Road rage incident

[js19]

Hey all, I’m just here to vent. Let me start by saying I’m in the metro detroit area and I work downtown and nearly every day I find myself nearly getting into a car accident because of the way other drivers behave around here. It’s a serious issue. I’ve been getting thinner patience every day.

So I’m heading home from the gym just a half hour ago. Going about 45-50 in a 40 accelerating from a stoplight. I’m being tailgated so closely that I can’t even see the dude’s headlights in my rear view. I’ve got some idiot in a Cadillac lined up exactly next to me matching my speed.

I believe tailgating is probably the most dangerous thing you can do while driving. I shouldn’t have to be afraid to perform an emergency maneuver or brake because of the possibility of being rear ended. So, to get this guy away from my car, I slam on my gas to get over and let the guy pass me. As soon as they do that, they both slam on their gas too and now we’re all going 70-75 in a 40 and I’m still boxed in. They probably thought I was trying to race or something.

I end up getting behind both of them.. we end up stopping at a stoplight and I go in the right hand turn lane. The tailgater gets behind me. I’m fuming so I basically stick my entire body out of the window and look back at the guy and yell something to the effect of “I swear to f*** god if you get that close to me again”.

We all ended up parting ways, but I hate having encounters like that. My car is incredibly identifiable in a parking lot and I really would hate to tick the wrong person off and find my car keyed for something so stupid.

If I had known how things would have played out I would’ve just turned off a side street to begin with and continued to head home after a minute.

Im rarely one to road rage but I spend so much money and put so much hard work into earning what I have. It’s so frustrating when people treat other drivers with such disrespect.

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[ORRadtech]

My first concern in that situation would be "Am I being set up for something robbery, car jacking, insurance fraud or something like that."
Driving in downtown Atlanta rush hour daily I completely understand the feeling and how difficult it can be to disconnect your emotions and turn away from situations like that. But,if you can, it really is best.

 

[lightrules]

that's where i miss my turbo diesel jetta. when someone would tailgate me, i'd floor it and leave them in black soot like the middle of your chimney.

glad you came out okay here...

 

[mindo389]

I was thinking along the lines that you were being set up for a car jacking.

 

[Gnatsum21]

that's where i miss my turbo diesel jetta. when someone would tailgate me, i'd floor it and leave them in black soot like the middle of your chimney.

glad you came out okay here...

I use my windshield water sprayer if someone is tailgating me very close...of course that could open up a can of worms.

 

[m3incorp]

You never said what the "2nd" car was. You slammed on the gas and weren't able to get some distance between the tailgater and the car beside you? The way you describe they were driving almost sounds like normal driving in many places. I'm sorry to say this, but it sounds like you were the only one that displayed any kind of road rage by leaning your body out of the car and threatening the other drivers. Driving in traffic tends to get to all of us at some point.

 

[Stangomydreams]

Tailgating and boxing drivers in - is all very infuriating. Slow drivers in the fast lane and failure to maintain a lane is epidemic everywhere. Takes a chore like driving in traffic and makes it dangerous x100. Where I live it is complete lack of any enforcement. Police have given up on traffic laws and only show up after an accident and then only over 10g damage or injuries. The commute is like being in mad max.

 

[js19]

You never said what the "2nd" car was. You slammed on the gas and weren't able to get some distance between the tailgater and the car beside you? The way you describe they were driving almost sounds like normal driving in many places. I'm sorry to say this, but it sounds like you were the only one that displayed any kind of road rage by leaning your body out of the car and threatening the other drivers. Driving in traffic tends to get to all of us at some point.

it was a Ford Focus. Yeah I created some distance between him but when I couldn’t merge over I slowed down and he caught up. Nothing I could’ve done.

I know I shouldn’t have done what I did as far as yelling at them and everything the only person who legitimately road raged in the situation was myself. Honestly knowing the crowd of people I’m around they were probably just pushing me to race. That’s all it was. I admit my reaction was putting myself in more danger but the point of my post was just that it’s wearing down on me that this kind of stuff happens every day.

tailgating drivers, distracted drivers, on a certain metro detroit freeway you have people who go 100 in a 55 weaving in between lanes, almost clipping you as you pass by. In Dearborn everybody drives a charger scat pack and doesn’t have a brain cell in their mind.

I just need to relax honestly but it’a just a hard pill to swallow for me that none of these people will ever take accountability for their actions.

 

[Johnny64andahalf]

That's sad that you have to deal with drivers like that. I probably wouldn't confront anybody, though. It can get really dangerous really fast.

 

[xSouthSyde]

I’ve been in my fair share of road rage and after the fact I regret every time it happens.
It’s just not worth it in the long run, you never know if the other car is stolen or what.
I just let the idiots go past me and get on with my day without any stress.

 

[K4fxd]

When people tailgate me like that I slow down.

 

[Gnatsum21]

Tailgating and boxing drivers in - is all very infuriating. Slow drivers in the fast lane and failure to maintain a lane is epidemic everywhere. Takes a chore like driving in traffic and makes it dangerous x100. Where I live it is complete lack of any enforcement. Police have given up on traffic laws and only show up after an accident and then only over 10g damage or injuries. The commute is like being in mad max.

Broward or Dade County?

 

[Orange devil]

it was a Ford Focus. Yeah I created some distance between him but when I couldn’t merge over I slowed down and he caught up. Nothing I could’ve done.

I know I shouldn’t have done what I did as far as yelling at them and everything the only person who legitimately road raged in the situation was myself. Honestly knowing the crowd of people I’m around they were probably just pushing me to race. That’s all it was. I admit my reaction was putting myself in more danger but the point of my post was just that it’s wearing down on me that this kind of stuff happens every day.

tailgating drivers, distracted drivers, on a certain metro detroit freeway you have people who go 100 in a 55 weaving in between lanes, almost clipping you as you pass by. In Dearborn everybody drives a charger scat pack and doesn’t have a brain cell in their mind.

I just need to relax honestly but it’a just a hard pill to swallow for me that none of these people will ever take accountability for their actions.

You must of had some good workout supplements, they get me going as well ,no ones safe when idiots rub you the wrong way .

 

[tosha]

When people tailgate me like that I slow down.

This ^^

I would slow down gradually, let the Cadillac pass on the right and then switch to the right lane. I might also think about why I was in left lane to begin with, cruising at the same speed as that cadi and blocking other people .

Honestly, it sounds like these folks we just minding their own business and you were acting weird. How did you manage to stick entire body out of the window and turn around while driving? Who was looking at the road and pressing pedals and usual driving stuff at that moment?

 

[Jimmy]

You need to relax dude, I'd bet those guys didn't even know they were doing anything to bother you. Some people are just bad drivers, easiest to ignore them. If a tailgater hits you from behind it's 100% their fault.

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