The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon.
Today’s question:
QUESTION: Have you ever been involved in a road-rage incident?
Talk about it….
Generally no, but I was waiting patiently for a parking space once with my pregnant wife and a high school kid came flying in from the other direction and then got out and started dancing and crotch thrusting and it took everything I had and my wife begging me not to go after him. So I let the air out of two of his tires.
Yeah. There are psychos driving all over the place. We need more CHP and more city cops.
Yes I have. It was over 10 years ago along Highway 1 in Sonoma County. This guy in a Prius (of all cars!) was riding us like crazy. We pulled over to let him pass and he stops, gets out of his car and starts screaming obscenities and flailing his arms like a lunatic, threatening my husband. The people in his car looked VERY embarrassed. He got back in his car after my husband asked him if he really wanted to start something with his family in his car looking on.
Maybe 25 years ago was the last time. We’d give each other the interstate salute, but that was the extent of it. I’m older, wiser, and much more mellow now. These days, when somebody acts the fool, I ignore them.
Yes, wanna be ganster in a BMW blue came after me in my SUV. Sped up fast from lane to the right. Too fast to call, had to stay calm, did. Tried to get me over by almost ramming my rear, went to the right, I stayed calm, he couldn’t get a eye on me, I stayed looking straight ahead knew I’d see him once he tried to get ahead he did, got over in to FasT lane ahead of me, dreadlocks flying out of drivers window he was yelling his head off, I stayed focused and calm did that three x’s happens within a matter of several seconds. I was sure I’d hear the pop of gun go off, never did. He then veered off to cross 4 lanes of traffic to exit. It was staying calm and not looking at this piece of crap that saved me.
Here I was getting madder at an onramp merge and I looked at my combatant and it was a senior woman! Never again do I waste my time with other people’s driving.
Well only once in 1994. Taking our daughter to school. Out of State, Oregon 20-something woman (child). Two lanes merging into my one lane, I was about 5 car lengths ahead. She cut into oncoming lane, sped up to pass me and cut in too soon and I had to brake and move to the shoulder of the road. Caught up with her at a signal with her turning left and myself going straight. My daughter, Bless her Heart, leaned forward, shook her head ‘NO’, and then the woman flipped me off. Just glad it didn’t get nasty and have her get in my face.
I was driving into work one morning. Stuck in 5mph traffic on southbound 680 in Fremont. I was in the center lane. As I passed the Mission onramp this lady that’s getting on the freeway cuts across the solid line and almost into the car to my right. The guy honks at her and she flips him off. Then she starts doing the same to me. Coming into my lane. I have to brake hard so she doesn’t hit me. I honked and she flips me off. I got into the slow lane in front off the first guy she cut off. As traffic sped up to about 20 mph I rolled up on her passenger side. I rolled down my window. Moved over into her lane, reached out and grabbed her passenger door handle. I was unlocked. I held on as I slowly sped up and opened her door all the way. She freaked out, slammed on her brakes and stopped. I laughed and waved at her as I drove off. The guy behind my drove along side me laughing and gave me a thumbs up.
Had a lunatic in a baby blue minivan chase me while driving on Highway 50 just before Placerville. He was screaming at me to pull over and he was banging his fists on the side of his vehicle. I have no idea what his problem was but I pointed to an off ramp just before Placerville and got behind him like I was going to follow him then at the last minute after he took the off ramp I pulled back onto the freeway and made my escape. No reason to engage with a psychotic mini van driver from the foothills.
Some years ago I was waiting at a light when a guy came to my drivers side window and started yelling his head off, no idea what his problem was . Anyway, he got a shot of wasp spray.
Fire extinguisher works well too.
A few times in my youth but the best ones were in my tractor/trailer as a owner/operator. It’s amazing how fast a road rage incident ends when you start slowly drifting into the AH’s lane. I had a lady in LA once take down my Cal-T number, called PUC and got my “business” phone number. She left a nasty call about “One of your drivers….yada, yada, yada”. It was a good laugh when I got home and listened to my phone messages.
@DeAndre….maybe you shouldn’t “cum” here while your driving.
….a guy comes to red a red light next to me yelling at himself – I look over – obviously a crackhead, starts yelling obscenities at me – gets out of his car, – light turns green , I take off – he’s standing in the middle of the street backing up traffic flipping me off then got into it with the people behind him… busted me up laughing
I admit to one. I was driving my corvette up hill on Ono O One leaving Los Angeles doing 70 when a newspaper truck doing about thirty pulled right in front of me. I had to slam on the brakes because I couldn’t go left or right. Just made it without hitting him. I was in my twenties then. Anyway I got in front of him and slowed him down to a stop. Then took off. Really didn’t get any satisfaction out of doing that. Now I just silently curse out any offending driver. Some times I wave to them like I knew them. Some times I do nothing, thinking about anyone I may have offended.
No, especially known at my age.
People are crazy life is to short get out of their way let have the road they will meet some one crazier than them or better yet the CHP.
Not road rage per se as with a weapon, but cars driving at 100 mph weaving in and out of lanes missing you by mere inches is pretty bad, and indicates a very unset and / or angry person to put others in danger like that on the freeway. Tinted windows of course. They could use a good beating IMHO.
This one was within the last month much closer to home. I had just proceeded at green light at Landana, small vehicle no lights on dark out, wanted to merge in coming onto Concord Blvd. Knew he wasn’t letting up, laid back for him to go, he didn’t I proceeded. Next, I pull to right lane, knowing his lights are off and he may have been drinking or whatever. He pulls behind me fast move. Ok, now I have to watch this guy. Ready to call if necessary. It was. I made an even speed up to the left lane and he chased up behind me and was too close. Got Dispatch on the phone, advised to keep her on, I knew not to drive to my home which I was near and dispatched advised thru this cat and mouse with this guy to get to Concord PD. Turned right on Ayers, At Olive guy puts his lights on still with me. All the way down Clayton road I stay in left lane, he tries to get to the right of me, runs a red to keep with me, tell dispatch and almost sideswipes another vehicle. Fast forward to Oakland Street, just about there numerous cop vehicles are to the right at a gas station on a call. Call, I assess an audi, finally pulls to my right and leaves scene.
I’ve had several incidents when I was much younger. Now, I try to avoid such things, since I can’t fight like I used to, and so many people nowadays don’t even want to fight like they used to. They’d rather go straight to deadly weapons.
Yes, two times. Once on 242 and the other on 580. Both instances were scarey. Both were men and they looked liked they were ready to kill.
Not involved in any road rage incidents but witnessed some remarkable events.
Stopped in heavy traffic on the Key Bridge in Washington DC many years ago I saw a guy get out of his car, walk to the car behind him, open the door, pull the driver out and beat the $hit out of him.
More recently, on my way to work in HWY 24 there were two vehicles that were clearly driven by two less than fully gruntled individuals. One would get in front of the other and then slow way down. The other would try to get around only to have the other pull the same thing. This went on all the way from WC to the tunnel before I managed to break free from the vicinity of those road hazards.
I’m not very good at being patient, tolerant and loving.
For 4-decades working at the Chevron Richmond refinery, I worked rotating 12 hour shifts. Driving at all hours through Richmond, then on the Parkway, I have mixed it up a few more times than I’d like to admit.
I hate “bullies”, and used to give them back what they did in spades, and I was not playing. When they realized I was MUCH crazier than them (the whole intimidation thing failed) than they’d go away. With me riding their ass…I know, I know 😉
Lucky I was never shot at. If I were, I’d PIT them out, and/or ram them LOL…gang bangers are lousy shots (I hoped, LOL)
Nothing tremendously violent, but definite demonstrations of rage quite a few times, never started by me. Back in my original town, got into a heated argument with a city worker, he in his truck northbound, me in my car southbound, blocking traffic, just yelling at each other like lunatics for maybe 30-45 seconds. A few times had people driving next to me, trying to intimidate me (doesn’t happen, not unless “tools” appear), because they cut me off. I cut some guy off (yep, I did, on accident), and he gave me that unfriendly salute, which I returned, and then began the yelling, with me finally asking what the “censored word” is his problem. When he told me, I realized it, and actually said to him “oops, sorry did not mean to” (I am not always a horse’s backside, just most of the time….yes, I know it and have learned to embrace it),
Yeah … driving on the highway from I-15 to the I-5 in North County like 20 years ago … can’t recall what the offense was, but I high-tailed it to catch up with the culprit and he and I pulled off to the side of the road … when he got out, I saw he was a gorilla-sized Samoan dude … I said something polite and got back into my vehicle … cooler heads prevailed … thanks bento god.
Let me put it this way……..I used to have a bumper sticker on my car that said “Horn broken, watch for finger”
It happened one time, about 20 yrs ago. I lived in Antioch at the time and was commuting home with my wife. It was around 5:30 pm and traffic was pretty heavy.
We were on Ygnacio, heading towards Antioch, approaching the Concord Blvd. stop light, and in the middle lane. Back then, the right lane of YV ended and you had to merge into the middle. Some fool in a small white pickup was in a hurry an decided to pass me AFTER the rt lane had already ended. Almost hit my car. I honked and immediately was rewarded with middle finger salute. Whatever.
The light at Concord was red, so we all stopped. Crazy dude gets out of his beater and starts walking back to my car while screaming at me. “Don’t you ever honk at me MFer! I’ll kill you, you p***y!” He ranted until the light turned green and everyone started to move. Flipped me off one last time and drove away. I never said a word or made a gesture toward him. I just locked the door.
Now the really crazy part: I had to follow this nut job almost to my house because he happened to be going the exact same route as I needed to take home. Luckily we did not hit another red light all of the way home.
My car still has pellet holes from the guy on 101 who shot at my car multiple times. I’m shocked he didn’t get a window.
He was mad because I didn’t let him drive along the right shoulder and force his way into the zipper merge ahead of everyone else.
His gun was a replica. I thought it was real. I was tempted to call 911 and follow him but thought it best to put an offramp between myself and him.
Now its CCW…I won’t get in a shootout on the road but I know where society stands…