Road Rage & Firearm Self Defense Question

As a side note there is nothing that pisses me off more than someone flashing their lights behind me.
It is hard to judge the driver without knowing how fast he was going, If he was already doing 75-80 and that wasn't fast enough for mr flash, tough for Mr flash. If he was doing 65 or less in the left lane then he was in the wrong.
I flash people basically daily. You're in the left lane and there is room to move over; I am going faster than you; thus, you should move the F over. I follow my own advice too - if someone catches up to me, I move over regardless of how fast I'm driving.


For all we know he was doing 80mph and some a hole decided that was not gast enough....
Who are you to decide what "gast enough"? Get the F out of the passing lane, whether or not someone is behind you.


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.
This.
 
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.

That's more a possibility than logic. The only thing you can be sure of is that there was no car directly to the right of the friend as he's being passed on the right. I frequently pass on the right when they're lane hogging so I'm not saying what "could have happened". We don't know that and speculating is pointless.
 
What is "Camping in the Left Lane"? Driving in the left? My "friend" regularly travels in the left lane, but he will move over when a faster vehicle approaches from the rear. Dip out then dip back in. Let speed racer get the ticket.

Once upon a time I was driving 95 north and inadvertently cut someone off. I was getting married the next day so I was very distracted. It was 100% my fault. I tried waving and apologizing but the guy got so pissed swearing and gesturing me to pull over. I stayed in the middle lane and he was right on my a$$. Seriously inches from my bumper. Following me for a few miles. It was so bad other drivers were reacting to the situation. I guy in a commercial van waved to me and and indicated he was going to pull alongside and try to move the following car away from me. It didn't work and the guy went crazy. I finally picked up my cell phone, which was dead, and pretended to call the cops (this was at least 15 years ago my phone was dead and no phone charger in the car) he then pulled right off the highway at the next exit.
 
I flash people basically daily. You're in the left lane and there is room to move over; I am going faster than you; thus, you should move the F over. I follow my own advice too - if someone catches up to me, I move over regardless of how fast I'm driving.



Who are you to decide what "gast enough"? Get the F out of the passing lane, whether or not someone is behind you.



This.

The flashing will get some people fired up. Or they won't see you because they are texting.
 
I've seen people cutting in and out of traffic on a regular basis. Just because someone passed on the right it doesn't mean they should have if they're cutting other people off to do so. Also if there is a line of traffic to the right and the person is in the left lane passing them and it is not safe to pull to the right at that time they don't have to pull to the right and endanger themselves and others just because someone can't control themselves and wait the few seconds until there is an opening safe enough for the person to pull over. Logic says you don't pull over until it's safe to do so and logic also says you don't come flying up on someones rear endangering lives by doing so.

That's more a possibility than logic. The only thing you can be sure of is that there was no car directly to the right of the friend as he's being passed on the right. I frequently pass on the right when they're lane hogging so I'm not saying what "could have happened". We don't know that and speculating is pointless.
 
I've seen people cutting in and out of traffic on a regular basis. Just because someone passed on the right it doesn't mean they should have if they're cutting other people off to do so. Also if there is a line of traffic to the right and the person is in the left lane passing them and it is not safe to pull to the right at that time they don't have to pull to the right and endanger themselves and others just because someone can't control themselves and wait the few seconds until there is an opening safe enough for the person to pull over. Logic says you don't pull over until it's safe to do so and logic also says you don't come flying up on someones rear endangering lives by doing so.

Definitely possible, but not a fact. I wasn't arguing.
 
Ironically, I went off on left-lane campers just yesterday in class. We were discussing morality and how clearing snow off your roof does nothing to benefit you, but clearly benefits others. The conversation morphed into left-lane camping. None of my students, most of whom are either in traffic school now or just recently were, had ever heard the term "passing lane."

I weep for the future.

My two golden rules of driving:

1. There's ALWAYS someone faster than yourself. That's what the left lane is for.
2. Never yield, and never expect to be yielded to.

If everyone drove by those two rules... ah, what a wonderful world it would be...
 
The flashing will get some people fired up. Or they won't see you because they are texting.
How else do you communicate to someone that they need to move over before I'm forced to pass on the right? I sure prefer flashing over tailgating.
 
I know that everthing has a way of becoming controversial on the internet and I get no benefit out of defending him, but I do want to point out a few things that seem to be getting missed here - not only was the rager speeding excessively which is a danger to others, but this guy stomped on his brakes, and backed up on the side of a highway! Personally I consider any of those things reckless and willful acts of aggression - all of which are against the law. The brake check alone has a potentially lethal outcome. I mean, even if my friend made some mistakes, they were all largely reactive and lawful, not to mention that he did ultimately "do the right thing". Clearly the rager was in attack mode (brake check, throwing it in reverse, etc.) so how is that somehow getting overlooked? Just saying.
 
Your friend is why anti-gunners scream that "average" Citizens shouldn't be allowed to own guns...average is just too stupid.
 
1. Don't travel in the left-lane unless you're actively passing. Return to the travel lane ASAP. And use turn signals to indicate.
2. Don't engage with other motorists.
3. Don't stop - go to nearest police station, barracks, or fire station.
4. Don't EVER get out of your vehicle to confront.

If you follow those rules, then the chances of becoming a victim of road rage go down markedly.

Also...

5. Don't ever carry a defensive gun WITHOUT a round in the chamber.
 
Sorry, I looked again and didn't mention that clearly in my original post. He did tell me that the rager came up from behind at a high rate of speed - the guy also reversed and chased him down at a high speeds after they both pulled over.

I missed this part of the story. Where did you get this information from?
 
1. Again, I don't know that he was acting accordingly here or not.
2. Seems clear to me that he tried not to engage with him
3. I agree, this is the best course of action.
4. He didn't.
5. I agree.

1. Don't travel in the left-lane unless you're actively passing. Return to the travel lane ASAP. And use turn signals to indicate.
2. Don't engage with other motorists.
3. Don't stop - go to nearest police station, barracks, or fire station.
4. Don't EVER get out of your vehicle to confront.

If you follow those rules, then the chances of becoming a victim of road rage go down markedly.

Also...

5. Don't ever carry a defensive gun WITHOUT a round in the chamber.
 
Sorry, I looked again and didn't mention that clearly in my original post. He did tell me that the rager came up from behind at a high rate of speed - the guy also reversed and chased him down at a high speeds after they both pulled over.

Been chewing this over and I think your "friend" should have PIT-ted the road rager's car as he passed on the right, then braked hard, watched the road rager hit the center guard rail, rebound onto the shoulder and roll over a couple of times. Then he should have held the road rager at gunpoint as he crawled out of the wreckage until the police arrived to give him a pat on the back for getting a public menace off the roads.
 
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.

I know two people that have been cited by the police for camping in the passing lane. Another reason to not do it.
 
I know that everthing has a way of becoming controversial on the internet and I get no benefit out of defending him, but I do want to point out a few things that seem to be getting missed here - not only was the rager speeding excessively which is a danger to others, but this guy stomped on his brakes, and backed up on the side of a highway! Personally I consider any of those things reckless and willful acts of aggression - all of which are against the law. The brake check alone has a potentially lethal outcome. I mean, even if my friend made some mistakes, they were all largely reactive and lawful, not to mention that he did ultimately "do the right thing". Clearly the rager was in attack mode (brake check, throwing it in reverse, etc.) so how is that somehow getting overlooked? Just saying.

It's not getting overlooked. The rager is obviously a dick.

But you didn't ask about the rager. You asked about your friend and, by extension, the hypothetical "typical NES user," and what they'd do if they encountered the rager.

The rager's actions were dangerous and poorly thought out, but there's nothing your friend could do about the rager choosing to act like a penis. Your friend was only in control of his own actions. So the rager's actions don't really matter here; it's your friend's REACTIONS that many of us are criticizing.
 
1. Again, I don't know that he was acting accordingly here or not.
2. Seems clear to me that he tried not to engage with him
3. I agree, this is the best course of action.
4. He didn't.
5. I agree.

If he was in the right-most lane, than there's no way the other operator could have passed him on the right unless he passed him in the breakdown lane?
 
I know that everthing has a way of becoming controversial on the internet and I get no benefit out of defending him, but I do want to point out a few things that seem to be getting missed here - not only was the rager speeding excessively which is a danger to others, but this guy stomped on his brakes, and backed up on the side of a highway! Personally I consider any of those things reckless and willful acts of aggression - all of which are against the law. The brake check alone has a potentially lethal outcome. I mean, even if my friend made some mistakes, they were all largely reactive and lawful, not to mention that he did ultimately "do the right thing". Clearly the rager was in attack mode (brake check, throwing it in reverse, etc.) so how is that somehow getting overlooked? Just saying.

The corrective actions needed to happen sooner. Once you are pulled over on the highway, you already way up shit creek without a paddle.
 
The corrective actions needed to happen sooner. Once you are pulled over on the highway, you already way up shit creek without a paddle.

Exactly this. I think there's a good portion of the motoring public that don't use their side and rear view mirrors. If you are using them correctly and frequently, than one would notice a fast approaching vehicle soon enough to safely move over.
 
Don't camp out in the left lane. Don't stop. Don't drive like a jerk. If someone is a being a road-raging idiot, call 911 and drive to the nearest police station.
 
All very good points. I didn't expect that anyone would commend his actions, I guess I'm just more sympathetic to his part in the scenario - maybe because I know him personally or because of the way it was described to me.

It's not getting overlooked. The rager is obviously a dick.

But you didn't ask about the rager. You asked about your friend and, by extension, the hypothetical "typical NES user," and what they'd do if they encountered the rager.

The rager's actions were dangerous and poorly thought out, but there's nothing your friend could do about the rager choosing to act like a penis. Your friend was only in control of his own actions. So the rager's actions don't really matter here; it's your friend's REACTIONS that many of us are criticizing.
 
Rather than flash my lights I would wait until it's safe to pass on the right. Than I would moon that sucker.[wink][laugh]

How else do you communicate to someone that they need to move over before I'm forced to pass on the right? I sure prefer flashing over tailgating.
 
I know two people that have been cited by the police for camping in the passing lane. Another reason to not do it.

Good. Traffic would flow so much smoother and there would be a lot less road rage if people didnt block the left lane so much.
 
It's Massachusetts. The only "right thing" is to always drive away, get away, go away, back down, etc.
Be a sheep, just like the Polioticians, Police and Courts want you to be, and you're "in the right". You're a good person, you're a "nice" guy etc etc...Or be tough, hardnosed - and "take no sh*t" from anyone like most of us here at NES - and suddenly YOU are the problem, YOU have an attitude, YOU are a bad dude, YOU were looking for trouble, YOU are disrespectful of the power of the Gov, etc etc...
 
Carry a sheet rock saw. Then if someone really gets under your skin roll down the window brandishing your sheet rock saw with nasty looking teeth. If you can't avoid them or they really get under your skin of course. But I've yet to meet the person who wanted to stop and throw down with the crazy saw wielding person.
 
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