Another unarmed life taken in road rage

[wombat13]

Originally Posted by LUVMYSIGP225

What I think it is, is that we have become such a selfish country that lacks respect for others. "You don't know me, you can't tell me what to do". "I may be in the wrong, but I am flipping you off to tell you to never tell me what to do again". People with too much pride to admit that they are wrong.

That's exactly my take as well.

[LUVMYSIGP225]

Here is a question that I have presented to everyone that I know that likes to road rage.

Question: If a guy accidentally or intentionally cut you off, and you decided to lay on the horn, flip him off and scream out the window at him to the point that he becomes agitated and pulls over. Then you decide to get out and charge towards his car, and he suddenly gets out and you realize that in all of your fury and anger that the car looks familiar and your best friend rolls out of the car, and you both suddenly realize that you have been getting angry at someone that you know and like, what would you do?

This is your best friend since childhood. Would you continue to be an a$$hole to him? Would you continue your rant? Or would you both start laughing and talk about how dumb you both were and how funny and coincidental it all is? Any person on the road could be your son, daughter, mother, father, brother, buddy, girlfriend ,etc.

People act like idiots because it is anonymous rage. You get to be mad at someone you don't know. It is easy to hate people we don't know. It is possible that any person that you have ever been mad at in a car, could have ended up being a best friend had you gotten to know them and had a few beers. Think about it. Road rage is dumb.

[nikon777]

Originally Posted by LUVMYSIGP225

Road Rage is a very odd thing to me. I do not understand it. It turns ordinary, everyday nice guys into total A$$holes!

I have a friend that I work with that turns into a total idiot when he gets behind the wheel of a car. He is truly one of the nicest guys that you have ever met. Hard working, cheerful, with a big heart.

Put him behind the wheel of a car, and he changes like Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde.

I have personally been in the car with him and witnessed DOZENS of road rage incidents with him(that he has caused). I will no longer ride with him. He knows why, too. When a group of people ride to lunch together, he has to ride by himself in a seperate car. He will even start a road rage incident if he is the passenger in a car. He gets upset at other people's driving, and thinks it is his job to correct them. If they argue back, it makes it ten times worse. He is the KING of following them into their destinations and confronting them when they exit their cars. He doesn't give a $hit if they are man, woman or teenager. Recently, I had to ride with him to a business function. I figured ":how much trouble could he get into in 5 miles?". Boy, was I wrong. A guy turning into a building in front of us tossed a cigarette butt out the window. I didn't even notice, as I was busy driving. The minute we got out of the car, I see him approach this guy's pickup truck. I thought he was friends with the guy or knew him. I thought nothing of it.....UNTIL....I heard the content of the conversation. He told the guy to go out into the road and pick up his cigarette butt before he "jammed it in his ___". He went into a long drawn out tirade to the guy about how smokers were disgusting, and that people like him were the reason that cigs are being outlawed. YADA YaDA YADA! He told him that a cellulose cigarette butt takes a million years to decompose,etc. God, I was embarrased, and talked him into going into the building. The part that scares me is that he carries a gun illegally, and wants to get his CCW.

I have told him numerous times that he is going to meet up with the wrong person, and he is going to end up dead. I have told him that NOTHING good comes out of road rage. You either hurt someone or they kill you. Either way, someone ends up in jail or the hospital. I have also told him that I am very tempted to call the Sheriff's office if he ever applies for his CCW and tell them that it is the wrong thing to do by giving him one. He laughed it off. The guy should not be carrying a gun. Legally or illegally. I have also told him that when you obtain your CCW, that you CANNOT participate in road rage. They tell you in the classes to be the better man.

When I get into situations on the road, right or wrong, I always wave it off. Smile and wave. It can turn a bad situation into a good one. If I accidentally cut someone off, I will lip the word "sorry" while waving. Usually it defuses the situation.

I had a bit of road rage when i was younger. Getting my ccw has actually calmed me down. I don't care anymore and shrug it off. I still get mad at morons who do stupid things on the road, it just doesn't get to me as much. I let it go. On the other hand, it sounds like you friend has a real problem. If some one calls the cops on him, and they happen to pat him down, its a wrap. Off to jail he goes for a ccw charge.

[nikon777]

Originally Posted by Tard

When I go someplace I know there will be a-holes, I drive my big truck and really I just don't care if they tailgate that.

+1

Yeah screw'em, let'em go around. Thats my motto.

[jtkratzer]

Originally Posted by LUVMYSIGP225

Here is a question that I have presented to everyone that I know that likes to road rage.

Question: If a guy accidentally or intentionally cut you off, and you decided to lay on the horn, flip him off and scream out the window at him to the point that he becomes agitated and pulls over. Then you decide to get out and charge towards his car, and he suddenly gets out and you realize that in all of your fury and anger that the car looks familiar and your best friend rolls out of the car, and you both suddenly realize that you have been getting angry at someone that you know and like, what would you do?

This is your best friend since childhood. Would you continue to be an a$$hole to him? Would you continue your rant? Or would you both start laughing and talk about how dumb you both were and how funny and coincidental it all is? Any person on the road could be your son, daughter, mother, father, brother, buddy, girlfriend ,etc.

People act like idiots because it is anonymous rage. You get to be mad at someone you don't know. It is easy to hate people we don't know. It is possible that any person that you have ever been mad at in a car, could have ended up being a best friend had you gotten to know them and had a few beers. Think about it. Road rage is dumb.

this is interesting, it's funny how easy it is to get mad at people we don't know. it's funny how quick we are willing to fight and smash someone's face that we don't know. it would take a lot more to get that pissed at a friend to want to crush someone's skull.

again, it's patience, having grace with people, and being willing to forgive. everyone is trying to get somewhere and we don't know what other people are going through. what if that guy who cut you off being an a$$hole is rushing home because his wife called and their house was broken into, or his daughter broker her leg at soccer practice?

we just need to let more stuff go like water off a duck's back. someone cuts you off...big deal, no accident, no harm, you won't even remember it next week. i think we blow too much out of proportion and when we do that, we're being selfish.

i personally think that part of the problem is people work jobs where the boss stands in the hall watching when you come in at 9:02 and acts like he owns you. people are so afraid to get scolded at work that they rush around like little kids and do everything they can to avoid getting in trouble with the boss man. on the way home, people just can't wait to get away from the job and get home.