CHL goes well with roadrage

[Suckhow]

Let me start by saying that I don't typically get road rage. I do sometimes get quite annoyed with drivers, but for the most part, I usually go about my business, figuring that bad driving and other road-ragers were just a part of life. In the past, whever someone would pull some idiotic roadrage move.. like cutting me off, flipping the bird, or even more severe things, I would just tell myself "hey I only have to deal with the idiot for a few seconds of my life.. he/she has to live with themselves for the remainder of their life". Every now and then though, in extreme circumstances, I could feel my blood start to boil.

Anyway, fast forward to the present time. I've had my CHL for about a month now, and living in the Houston Galleria are, I deal with a lot of traffics problems including road ragers. In the last month, I have had about two incidents where in the past I might have gotten annoyed, and quite possibly even have mumbled some expletive under my breath. However, knowing that I was armed made me much more tolerant of the idiots. I was calm and even docile, but still aware. Having the weapon in potential road rage situations has definitely made me more prone to ignore or diffuse volatile situations.

From this, I (maybe inappropiately conclude), that all road ragers should be armed and eduacated.. maybe it will cure them.

[stevie_d_64]

From this, I (maybe inappropiately conclude), that all road ragers should be armed and eduacated.. maybe it will cure them.

Or not...

[HighVelocity]

that all road ragers should be armed and eduacated.. maybe it will cure them

[jimlongley]

However, knowing that I was armed made me much more tolerant of the idiots. I was calm and even docile, but still aware. Having the weapon in potential road rage situations has definitely made me more prone to ignore or diffuse volatile situations.

From this, I (maybe inappropiately conclude), that all road ragers should be armed and eduacated.. maybe it will cure them.

Or maybe it will kill them, or us. I would suggest that all road ragers should be notified that some of the people that they act out towards might just be packing.

I have also found that having my gun at my side has made me a calmer individual on the road, and I was pretty close to asleep at the wheel before.

[SJRTX]

As a Houston resident, I understand. Personally i just mind my own business, and dont try to drive aggressively or offensively. So far i havent had any road rage probs from anyone in quite a long time.

[client32]

I would suggest that all road ragers should be notified that some of the people that they act out towards might just be packing.

I know of a cop that did just that to a road rager once.
I won't go into the story. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to change his attitude.

I guess some people can't be persuaded.

[Delta]

Could not agree more with this statement.

[jpa1701]

I agree carrying a gun makes me more mindful...I get irritated at bad drivers too but dont try and make things worse by chasing them or pulling infront and hitting the brakes, etc. I just leave it alone.

I had a guy in a little tiny car trying to run me off the road a few weeks back. Why? I have no idea. Guess I was going to slow or something. Anyway I drive a Ram truck but this guy tries to force me off the road and then pulls up next to me pointing for me to pull over...you can clearly tell he is ready to fight. The guy was screaming profanties. My instinct was to retreat and not force a confrontation but if he did force me off the road or I got caught at the light I knew it was going to get bad possibly. I could not reach my phone to call 911. So many senarios went thru my head if I got stopped. I drove slower and he decided to keep going fortunatley. Who knew if he had a gun or weapon or what.

On the other hand I have this friend that drives awful. If someone is driving too slow he pulls ahead of them and locks up his breaks and tries to force people off the road. He did that once with me in the car. That was 4 years ago and wont drive with him anymore. I told him his life expectancey is dropping each time he pulls crap like that. He is totally normal until he gets behind a wheel. Moron. He just argues with me and said people get what they deserve driving like that...guess he doesnt include himself. He also thinks I am stupid for having a CHL and carrying. Some people gotta learn the hard way!

[HankB]

This is Texas, where it's known that some people carry guns.

Trying to pick a fight with some stranger who just may be armed is the mark of a fool.

I don't care what a fool thinks of me - that's a very important point. I don't need to bolster my ego by getting into a game of "whose is bigger" with some moron with a chip on his shoulder - there's NO upside, and 'way too much downside, no matter how you look at it.

So if some road rager screams obscenities at me, makes faces at me, or whatever, I just smile, shrug, wave, and do what I can to make him think I'm apologizing for whatever it is he thinks I did.

What I'm actually thinking is likely to be very different from the public face I show, but I really don't want to escalate the situation - if there's going to be escalation, it's going to be 100% on the part of the road rager. By doing nothing to escalate the confrontation, if I'm ultimately forced into using lethal force to protect myself and my passengers, I want to do all I can to be the good guy both ethically and legally.