Road Rage & Firearm Self Defense Question

[not new guy]

I think the right way to deal with a road raging moron is to ignore them completely. Whenever I'm trying to road rage at someone and they completely ignore me I inevitably give up trying to get their attention (and communicate with sign language) and drive away frustrated. I'm completely gone and the whole thing is over within about 5 seconds.

 

[RHJJ]

It's amazing what some will do to save 2 minutes. The left lane is a passing lane not the high speed lane, drawing a gun is not a joke. Both of these drivers should have the drivers license suspended.

 

[wahsben]

If the right lane was that clear in the first place they could have passed on the right and never come up on their rear end. I've seen people cut in and out of traffic when it wasn't safe to do so and the other drivers in both lanes having to brake because this person is weaving in and out. Yes they should pull over when safe to do so but the person behind should give them a chance to safely do so.

Doesn't matter how fast he was going. If it was safe to more over, he should have. The fact the rager behind him was able to move over and start to pass indicates there probably was room for him to get over and out of the way. If one is in the left lane and it's safe to pull over and one doesn't, they're in the wrong regardless how fast one is going. There's always someone who wants to go faster than you, move over and let them, or one is part of the problem.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Your friend is a dumbass.

He's a dangerously shitty driver for camping out in the left lane.

He's Darwin-level stupid for deciding to pull over with the rager.

He was in a car. The correct answer is "drive away."

I had a similar but worse road rage incident. I didn't stop and drove to the closest PD and it was resolved there.

Bob

 

[Horrible]

I wouldn't have pulled over with the dude. That was pretty stupid. Road rage encounters like this typically require two morons if things are going to escalate.

BINGO! Never get out of the car. NEVER do anything to escalate the situation. Only act to avoid the confrontation. No matter how mad you get, think about what will happen after. Also think about what your end game is. What are you hoping to accomplish by pulling over? Think about that one long and hard.

I used to get fired up about stuff on the highways. Once I become a gun owner and started carrying, I completely changed my tune. I do not invite any problems into my life and laugh stuff like this off now. Nothing can happen to you as long as you stay in your vehicle and keep moving.

 

[drgrant]

Interested to hear opinions on this kind of scenario.

Introducing a gun into a road rage situation is a bad idea 999 out of 1000 times in MA. You will get prosecuted even if the other guy ****ed up your car, etc. Get the **** out of there, disengage, if the guy follows you, use your GPS to "train" him to a police station and/or call the cops if you're in the middle of nowhere.

A woman named Linda Hamilton flashed a gun at a truck driver in western MA that supposedly tried to run her off the road. She got ****ed in court. Then a few years later because of the bills and all the other BS from her case, she took her own life.

The courts/juries in this state assume that all parties involved in an RR incident are guilty by default (and if you've seen most RR incidents, it's trivial to see why people have this viewpoint) and introducing a gun is a great way to rack up some legal bills. You are literally off better destroying your own car trying to get rid of an RR pursuer than you are flashing a gun. It's much cheaper.

Also left lane camping is retarded. **** people who camp in the left lane. This sounds like 90% of your friend's "problem".

-Mike

 

[Asaltweapon]

Put me squarely into the "your friend is an idiot" camp and tell him to stay the **** out of the left lane.

 

[Gillham]

Put me squarely into the "your friend is an idiot" camp and tell him to stay the **** out of the left lane.

Yeah, if the right lane is open - dont be a left lane hog. Almost everyone in MA is guilty of this, myself included at times. Second, don't pull over - if you do, make sure it's well populated and lit - perhaps even a place with cameras (rest stop/gas station).

 

[slap shot]

He should have shot him. Then one ******* would be dead and a dangerous moron with a gun would be in jail... I'd feel much safer.

/thread

 

[edseas2]

Turn in his permit. Why? Suitability or lack thereof. Because he followed the guy then intentionally chambered a round. Sounds pretty close to premeditated murder if the guy had
ended up dead (ianal) imho. Best response is RLH (Sig Sauer Academy) - "Run Like Hell!" or don't engage (don't pull off the road).

 

[slap shot]

Turn in his permit. Why? Suitability or lack thereof. Because he followed the guy then intentionally chambered a round. Sounds pretty close to premeditated murder if the guy had
ended up dead (ianal) imho. Best response is RLH (Sig Sauer Academy) - "Run Like Hell!" or don't engage (don't pull off the road).

third fail here
1 left lane hog
2 pulling over

You see, you learn something when you listen to old people. They ain’t fools, see. You don’t get to be old by being no fool, see. A lot of young wise men are deader than a mother****er, ain’t they? - Mudbone

 

[Chet0729]

This.



And this.



Also this.



This too.



Some of this.



65, 75, or 85, he was wrong because he had room to move to the right lane when he saw the car approaching.

If you have people flashing their lights at you with any regularity you're a moron. 75 on 95 between RI and 93 you might as well be standing still. Move the **** over.

You dont know that he wasn't passing other cars was my point.

 

[amm5061]

Turn in his permit. Why? Suitability or lack thereof. Because he followed the guy then intentionally chambered a round. Sounds pretty close to premeditated murder if the guy had
ended up dead (ianal) imho. Best response is RLH (Sig Sauer Academy) - "Run Like Hell!" or don't engage (don't pull off the road).

And yet one more reason to carry Condition 1. Avoiding the possible Murder 1 charge.

 

[Snora]

OP's friend shouldn't be carrying if his logic is to pull to the side of the road and confront someone regardless of his inability to drive a car like a decent person.

 

[slap shot]

Logic says that if the other guy passed him on the right, there wasn't anyone else there.

You dont know that he wasn't passing other cars was my point.

 

[Leadbeard]

The blame game in the absence of facts is pointless, especially considering the outcome. I would like to ask him a few more questions though - specifically about how fast he was going to begin with, if he was passing someone, if he voted for Hillary , etc. Next time I see him I'll ask.

 

[john m]

911, Get the plate.

 

[edseas2]

Trying to somehow "justify" the so-called "friend's" action is inappropriate as he
shows a lack of adequate training and sense. Beginners oftentimes think of reasons to "use" their
firearm whereas those with experience generally seek reasons to avoid its use.

The blame game in the absence of facts is pointless, especially considering the outcome. I would like to ask him a few more questions though - specifically about how fast he was going to begin with, if he was passing someone, if he voted for Hillary , etc. Next time I see him I'll ask.

 

[slap shot]

I can't imagine pulling my ccw and racking the slide while driving, also while engaged in this type of road rage game of chicken. He's lucky he didn't shoot himself in the dick.

 

[Pvt. Cowboy]

I woulda just slowed down a bit, put down my phone mid-text, and threw my half-full beer at his car. I'd have another 19 bottles with me to open, so I could spare launching a few more road sodas his way if shit got outta hand.

If the dude hit my car on purpose I would have also considered that an attempt on my life... a 4000lbs vehicle trying to hit mine? Staggeringly more people die from auto collisions that from firearm deaths each year.

Didn't hit my car, and I was being a turd playing left-lane Larry? Just get into the middle lane and let douche-canoe lose his shit and drive off.

 

[mibro]

The blame game in the absence of facts is pointless, especially considering the outcome. I would like to ask him a few more questions though - specifically about how fast he was going to begin with, if he was passing someone,.......

All irrelevant. Use your mirrors. Don't be the passing lane police. Doesn't matter if you're doing 90 mph, if you see someone behind you closing fast, move over to the right.

 

[noxin]

Love how everyone is jumping all over the "friend" for their perceived left lane camping. Only the friend knows the actual traffic conditions on the road, his rate of speed, and if he was passing people. If there are multiple cars in the cruising/middle lane and an opening between them that would cause me to switch lanes and then back out again to pass the second set of cars, I would say in the left lane.

As for the advice, pulling over was the absolute worst idea. Like everyone else said, you're escalating (or facilitating the escalation of) the situation. Slow Down, Drive On, if he continues to harass you, call/drive to the local state police barracks or police station.

And tell your friend to cut the shit with the empty chamber. Would have been a fantastic story on the news "Road Rager discharges firearm into traffic striking a driver and causing a multi-car accident"

 

[mibro]

Love how everyone is jumping all over the "friend" for their perceived left lane camping. Only the friend knows the actual traffic conditions on the road, his rate of speed, and if he was passing people.

Road rager passed "friend" on the right, so the center lane was open.

If someone is closing on you fast, move over and let them pass. Take your ego out of it, it's not your road and you're not the passing lane police.

 

[noxin]

Road rager passed "friend" on the right, so the center lane was open.

If someone is closing on you fast, move over and let them pass. Take your ego out of it, it's not your road and you're not the passing lane police.

Funny, you're not the road police either. You don't know the rate of travel the overtaking car was at, "friend" was moving over when road rager cut around him because he was too impatient.

And it IS MY ****ING ROAD! My taxes pay for it every single paycheck. So stick that shit in your tailpipe.

 

[scatter]

I am not a left lane camper. My objective is to drive so that nobody has to do anything because of my presence on the road. But I absolutely HATE it when I'm in the left lane passing someone and some ****-tard comes barreling up behind me at 25 mph over the speed limit, and sits on my bumper. If they flash their lights they get a bonus dickhead point, giving them an 11 out of 10 on the dickhead scale. Unless he is an emergency vehicle on a life-saving mission, there is absolutely nothing that warrants him putting my life and others around us at risk like that.

But I'm smart enough to know that trying to teach them a lesson in manners will probably not end well for anybody. So I use the passive aggressive approach. Continue at my current speed, assuming I'm already gaining on the guy I'm passing, and once I'm clear I signal and SLOWLY move to the right. Bonus point to me if I can do this just as I see him start to switch over and try to pass me on the right.

Pulling over with the guy and chambering a round?? I'm with the many who say that is a terrible, terrible idea and your friend is lucky he's not cuffed and stuffed somewhere (although I admit that if I were stupid enough to pull over AND stupid enough to be carrying an unloaded gun, I probably would have chambered a round too).

 

[mibro]

Funny, you're not the road police either. You don't know the rate of travel the overtaking car was at, "friend" was moving over when road rager cut around him because he was too impatient.

And it IS MY ****ING ROAD! My taxes pay for it every single paycheck. So stick that shit in your tailpipe.

lol.

Some infinitesimally small percentage of it is yours, I suppose.

There are a few highly polarizing issues that come up regularly at NES. I'm surprised this is one of them, but it is.

I'm the courteous driver that watches my mirror and moves over for faster traffic. Funny how that makes me the bad guy.

 

[robjax]

if your friend wasn't passing he was violating the law...and of course the other guy was speeding and being unsafe so he was also violating the law.

Two wrongs don't make it right.

https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIV/Chapter89/Section4b

Section 4B: Driving in lane nearest right side of way

Section 4B. Upon all ways the driver of a vehicle shall drive in the lane nearest the right side of the way when such lane is available for travel, except when overtaking another vehicle or when preparing for a left turn. When the right lane has been constructed or designated for purposes other than ordinary travel, a driver shall drive his vehicle in the lane adjacent to the right lane except when overtaking another vehicle or when preparing for a left or right turn; provided, however, that a driver may drive his vehicle in such right lane if signs have been erected by the department of highways permitting the use of such lane.

 

[wahsben]

Logic says that if there wasn't anyone on the right the guy that came flying up could have passed him on the right with out coming up his ass. Some people do drive in a wreckless manner and weave in and out of traffic. Both drivers actions were wrong but the guy in the left lane wasn't endangering lifes the guy speeding and coming up on someones rear was. If someone had cut the guy off in front and he had to apply his brakes the rager in the rear would have rear ended him.

Logic says that if the other guy passed him on the right, there wasn't anyone else there.

 

[TLB]

I think the right way to deal with a road raging moron is to ignore them completely. Whenever I'm trying to road rage at someone and they completely ignore me I inevitably give up trying to get their attention (and communicate with sign language) and drive away frustrated. I'm completely gone and the whole thing is over within about 5 seconds.

Ignoring can work. Waving in an apologetic manner when you **** up (like not seeing someone in your blindspot) can also help. Never pull over.

I had a guy get out of his car and come yelling at me really pissed. I said sorry and that I didn't see him there. It calmed him down and he got back in his car. De-escalate always.

 

[Le American]

I hate left lane sitters but as someone said we do not know the driving conditions. For all we know he was doing 80mph and some a hole decided that was not gast enough....

But anyways, as others mentioned, pulling off to the break down lane was a big mistake. Pull into right lane or middle lane and hope to signal a Statie.

And keep one in the chamber.
And also will buy a can of mase as another member mentioned