Road rager on Beltway 8

[gregthehand]

Well I'm actually driving home on Beltway 8 from selling a pistol and I see this guy coming up really fast behind me. I didn't feel like I had time to move over so I intended to just let him go around me. I was driving North and I was between Hwy 288 and 59 for those that know the area. Anyway instead of passing this guy rides my butt for a second and then finally passes me while kind of starring at me. I'm doing just a little over the speed limit and I'm not really in the mood for this guy so I just slow down and move to the outside lane. At this point I'm not totally sure if this idiot is trying to incite something with me or if he is just a bad driver. Instead of continuing on the guy slows way down to about 45 mph and start jumping on his brakes. So at this point I'm thinking I need to just get away. There was no off-ramp anywhere close and so I tried to instead to pass the guy because once again I'm not TOTALLY sure that he is messing with me maybe just being an idiot. As I pass him he starts making wile gestures at me and and yelling at me as if I can hear him through my closed window going down the Beltway. I try to speed up and get away but he matches my speed. All the time by the way he has a cell phone up to his head and is still staring at me making strange faces and not watching where he is going at all. Getting past him was not an option so this time I slow down again since now I know he is trying to mess with me. I pick up my phone and call 911 and give them our location and the details including his license plate. I don't know if the guy saw me calling or what but he sped off really fast. The dispatcher said they would be on the lookout but who knows if they ever did get him pulled over or anything. I turned off as soon I could. Anyway the pistol stayed in its holster but I did adjust it juuuust in case.

Still not sure what I did to hack the guy off. All I can figure out is I was only doing about 71 in a 65.

Be careful out there. You can't throw a rock without hitting five hot heads these days.

[dicion]

Best thing to do in that situation is to not make eye contact at all.
The fact that you said "and then finally passes me while kind of starring at me" means you were watching him as he passed. This is probably what incited him.

Not saying it's your fault, it's not, at all.
Next time, just don't look at them at all. keep your eyes forward, and they'll most likely ignore you. They won't bother if they know they can't get a rise out of you.

[USA1]

im on the roads of houston everyday for work. i see these idiots everywhere .
now im usually a very laid back , easy going kinda guy .
but something just gets me to boiling when someone messes with me like that .
its sooo easy to loose your cool in those situations .

i think you did the right thing by trying to avoid further conflict .

its really not worth risking life or legal troubles over some knuckle head.

[LaserTex]

That is why I quit riding my Goldwing. Forced off the road to the point of sparks coming off of my highway pegs. God is great..beer is good...and people are crazy!

D

EDIT: Changed quite to quit. nad to and

[Jeff B.]

im on the roads of houston everyday for work. i see these idiots everywhere .
now im usually a very laid back , easy going kinda guy .
but something just gets me to boiling when someone messes with me like that .
its sooo easy to loose your cool in those situations .

i think you did the right thing by trying to avoid further conflict .

its really not worth risking life or legal troubles over some knuckle head.

It's not just in Houston. There are more uptight and confrontational folks out there than I like to think about. I try my best to operate on the "give them a break" philosophy, allowing folks to merge in, go first if we've hit a four way at the same time, etc... hoping that one good turn may incite another (good turn). Some people are just not all there...

Jeff B.

[USA1]

i always have to look to see what kind of idiot im dealing with..

its hard to resist giving them the ole stink eye

[sss]

Which lane were you in while this occurred?

[joe817]

I have to side with dicion on this on (doggonit! LOL). Be aware, always. Situational awareness is a prime directive. But avoid eye contact. So what if it's staring at you? No big deal.

You don't know who you are dealing with, especially if they are behaving erratically. They may be looking for a confrontation. "It" could be a gang-banger doing its homework in some sort of perverted initiation ceremony. The road rage thing is reaching epidemic proportions.

And you don't need to encourage "it" to escalate the confrontation, by looking "it" in the eye.

When that happens to me, I look....of course I do, but I look at the front bumper, or the tire.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[USA1]

Joe, i love how you refer to them as " it "

[gregthehand]

I was in the inside lane. Yes this is the fast lane and I was going a little over the speed limit. I would estimate this guy was doing something like 85-90 mph when he came up behind me.

[USA1]

I was in the inside lane. Yes this is the fast lane and I was going a little over the speed limit. I would estimate this guy was doing something like 85-90 mph when he came up behind me.

just so you know , i was at home at that time ..i have witnesses

[sss]

I was in the inside lane. Yes this is the fast lane and I was going a little over the speed limit. I would estimate this guy was doing something like 85-90 mph when he came up behind me.

The whole road rage thing is inexcusable, but left lane hogs are just as annoying to me. Why not leave the "fast lane" open for those who want to go fast?

[bdickens]

I really feel sorry for those people. Really, I do. I only have to deal with them for a brief, fleeting moment. They have to deal with themselves for their whole lives.

[tarkus]

I was in the inside lane. Yes this is the fast lane and I was going a little over the speed limit. I would estimate this guy was doing something like 85-90 mph when he came up behind me.

just so you know , i was at home at that time ..i have witnesses

Me too!