Road rage-Montgomery

[CJD]

I was on my way to work, and I changed lanes in front of this guy with a good car-length of space between us, and I look in my mirror to see him speeding up to get right on my tailgate and then slam on his brakes. So he proceeds to stay right on my tail and pull up beside me and stare at me. He then boxes me in and I'm thinking "yeah real mature". So on the turn off I wait until the last minute to turn on the road so he had to keep going, but he actually took the time to turn around and follow me. I pull into a parking lot at work between two cars to try to lose him, but he find me and pulls up behind me. I get out and ask why he's following me and he just starts yelling and cursing. I said there was plenty of room between us and he yells that I made his lunchbox and stuff in his seat fall on the floor. I told him it was because he tried to speed up and keep me from changing lanes. He pretty much lost it and slammed his door open and started approaching me quickly. Now, unfortunately, I cant have my gun at work, but, fortunately, I happen to own a taser. I pulled it out of my pocket and held it at low ready. I said look I'm sorry. He saw the taser in my hand and held his ground but continued to yelled. He then got done yelling, I guess, and got back in his truck, but took the time to talk to some witnesses. I got in my truck and went to my designated parking lot, making sure he didn't see where I went. I immediately called the boss in case he called the business (didn't call the cops, didn't want to make a bigger deal out of it). So even though I didn't have a gun, having the taser definitely gave me an advantage. Btw he was middle aged, crazy-eyed, and bigger than me. So when you can't have a gun, carry a taser

[Scott in Houston]

Dude, you stopped and approached the car of a raging person who went out of his way to follow you???

Now that's crazy.

Glad it worked out, but had he been armed or crazy enough to escalate it when you got out your taser...


One thing for sure. I would have been on the phone with 911 and would not confront.

[CJD]

Well I didn't approach, just opened my door to be able to communicate. And, I was using the taser as a deterrent, because there's no "brandishing a taser" law , and he was already coming at me so I needed my first line of defense at hand.

[Scott in Houston]

I hear ya. I just have a personal thing that I'll never stop somewhere if I know a raging crazy is there with me.
I think getting on the phone with 911 and continuing to drive until 1) they leave or 2) the police are there is the way to go.

It's too easy for things to escalate when you stop. There are many documented cases of shootings in this exact scenario.

Again, glad you're ok and it was a non-issue, but fir others reading, I think it's important to discuss the alternatives.

[texanron]

I hear ya. I just have a personal thing that I'll never stop somewhere if I know a raging crazy is there with me.
I think getting on the phone with 911 and continuing to drive until 1) they leave or 2) the police are there is the way to go.

It's too easy for things to escalate when you stop. There are many documented cases of shootings in this exact scenario.

Again, glad you're ok and it was a non-issue, but fir others reading, I think it's important to discuss the alternatives.

I would've been on the phone with the police and would not have stopped. Glad it all worked out in the end for the OP.

[Dead Rooster]

As a daily motorcycle rider, things are much, much different for us than for you cagers in how we deal with aggressive drivers.

First, I can't call 911 if someone is following me and using their car in an aggressive manner. Second, a person's car can be used as a weapon much more easily and to much more disastrous affect against a motorcycle than against most other cars.

With that said, there have been a few times where I was in a similar situation with someone obviously not going to quit following me until 1) I pulled over, or 2) they ran me over/off the road with their car. And I'd rather not have them follow me home or to my place of employment. Nor do I want them to continue to endanger me while I ride (I've had people intimate that they were going to use their car as a deadly weapon against me while riding before), or endanger other drivers around us.

In these situations, if I can not SAFELY maneuver away from them (which, even on my giant cruiser, is usually pretty easy to do), I will pull over, dismount and stand between the person and my bike, and prepare for confrontation. I'm a really big guy, who looks like the kind of biker most reasonable folk would rather not confront or mess with. So I assume anybody who would recklessly follow me, pull over with me, and get out of their car to come at me is not of sound mind and is intent on trouble.

For those of us on bikes, sometimes the only way to deal with road ragers is to pull over.

[rubiconjp]

I ran into this situation once and I had to pull into a police station. This is the best solution if you know one near by. If not, I would continue driving while on 911 call.

[RHenriksen]

For those of us on bikes, sometimes the only way to deal with road ragers is to pull over.

Well said. I ride fairly regularly, and there's no way I could either dial 911 or draw a pistol while riding. I've got three choices:

ignore them and hope they don't bump me (or worse)
RUN
stop and get off the bike

I'm only 6' tall and 180#, so I don't have the same visual intimidation as the Rooster. So who knows what would happen next. I'd hate to be fumbling with my helmet, gloves, and cell phone when I get charged by the road raging idiot. My priorities would be:

get the gloves off so I can either dial a mobile or draw a pistol if need be
defuse if possible
call, fight, or fire as needed

Of course, reality has a way of making pretty plans pear shaped...

[Steel Shank]

I changed lanes in front of this guy with a good car-length of space between us

At what speed was this?

[CJD]

I changed lanes in front of this guy with a good car-length of space between us

At what speed was this?

35

[SpikeTX]

. I'd hate to be fumbling with my helmet,

Leave it on! let them take a swing at it...