Road Rage: What to Do and Not Do
I have only encountered "road rage" a few times while driving a car. All of the times, it was for no real reason, as far as I could tell. One time, I left for work for my 45 min commute and the ex of my wife followed me, tried to drive me off the road, tailgated me, flipped me off. At first, I was a bit a freaked until I realized who it was, then, it was a weird event when he drove up along side of me while stopped in traffic. I ignored his yelling. I locked the doors and continued with my commute. As the traffic got worse, the road rager got caught up in it and I lost him.
The more recent time was out of nowhere. I was a stop sign, saw this car coming some 200 yards away, pulled onto the road rapidly. There was plenty of space between us yet the guy sped up until tailgating. He flipped me off. I threw up my hands in the " what is the problem" position and continued with this car tailgating. I pulled into the parking lot ( was just going to the store) and the road rager followed me in, yelling out his window. Instead of parking, I decided to go back in the opposite direction. He tried to speed up in the lot to get in front, that failed, for I sped up also. At the stoplight, he was yelling, "get out of the car you MF". The light turned green and I went back where I had originally came from, while the chaser, gave up and went on in the opposite direction.
I really cannot stand people like that. I did nothing wrong except get in front of him. He flipped me off (not that I care in the least), but I suspect he thought I flipped him off. This probably ticked him over the edge. But, who said one cannot return the favor?
In road rage, try to remain calm, wherever your original destination was, go in the opposite direction. There is a good chance the chaser will elect to go on another way. If you are flipped off, ignore it. If they try to provoke you at stops, lock the doors and ignore. Get their license and other details-just in case. Do not get out of your car unless you want verbal or physical abuse. If the chaser continues to follow, just keep driving wherever (not to your residence) until the give it up. If they try to get in front, do not allow it-speed up or turn. They are seeking confrontation.
People with road rage are mentally unstable at that moment. That is why they are dangerous.
