Road rage incident

[sk47]

When people tailgate me like that I slow down.

Hello; A few decades ago the Feds built a tunnel thru the ridge between Middlesboro KY and Harrogate TN. A federal project because it is partly on Cumberland Gap National Park land.
There was a road up over the ridge thru what was known as the gap of the cumberlands. It was not too bad to drive except sometimes in winter. Anyway they bored tunnels thru the bottom of the ridge and opened them in 1996.
The tunnels improved some things but are a pain in the ___. Being Federal they have some odd rules. A crew of several people are kept on duty 24/7. There are arrays of digital signs with traffic messages. Any time a hazardous load passing thru such as fuel, the tunnel is closed for traffic until the load is escorted thru the tunnel. I have to drive thru both tunnels several times a week and get stopped a lot.
There are also cameras in the tunnels and rule saying to stay in a lane. The speed id 45 MPH and it is a federal ticket. There are park rangers giving out federal tickets. There are KY police on one side of the tunnels and TN on the other. They have clever hiding places used. So, I keep it at or below 50 mph.
US 25 E is a busy corridor between I 80 and I 75, so a lot of folks just passing thru. When they tail gate me thru the tunnels which are about 3/4 of a mile long I gradually slow down from 50 to around 40. The road is a four lane so they can get around me when we exit a tunnel. They almost always speed around me at some point. I will not speed up to get them off my tail. I do not want a federal ticket.

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[K4fxd]

We don't have much of a car jacking problem due to most having firearms in their cars.

 

[sk47]

We don't have much of a car jacking problem due to most having firearms in their cars.

Hello; A few decades ago, when I lived in Harlan County KY. I was driving north on US 25 E one night. I had stopped at the turn onto US Hwy 119. The light was a solid red arrow for the right turn. It was my understanding that meant I must wait for the light to turn green. No right turn on red. A pickup was behind me who began to honk for me to move on. I waited for the green and then turned right. All across the bridge over the Cumberland River and for nearly a mile the guy was right on my bumper. Close to touching my back bumper with his bright lights on. I maintained the speed limit. I managed to diffuse the situation.

 

[MD18EcoStang]

I have a pretty awful commute, and my daily driver has been a Fusion Hybrid since 2013. Playing the game of maximizing MPGs, I got into a routine of what I think of as "driving gently." I drive the speed limit and stay in the right hand lane. Nobody tailgates me for long. Nobody tries to race me either! Seriously, though, I truly believe this has made me safer - safer from myself and others. I never arrive at my destination with stress from the drive. It's also amazing how often I end up catching up to cars that recklessly passed me miles back... Just makes me smile and laugh! Be safe out there!

Btw, I know it's a different deal with a Mustang. I've totally had drivers screw with me for no reason at all. One guy got me really worked up recently, and then I realized I was trying to meet his aggressive moves with my own aggression by driving faster. I slowed down to the speed limit, stayed right, and he quickly got bored and moved on.

 

[K4fxd]

Held it up where it was clearly in the headlight beams.

That could be considered brandishing. I just put it in my lap if I feel threatened.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Get a 2-channel dash cam - there's 2 stories and the dash cam will capture both sides.

 

[sk47]

That could be considered brandishing. I just put it in my lap if I feel threatened.

Hello; Yes to that. Had to try something to defuse the situation and get him off me my bumper. Not a #1 choice.

 

[Dave2013M3]

As someone who has been arrested for fighting over a stupid road rage incident, I will just tell you it aint worth it. Watching my 8 mos. old pregnant wife come bail me out of jail and $6k in bail costs and attorney fees made me realize it isn't worth it. Not to mention that happened ages ago, yet I can assure you my wife never lets me forget it.

You will never see that asshat again...slow down and make them pass you and be done with it.

One thing about carrying...if you brandish it, you better be ready to use it. A lot of people feel it will deescalate the situation, when in fact it can feed the inferno if the other party is armed as well.

Like I said, unless your life is in danger and you can't get out of it, its just best to let them pass.

 

[T.O.Bullitt]

We don't have much of a car jacking problem due to most having firearms in their cars.

We don’t have much of a car jacking problem where I live. Fewer firearm problems, too:
Firearm deaths per 100,000, Canada: 1.94
Firearm deaths per 100,000, Kentucky: 17.5

 

[K4fxd]

We don’t have much of a car jacking problem where I live. Fewer firearm problems, too:
Firearm deaths per 100,000, Canada: 1.94
Firearm deaths per 100,000, Kentucky: 17.5

Statistics can be made to show anything. I am glad I have the ability to use the best tool to protect me and mine.

 

[T.O.Bullitt]

Statistics can be made to show anything. I am glad I have the ability to use the best tool to protect me and mine.

A 2014 review in the Annals of Internal Medicine concluded that having a firearm in the home, even when it’s properly stored, doubles your risk of becoming a victim of homicide and triples the risk of suicide:
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M13-1301
This is not the only study that comes to this conclusion and there is absolutely nothing credible to the contrary.
Dispute it if you like - and I’m sure that you will.
I’m also sure that you are a good person and that you truly care about your family and only mean well.
But there is no question in my mind that if you looked at the issue rationally and objectively you would find out that you’re absolutely wrong and that you’re creating a greater danger than you’re protecting yourself against by keeping guns in your home unless you are living in truly rare and exceptional circumstances. Rare and exceptional as in you have a reasonable belief in being the target of individuals with the means and motive to grievously harm you or members of your family due to, say, your involvement in law enforcement or previous association with violent individuals.
Your country, your state, your home, so I’ll leave it there except to say that I post this with some sadness because I greatly admire the U.S., its people, and all their many accomplishments, and that I always enjoy travelling in the States whatever part I may be visiting, red, blue, or paisley.

 

[K4fxd]

There are lies, damn lies and statistics.

In homes with firearms the kids know the difference between a toy and a real one. It's called parenting.

Again I am glad I have the CHOICE on whether I have firearms or not, and what type.

 

[Orange devil]

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?

 

[Dave2013M3]

A 2014 review in the Annals of Internal Medicine concluded that having a firearm in the home, even when it’s properly stored, doubles your risk of becoming a victim of homicide and triples the risk of suicide:
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M13-1301
This is not the only study that comes to this conclusion and there is absolutely nothing credible to the contrary.
Dispute it if you like - and I’m sure that you will.
I’m also sure that you are a good person and that you truly care about your family and only mean well.
But there is no question in my mind that if you looked at the issue rationally and objectively you would find out that you’re absolutely wrong and that you’re creating a greater danger than you’re protecting yourself against by keeping guns in your home unless you are living in truly rare and exceptional circumstances. Rare and exceptional as in you have a reasonable belief in being the target of individuals with the means and motive to grievously harm you or members of your family due to, say, your involvement in law enforcement or previous association with violent individuals.
Your country, your state, your home, so I’ll leave it there except to say that I post this with some sadness because I greatly admire the U.S., its people, and all their many accomplishments, and that I always enjoy travelling in the States whatever part I may be visiting, red, blue, or paisley.

Don't care, still want my weapons. The police are reactive, not proactive. They come after the crime is done...

 

[js19]

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?

just to clarify I didn’t do that while I was driving I did that at the stop light after the one guy got behind me. I thought he was going to start following me so that made me do that.

hopefully this thread will serve as a reminder for everyone else to maintain their patience and safety while driving.

we all love and value our cars on this Forum and I’m sure I’m not the only one who has found themself in this situation so I felt it was a valuable lesson to share.

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