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On the rise? I've not seen it, but nationwide it's been a problem for years. Doubt it's actually increasing.
Blind spot? Should never be an excuse. Many people don't have their side mirrors adjusted correctly. You should not see the sides of your car with them - they should be angled farther to the sides to catch those "blind spots".
That said, sometimes we do just miss a vehicle, sometimes we need to "force" ourselves into a tight spot. (For me, it's usually a lane that ends with no warning and I need to merge over.) I think when that happens, we need to be sure we at least give a thank you wave, or if the driver pulls up along side of us, give some sort of 'Sorry about that' sign. We need to be sure if someone else is angry, we don't get angry back - that's usually how these situations escalate. Approaching it with a "you're right, I'm wrong, sorry" attitude can go a long way to diffuse a situation.
This.
The OP is definitely part of the problem, without a doubt.
It's just bad, and getting worse, all over, IMO. I'm a Fla. transplant living in Dayton Oh right now, thinking of returning to Fla. I remember the slow "Northerners" in the left lane and oblivious elderly drivers quite well (1970's and 80's).
Now, people just drive like maniacs, especially during rush hr. I can't imagine how awful seasonal driving must be down there now.
Not only have I read this in several articles I have experienced it a time to two. Once My wife and I about a year ago were on our way to a comedy club. The way from our home goes through some areas that are no homes or people and much less traffic. A small car pulled up behind us and started to flash its lights. There was a long stretch with no oncoming traffic. I will not pull over for most any reason. They tail gated a bit then ran past us. Pulled off the road about half a mile up and turned into a side road. Then as we passed got behind us again. This is when my 9mm came out was in my hand locked and cocked. They then pulled up right next to our car for about a min. This made me nervous. They could have a gun pointed at us. It was dark and I could not see. I had instructed my wife to call 911 and report the make and model of the car and where we were. I don't know if they saw my wifes phone lights or not but they then speed off.
The second time we were on 41 and my little car has a few blind spots. I changed lanes after looking but a dodge truck was in a perfect blind spot and I cut him off. It was totally accidental. He then changed lanes speeds past cuts me off and hits the breaks. I has to swerve to miss him. I see this all the time here in Fla. Its just crazy down here. He then drives in front of me and turns on a side road and stops like I am gong to turn in and have a confrontation. I carry a 9mm where ever I go but trying to find a situation to use it is of no use to me. If he would have stopped in front of me got out and opened my door he would be shot. But I am not going to follow him to confront him. People are crazy in Fla.
Yes, there are aggressive drivers down here. However, you with your gun at the ready in all these situations worries me. There was just a road-rage killing in PA....28-y.o. guy with a legal gun permit got ticked off at a young woman who apparently wouldn't let him merge, shot her in the head and killed her. He had no record except minor infractions, and now his life is ruined forever and an 18-year-old girl is dead. That has happened quite often when someone gets enraged at another driver and just happens to have a gun in the car. Sometimes I myself have gotten so mad, it's a good thing I don't have a gun.
Not saying it's your fault but please just try to let it go when this stuff happens and get away from the other car. Also, as mentioned above, you don't have your mirrors adjusted properly if you have blind spots. There are youtube videos that give instructions on how to properly adjust them.
One huge problem around here is stupid people don't TURN in their own LANES !! example: if a driver is making a left turn on another multi-lane road, that fool driver doesn't turn into the lane closest to center line of the road he's turning INTO !....nooooo, this simpleton immediately drifts and migrates to lanes toward the curb, or the curb lane itself !! How do these people obtain their DL's ???
It is safe to assume that none of you have taken the state mandated drivers education course for taking points off your driver record in cases of speeding tickets and other driving related offenses.
The OP will get upset hearing this but he/she's reaction and situation described esculated into a dual road rage incident. In addition to that, the OP was not only guilty of road rage but also pulled a gun and if a law enforcement officier saw that the OP would be charged with more.
Just to reitterate again, you may very well get defensive hearing this, but the drivers education course is highly valuable for teaching drivers about how to react appropriately in cases of road rage. It describes the different elements and levels of road rage, and how to properly de escalate the situations.
Pulling and flashing a gun during a road rage incident in the way you did was like throwing a gallon of gasoline on a bomb fire. I know you say you felt threatened but you are just creating more danger almost like you have a gun in the car and you have just been waiting on some opportunity to finally
Use the stupid thing. You sir need to take the driver improvement course which also discusses a lot about driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol and impairment.
I believe every driver in the state of Florida should be mandated to take the driver improvement course because so many people do not understand how to properly react in road rage incidents.
Youre right Florida is bad and its the worst in Miami and Tampa. It also increases during the peak of summer with the heat and sun.
OP please take this to heart Im serious your reaction was wrong. I used to react the same way very hot headed. This is what you should do in the future.......
Identify the insane road rager, then, get out of their way. Thats it. Let them pass. Pull over if you have to. Do not look at them. Do not acknowledge them. Just let them pass and move along. That is the answer. To back down. Then you win. Because listen. Its not you. Because they will likely just find another car to focus their rage on. Better them then you. Thats the answer. And after the incident, you go find a place to park and chill for a half hour, because road rage is a dangerous assault even when you do the right thing and back down, its still going to have you worked up and in a bad state of mind for driving for a while. So there you go. Its not the answer men like to hear at first because we stick up for ourselves but the wisest thing you can do for everyone on the road is to just get out of their way!
It's just bad, and getting worse, all over, IMO. I'm a Fla. transplant living in Dayton Oh right now, thinking of returning to Fla. I remember the slow "Northerners" in the left lane and oblivious elderly drivers quite well (1970's and 80's).
Now, people just drive like maniacs, especially during rush hr. I can't imagine how awful seasonal driving must be down there now.
You are correct. You cannot imagine what it's become. From December thru April we severely limit how often we go out. It's just not worth it trying to deal with so many drivers, many of whom that don't know where they're going.
It is safe to assume that none of you have taken the state mandated drivers education course for taking points off your driver record in cases of speeding tickets and other driving related offenses.
The OP will get upset hearing this but he/she's reaction and situation described esculated into a dual road rage incident. In addition to that, the OP was not only guilty of road rage but also pulled a gun and if a law enforcement officier saw that the OP would be charged with more.
Just to reitterate again, you may very well get defensive hearing this, but the drivers education course is highly valuable for teaching drivers about how to react appropriately in cases of road rage. It describes the different elements and levels of road rage, and how to properly de escalate the situations.
Pulling and flashing a gun during a road rage incident in the way you did was like throwing a gallon of gasoline on a bomb fire. I know you say you felt threatened but you are just creating more danger almost like you have a gun in the car and you have just been waiting on some opportunity to finally
Use the stupid thing. You sir need to take the driver improvement course which also discusses a lot about driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol and impairment.
I believe every driver in the state of Florida should be mandated to take the driver improvement course because so many people do not understand how to properly react in road rage incidents.
Youre right Florida is bad and its the worst in Miami and Tampa. It also increases during the peak of summer with the heat and sun.
OP please take this to heart Im serious your reaction was wrong. I used to react the same way very hot headed. This is what you should do in the future.......
Identify the insane road rager, then, get out of their way. Thats it. Let them pass. Pull over if you have to. Do not look at them. Do not acknowledge them. Just let them pass and move along. That is the answer. To back down. Then you win. Because listen. Its not you. Because they will likely just find another car to focus their rage on. Better them then you. Thats the answer. And after the incident, you go find a place to park and chill for a half hour, because road rage is a dangerous assault even when you do the right thing and back down, its still going to have you worked up and in a bad state of mind for driving for a while. So there you go. Its not the answer men like to hear at first because we stick up for ourselves but the wisest thing you can do for
everyone on the road is to just get out of their way!
Despite your confrontational attitude towards the OP your message is spot on.
I attended a driver's improvement course after I got a ticket about 22 years ago, and remember even back then their instructions included handling road rage and crazy drivers. The message was to ignore and get out of their way, it was too dangerous to do anything else. I remember thinking at the time how valuable one of these courses would be to anyone who had to drive among these crazy people.
I did a lot of driving in south Florida ( mostly Dade, Broward, Palm Beach counties) for the job from which I retired a few years ago, and it got to where my mission was to get to and home from my destinations safely and in one piece, and that was it. I ignored and tried to keep my distance from a lot of nutjobs on the road, it absolutely was not worth it to engage, or even acknowledge them in any way.
For those who might be frustrated by the thoughts of not challenging the road ragers who endanger them and everyone else on the road, think of it this way. Those road ragers WANT to be engaged, they want a fight, and the last thing they want is to be ignored and not even acknowledged. So in ignoring them and going on your own way, you're denying that acknowledgement, and hopefully you will never know this, or see their reaction to it, but being ignored is frustrating to these people.
Despite your confrontational attitude towards the OP your message is spot on.
I attended a driver's improvement course after I got a ticket about 22 years ago, and remember even back then their instructions included handling road rage and crazy drivers. The message was to ignore and get out of their way, it was too dangerous to do anything else. I remember thinking at the time how valuable one of these courses would be to anyone who had to drive among these crazy people.
I did a lot of driving in south Florida ( mostly Dade, Broward, Palm Beach counties) for the job from which I retired a few years ago, and it got to where my mission was to get to and home from my destinations safely and in one piece, and that was it. I ignored and tried to keep my distance from a lot of nutjobs on the road, it absolutely was not worth it to engage, or even acknowledge them in any way.
For those who might be frustrated by the thoughts of not challenging the road ragers who endanger them and everyone else on the road, think of it this way. Those road ragers WANT to be engaged, they want a fight, and the last thing they want is to be ignored and not even acknowledged. So in ignoring them and going on your own way, you're denying that acknowledgement, and hopefully you will never know this, or see their reaction to it, but being ignored is frustrating to these people.
Sarasota people are so bizarre. Such difficult petty and old nasty people sometimes. Just old boring and grouchy old retirees who get upset about, anything and everything?
Anyways Im unsure how I was so confrontational towards the OP. The OP clearly stated that they participated in road rage With A Gun... and I was extremely nice in my comments about why that is beyond wrong. As far as ignoring active road ragers, I am unable to understand your argument. What I do and what I recommend to other citizens is to do exactly as the law enforcement recommends in the driver training course. Get out of their way and do nothing to provoke them.
By the way it does not matter where you are from. Ive had retirees go road raging on me. Plenty of them.
In the case of the OP if I saw them pull a gun Id snap photos of their vehicle and license plates and call the police immediately. It is also described in the drivers education video how things escalate and the person who was first the innocent target ends up becoming more hostile and breaking more laws then the original perpetrator. So please learn how to be safe on the roads.
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