directions with lights on. I immediately pulled over while RR kept going until the cops caught up and lite him up. One officer stopped and took a report from me and asked me drive down to where the RR was and identify him. I did. He was trying to say I was the RR but the 911 call said otherwise. He was arrested. Last I heard he pleaded guilty and I didn't have to appear. Don't know what he got. This was last Jan on my Way home to Dallas from Dennison on 75.

Excellent! Maybe the bear learned a lesson and modified his behavior.

[03Lightningrocks]

What is really funny is when you are observing the speed-limit and annoying the people behind you.

What is really funny is being in a hurry and being annoyed at the guy ahead of you doing the speed limit.

What is really, really funny is that I do find myself filling both of the roles described from time-to-time and realizing just how silly I am.

Guilty of the same.

[03Lightningrocks]

By the way... In that situation, a "throwing the hands in the air gesture", can be interpreted in a negative way. To many people, this is actually a challenge. It is similar to saying "so what you going to do about it", just after doing something mean to someone. That may be why he responded by doing the brake stomp. He probably thought you were intentionally antagonizing him. He, most likely, would not brake stomp a little old lady who does no gestures in the same situation but slow cruised at half the speed.

Most of the time, the situation at the time of the hand gesture is utilized to interpret the meaning.

I am not saying anyone was right or wrong...just pointing out how we can accidentally set off a stranger.

[03Lightningrocks]

I usually never exceed the posted speed limit and most often drive 5-10 mph under it. If y'all are in that big of a rush to beat me to the next town or red light, you need to leave your starting point a little earlier.

In case your looking for it, It's an inferno red Dodge 2500 Cummins with a Rancher grill guard in front and a honkin' big trailer hitch in back. In between, is a cool, steely-eyed and armed, Sr. Gent enjoying your highway antics.

Y'all be careful, ya hear?

When I have my trailer hitch in place, on my F250, I refer to it as a "stinger". I use it for towing a 28 foot enclosed car trailer. It is very long and if hit would no doubt stick a hole right through the radiator of the vehicle that hits me.

By the way... Get a real truck and you won't need that grill guard. Dodge???

[Hoosier Daddy]

I usually never exceed the posted speed limit and most often drive 5-10 mph under it.

As long as you're doing that in the right lane, I will pass in the passing lane and it works fine for both of us.

However, if someone is driving 5-10 mph under the posted speed and they're not in the right lane, I call that in. Driving slower than prevailing traffic in the middle lane may or may not be an offense, but it's a typical behavior for drunk drivers, so I will be a good citizen and report it to help keep the roads safe.

[Dave2]

However, if someone is driving 5-10 mph under the posted speed and they're not in the right lane, I call that in. Driving slower than prevailing traffic in the middle lane may or may not be an offense, but it's a typical behavior for drunk drivers, so I will be a good citizen and report it to help keep the roads safe.

I also don't know if it's an offense, but I'm reasonably certain that it can negatively affect the flow of traffic.

[Oldgringo]

I reckon a funeral procession really fries your shorts, eh?

The posted speed limit is exactly that, a LIMIT. Just because somebody else is driving over the LIMIT doesn't mean that I have to. I quit being in a self-important and imaginary hurry several years ago.

[Dave2]

I reckon a funeral procession really fries your shorts, eh?

If you're talking to me, then no... I've got enough sense to give a group of grieving friends and family their space.

[cewait]

A few months ago I was turning left out of my culdesac onto a subdivision through street. Speed limit 30. Coming around the bend from the left was a dude traveling at 45-50. He started honking and flashing lights and I just stopped once clear thinking he may need something... then came the one finger salute. He slammed the brakes once he saw me slow up and started to come out of the pickup. The funny stuff starts to happen. He hooked his foot on something as he came out of the truck and did a face plant in the middle of the road. That made him rage a little harder... until he noticed the truck was not in park and he had to decide between me or the pickup starting to move away.

[Dave2]

A few months ago I was turning left out of my culdesac onto a subdivision through street. Speed limit 30. Coming around the bend from the left was a dude traveling at 45-50. He started honking and flashing lights and I just stopped once clear thinking he may need something... then came the one finger salute. He slammed the brakes once he saw me slow up and started to come out of the pickup. The funny stuff starts to happen. He hooked his foot on something as he came out of the truck and did a face plant in the middle of the road. That made him rage a little harder... until he noticed the truck was not in park and he had to decide between me or the pickup starting to move away.

Too bad you didn't have one of those car-based cameras... I'd have loved to've seen that on YouTube.