Great, now I'm one of them.

The BBQ Pit
1

This has been a bad week to be a commuter.

Crowded freeways in a major metropolitan center. Stress over all the shit that’s happened recently. You really have to take a breath sometimes and just say “all that’s important is that I get there safely” and try and motor along in a sane manner.

I’ve tried to figure this out before, why normally rational people do stupid stuff in their car they’d never do in person. I think it’s the degree of anonymity a vehicle affords. I can’t say I’m guilt free either and that bothers me.

Something else bothers me. I tagged the shit out of a guy on the way to work today. Not with my bumper. With my fist. I lost it. damn.

damn.
damn.
damn.

I’m a better person than that and now I feel like shit. Yes, he deserved it. It wasn’t just the mongo pick-up getting on my ass on an entrance ramp leading up to completely stalled traffic. It wasn’t leaving his brights on when I at first politely tapped my brakes. The horn kinda started my resolve to make a statement. For fuck’s sake the damn freeway’s shut down because some other moron was overly impatient and caused an accident.

I’d never confronted another motorist before but this sumbitch needed a decency lesson. With Pop Tart in hand I got out of my car and told the impatient bastard to back off. Again, it wasn’t because of driving like an asshole, it was because the rude fucker, after all this, stuck his fucking finger in my face and said fuck you.

damn.

I’ve had it with rude people. Right now I’ve never had more conviction that we all need to try and get along, to cut each other some slack, to put petty differences aside. And I let all that go out the window.

I hope his fucking cheekbone swells up like a peach. I hope he can pull my fucking knuckleprint off for identification. And I hope he thinks twice before being such a goddamn agressive fuck on the road again.

But I’m really fucking sorry I lost it. I don’t want to become someone like him. (Yes, he was bigger than me. I still have some standards.)

Shit.

And I said it had been a bad week? Last Friday I saw a trucker in a fit of rage fire a starter’s pistol at a car in stop 'n go traffic. I called the police but sweet Jesus, it fucking freaked me out. All I could think of after was just that I wanted to get home and see my kid. I had no idea if this lugnut was going to go ballistic on all of us and I just wanted to get as far away from his bile as possible. And now this.

Shit again.

Where’s my fuckin’ bike.

2

I almost hate to admit it, but as someone who would NEVER hit another person… I’m glad you did it.

Maybe he’ll think twice before being so bloody aggresive next time. And maybe those who know him will think twice too.

Again - it was wrong. It is not the way forward. Etc. But I can’t help thinking that some people need to learn a little respect for other drivers on the road. And if they have to learn that by fearing others then so be it.

Now I feel guilty too.

Fuck the commute.

pan

3

I see you’re in Texas. That part of your post about the trucker is exactly why I did not want Dubya in the White House. He’s responsible for signing the bill that made it legal for Texans to carry concealed firearms in their vehicles.

BTW: I also see you’re a geologist. You wouldn’t happen to work for Shell perchance? I ask because my brother in law is a geologist for Shell.

4

lieu, don’t sweat it. Some people just need punchin’! Consider it a public service.

5

I had no intention of doing it when I went back there.

But the arrogant bastard, instead of apologising, sticks a fucking bird two inches from my nose and says “fuck you”.

People throw birds around way too often on the road. This guy’s attitude was both “screw you” and “what are you going to do about it?”

I remember Call (sp?) in Lonesome Dove saying “I just won’t tolerate rudeness in a man” and I guess I just got a little too offended. I pay taxes. I expect to be able to commute in a safe and civil manner.

Never again will I march back to tell some jerk to piss off but hopefully that piece of crap bird lover won’t push so frikkin’ hard again next time either.

6

First of all, I’m really sorry that happened. And you’re right, there is something about being in the car that brings out the worst in people. I completely morph into a monster when I drive. I’m a 31 year old, mild-mannnered, shy woman outside of the car and a crazed lunatic while in the car! I don’t do anything aggressive and dangerous, but if someone “wrongs” me in some way, I get very angry and wave my arm around in disgust and honk my horn. Sometimes I would like a face-to-face with some of these drivers, but I’m not about to get into it with a 260 lb. trucker.

Like you, after Sept. 11, I said to myself that I will not let this shit get to me and to put it in perspective. However, I am back at it. I wonder if there is a special course for road ragers. Maybe even a regular anger-management class would be good. It sounds like you and I are prime candidates for it. I may even look into it today.

7

No Jeff, not Shell, but they’re a fine company and well known for their commitment to technological excellence.

8

By the way, the trucker had Illinois plates on the tractor and Minnesota plates on the trailer. Sorry.

9

Look at the bright side. At least you didn’t have to spend the night in the slammer for losing your shit, like some people I know. :frowning: Don’t sweat it, maybe the bastard will think twice before being such a dick. But I doubt it.

10

Physical conflict should be a last resort and avoided at all costs. Easier said then done. I have also been in situations where I used violence and wished I hadn’t. Granted, it would be naive to think that violence is never required. Even so, this guy may have been a jerk, but he did not deserve to get hurt. No one should feel like they are risking physical harm just driving to work, even if they flash their brights like punks.

He may have been rude, but if we beat up all the rude people in the world there would not be very many eyes unblackened. Next time you feel the urge, take a deep breath, and ignore the bastard. You risk jail, bodily harm, and your own goodness when you go to that level. Believe me.

DaLovin’ Dj

11

“Great, now I’m one of them.”

welcome to the majority!

12

lieu lieu lieu

I don’t know what else to say.

Except…did you hold onto the pop tart when you punched him? Because that would be great to see.

My dad is a road rage victim, and he got out of his car on the way home from church to scream at someone and call him a fucking asshole, all while holding his bible.

good stuff
jar

13

Why did he not deserve it? He was obviously a dick, and I’m sure he wasn’t coming over to fellate lieu. Some guys are just natural born assholes, I’ve met quite a few of 'em myself. Whoever said “violence doesn’t solve anything” is full of shit. And I’ll kick anybody’s ass that disagrees with me. :smiley:

14

dalovindj maybe if more people got slugged after being a massive prick like this guy, more people would act in a more civil manner.

15

You’re SURE of that? Let’s not rush to judgement

jar

16

Hmmmm, ya got a pernt there. lieu, you put the wrong thing in his mouth!!!

17

Um, I’m finding it hard to believe some of you people are saying, “Good job, the bastard deserved it!” when lieu committed an act of assault on someone.

What you did was wrong and illegal, and the guy should have called the cops on you. (If lieu had come in here and said, “Some bastard punched me in the face!” how many of us would counsel him to contact the police?) Furthermore, it was amazingly stupid - you live in Texas. Texans carry guns. I’m just glad you’re still alive.

Esprix

18

Actually, the asshole is the one who committed assault, both physical and verbal by sticking his finger in lieu’s face and saying fuck you. lieu committed assault and battery, which, both offenses being illegal, could be considered self defense. But what do I know. That’s just what my lawyer told me back in the spring when I was in a similar predicament, and it was thrown out of court.

19

Shit, lieu, I admire the fact you only hit him once.

Let me describe my last road rage experience. I was on a freeway and turned on my signal to get over into the exit-only lane, waited a second to clear the double white line, and started changing lanes. At the same time, this jackass in a brand-spanking new Dodge Dakota rips across the double white behind me and tries to pass me as I’m getting over.

Already being half-way into the exit lane, and not feeling like I should whip out of this guys way just so he can pass me, I finish my lane change. This guy rides my ass, literally a foot from my bumper, and begins screaming at me and flipping me off. I assume he was screaming because I could see his mouth moving wildly in my rear-view. I suppose he could have been practicing his blowjob technique, though.

As we get onto the access road, he again whips across a double white and this time speeds up and veers directly in front of me! Holy shit, if I hadn’t slammed on my just repaired brakes, I would have hit his brand-new truck (still had the dealer plate on) right in the driver-side door.

Apparently this wasn’t good enough for him, because while he was in front of me, he kept speeding up, then slamming on his brakes, trying to get me to rear-end him. When we got to the light, he starts to get out of his truck.

At this point, I was incoherent with rage. I could barely get my car into park, I was so angry and had so much adrenaline running through me. I manage to get my seatbelt off and get out of my car, almost running towards him. I can’t describe the disappointment when this guy, seeing a NFL lineman sized man running at him, decides that suicide isn’t in vogue, gets back in his fucking truck, and drives away.

Compared to what I was going to do to that cockmonkey, you acted with the height of restraint and civility.

20

Christ, you’re right! How could I have not seen it?! The highways of Texas are littered with bodies now that we can CCW! It’s like a scene from The Stand!