Road rage? Are you kidding me?

jmlowman · 07-22-2013, 04:50 PM

I received a request with a reputation comment for photos of the lighthouses on Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.

Here's a link to my Flickr account. The photos are public, so anyone should be able to view them.

https://secure.flickr.com/photos/953...7634255256104/

Jwo85 · 07-23-2013, 03:28 PM

In order to make a 7pm appointment at doctors I have to leave at 4pm due to the traffic. I get off work at 4:30. It's annoying that I have to leave work early to battle stop and go traffic on 696.

percynjpn · 07-24-2013, 04:24 AM

That's interesting. I'm from rural W. Mass and the road rage and aggression I experienced living 4 years in Boston was disgusting, though I've also driven in NYC, and it's actually twice as bad.

When I visited friends in L.A. and San Diego in the 90's, I was amazed at how mild-mannered (in comparison) and unaggressive the drivers were, as I had expected the gun fight incidents that the media had claimed happened on a regular basis - maybe the origin of the term "road rage".
Of course, things change, so. . .

Luzette · 07-25-2013, 01:31 PM

I had my first experience of a person behind me in a flaming rage today. I'm up in the boonies so this was a shock to me. A guy in a red jeep was laying on the horn then when I looked in the mirror he was shaking his fist at me and motioning to go fast. This was on the outskirts of a local town. I sped up then had to put on the breaks for a car pulling out of a business drive right ahead of me. This is not an area where you want to be going fast through. The jerk behind me was even more livid so all I could think was to get off the road as fast as I could to get away from the creep. Luckily, the sheriff's office was right ahead so I pulled in there. All the way the guy laid on his horn to express his continued disgust for whatever he thought I had done to be so offensive to him.

These people are just highway bullies and a danger to everyone. Since I was at the sheriff's office I went in and told them what happened. I was told I did the right thing by getting off the road. It sort of made me wonder if some of these people might actually stop when you pull over and try to attack you in your car. Sheriff said to call 911 as fast as you can. This experience was upsetting to say the least. I guess now I know what it's like to cross paths with someone in a "road rage."

detwahDJ · 07-25-2013, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luzette

I had my first experience of a person behind me in a flaming rage today. I'm up in the boonies so this was a shock to me. A guy in a red jeep was laying on the horn then when I looked in the mirror he was shaking his fist at me and motioning to go fast. This was on the outskirts of a local town. I sped up then had to put on the breaks for a car pulling out of a business drive right ahead of me. This is not an area where you want to be going fast through. The jerk behind me was even more livid so all I could think was to get off the road as fast as I could to get away from the creep. Luckily, the sheriff's office was right ahead so I pulled in there. All the way the guy laid on his horn to express his continued disgust for whatever he thought I had done to be so offensive to him.

These people are just highway bullies and a danger to everyone. Since I was at the sheriff's office I went in and told them what happened. I was told I did the right thing by getting off the road. It sort of made me wonder if some of these people might actually stop when you pull over and try to attack you in your car. Sheriff said to call 911 as fast as you can. This experience was upsetting to say the least. I guess now I know what it's like to cross paths with someone in a "road rage."

I'm wondering why the cops wouldn't take off after him and catch him in a violation, since he was probably tailgating other drivers.

Luzette · 07-25-2013, 01:48 PM

I think if I had been able to get a license number they might have gone after the guy. I did see a cop car parked along the highway as I continued home. It was in an area where you won't see the patrol car until you're almost upon it. They park there from time to time. I know I would never have continued home with someone like this behind me all the way. If I was going too slow for this person all he had to do was wait until it was safe to pass me then be on his way. It was scary.

canudigit · 07-25-2013, 06:09 PM

Good thing the sheriff's office was where it was and you had the good sense to pull off the road. It sounds like this guy was pathologically angry at the world, wanted someone to take it out on, and was at the point of being a real threat to you if you had provoked him or not gotten out of his way. There are so many angry, dysfunctional people in this world...glad you are safe!

Luzette · 07-25-2013, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canudigit

Good thing the sheriff's office was where it was and you had the good sense to pull off the road. It sounds like this guy was pathologically angry at the world, wanted someone to take it out on, and was at the point of being a real threat to you if you had provoked him or not gotten out of his way. There are so many angry, dysfunctional people in this world...glad you are safe!

Thanks! I just wanted to put the information out there that law enforcement recommend getting off the road to the nearest public place if you ever encounter someone in a road rage. After today, I'd say this could happen anywhere.

Captain Obvious · 07-27-2013, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canudigit

Road rage? In Michigan? Heck, I even live in the SE corner of the state and I have never, ever, not even during rush hour in Metro Detroit, seen driving like we saw in Southern California when we were there. I've driven in Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, Orlando, NYC, and Washington, D.C., and still...never in my life have I seen drivers like those in the San Diego to LA corridor. You know how here you sometimes have someone ride up your backside if you are in the passing lane temporarily to pass a slower car in the right lane? In SoCal, you had better be doing 85-90 in the two left most lanes or you are gonna be up a creek. It's also fun when the motorcycles legally zoom seemingly out of nowhere down the line between lanes and between two cars side by side, coming mere inches from your side mirror and scaring the living daylights out of you.

Michigan is a Sunday afternoon drive in the country compared to the madness that is SoCal!

How long ago were you in California?