Discussion
Traveling on a bypass, 2 lanes of goodness. About 3/4 of a mile from the roundabout I came up behind a bod in the fast lane doing 40mph. I generally approach these things by giving the moron the oppertunity to do the right thing to move over so I flashed my lights to let them know I was approaching. Bod stayed put. I slowed to 40 and sat behind him till we went around the roundabout. On exiting the roundabout, he went into the the left lane and I into the right and proceded to overtake. As I got level with Bod's rear quater he swerved into the outside lane and proceeded at 40mph, badly cutting me off. My responce - I stayed behind him (at a reasonably safe distance) put my beams on full and just lent on the horn.
I dont undertake, so I sat there with beams on full, and horn blaring while all other traffic on the road undertook. After about a mile, Bod changed into the slow lane (cutting off some poor toyota) and I overtook. As I passed, Bod was giving me the finger. Not really bothered by this, I carried on.
This is where I get confused (at this point - I should say I was piloting the wifes Merc, aka the "Bismark") I had 4 passengers, including my baby boy, asleep in his chair. Asleep before the incident and still asleep during and after)
All 3 adult passengers where really lecturing me. "Irresponsible", "I had provoked him" and a whole range of different critisims. I did not react in anger - I was annoyed but never angry.
Was I wrong?
I dont undertake, so I sat there with beams on full, and horn blaring while all other traffic on the road undertook. After about a mile, Bod changed into the slow lane (cutting off some poor toyota) and I overtook. As I passed, Bod was giving me the finger. Not really bothered by this, I carried on.
This is where I get confused (at this point - I should say I was piloting the wifes Merc, aka the "Bismark") I had 4 passengers, including my baby boy, asleep in his chair. Asleep before the incident and still asleep during and after)
All 3 adult passengers where really lecturing me. "Irresponsible", "I had provoked him" and a whole range of different critisims. I did not react in anger - I was annoyed but never angry.
Was I wrong?
In my book, yes.
Given the same sort of situation I would have prob undertook him in the first instance in a non-aggressive manner and carried on, which is also a bit illegal. I have occassionally flashed people, but only when feeling particularly impatient. I would definately consider sounding the horn in this situation to be road-rage.
Given the same sort of situation I would have prob undertook him in the first instance in a non-aggressive manner and carried on, which is also a bit illegal. I have occassionally flashed people, but only when feeling particularly impatient. I would definately consider sounding the horn in this situation to be road-rage.
Hang on,how does it make the OP wrong if he has to react to someone elses poor/ignorant/selfish/dangerous driving?
Admittedly flashing my lights and sounding the horn are the absolute last resort but the OTHER driver caused the fracas by ignoring the highway code etc etc.
Sadly these days having to undertake is the only option in some cases as some drivers are completely unaware that lane 1(or even 1 and 2)exists or are paying any attention at all.Nothing to do with speeding or tailgating other drivers,just asking for nothing other than some courtesy and basic road craft.
More weight to calls for a US style system over here.
It seems that drivers who stay in lane one unless overtaking other vehicles are a minority these days.
Oh,and anyone using their indicators but dont get me started on that one
Admittedly flashing my lights and sounding the horn are the absolute last resort but the OTHER driver caused the fracas by ignoring the highway code etc etc.
Sadly these days having to undertake is the only option in some cases as some drivers are completely unaware that lane 1(or even 1 and 2)exists or are paying any attention at all.Nothing to do with speeding or tailgating other drivers,just asking for nothing other than some courtesy and basic road craft.
More weight to calls for a US style system over here.
It seems that drivers who stay in lane one unless overtaking other vehicles are a minority these days.
Oh,and anyone using their indicators but dont get me started on that one
So ... People (apart from 1) are saying I was wrong because I didn't break the law by undertaking and I didn't break the law by overtaking on the roundabout or by trying to cause an accident by swerving in front of someone who was overtaking. I also didn't break the law by hogging the passing lane (deliberately) causing other road users to illegally undertake.
The only point I broke the law was excessive use of the horn, which give the situation that the Bod had endangered the lives of my passengers, I do not think was excessive in any way.
I find this really odd!
The only point I broke the law was excessive use of the horn, which give the situation that the Bod had endangered the lives of my passengers, I do not think was excessive in any way.
I find this really odd!
Afraid to say yes aswell. Many proverbs including two wrongs dont make a right etc etc. Yes the other guy was a prat but you dont lower yourself to his level. Count to ten and stay zen. In addition reactions in the heat of the moment often cause accidents. Wonder if youd have had the same reaction in the Lotus, the other driver surely would have. Anyway, the cemetry is full of innocent people who are victims of other peoples stupidity, dont fall into the same trap. Simpels
Gooby said:
The only point I broke the law was excessive use of the horn,
You're absolutely right. But I don't think we're talking right and wrong legally here. The other guy was an idiot. But, he could have been an idiot with worse road rage than you and a crow bar. And you had a baby in your car.Apologies for the "think of the children" style of post but my dad taught me something a long time ago and it's stuck with me; "Do you want this guy to be a part of the rest of your life"?
He could have easily brake tested you, or swerved into the side of you. And something could easily have happened to you, or one of your passengers in a stupid moment of anger or just frustration (on his part, or yours).
Simply let it go, realise there are idiots on the road, and make sure you don't get caught up in someone else's bad day.
TonyHetherington said:
Gooby said:
The only point I broke the law was excessive use of the horn,
You're absolutely right. But I don't think we're talking right and wrong legally here. The other guy was an idiot. But, he could have been an idiot with worse road rage than you and a crow bar. And you had a baby in your car.Apologies for the "think of the children" style of post but my dad taught me something a long time ago and it's stuck with me; "Do you want this guy to be a part of the rest of your life"?
He could have easily brake tested you, or swerved into the side of you. And something could easily have happened to you, or one of your passengers in a stupid moment of anger or just frustration (on his part, or yours).
Simply let it go, realise there are idiots on the road, and make sure you don't get caught up in someone else's bad day.
Really?
Am I really on a forum full of fundamental christians, all turning the other cheek?
Gooby said:
So ... shut up and tolerate an idiot because he may be a thug?
Really?
Am I really on a forum full of fundamental christians, all turning the other cheek?
hehe - I'm far from a turn the other cheek Christian but yes, he's an idiot, let him be one and not let it annoy you. One day there will be someone who will get a rush of blood to the head and become angry. Really?
Am I really on a forum full of fundamental christians, all turning the other cheek?
It's not weak, it's not tolerating idiots, it's self preservation!
TonyHetherington said:
Gooby said:
So ... shut up and tolerate an idiot because he may be a thug?
Really?
Am I really on a forum full of fundamental christians, all turning the other cheek?
hehe - I'm far from a turn the other cheek Christian but yes, he's an idiot, let him be one and not let it annoy you. One day there will be someone who will get a rush of blood to the head and become angry. Really?
Am I really on a forum full of fundamental christians, all turning the other cheek?
It's not weak, it's not tolerating idiots, it's self preservation!
I wasnt tail gating - I wasnt on the 2 second rule but I was not up on his bumper because I am VERY aware that the only action left to the moron was a brake test and he had already done that by swerving out on me.
For me, the risk was some uptight copper charging me with sounding the horn....
TonyHetherington said:
To me it's none of the legal stuff it's purely "the other bloke could be a nutter" - pure and simple!
Okay ... lets speculate that the bloke in front is/ was a nutter on the scale of Fred West, lets say one in 50 million people (just an estimate). Those kind of nutters are a little more calculation and survive for so long because they do not attract attention. So lets assume we have a nutter that is prepared to get out the car and "take on" an unknown amount of people in a large car rhat has capacity to carry 5 VERY large men in comfort. Lets assume one in 10 million are that crazy. So I have provoked the one nutter in the entire population in the south of England who is prepared to physically take on unknown odds to prove a point. How would he stop me?
He would have to be able to block both lanes plus verge using his Saxo, preventing all traffic, in that situation I dont believe the danger is from the "nutter", it is from traffic behind not slowing down and striking the car from the rear.... anyway. Lets put the chances of "nutter" blocking the entire dual carrageway plus verges in such a way that I could not pass as 1 is a million? The only way I could see to manage this is to stay in the car and move it arround to prevent access to the rest of the road. If he is doing that he can not leave the car and can not attack me with his crowbar. He would have to ram the car in some way to immobilise me and we are back to how many are that crazy.
The chances he could cause physical damage to me or my passengers is so pitiful as to be negligable and I stood more chance of the car blowing up as I turn on the ignition.
So the worst case scenario I can think of is he were to follow me to my destination. Then what? A physical confrontation is rare and unusual, probably a shouting match? So what?
Being realistic - I was guilty of a minor regulation of excessive use of the horn but what seems to be the bigger crime in the UK - I made a spectacle of the event by not turning the other cheek.
I wasnt going to involve my self in this thread, mainly becasue I agree with Gooby's approach, knew it would be frowned upon and just couldnt be bothered with the hassle, but I lasted a day.
The basic problem here is thsat people will continue to do the wrong thing, until it becomes uncomfortable enough for them and doing the right thing is just easier for them. This applies to almost everything in life. Turning the other cheek just perpetuates the problem.
Should Gooby have been this "aggresive"(I use the word when I cant think of something slightly milder) ? No most probably not.
Should he just ignore it ? No most probaly not
The question then becomes what can you do to make idiots change their ways. In reality Gooby's approach most likely did nothing more than put a smile on the drivers face. He knew what he was doing and enjoyed annoying someone else whilst doing it.
Personally why not get the passenger to take a picture of the car in the outside lane, then again X amount of time later and then send to the Police. I'm sure obstructing a public highway is an option, if not Driving without due care and attention.
Chances are everyone is going to say "The Police wont do anything" or "it isnt wortth it", but it is exactly that approach that results in people continuing to do the things that annoy the hell out of us.
OK so my post is done, I await the buring at the stake for suggesting, involving the Police
The basic problem here is thsat people will continue to do the wrong thing, until it becomes uncomfortable enough for them and doing the right thing is just easier for them. This applies to almost everything in life. Turning the other cheek just perpetuates the problem.
Should Gooby have been this "aggresive"(I use the word when I cant think of something slightly milder) ? No most probably not.
Should he just ignore it ? No most probaly not
The question then becomes what can you do to make idiots change their ways. In reality Gooby's approach most likely did nothing more than put a smile on the drivers face. He knew what he was doing and enjoyed annoying someone else whilst doing it.
Personally why not get the passenger to take a picture of the car in the outside lane, then again X amount of time later and then send to the Police. I'm sure obstructing a public highway is an option, if not Driving without due care and attention.
Chances are everyone is going to say "The Police wont do anything" or "it isnt wortth it", but it is exactly that approach that results in people continuing to do the things that annoy the hell out of us.
OK so my post is done, I await the buring at the stake for suggesting, involving the Police
Gooby said:
TonyHetherington said:
Gooby said:
The only point I broke the law was excessive use of the horn,
You're absolutely right. But I don't think we're talking right and wrong legally here. The other guy was an idiot. But, he could have been an idiot with worse road rage than you and a crow bar. And you had a baby in your car.Apologies for the "think of the children" style of post but my dad taught me something a long time ago and it's stuck with me; "Do you want this guy to be a part of the rest of your life"?
He could have easily brake tested you, or swerved into the side of you. And something could easily have happened to you, or one of your passengers in a stupid moment of anger or just frustration (on his part, or yours).
Simply let it go, realise there are idiots on the road, and make sure you don't get caught up in someone else's bad day.
Really?
Am I really on a forum full of fundamental christians, all turning the other cheek?
No doubt the other driver is/was acting like a complete tit but take a look at yourself, does driving along behind another car "at a safe distance" (yeah right) with your headlights on full beam and horn blaring sound like the actions of a well balanced individual?
To put the tin lid on it, you tell us that you had your baby son in the car.
Gassing Station | Elise/Exige/Europa/340R | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff