Road rage incidents/idiot driving thread

[shameem]

This one is a bit whacky even by the WTF standards -

I was just cruising on a road called michigan ave near canton, michigan. I stopped for a red light and there was a oldsmobile 90 or something like that on the left lane - i didnt even give that car a second look. When the light turned green i just started driving and got up to speed (55mph limit). I didnt tear off the line - i didnt rev my engine - i just pulled off like normal. The oldsmobile couldnt keep up with me and was way far behind. I was just cruising and i suddenly see this oldsmobile coming behind me at very high speed - he pulled into a right turn lane and passed me cutting me off in the process. I slowed down and then he stood on his brakes right in front of me - since i had already slowed down i avoided him. He then revved his engine like mad a pulled off - i was like - i dont even want to deal with idiots like you and i just got upto normal speed - suddenly this guy comes into my lane again and stands on his brake - i avoided him narrowly and the vehicle behind me avoided me narrowly. I am pissed - but i am trying to keep my sense and drive normally and he does it again third time - i hit him in the back. I called 911 immediately. He didnt stop went for like 1/4 of mile and stopped. Ofcourse there was no damage to him but my hood was folded in and the hood latch is touching the radiator.

The cops come along 30 minutes later and here's the unbelievable part - The guy claims that he was trying to turn into side road and i was tailing him and rear ended him. Now it's his word against my word and the cop says he doesnt believe me because there was no "witness". So i walk over to this driver along with the cop and asked him - why would you do such a thing - i dint cut you off or look at you wrong or something like that - why would you do this to me? He starts shouting that "you are trying to run me over with your car" - i am like WTF - and thats when i realize he is drunk off his a--. I tell this to the cop and the cop is "surprised". I move within 6ft of the driver and i can smell alcohol very well. The driver says that i tailed him and came very close to him two times - and hit him the third time. So i ask him - how many turns were you trying to make on this road and he stares at me like deer caught in headlights. The cop then turns around says it's still your fault because it's your responsibility to stop no matter what the other driver is doing. It's pretty clear to me at this point race is playing a significant role - so i ask the cop if he is going to do a sobriety test on him. The cop glares at me and goes back to his car and gets the kit. He did the test 4 or 5 times - finally he says the driver is clear because he is under the limit - turns out he blew a 0.06 or something like that (this was like 40 minutes after the accident) and since it was under the legal limit the cop is not going to do anything about that.

At this point i am certain that i am not going to see justice here. So i just went to the side of the road and the cop's partner (different race) who has been silent till now came over and talked to me. He says that he believes me but cannot do anything against his partner. So we chat a little and he gives me some advice and stuff. He completely understands my situation and then goes to his partner and starts arguing for me. Finally the other cop says ok - i will write it up as the driver suddenly slowed down and the other driver (me) ran into him. He says he wont mention the sobriety test because the driver is under the legal limit. At this point i am like whatever - just let me go home.

Finally i get home and i inspect the damage - the headlights are out of alignment - the front part of the hood is all bent - and the hood wont latch. The speedometer also stopped working - but i think thats a electrical issue somewhere. I am going to take a look in the morning tomorrow.

Sorry for the long story - i just wanted to vent and go to sleep. Moral of the story if you see an oldsmobile (license 2fh6g4) in the michigan area- stay clear of him - he is one crazy asshole - i hope he dies a horrible death.

[Fred]

Wankers.

Sorry to hear about your car :-(

Some guy attempted to attack me once when he blocked an entire carpark entry waiting to go the wrong way. I just quietly said (with my window down) "come on mate" and the little car starts jerking around (seatbelt coming off) the door flies open and I hit reverse and GTFO of there asap.

I once pulled some similar tricks on a bus... the driver refused to let me on at student rates despite evidence that i was indeed a student so I ran home got the keys, took off after him, passed him and gave him the brake test, cruised at 10mph for a while, took off ahead, turned around, played chicken with him a little and went home. Next day, same driver "i reported you to the cops" - "i'll look forward to my framed letter from them, now let me on the bus" <insert mean glare> - he let me on knowing that I'd probably do something nuts if he screwed me again :-) Silly prick.

Gotta hate people that are arseholes for no good reason like your guy and my bus driver were/are.

Most people at home don't realise that a phone in report is meaningless. You have to be willing to make a formal complaint AND give evidence before anything at all can be done. I have quite a few of those letters, mostly from creative use of lanes and driving with the wheels constantly spinning etc :-)

[GrowlingandBiffo]

I am pissed - but i am trying to keep my sense and drive normally and he does it again third time - i hit him in the back.

If you were driving normally, and he had already done it twice, amazed that you hit him, and did the amount of damage that you state.

Perhaps we need to add an accelerometer, tri-axial, so you can play it back to show you were "innocent"..

In the UK it is a common problem for staged "accidents", by certain ethnic minorities

Black box technology will soon be common place, as a Tom-Tom module..

[Fred]

I split this out of Daily WTF because on second thoughts it wasn't very WTF at all. By that I mean shlt like that happens all the time and although it *should* be a surprise it isn't really.

I certainly don't think that you staged it (why post about it if that was true? you wouldn't...), and I do think that GrowlingBiffo needs a kick for suggesting that, but I am wondering how you ended up biffing his car when you knew he was being a knob. You must have been tired or complacent or have really crappy tyres and brakes or something.

Fred.

[shameem]

I stopped the second time -waited probably 30 seconds to a minute - the car behind me missed narrowly - honked at me twice and went around me. I contemplated calling the cops but then decided against it since in all that commotion i didnt get a full read on the license plate - it was corroded to hell. Then i pulled into the road and started driving again when he came into my lane from in front of another car. Granted i was up for 16 hours and running on coffee but i can assure you i didnt "cause" the accident.

[Fred]

It's clear that he caused it, but perhaps if you were less knackered you could have avoided it?

[AbeFM]

Wow, that really sucks. I've had people do stupid stuff to me, and generally, I try to avoid it, sometimes I let them know my nuts are big enough they better hit me cause I'm done dodging and dicking around. It's resulted in me being at a dead stop on the freeway a couple times, etc, so far it's worked out.

But dealing with someone drunk, etc? Yeah, there's not a lot you can do. The racism thing is the worst part of it - one isolated asshole is bad luck - the cops fucking you over is inexcusable. If I had the badge number of the cop I'd report him, then again, it sucks to have the police mad at you.

[GrowlingandBiffo]

I split this out of Daily WTF because on second thoughts it wasn't very WTF at all. By that I mean shlt like that happens all the time and although it *should* be a surprise it isn't really.

I certainly don't think that you staged it (why post about it if that was true? you wouldn't...), and I do think that GrowlingBiffo needs a kick for suggesting that, but I am wondering how you ended up biffing his car when you knew he was being a knob. You must have been tired or complacent or have really crappy tyres and brakes or something.

Fred.

Of course we do not think Shameem staged it.

What makes you think that?

Perhaps we should point out what "staging" is..

In the UK, and it started in the USA first, certain ethnic minorities set about staging accidents..

Classic one, although that are many variants is that the miscreant hangs about the airport/car rental collection point, and then chooses a "mug", which like the other USA import gave us a new word, and then when they least expect it, they break sharply, and "cause" a rear end shunt.

As every one knows, the one whom runs into the back of your is ALWAYS in the wrong, unless it can be proved that it was done to case an accident..

There are sophisticated variants, as with confederates in other cars to act as witness.

The early ones were done so that you just rob the folks, as they are rich tourists...

Subtle variants, esp in the UK and certain ethnic minorities are the good old fashioned white collar crime of insurance fraud, e.g, passengers stagger out of car rubbing there neck, with "whiplash" injuries, as these are very hard to detect..

In countries where the insurance co do not accept "whiplash" as an injury, like Romania, it never occours...

In the UK all insurance claims are now put on the Database, so they can all share the names and claim details, as once they have perfected the scam, they repeat.

There are various "devices" that you can buy to prevent this, from cameras, to conversation recorders..

Was going to post a load of links to cover all of the above, but if any one is interested they can search there own internet..

To sum up Shameem was "innocent", if perhaps a little stupid as he was following too close and had prior warning, as it was the third time that he got caught.

Tips.
Stay well back, and the best place for an idiot, is in front of you..

Question
How far back?

Answer
Two seconds!

UK Safety adage "Only a fool, breaks the two second rule"..

If your car is good enough to brake at one "g", and your are doing 30 MPH, it will take you at least 30 feet to stop..

In Motor Sport the winner will have the best brakes...

Keep up the good work, one and all...

[Fred]

Tips.
Stay well back, and the best place for an idiot, is in front of you..

Strongly disagree, behind and going slower is better, if you push hard they won't keep up :-)

In Motor Sport the winner will have the best brakes...

Amen to that, a slower car can win with only better brakes, more grip and knowledge of how to best use them :-)

[GrowlingandBiffo]

Tips.
Stay well back, and the best place for an idiot, is in front of you..

Strongly disagree, behind and going slower is better, if you push hard they won't keep up

In Motor Sport the winner will have the best brakes...

Amen to that, a slower car can win with only better brakes, more grip and knowledge of how to best use them

It is easier, and indeed safer to have the idiot in front of you, as you can see what he is doing.

If he is behind you, then it is a mirror job.

So if a fool wants to overtake, let him go, and he then cause a problem for some one else.

If, when they overtake, and you think they are going to cut you up, just brake sharply when they are along side.

You can do this quite safely as there will be no one behind you.

Ignore his challenge..do not play his game, as discretion is the better part of valour...

Of course it is not macho, and not half as much fun...