Pulling weapon to diffuse a road rage scenario?

[JayCee]

You're planning on getting banned, aren't you?

Yeah, I feel somewhat ashamed that I stuck up for him a little in the other thread. I do think that our forum can be quick to label new people sometimes and, IMO, that helped escalate the tone in this case. But it seems that he had a date with inevitability and intends on making it - one way or the other.

Well that's too bad you feel that way, honestly. I came here with good intentions but I fell into the trap that certain instigators layed. Jokes on me. I played my part once things got bad but I didn't come here for that and I think that's exactly what the record shows.

Why hasn't this been locked yet? They locked my innocuious anecdoted in the other forum and this one is way worse.

[terryg]

Well that's too bad you feel that way, honestly. I came here with good intentions

I sincerely thought that this might have been the case - and I think that some posters were a bit short in the beginning. I was hoping this might be a case to demonstrate that de-escalation can be as helpful in this forum as it is in the wide wild world.

I understand that you feel ganged up on. But I cannot defend your replies - especially your most recent ones. You are only proving true the original remarks that your attitude is likely is what got you into the predicaments you described and yet you remain oblivious to it and attempt to maintain your perceived victim status.

And yet, if I am honest with myself, I am mostly saddened at losing the example case I attempted to make.

[Oldgringo]

OK folks. This has gone far enough and moving toward personal attacks. Tone it down and discuss civilly or it WILL be locked.

Keith B,

It's past time that this thread got locked. As you have indicated above, no positive purpose is being served by keeping it open...IMO.

Greg

[JayCee]

Well that's too bad you feel that way, honestly. I came here with good intentions

I sincerely thought that this might have been the case - and I think that some posters were a bit short in the beginning. I was hoping this might be a case to demonstrate that de-escalation can be as helpful in this forum as it is in the wide wild world.

I understand that you feel ganged up on. But I cannot defend your replies - especially your most recent ones. You are only proving true the original remarks that your attitude is likely is what got you into the predicaments you described and yet you remain oblivious to it and attempt to maintain your perceived victim status.

And yet, if I am honest with myself, I am mostly saddened at losing the example case I attempted to make.

So, despite my description of the events you assume by my subsequent postings (in which you freely admit I was set upon) that I caused the problems I posted about? Please tell me you're not a DA or prosocution Attny!

[terryg]

Ok, but before this gets locked for good - and to end on a positive note, let me quote the best line from the whole thread ...

Now, I say all of that knowing that it is darn hard not to be scared in those kinds of situations - been there myself, and maybe just a little pee came out.

Thanks TAM!! As always.

t

[terryg]

So, despite my description of the events you assume by my subsequent postings (in which you freely admit I was set upon) that I caused the problems I posted about? Please tell me you're not a DA or prosocution Attny!

I didn't agree that you were 'set upon'. I don't think there was collusion or other intentional malice. I think, simply, that the tolerance for continuing a discussion thread (i.e. point, counter point) is sometimes set a bit low here - to the detriment of civility and the eventual peaceful resolution of differing opinions.

I am neither DA or defense. I merely attempt to stand-up for what I feel is right in each circumstance. I guess, in your case, at best I am witness ...

[gigag04]

Reading this thread now is like polishing the brass on the titanic...

[esxmarkc]

See, this is what gets me and I think is a huge source of what caused this to get so out of control. No where did I allude to driving like a maniac and waving a gun. It sounds like you and many others simply grazed over my OP, formed your own conclusions and then got them reinforced by the responding commenters.

Easy now!!!!

From your original post:

I dropped a gear and sped up (sports car vs truck, duh) to get around him and he began to chase me, tailgating me even as I changed lanes and tried to evade

So If me claiming you were driving like a maniac was embellishing a bit I apologize. But that does describe some dangerous driving nonetheless.

And I didn't say you were waving a gun I said you were brandishing a gun - a term used quite often in many different states laws describing what you did.

Chill down a bit. You have said in several cases that you may have made the wrong decisions and I applaud that.

Sometimes it's just not that easy guys, try and understand that. I'd love to put some of you guys in the same boat and see how well you respond.

And this is where your youth shines through. I grew up on the inner north side of Houston Texas. Went to schools where I was a minority. Attended the Moody Park Riots. I have the scars of stupidity branded on my skin and my ego. And yes I have been in no less than 5 road rage incidents (that I can recall) spanning my lifetime - two that ended in serious accidents (I wasn't the driver of the vehicle in either). Now that I am older I can tell you for certain that my responses and behavior in the ones that I experienced when I was a "kid" were fueled by testosterone and adrenaline. The ones that have occurred in the last 20 years aren't hardly worth mentioning. Once you slow down to 25mph and just smile and wave no one wants to drive beside you for more than a few seconds.

So yes I have been in similar situations and yes my responses were the wrong ones. But with age comes experience and sometimes a little bit of wisdom.

[A-R]

I find it amusing that the OP has come full circle to now blaming "senior members" of the forum for starting this thread's (and the other thread's) quick down-the-drain spiral. I've been in other forums and this is by far the most civilized and respectful forum I've ever been a member of. In fact, other than folks who have now proven themselves to be trolls or been banned, this is the most uncivilized I've seen this forum get. And it's still like watching etiquette school compared to other forums I've been part of in the past. Even if our responses came off as bitter or superior or whatever, even then we were still trying to pass along our knowledge and experience. And of course the 9-year-old daughter rule (best web forum rule I've ever seen, by the way) kept the truly vulgar name-calling out of this thread as it should.

That said, I for one truly was trying to answer the OP's questions and explain the perspective that I think most of us share that the two scenarios described in his OP were both likely violations of the law, or at least close enough to cause him much trouble. But his responses questioning our reasonable and experienced opinions were bitter and argumenative at best. Downright rude and disrespectful at worst. Because this forum is often so civilized, I think some of the more experienced among us (myself included) were caught a bit off guard and may not have exhibited perfect de-escalation protocol. I can't remember the last time I typed in all caps . So for that I'll go ahead and apologize for getting out of hand a bit. It's frustrating witnessing someone new to a group behave the way the OP has behaved. Even if I thought as the OP apparently does that I'm right and everyone else is wrong, sooner or later I'd just agree to disagree, move on, or just accept the groupthink long enough to end the discussion without having to actually drink the Kool Aid.

But honestly, there just seems no point in continuing this thread as all we seem to now be talking about is "who started it" childish rubbish.

The OP - despite his statements to the contrary - seems desperate to find some way to convince the rest of us that we're wrong and his actions could somehow be justified. Each "side" has made its opinions perfectly clear multiple times. It's time to agree to disagree and move on.

I vote for locking the thread.

[Crossfire]

Why hasn't this been locked yet? They locked my innocuious anecdoted in the other forum and this one is way worse.

Guess I have been falling down on the job. I apologize to all the fine upstanding forum members who have had to waller in this.

Your wish, sir, is my command! Now, I need to go hose off.