Dealing with road raging drivers.

[Lex Luthier]

I would appreciate some help here.

Not forty five minutes ago, a very aggressive driver stopped his car at a light, got out, and pounded on my drivers side window. He had been tail gating me for a couple of blocks and I moved over to let him pass. I then moved into the next vacant lane. Then he road the dividing line, blocking me from passing him. I backed off, and then we arrived at a light where he got out and flipped out.

He pounded and yelled, and when he had stopped for a breath, I yelled at him through the window to just get back in his car. He did, after making a drama of writing my license plate number. Would this have been a good opportunity to brandish a weapon?

Btw: the police were particularly unhelpful. I guess being a jerk is sometimes very annoying, but not illegal.

Cooling off now. Thanks.

 

[hso]

Would this have been a good opportunity to brandish a weapon?

You're kidding? That would be a stupid thing to do since it violates all the rules of defensive firearms use.

 

[thegiff]

Sure, if you want to go to jail for brandishing.

 

[jonnyc]

I was warned by a cop friend to not even unbuckle my seatbelt unless absolutely necessary in a case like that.

 

[Lex Luthier]

So, how far exactly would that crazy guy pounding on my window and yelling like a maniac have to go before you guys would consider a reasonable defensive reaction?

I am not trying to start a scrap here. Though there was a piece of glass between us, this dude was a threat. He could have been concealing a weapon himself. What constitutes assault?

 

[mljdeckard]

Brandishing is a crime. Don't do it. In my state, you may show or grip it for the purpose of preventing a violent act, but I would still excersise EXTREME caution.

 

[bubba in ca]

There is no such thing as road rage. There are bad manners and criminal assault. Bad manners are not against the law. Criminal assault is, but unless there is property or bodily damage or a cop just happens to see it, you will go nowhere with it.

Back off, breath deeply, and know your state laws on self defense. 9 times out of 10 you have no grounds for deadly force or even the threat of same.

Lotta jerks out there, and most of them will get away with it most of the time.

 

[Hanzo581]

Violently pounding on your window? Was there an option to drive away?

 

[kayakersteve]

You should have dialed 911 And/or driven away heading towards nearest police or other public facility where witnesses may help in the case it escalates

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Bubba,
There is a law for it where I live that calls road rage aggressive driving. I have seen charges for it in court.

 

[frankenstein406]

Just curious when you let him pass why did you get close to him again?

 

[9mmepiphany]

So, how far exactly would that crazy guy pounding on my window and yelling like a maniac have to go before you guys would consider a reasonable defensive reaction?

He'd have to basically come through the window and grab you.

Though there was a piece of glass between us, this dude was a threat.

It differs from state to state, but a good rule of thumb is that that isn't enough.

It isn't about just being a threat.
It has to be eminent (though an auto window isn't)
It has to coupled with physical ability (there's that window again)
I has to lead to Great Bodily Harm or Death (once again that window)...plus you have the ability to escape once he has exited his vehicle

He could have been concealing a weapon himself.

It doesn't count toward justifying a display of a weapon until he displays his weapon

 

[alsaqr]

There is no such thing as road rage. There are bad manners and criminal assault.

There are also drunks and meth addicts. A raging meth addict is your worst nightmare.

 

[Lex Luthier]

My car was land locked at a stoplight during rush hour. Could not just get out of there. Rush hour in that part of town does not allow a lot of escape paths.

I did back off to let him pass, but another lane opened up and there I went because I had to get somewhere too. Couldn't have cared less about him in that other lane. He chose to escalate. Would have never "closed in on him".

 

[Tirod]

We are missing something - what tripped his trigger?

I was in a similar situation, a young driver wasn't paying close attention to his lane markings, and he kept running thru them instead of recognizing they were mandatory turn lanes. So, he was continually forcing a merge into the one lane of traffic. He blamed me. The lanes and the situation really isn't that clear, and the city is now eliminating them.

So, what ticked this guy off? Something happened. I don't condone his actions, it's exactly the example of the typical self centered brats that make up a large part of the "adult" population. They can't be impeded or told to toe the normal line of decent behavior. Recognizing what crosses their line in the sand nonetheless lets you decide if and when you want to participate in the disagreement that will likely come up.

No idea?

 

[CA Raider]

agree with the last post.

you must have done something on the road MUCH worse than just driving a little too slow. that kind of anger can only come from a major driving screw-up. i think you need to be honest with yourself (doesn't have to be with us) and work out what you did wrong.

but as far as the raod rage incident - you did the right thing by doing nothing. you told him to get back in his car. he did, and drove off. that is a SUCCESSFUL conclusion to the whole incident. you win!

if you did anything more aggressive than that - it could have led to a major fight, or a shooting where someone was wounded or killed. is it really worth it ... over a misunderstanding on the road? if you think about it now that you have cooled off, the answer is NO.

your response was correct.

incidentally, my knowledge of the law might be a bit rusty - but people are not allowed to beat on other vehicles that are occupied. it could be regarded as an assault. the word "assault" does not just mean hitting a person. in some states it has been extended to include violence near a person that poses a serious threat - especially beating on their car (if the driver is inside). the police probably wont push it, because they have no evidence to work on. if they had seen the incident, the other guy might have got himself arrested.

CA R

 

[Kleanbore]

Asked and answered--and we like to stay away from road rage discussions.