Road Rage incident

[bps3040]

I posted this at another site. What would you have done in this situation? I gave him my thoughts...he did everything wrong, but curious to see what everyone thinks.




Another Road Rage that happened to one of my employees

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Reading the road rage thread made me think about one of my employees. He had a nasty road rage incident. See what ya'll would have done. This is a true story from Tomball, Texas.


Day after Thankgiving, he is driving down FM 2920, coming up to Cyrpess Rosehill. This truck pulls out of a gas station and almost hits him. Bob flips off the guy, but keeps driving. The BG slows down and gets behind him. Keeps running up his butt and backing off. This goes on for a mile or so. Finally, "Bob" taps his breaks.....and the BG goes nutzoid. He pulls up on Bob's butt and shoots at him. Bob and his girlfriend only hear a shot and nick sees a gun in the mirror. He tells his girlfriend to climb in rear seat and lay on the floor. He takes off. For the next 15 minates the chases him down country roads around Tomball. Shooting a few times at them. Bob is trying to lose BG but cannot get away. Finally heads back to Tomball , to get around people. He sees the Wally world and tries to pull in the parking lot. While he his trying to turn car, BG shoots again...hitting Bob in left forearm. (it was nasty looking). Doc, etimated 100 pellets in his arm. Sure looked like it from ex ray.
BG kept going. They found the BG a few hours later driving drunk. Cops found empty 410 shells and gun in car. Put 2 + 2 together, arrest the idiot. BG idiot says he was trying to teach Bob a lesson,lol.

What would you have done in his situation?
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[WildBill]

I posted this at another site. What would you have done in this situation? I gave him my thoughts...he did everything wrong, but curious to see what everyone thinks.

I wouldn't have flipped the guy off.

[Liko81]

Well, your guy made some mistakes, to be sure, but it's a difficult situation and I think he's lucky to be alive.

His first mistake was reacting to the other guy. Rule 1 of defensive driving; be assertive. However, Rule 1a; always assume you are doing something wrong, because you probably are even if you wouldn't be at fault. If you're following too closely and a guy suddenly hammers the brakes, you shouldn't have been so close even if the guy was trying to be rear-ended for insurance money.

His second mistake was also reacting to the other guy. If someone's tailgating, all you can do is follow the car in front at a greater distance to make sure that if he rear-ends you you won't go flying into the car in front of you.

Once the chase was on there's nothing more to do but do everything possible to get the hell away from the guy. A high-speed shootout is the stuff of movies; only an exceptional driver in complete command of his vehicle on a closed course would be able to pull off any maneuvers that would truly shake the BG or put the BG in front where he can be disabled, or be able to keep control of his car while shooting out the window and shooting behind.

Heading for people was probably the best thing he did. The only situation in which criminals want an audience is when the terror of the act is the highest priority, and 99% of criminals want to do their dirty deed and get away cleanly, which is impossible with a crowd watching.

[AEA]

Interesting first post.
If the guy shot at me, I would stop and return fire.

[KD5NRH]

Once the chase was on there's nothing more to do but do everything possible to get the heck away from the guy. A high-speed shootout is the stuff of movies; only an exceptional driver in complete command of his vehicle on a closed course would be able to pull off any maneuvers that would truly shake the BG or put the BG in front where he can be disabled, or be able to keep control of his car while shooting out the window and shooting behind.

That depends a lot on the capabilities of the vehicles, and the pursued driver's understanding of the relative abilities. If you focus on doing things the pursuer's vehicle is simply incapable of, you can get away pretty easily.

(The best example off the top of my head is to kick it up to 100+ and see if his vehicle's computer will let him exceed 90, or if you're in a car being pursued by a truck, head for backroads with lots of tight corners and s-curves.)

[gregthehand]

I'm curious when did he call the cops? Was this in the days before cell phones were common place? If he started tailgaiting me hard I would have called the cops then. As far as stopping and returning fire I'm not sure. I've got someone in the backseat laid out who is not going to be able to get out fast. Returning fire on the move and driving would be almost impossible and very risky. I have a headache rack so at least if he was shooting pellets at least most of them would be deflected. I guess in this situation I would have done the same thing. I would have stayed on the main road though as your more bound to pass a cop, or at least it's a straight shot so if someone else calls the cops can find you easy.

[Jason73]

When the BG pulled out of the petro station and almost hit me I would have flipped him off and laid on the horn too - yes its a mistake but its how I learned to drive in NJ (proper middle finger extension is part of the road test for a DL in NJ )

When the BG started tailgating I would have gradually slowed down until the BG passed me or I found a side street to turn off on. If the BG followed me and continued to tailgate me I would have called 911.

When the BG started shooting, my reaction would be to do my best Steve McQueen impersonation to get away from the BG, and drive until I found a cop or somewhere with a lot of people around. If I failed to loose the BG and he continued to fire at me I would probably slam on my brakes, jump out and start shooting back.....in all reality I dont know what I would do, it would be a very intense situation with many variables - bottom line is I would make every attempt to get away, find a cop / help, or eliminate the threat.

I think telling his GF to lay in the floor was a bad idea, imo she should have remained in her seat with her seat belt on and on the phone with 911. If he had wrecked she could have been severely injured, possibly ejected from the vehicle.

Im glad your employee and his GF came out ok and that they caught the BG, this scenario has been added to my long list of "what would I do if...."

[bps3040]

This was the day after Thankgiving 07. My 1st question was did you call 911? He did everything wrong...the road he was on, before he turned off to try to lose the guy, led straight to downtown Tomball.(approx. 1 mile) He should of kept going straight while calling 911. He should have drove straight to the cop shop ,while his girl talked to the cops.

He was scared you know what. He says, lol, he will never flip off anyone or tap his breaks again. I made light in the story of the near collision, but he was going 55 mph when this guy came shooting out in front of him. The only reason he was not hurt was the road goes from 2 lanes to 4 lanes right there. So instead of going in a ditch..he hit the shoulder and then a new lane opened up. He was very lucky..... on the wreck part.

He had no medical insurance. They gave him anti biotics and some pain killers. Told him the lead would keep coming up and out of his arm. It is wierd...it keeps working its way out. He has about 30 or so pellets so far.

He is to young to have his CHL, but in case I do not think it would have mattered. He panicked and made bad decisions. And never called the cops until he was shot.

BG is illegal alien. They are holding him with no chance of bonding out. I think they are charging him with aggravated assault.

[Keith B]

Told him the lead would keep coming up and out of his arm. It is wierd...it keeps working its way out. He has about 30 or so pellets so far.

I have a friend who was shot with birdshot in an attempted abduction/rape years ago. She was hit in the left side of the face and upper body from about 15 - 20 yards. She had pellets coming to the surface for 2-3 years. There are still pellets in her face and neck that will never come out, and they will not do surgery to remove them due to potential nerve damage if they do.

[WarHawk-AVG]

Why wasn't his girlfriend online with 911 the whole time giving them street numbers and directions

I guarantee that if you are currently being chased and you are relaying the info to the dispatcher the law would have prevented his final gunshot wound to forearm by having shut that jackass down before it ever got to that

Not much you could have done, he did good by trying to evade..but in the end he still got shot

wow...what a mess...I hope they bury that stupid road raging butthatt

[lawrnk]

I posted this at another site. What would you have done in this situation? I gave him my thoughts...he did everything wrong, but curious to see what everyone thinks.

I wouldn't have flipped the guy off.

working on teaching my better half this lesson!

[WarHawk-AVG]

Could that be construed as "escalating" the situation?

When some pinhead drives like a total butthatt..I just smile and wave

I guess it comes from my motorcycle riding...because a guy on 2 wheels and a 400ish lb bike (I ride a Yamaha V-Star 650 [smallish bike]) v/s a 2500lb car on 4 wheels would be a lose/lose situation


Just smile and wave..

[Rokyudai]

Not good to flip off or tap/spike breaks. Probably a stolen Taurus Judge with the .410 shells and all? or do they saw off a shot gun barrel for that these days? Glad your friend is on the mend.

[flb_78]

Since I have received my CHL, I have calmed down on flipping the bird and what-not. I wasn't that bad to begin with though.

I hope you realize though that if you are involved in a road-rage shooting and the investigation finds out that you flipped the bird or were driving like an Donkey butt, that it will be used against you. There is a statute against it and CHL holders are held above others.

Oh, and Molon Labe, you need a bigger bike. I ride a Yamaha Royal Star Venture.

[Texbow]

It's easy to decide how one would react while sitting at the keyboard. I can understand the sudden frustration and flipping off the idiot. Not that it's the smart thing to do but we are all guilty of not thinking things through at times like that. Right, wrong or indifferent once the shot was fired I would have been looking for the best way to stop the threat which could have been returning fire if I thought he was bent on getting me.

I've been shot at very close range with a 12 gauge #6 shot in my right arm and side during a heated confortation several years ago. I can tell you that it hurt but it really irritated me off.