So I pissed off some chucklehead...

[Kraven251]

Yesterday afternoon I turned into my subdivision and someone pulled in behind me in a big damned hurry. Well, I think he wanted to pass me on the right, and then got all sorts of pissy when I flipped on my blinker to make my turn. He turned too. He was screaming and yelling, and at first I thought he was on a phone yelling at someone, but no he was actually yelling at me.

I opted to not go to the house and instead took a rather scenic drive through the area and he turned off after a few times that I turned into a cul de sac and did the turn around and drove back past him. He appeared to have calmed down some after the second one and turned off at some point. I still drove around for another 10 minutes and after not seeing him drove home.

I should have called the police and had them come chat with my new friend while he was screaming and yelling in his truck. However, other than following me he didn't do anything else. He didn't try to block me in, or get too close to my car just followed me.

I left my house today and the same truck was sitting about 50 yards down from my turn off to go to the house. I went ahead and took a picture of him and his truck. Though that is the area where parents drop their kids off for the bus, and a majority of them stick around there until the kiddos get on the bus.

He didn't follow me this morning, but just generally got my hackles up. I may have to take a walk around the extended neighborhood and see if I see him or his truck. I'm not overly concerned, but I have a wife that is 9 months pregnant and going to pop any day now. I really don't want to have to deal with some douche with anger management issues.

[tmjohnson]

Always good to keep your eyes open. Like the way you handled the situation.

[roberth]

Watch yourself, I have had similar experiences. Smart to drive by him a couple of times and take pics, now he knows you know him if he is paying attention. He might have been in a hurry to get his kid, I live near a day care and a good number of those parents are the rudest, me-first assholes that I have encountered on the road.

[losttrail]

Well played sir. But be ever vigilant.

[generalmeow]

I live in a neighborhood with some acreage around all the houses, so the streets are dead, 25mph speed limit, and there just isn't much going on.

My second day in the house, I back out onto the street and start heading up the hill. There's a guy coming a 1/4 mile away. By the time I get to the top of the street, he's right on my ass, and I mean just a couple of feet from me. I can't even see his bumper.

I jam on the brakes. I love doing that to fuckers that tailgate. I make eye contact with him in the rear view and I flip him off. He is just shocked. Appalled. He must have come just inches from rear ending me. I wish he would have. He was freaking out like Donald Duck in his car and followed me for a little bit before turning off.

I made an enemy for life on the second day in the new neighborhood. And he probably thinks I'm the asshole.

[robertcolorado2009]

You have to pay attention to who's in your neighborhood. You know then who belongs and who doesn't. Those that don't, stand out. As far as people and how they tailgate, I just ignore them, pay attention to what in front of me. If they are so unfortunate to be too close when I have to brake, that's their ticket then, not mine. Maybe the car gets bumped, maybe not. But I know I didn't cause it and I will not get a ticket for anything. By trying to make them hit you, it might make you the aggressor and people are just plain crazy these days, he might just be a faster draw, bigger than you or who knows. This is just how I handle it and it works for me. In know he's got absolutely no one to blame but himself.

[Kraven251]

In general I am not a huge fan of conflict, as far as physical interactions go. Too much paperwork, and I don't heal as fast as I did a few years ago. Though I may pick up a prey cam and put it on the tree facing our road and see if he drives by. I know he is not any of my neighbors or any of the 10 or so houses on either side of me, because I met all of them when I moved into the neighborhood.

As you said always good to know who belongs and who doesn't.

[TheGrey]

Wow- I wonder what his malfuncion is?
Good on you for your cool-headed reaction, and for your vigilance. I'm hoping he cuts back on the energy drinks and calms the heck down, especially with children in the neighborhood.


Did you get his license plate in your photos?

[Teufelhund]

Good thinking not taking him directly to your driveway.

You'll probably get a visit from the local LE because someone saw you "taking pictures of little kids at the bus stop."

[brutal]

Paranoid or not, when someone I don't recognize follows me into the neighborhood and is with me after the third or fourth turn onto my street, depending which way I'm coming in, I drive past the house and make a few extra turns to go around.

If they live in the neighborhood and I just don't recognize them they probably think I'm crazy if I'm driving the truck that sits in the front drive all the time. [Abused]

[muddywings]

My wife had a similar run in yesterday. she wasn't near the house and he pulled away eventually but we talked about it and agreed that taking the scenic route was the best option. I like how you handled it.
As both CCW permit holders we also discussed how if she got stuck at a red light and he got out of his car, what she would have done.
What we felt would be the best option was to crack the window just slightly, have her CCW on her lap pointed out the door and if he came up to the window, ask him to leave politely. Then call 911 with license plate/description and advise of the road rage, harassment and the displaying of the firearm for personal protection.
thoughts?

I always think it is good to 'chair-fly' these types of situations for the mental exercise of it.

[sellersm]

Well, rule #1 is to never be in a bad situation in the first place. So, no offense to muddywings, but this phrase made me think: "she got stuck at a red light". How can you approach stopping at a red light so you're never "stuck"? Leave enough room in front of you to turn and gun it to get away?

Don't mean to derail the OPs thread, but it just made me question in my mind: what/how do I do in order to not be put in a bad situation while in my car?

[brutal]

Well, rule #1 is to never be in a bad situation in the first place. So, no offense to muddywings, but this phrase made me think: "she got stuck at a red light". How can you approach stopping at a red light so you're never "stuck"? Leave enough room in front of you to turn and gun it to get away?

Don't mean to derail the OPs thread, but it just made me question in my mind: what/how do I do in order to not be put in a bad situation while in my car?

I always try to leave myself an out in traffic. In heavy traffic that's often impossible or difficult unless you can avoid the congestion by taking a known lighter route. Around Metro Denver, that's tough to do.

[muddywings]

Well, rule #1 is to never be in a bad situation in the first place. So, no offense to muddywings, but this phrase made me think: "she got stuck at a red light". How can you approach stopping at a red light so you're never "stuck"? Leave enough room in front of you to turn and gun it to get away?

Don't mean to derail the OPs thread, but it just made me question in my mind: what/how do I do in order to not be put in a bad situation while in my car?

She made a left on green (not green arrow) to a 3 lane road with the above douchenozzle behind her. Opposite traffic was turning right on their green light. As she got out of the turn she was boxed by traffic to her right, median on her left and traffic on a red light in front. It turned quickly so she merged right and took the next right. He went straight on the horn with the finger out. If the red lasted longer, he would have had time to get out of the car.
She could have played bumper cars with the traffic to her right/front, jumped the median and gone into opposite traffic direction but I don't think that would have been advisable.
I agree, never get in a bad situation but sometimes you're going to get boxed in.

[Kraven251]

Wow- I wonder what his malfuncion is?
Good on you for your cool-headed reaction, and for your vigilance. I'm hoping he cuts back on the energy drinks and calms the heck down, especially with children in the neighborhood.


Did you get his license plate in your photos?

definitely.