Road rage incident, gun saved my ass

[Guest smithandwesson]

I was just reading a road rage article when I was reminded of an incident I was involved in last year. I was on my way to work one morning and had my head phones on listening to the scanner. I had noticed this guy on a croch rocket riding my ass all the way dow broadway. I stopped at the red light at broadway and 640. Im in the left lane and he pulls up on my right rear side and starts hollering. I thought I had a flat or low tire or something to that effect and he was just letting me know about it so I took my headphones off and rolled the window down and said "what?" He was looking right at me and said " are you gunna drive or are you gunna listen to tht F&%$ing radio?" I was confused for a second but soon realized I had an ******* who thought he was tough and was running his mouth. I guess I wasnt driving fast enough for him so it pissed him off. Anyway I politely told him to get F*&%ked and rolled my window back up on that side. Out of my perifial vision I seen him put out his kick stand and get off his bike, he walked around the back off the car (in the middle of the highway mind you, at a red light) and proceeded to my driver side window rolling up his sleeves, he never took his helmet off so had I decided to get out and fight I probably would have got killed, instead when he got to my window he was met by a Smith and Wesson model 5906. Needless to say he changed his mind about what he was going to do and backed up spouting of a bunch of cuss words and walked back to his bike and got back on. Just to cover my ass I called the police and told them what happened and met an officer in a parking lot and made a report. I told him I was scared for my life, anybody who is crazy enough to get out or off their vehicle in the middle of the highway is crazy enough to do anything, he could have stabbed me or anything, what pissed me off was thefact that he had that helmet on and I wouldnt have been able to knock teeth out if I had to. I feel my gun saved me a lot of trouble that morning. I dont understand what makes people act like that. Even if he was having a bad morning he had no right to take it out on me.

[Guest kingtone]

i think you did the right thing by reporting it straight away to the police. Just in case the idiot decided to file a report of some 'gun toting' driver threatening him... at least you got the iron in the fire first.

[Guest smithandwesson]

I know, it was the first thing that came to my mind. I called as soon as I re holstered my weapon.

[Guest JeepMonkey]

Anyway I politely told him to get F*&%ked and rolled my window back up on that side.

EDIT:I really hope those were not your exact words to him...from personal experiences back in my wilder days, telling someone to "get f*cked" (or responding at all) is not a good way at all to placate them...and I still have the scars and ceramic front teeth to prove it.

When I took my CCP class back at my local Sheriff's Dept. in NC, someone asked a question about a situation like this, and the instructor said that in such situations (and I quote), "Just shut the g*dd*mn h*ll up, look forward, and, if needed, run the bloody light if you can." Anything you do but ignore them will add fuel to the fire that says they're right and they have a reason to curse or physically harm you, and if you do anything to piss someone off and then you are forced to open fire, imagine how many lawyers will be on you saying you instigated a battle just to shoot someone.

Side note, I'm not trying to sound like a d*uchebag at all. Just giving my ...

Edited March 7, 2009 by JeepMonkey

[Guest shadow12]

You did the right thing. Always remember, he who calls first is the victim.

[Guest betobeto]

You should have put your car in reverse and had an accident with an un manned bike in the road. Then called the cops to report the idiot.

[Cajun]

Just hearing the one side of the story I would say you are justified.

[Titansfan]

You did the right thing.

[G27]

Not using your boys as a speedbag here, but I do agree with JeepMonkey here - I'd not have said a word. Escalation is your enemy when carrying, imo. I',m betting if you hadn't told the guy to get effed it would have died down.

That being said, glad it all worked out ok.

[Guest GlockRule]

You could probably do some serious neck damage to someone trying to fight you with a helmet on-if you didn't get head butted first and could get in and do some good twisting on it.

[Daniel]

Pretty sure its illegal to drive with headphones on.

[Guest JeepMonkey]

Pretty sure its illegal to drive with headphones on.

Try a CB speaker somewhere in the cab instead of the headphones. Even if it wasn't illegal, it's still highly distracting and unsafe.

Also, in my last post, I wasn't trying to make it sound as if you did wrong by drawing when you could not retreat and you felt your life was in danger. That is the reason we have the CCP's/HCP's in the first place. I just know from experiences (without firearms) that, in situations like such, silence is golden...and if you don't think it is, your dentist might end up asking if you want three golden front teeth.

[Oh Shoot]

Pretty sure its illegal to drive with headphones on.

Nah. You can even be barefoot when you wear them.

Big hint: you can get a normal Class D TN driver's license if you are totally deaf.

- OS

[Guest JeepMonkey]

Nah. You can even be barefoot when you wear them.

Big hint: you can get a TN driver's license if you are totally deaf.

- OS

"What'd you say, dude?? This thing goes to 11, man!"

[Oh Shoot]

"What'd you say, dude?? This thing goes to 11, man!"

I cherish my Spinal Tap CDs.

- OS

[Guest JeepMonkey]

I cherish my Spinal Tap CDs.

- OS

Anberlin, Pantera, Switchfoot, and (swallowing manhood) Paramore here. (She's hot. Enough said.) And, yes, I am still on CD's for the most part. My iPod is only a 2GB one.

B.O.T.: I'm very shocked that someone who just had a gun pointed in his face would still be mouthing off at the person that pointed the gun at them. If I didn't drive on Broadway every day, I'd wonder how someone could be that stupid.

Edited March 7, 2009 by JeepMonkey

[RoDan]

I had a similar situation unfold with me a few years go, but I ignored the guy. He kept honking his horn, over and over and over at every light. He was basically following me yelling and cussing at me, making what i would describe as "threatening maneuvers" with his car. I don't know if I accidentally cut this dude off or what. I bet if I had done anything back to him, it would have escalated the situation and he might have done something physical like try to run into me or something. He was in some old POS Lincoln and I was in my Trans Am. At the next light, he wouldn't shut up so when it turned green I was gone. I ducked off into a side street and made some maneuvers so he couldn't follow me. People like that are just nuts.

Edited March 7, 2009 by RoDan

[strickj]

I dont think you not driving fast enough is what pissed him off.A crotch rocket is maneuverable,and quick enough to pass those slower drivers,even on curvy roads.

I have however seen folks on bikes (including myself when I rode) nearly get run over,especially when people are not paying attention.

Maybe you didn't see him,and the headphones distracted you enough to not notice him.....

[frontier737]

I am glad everything worked out for you.

While I can understand unholstering your weapon (I think I might have done the same) I am glad, for your sake, that it did not cause an escalation of the situation.

Once your antagonist knows you are armed a line has been crossed. If he came over to your car, saw the gun and not retreated what would you have done? What if he started damaging your car (in a way that would not violate the Castle Doctrine) what then?

I know, what if's can go on forever. However, after an incident it is good to go over it and wonder what we would have done.

[Punisher84]

Nah. You can even be barefoot when you wear them.

Big hint: you can get a normal Class D TN driver's license if you are totally deaf.

- OS

Beat me to it. My sis-in-law is deaf and has a normal DL. Headphones are no worse than the speakers that every POS wannabe thug has in their "ride".

[Guest smithandwesson]

Try a CB speaker somewhere in the cab instead of the headphones. Even if it wasn't illegal, it's still highly distracting and unsafe.

Also, in my last post, I wasn't trying to make it sound as if you did wrong by drawing when you could not retreat and you felt your life was in danger. That is the reason we have the CCP's/HCP's in the first place. I just know from experiences (without firearms) that, in situations like such, silence is golden...and if you don't think it is, your dentist might end up asking if you want three golden front teeth.

I know what you mean and I prolly should have kept my mouth shut but Im not perfect. It just pissed me off that here Im minding my own buisiness and some dudes gotta mouth off not having a clue who he was F&*%#ing with, ya know what I mean.

[Guest smithandwesson]

I am glad everything worked out for you.

While I can understand unholstering your weapon (I think I might have done the same) I am glad, for your sake, that it did not cause an escalation of the situation.

Once your antagonist knows you are armed a line has been crossed. If he came over to your car, saw the gun and not retreated what would you have done? What if he started damaging your car (in a way that would not violate the Castle Doctrine) what then?

I know, what if's can go on forever. However, after an incident it is good to go over it and wonder what we would have done.

He could have beat my car all he wanted, I would have had gun in one hand and cell phone with 911 operater in the other hand, but, if he would have come at me or reached in his pocket, it would have been a real bad day for him. Im not one of those hot headed dumb a*&es that dont think. I have taught myself to stay calm when crazy stuff happens. Panic makes things worse, it makes it hard to think. Most people lose their cool way too easy and as permit holders, I think we should be cool headed and calm in any situation. If we werent, there would be a lot of people shot over just words.

[Guest smithandwesson]

I dont think you not driving fast enough is what pissed him off.A crotch rocket is maneuverable,and quick enough to pass those slower drivers,even on curvy roads.

I have however seen folks on bikes (including myself when I rode) nearly get run over,especially when people are not paying attention.

Maybe you didn't see him,and the headphones distracted you enough to not notice him.....

Well itwas in morning traffic and I was being nice and letting other people pull out in front of me and I think I was holding him up or something but damn, he wouldnt have got much farther if I didnt anyway.

[Bocephus]

You could probably do some serious neck damage to someone trying to fight you with a helmet on-if you didn't get head butted first and could get in and do some good twisting on it.

Hard palm hand to front of helmet = Win.

[Guest pjblurton]

...from personal experiences back in my wilder days, telling someone to "get f*cked" (or responding at all) is not a good way at all to placate them...and I still have the scars and ceramic front teeth to prove it.

Not trying to be a prick here, but your profile says you're 19. Just how long ago were these "wilder days"...