Keep your hands on the wheel

[seamusTX]

In 2007, one Adam Vue was test-driving a vehicle in Richmond, California (north of Oakland). Salesman Gabriel Lobos was sitting in the passenger seat. Another vehicle nearly collided with the vehicle that Vue was driving. Lobos made a gesture that, according to differing accounts, may or may not have been perceived as obscene. Someone in the other vehicle fired a shot, hitting Vue in the head. Vue is now permanently disabled.

The shooter was not identified or apprehended.

Vue sued Lobos and the dealership that employed him, claiming that Lobos should have reasonably foreseen that the gesture would provoke someone to shoot. A judge disagreed and dismissed the case before it could go to trial.

Vue appealed, and the appeals court upheld the first judge's decision in a 3-0 ruling.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 18MI8S.DTL" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Regardless of this decision, I have been aware for decades that there are people out there who will shoot at you for looking at them sideways. California was the birthplace of the "road rage shooting" in the 1980s.

- Jim

[surprise_i'm_armed]

During the road rage shooting era in Californa, there was
a cartoon published that addressed the issue.

Two California Highway Patrol officers have a motorist detained on
the side of the road in handcuffs.

"We're charging you with shooting a .45 in a .22 zone."

It was funny to me. Maybe you just had to be there.

[mikeintexas]

During the road rage shooting era in Californa, there was
a cartoon published that addressed the issue.

Two California Highway Patrol officers have a motorist detained on
the side of the road in handcuffs.

"We're charging you with shooting a .45 in a .22 zone."

It was funny to me. Maybe you just had to be there.

Nope, that's funny right there!

[casingpoint]

I was there. (CA) And that is funny. And so California Airhead. Everybody should experience CA at least once. Actually, CA was a wonderful place as late as the '60's. But OMG now.

[Abraham]

Yesterday, a man cut in front on me at the last moment causing me to hit the brakes in order to avoid a collision. Fortunately, I did avoid a collision.

My other response: Caution - this driver was a menace. I was grateful for no collision and hope this guy simply make an avoidable error in his further driving.

Would I have benefited by going ballistic? Would he?

One in not a weenie or casper milquetoast to shrug off that, that didn't result in tragedy.

Offering one finger salutes or loudly cursing the obvious doesn't help anything, but it certainly might escalate into something hideous...

[joe817]

Well put Abraham. I agree