Car following me

[Katygunnut]

This happened a few years back(early 1990's) before everyone had cell phones.

I was driving home from work around 9 PM one night. There were some cars on the road, but not so many that I couldn't manuver.

I noticed a car I didn't recognize coming up fast behind me while I was in the middle lane. The left lane was open, so this immediately set off some alarm bells in my head. As the car got close, I changed lanes to the right and sped up a bit, so that I was even with the car I had been following in the middle lane. The car behind me moved to the right lane as well, and continuing closing distance with me. I figured that they might just be driving aggressively and planning to take the next exit (hence why they didn't get in the left lane to pass both me and the other car). As I passed the next exit, I noticed that my pursuer stayed with me. Not good, considering that the next exit was 3 miles down the freeway, so there was no logical reason for this behavior.

I took the next exit. I didn't use my turn signal and waited until the last second to take the exit. Sure enough, my follower took the exit as well (no turn signal). At this point, I was pretty sure I was being followed, and was mentally trying to locate the nearest police station. I slowed to a stop at the red light at the end of the exit ramp, made sure the intersection was clear, and then ran the red light with a left hand turn. My follower stayed put, and I was able to execute a couple turns and get out of sight by the time the light turned.

My girlfriend (now wife) got home a short time after I did, and just as I started to tell her about the idiot who had chased me down, she let me in on the fact that it was her. Apparently, she had gone out for dinner with a friend and she was driving the friend's car. We had a little discussion about why it would probably have been a better idea for her to just wait until I got home to tell me hello, instead of trying to chase me down in the car.

Luckily everything turned out fine. But it sure did put me on alert there for a bit.

[RPB]

Having been a licensed private Investigator for a number of years, I always enjoyed the fun ones who pull into a parking lot with more than one exit and loop around and around to see if anyone is following them before resuming their trip to wherever.

I've done that myself a time or two, and once thought I'd have to drive to the nearby police station and introduce someone to some friends who worked there.

[MadMonkey]

I had a guy get ticked off at me a couple of weeks ago north of Ft. Worth... he flew onto the highway (not even slowing at a yield sign) and forced me almost all the way off the left side of the road while I laid on my horn (he dodged away at the last second). Apparently his mistake angered him, and he ended up cutting me and another car off, slowing down and trying to anticipate where I would go, as in he was actually covering exits until he was sure I wasn't going to take them, etc... I just put as many vehicles between us as I could and tried to stay out of his view. When I was nearly to my turn to go home, I saw him parked on the shoulder in front of a truck stop, and as soon as he saw me turn he took off like he was going to turn around. I punched it and turned the opposite direction of where I would usually go, made a big loop through Alliance Airport, and took backroads in.

I hate people

[Thomas]

A few months ago, I was a car "following" someone else. The car had cut me off and coincidentally went in the same direction as I was going, even into the same part of a gated neighborhood as me. I was right behind this car, so I didn't even need to use the remote for the gate. The car stopped in the middle of the road just after an intersection that I needed to turn at. I'm pretty sure that car thought I was following him/her in revenge for him/her cutting me off. I thought it was humorous because it probably scared that person and he/she is going to think twice about cutting someone else off. This gated neighborhood is in a sketchy part of town, so I hope that person has a CHL or is now thinking about getting one.

[MadMonkey]

A few months ago, I was a car "following" someone else. The car had cut me off and coincidentally went in the same direction as I was going, even into the same part of a gated neighborhood as me. I was right behind this car, so I didn't even need to use the remote for the gate. The car stopped in the middle of the road just after an intersection that I needed to turn at. I'm pretty sure that car thought I was following him/her in revenge for him/her cutting me off. I thought it was humorous because it probably scared that person and he/she is going to think twice about cutting someone else off. This gated neighborhood is in a sketchy part of town, so I hope that person has a CHL or is now thinking about getting one.

I actually have things like this happen a lot... someone does something stupid next to me, nearly hits me or something along those lines and ends up staying right in front of me all the way home. In those situations I'll usually take a short detour to ease their mind, especially if it's a woman. No sense letting them know where you live so they can point you out to their overprotective boyfriend/buddies...

[gus]

I had a mid 30's macho man follow me for about 20 miles just a few weeks ago. All started at a traffic light. I used my turn signal once we left the light and got up to highway speed. There was at least 4 car lengths when I did this but apparently it was not enough. I immediatley got back in the right lane after passing the slow driver that prompted me to do this in the first place. Why I do not know but he wanted to make something of it. I was headed to pick my kids up and where my youngest was at is probably a mile from the sheriffs office. If he kept following me I figued I would pull in there and we could discuss it with a deputy present.

[C-dub]

I actually have things like this happen a lot... someone does something stupid next to me, nearly hits me or something along those lines and ends up staying right in front of me all the way home. In those situations I'll usually take a short detour to ease their mind, especially if it's a woman. No sense letting them know where you live so they can point you out to their overprotective boyfriend/buddies...

I've done this too. My problem is that my truck is fairly unique and almost anyone within a few blocks knows where it belongs. It has been quite a while since I've found myself in this situation, but when I did and the person turned down a street leading to my neighborhood I would just continue on a couple more streets and approach home from a different direction.

[kjolly]

Years ago when single I had a inpromptu invitation to a party over at a friends. Had never been to her house so I was winding around the neighborhood when noticed a car behind me making the same relative random turns. I sped up and made a few more turns with the car sticking with me. My last turn inadvertly put me in a ally and they pulled in behind me.
While exiting my truck I reached behind the seat and grabbed a tire iron. Approached the car which I did not reconize. When they lowered a window did realize it was some other friends. They were looking for the same party and had seen me and was hoping I could lead them to the party.
I admit it was pretty scary.

[Rex B]

If I stopped behind a car and the driver exited with a tire iron in hand, I'd have a pistol in mine.
I'm just sayin'

[speedsix]

...right about the time your foot hit the pavement armed with a tire iron, and you approached their car, you became the aggressor...better to have stayed in your car... I'm glad that now we can legally carry more than a tire tool and can repel boarders...

[MadMonkey]

If I stopped behind a car and the driver exited with a tire iron in hand, I'd have a pistol in mine.
I'm just sayin'

But would you really have been dumb enough to keep following a friend who was obviously trying to lose you, and then trap him in an alley without ever making some indication that you knew him?

I would have hopped out ready to draw myself if someone had pulled that, and then they would have had a MAJOR butt chewing.

[jamisjockey]

A number of years ago I agitated some jackwagon somehow. Not even sure how I did it. It looked like the car was following me, so I did a couple random right turns back to my original course. Yep, following me. So I did a couple random left turns and ended up on a dead end street. The car made a move to box me in.
So I put it in reverse, and chirped the tires to make my intent quite clear.
Did I mention, the truck was a lifted '97 F350?
Tires were about as tall as the door handles on the car. They got the hint loud and clear and beat feet.

Slightly off topic:
Another time, some guy kept trying to force his way into a line of cars in front of me. Yeah, I was being a jerk and didn't let him in, as I'd been waiting for over 10 minutes in that lane (backed-up over a mile) .
Truck (same truck) was for sale with my cell number on the shell. So he calls me to chew me out. Dipwad.....his number was displayed right on the caller ID.
So I called him back. Anytime for about the next 6 months I was having a bad day, I called him back. I put his number in the M4M personals of craigslist. I submitted it to telemarketers. I called random businesses afterhours and left messages, asking to be called back at that number. Eventually I got bored and posted it online to share the fun. I'm betting he changed his number eventually.

[Jumping Frog]

Dipwad.....his number was displayed right on the caller ID.

*67 is our friend.

[Deltaboy]

I had a hard 6 cowboy scare my wife and kids at a Home Depot until I almost rammed him broadsides in the parking lot. I blew the horn at him and pointed to my 45 on the dash. He found the Reverse and got the heck out of dodge. The LEO's found him and he got a nice butt chewing.

[paulhailes]

I had a hard 6 cowboy scare my wife and kids at a Home Depot until I almost rammed him broadsides in the parking lot. I blew the horn at him and pointed to my 45 on the dash. He found the Reverse and got the heck out of dodge. The LEO's found him and he got a nice butt chewing.

Why was your 45 on the dash???