Had to(?) show my G19 ... I think ...

[SQLGeek]

Glad you're ok Scott. I've had a few close run ins with road ragers, including one at night in Katy while I had my then pregnant wife in the car with me. He came up on me fast while I was in the slow lane, to the point where I couldn't even see his headlights. He rode me for a while even though we were the only two on the road.

I moved over to let him pass, he moved over with me. I moved back over and he pulled up next to me yelling and pointing like he wanted me to pull over. My wife was pulling her phone out when he pulled in front of me and stood on the brakes. I had enough distance and managed to slow and weave around him.

While my wife is on the phone with 911, we come upon an exit I take at the last second leaving him to fly by me. I flew down the road to the turn around, hopped on the freeway going the other direction and disappeared. I never saw him again and I took my time going home on a very indirect route. I have no idea what set him off but it was chilling. Thank God gave me a clear head in the middle of it but when we pulled into the driveway, I started shaking from the adrenaline dump. I didn't sleep much that night.

I need to get off my duff and get my CHL.

[tomtexan]

I'm so glad I live in a rural area. Population a little over 300. We just don't see incidents like this where I reside. Seems like there are a lot of crazy fools in the cities.

[BKRushing]

Scott,

This sounds eerily similar to an incident that happened to me about a little while ago. I was cut off a couple of times in a bad section of Houston by a guy that appeared to try to force me to rear end him so he could sue me for insurance. And I didn't make any gestures or say anything so as not to provoke him. When we stopped at a traffic light he jumped out of his truck and charged my car and tried to reach into my open window before I displayed my firearm. I was hoping it wouldn't come to that, but I got a wife and a 2 year old at home and was not about to take any chances once he made it clear he was going to make an issue of this. Fortunately, nothing happened and he got back into his truck and that was the last of it.

Crazies out there!!! Was he in a tow truck? If so, there's a reasonable chance it was the same guy. My guy was short, stocky, and Hispanic. (Is that capitalized since it's not a nationality but a race?? /tangent)

I was in a nice area of town in west Houston not far from BW8 & I-10... however, as we all know, the area of town doesn't mean a much in terms of issues with bad and/or crazy people.

Did you point your firearm or just display? I showed the profile of mine to let him know the next step is going up a level if he continues. I was hesitant to point right at him quite yet, and I was also somewhat worried that displaying it would cause him to display one too and/or shoot at me. With him on foot and me in my death-trap of a car, I don't like that scenario at all... can't 'move off the X'. Anyway, it worked out. I'm glad yours did too!
Just think, both of us may have been seriously injured or worse had we not been able to carry. How many more of these types of events happen each day?

Scott,

This guy was also Hispanic, but in a regular pickup so probably not the same guy. It freaks you out when it happens. I pointed it since he got so close on me so fast. I really didn't think I had a choice. I am positive this kind of thing is under reported.

[Scott in Houston]

Thank God gave me a clear head in the middle of it but when we pulled into the driveway, I started shaking from the adrenaline dump. I didn't sleep much that night.

I need to get off my duff and get my CHL.

I had the shakes too.

And yes... Get your CHL!!

[JP171]

Scott,

This sounds eerily similar to an incident that happened to me about a little while ago. I was cut off a couple of times in a bad section of Houston by a guy that appeared to try to force me to rear end him so he could sue me for insurance. And I didn't make any gestures or say anything so as not to provoke him. When we stopped at a traffic light he jumped out of his truck and charged my car and tried to reach into my open window before I displayed my firearm. I was hoping it wouldn't come to that, but I got a wife and a 2 year old at home and was not about to take any chances once he made it clear he was going to make an issue of this. Fortunately, nothing happened and he got back into his truck and that was the last of it.

Crazies out there!!! Was he in a tow truck? If so, there's a reasonable chance it was the same guy. My guy was short, stocky, and Hispanic. (Is that capitalized since it's not a nationality but a race?? /tangent)

I was in a nice area of town in west Houston not far from BW8 & I-10... however, as we all know, the area of town doesn't mean a much in terms of issues with bad and/or crazy people.

Did you point your firearm or just display? I showed the profile of mine to let him know the next step is going up a level if he continues. I was hesitant to point right at him quite yet, and I was also somewhat worried that displaying it would cause him to display one too and/or shoot at me. With him on foot and me in my death-trap of a car, I don't like that scenario at all... can't 'move off the X'. Anyway, it worked out. I'm glad yours did too!
Just think, both of us may have been seriously injured or worse had we not been able to carry. How many more of these types of events happen each day?

OP you did the right thing the right way good for you!

Scott, Hispanic/Latino is NOT a race it is an ethnicity no matter what any hispanic person thinks, the census and other government forms are all politically correct whiners caving to certain populations.

[Scott in Houston]

OP you did the right thing the right way good for you!

Scott, Hispanic/Latino is NOT a race it is an ethnicity no matter what any hispanic person thinks, the census and other government forms are all politically correct whiners caving to certain populations.

Ah. Good point. I forget about that distinction!

[AustinMRH]

I had a similar situation a couple months ago on Heights Blvd in Houston. Just north of I-10 it goes from 2 lanes to 1. I was in the left, always there lane, well past the merge (in the area where the right lane is parking) and this purple toy truck comes flying around me in the parking lane then sweeps in front of me. I gave him a little horn and he brake checks me. No contact and he does it two or three more times and I back off pretty far, but he starts slowing down and actually opened the door of his car while driving. Pure crazy. Arms out yelling nutter stuff.

My first reaction as I am slamming my brake was to reach down and flip my j frame up in the pocket at the nose of the seat ( my car has a pocket just behind your knees in the front seats, I keep the J in there while I drive, but tucked down and concealed) so the grip was up and out for quick access. Second I hit 911 on the bluetooth and called in the car and incident. While nothing came of it, 911 did send out the car and plate description to local officers. I was on the record with 911, I reacted cool and collected, accessing the gun was pure reaction, no thought required.

Always be aware y'all.

[karl]

A scary situation indeed.

I had an interesting thing happen to me about a year ago. Heading south on 45 just past I-10 where the left and right lanes exit. It's a known area for slow traffic and hot headed drivers racing down the exit only lane. It's bumper to bumper and a guy comes flying down the left lane and tries to nose his car in front of mine. I don't let him in because he would have caused a wreck and he begins a fit of rage. He merges behind me and starts tailing me for a few hundred feet. When I didn't react he seems upset, tries to fly around me in another lane and gets stuck behind some traffic. I pass him with the flow of traffic. He eventually returns to the apparently comfortable spacing of 5 feet behind my car and tails me for a bit more. Traffic begins to clear and he pulls along side me. I feel him looking at me, and as I look over he's flashing his Glock. I pump the brakes and phone him in.

His car was pretty hard to miss, little Jeep Patriot with every Marine Corps sticker you can buy slapped on the back glass. It was a scary moment; I didn't have my gun since I was heading up campus and hadn't purchased a car gun yet. Not sure what ever became of that incident.

[Kythas]

I have a friend who used to be a really bad road rager, and I hated riding in the car with him because of this. Sometimes I couldn't avoid it, though.

One day we were in the car and someone cut him off, which usually resulted in horrible rage, him following the guy, and ultimately confronting him. This time, though, my friend smiled and waived at the guy. I was dumbfounded and asked him why he didn't get mad. He told me that he has been cured of his road rage and told me the following story:

"One day this guy cut me off and it made me mad. I followed him and, at the next light, I got out of my car and walked up to his truck to confront him. As I banged on his window, he rolled it down about half way, stuck a .45 in my face, and asked if I had a problem. I replied "No, sir. I just wanted to tell you to have a nice day."

Having a .45 stuck in your face will tend to cure you of road rage."

So maybe the OP cured another case of road rage here!

[EmbarkChief]

Scott in Houston,

From your description I'm wondering if you live in my neighborhood. Is the intersection you speak of Gessner and Kempwood? I see this scenario play out all the time when travelling North on Gessner...

[RHenriksen]

What a beautiful story. Nobody died, and the leopard actually changed his spots. Didn't cost $50k in therapy or government 'programs', either.

I have a friend who used to be a really bad road rager, and I hated riding in the car with him because of this. Sometimes I couldn't avoid it, though.

One day we were in the car and someone cut him off, which usually resulted in horrible rage, him following the guy, and ultimately confronting him. This time, though, my friend smiled and waived at the guy. I was dumbfounded and asked him why he didn't get mad. He told me that he has been cured of his road rage and told me the following story:

"One day this guy cut me off and it made me mad. I followed him and, at the next light, I got out of my car and walked up to his truck to confront him. As I banged on his window, he rolled it down about half way, stuck a .45 in my face, and asked if I had a problem. I replied "No, sir. I just wanted to tell you to have a nice day."

Having a .45 stuck in your face will tend to cure you of road rage."

So maybe the OP cured another case of road rage here!

[Scott in Houston]

So maybe the OP cured another case of road rage here!

Let's hope!! But somehow I doubt it.

Scott in Houston,

From your description I'm wondering if you live in my neighborhood. Is the intersection you speak of Gessner and Kempwood? I see this scenario play out all the time when travelling North on Gessner...

No. I'm in the Memorial area... not far from there though.