What would you have done?

[Erik]

"Anyways, would you have done anything different?"

Yes. I'd have waved, made is as clear as possible that I was sorry, and gone about my day. I certainly would not have swerved at him.

 

[takurpic]

+1 for calling the cops. I hear that the 1st to call is usually the one in the right.

 

[brighamr]

few comments

Brake Check, swerve, sign language - these are all things that make the situation worse. Even if your intentions are good, someone who thinks you cut them off will take these gestures as a bad thing.

In this situation, when you first got in front of him, at the earliest convinience, get in the right hand lane. Don't slow down to pace with him, just move over and continue driving. If he paces you on the left, just look straight forward and ignore. People who think you've done them wrong, will forget about it much more quickly if they can't get a reaction from you.

Personally if someone cuts me off, then soon after moves over and lets me pass, it appears to me that they made a mistake cutting me off in the first place (blind spot). If they stare at me, swerve, brake check or otherwise aknowledge a situation, it makes me think they did it on purpose.

One other thing to note: It is a sad day in America when every situation depends on the good guy bowing down to the bad guy. With our current laws, its an unfortunate truth that we have to do this to have the law on our side, but it just hurts the heart knowing our country has gone so far down hill...

 

[JamisJockey]

Put me down as another who'd rather have them in front than behind.

Oh, and don't gesture at other drivers. You almost caused an accident, but when its over its over. If he's pissed, so what. You've no need to try and apologize, and it appears that that escalated the situation anyways.

 

[chrlefxtrt]

That is why my wife drives a Tahoe !!!!

 

[bruss01]

If there is an agressive vehicle, always keep them in front of you where you can see them and control the distance between the vehicles.

A wave or a shrug says "I'm sorry" and that's really all you can do in response to a real or a perceived slight. Then back off, keep the other vehicle ahead of you, and go about your business. Most of the time that should be all that's necessary. If the issues persist, then drive to the nearest PD or donut shop (any public place where the cops congregate to catch up on their paperwork and get out of their cars for a few minutes). If anyone has a beef to settle, let them do it with cops present. If somebody pulls a gun on you there, odds are one of the cops will see it and hopefully you'll have a witness to coroborate your story.

It was a mistake to "race away" from them, and it was a mistake to swerve at the van. You do have a functioning brake pedal... just keep using it until they go away. Gramps new meds weren't working too well and he got a mean streak worked up. So give him a wide berth. Not your problem unless you make it so.

 

[Mr.Revolver]

When he pulled up alongside you and was flapping his lips and pointing, you should have hit your brakes and slowed down. From his perspective, you were acting aggressively -- and he felt like matching you and making it into a big macho contest. If he's all crazy with adrenaline and he raced up to you, he's probably not going to want to slow down to 10 or 20 under the speed limit to keep flapping his lips. (Hopefully.) You slow down and then he can race away and "win." His wife will be so proud.

That worked for me when some guys were jabbering at me on the interstate a few months ago. I slowed down, and they sped away.

 

[Funderb]

Just because it's legal to have or carry a handgun does not make it legal to shoot someone for getting a little careless (police term, not mine) while driving. Needless to say, DWD is VERY dangerous.
I suggest nodoz.
Brake checks are never good.
But it sounds like everything turned out okay, so it's good to know you're still sans perforation.