Road Rage

[Victoria]

Have you ever been a victim of road rage, or worse, been the road rager, as it were?

For the first time in my life, I was in that position today.

Waiting for the arrow to turn green in a two-lane turning stop, I saw a crippled war veteran panhandling two lanes away from me. Slung across his neck, he had on one of those signs you barely read, but you get the gist. Basically, he needed a handout -- an ex-US Marine. Even still had the buzz cut to show for it.

So I rolled down the windows and beckoned him over. I usually do if the person is handicapped in any way.

I gave him some money, but didn't notice that I got the arrow to turn (this was in rush hour traffic).

So the guy behind me, also in a Merc, started honking and yelling. "Hey lady! Move your ass! Give the baby killer money some other day!", or something along those lines.

IN ALL MY LIFE, I had never heard a real life person call any vet a baby killer. I thought that only existed in the cinema, and that of the 1970s, at that. I had SUCH rage come over me, that I got out of the car, and started to head in full steam to that cretin's window.

I had no idea what I was going to do, but one thing was that I was going to give him SUCH an earful he would never forget.

But the guy got scared, and immediately scooted in the other turning lane, running away like punk ass coward, almost running over the vet (he had on a prosthetic arm...), still standing near my passenger window.

I went over to the guy, rather uncharacteristically yelling at him as I approached, "Hey don't pay attention to him!! MORON!!". "All right", he said meekly. I swear to you, his reaction almost broke my heart. Maybe it had happened before.

Who knows if he really was a vet or not. Maybe it was just another lie to get money. But a guy slowed down as he passed us by, and gave us a thumbs up which calmed me down A LOT.

As an aside, I won't tell you what "Vote for" bumpersticker the jackass in the Mercedes had. Let's just say I imagine he must not be very supportive of soldiers in general.

So if you witnessed this scene around 6:30 PM just outside Aventura Mall, that crazy lady heading over to tear a rich uncaring guy a new one, was yours truly.

[z80]

Good job.. I hope he had to clean his leather seat when he got home. I'm pretty tolerant of people when I see them doing something like that, it's when the person is on the phone and dosen;t see the light turn green that gets my rage up... and don't even get me started on people who don't use the acceration lane on a merge strip. As far as the homeless, I don't mind giving money to ones that look genuine, however, I work in Baltimore City and for every one genuine handicapped homeless there are 50 drug addicts hanging near my building.. And I work in the GOOD part of Baltimore... Baltimore sucks.

[Victoria]

Good job..

Well, in retrospect, I could've been killed if the person had had a gun in the glove compartment, and was also in a rage...or just had gotten out and taken a swing at me.

Also, you know, Z80, I have told you all, but I haven't had the guts to tell my parents, friends or boyfriend* about this. Funny how the internet works...

*My boyfriend is registered here, and a VIP, but does so only to read the Wrist-Checks, so he won't find out.

And I work in the GOOD part of Baltimore... Baltimore sucks.

Wish I could deny, and make you feel better, but yeah. My parents were profs at JHU when I was a kid, and living in Baltimore was no fun back then. Dumpy, depressing, dangerous. I rather hoped Camden Yards would've revitalised the area, but I've heard it's just as much a dump as ever. Sorry.

And stay safe!

[ryyannon]

Good girl.

You did right.

[Desuetude]

There was the time a grown man with his children in tow deliberately threw a football at my car while I was in a lovely, quiet suburban town, making a left hand turn at a 4 way intersection, which he and his children were crossing approximately 10-15 feet away from my car. Apparently he said that I almost hit his kids (like I said...they were a legit 10-15 feet away). I saw the inflated pigskin launch out of his hand toward my 1 month old car out of the corner of my eye. When the thud of the impact reverberated through the moving car (approx. 15 mph), I had already yanked the handbrake. I popped my seatbelt and grabbed the door handle just in time for my left foot to kick the door open. I was later informed that my car was still moving as I leapt out of it. At that point, my memory gets kinda fuzzy. I was later told that I verbally lashed out at the offending individual with unprecedented venom and volume. I do remember his children grabbing their father's legs, shaking in fear. I actually felt pretty bad for them; it wasn't their fault that their dad lacked any common sense. At that point, I began to calm down a bit, and realized that my mother, who had been riding with me in the car, was standing next to me, trying to mediate. I quieted down...then the dad had the nerve to insult my mother. After dishing out another round of even more vicious insults broadcast at ear-splitting volumes while the father and his children scurried away, I got back in the car, shaking, started the car back up, and proceeded to stall it...damn adrenalin!

That was the first time in years that I became "blind with rage". What was so wild about the whole experience was hearing my mother, who is proper, yet laid back, retell the entire incident at the sushi restaurant that we had been traveling to before the incident. We both laughed hysterically at it, however, hearing her retell it made it that much funnier for me.

I should also mention that 98% of the time, I am an extremely calm, easygoing individual; for the most part, I am not predisposed to any sort of inappropriate outbursts of anger. However, as seriously as I take my timepieces...I take my cars that much more seriously. Throwing a football at my car (deliberately) is nearly equivalent to someone hitting my girlfriend. I really did feel bad for those kids. I hope that my actions didn't cost them too much time on a therapist's couch.

There's my one and only road rage story, and a good laugh. That said, the few rage stories I have are great laughs...like the time the teenagers were spraying water guns at me while I was at a cafe with my family in Siena...

Vic, that story is truly saddening. There are so many people in this country whose negativity is only exceeded by their cowardice. I am not a supporter of the inferred candidates/party, however, I really don't care what political persuasion someone claims...calling an individual who made a significant sacrifice to protect his freedom to be an ignoramus is downright inexcusable. Had this happened one century earlier, you could have shot him for treason, and you probably wouldn't have been charged with a crime. My, how times change!

[FxrAndy]

Its not road rage V it was disrespect rage! that guy had no respect for the privilages he enjoys at the expence of the guy you stopped to help, But do you know what the real [censored] is here?

Why does the Vet neet to beg?

[Raijor]

Well, in retrospect, I could've been killed if the person had had a gun in the glove compartment, and was also in a rage...or just had gotten out and taken a swing at me.

Also, you know, Z80, I have told you all, but I haven't had the guts to tell my parents, friends or boyfriend* about this. Funny how the internet works...

*My boyfriend is registered here, and a VIP, but does so only to read the Wrist-Checks, so he won't find out.

Wish I could deny, and make you feel better, but yeah. My parents were profs at JHU when I was a kid, and living in Baltimore was no fun back then. Dumpy, depressing, dangerous. I rather hoped Camden Yards would've revitalised the area, but I've heard it's just as much a dump as ever. Sorry.

And stay safe!

You are absolved - now say three Hail Mary's. The greatest sin is to turn a blind eye or do nothing when others are wronged. Be careful next time.

[Pugwash]

Basically, he needed a handout -- an ex-US Marine.

Surely that's the crime right there. What country lets their wounded veterans require handouts?

[chris5264]

I read your post this morning, and I

[eunomians]

About 10 years ago, at University, I was waiting for a parking space. I was amusingly watching 2 cars fight over another space. One dude jumped outta his car with a baseball bat.

In Los Angeles, road rage happens all the time. And death is usually the outcome. On the 110 FWY, there are deadly shootings weekly. Yes, weekly.

I loose my cool sometimes, but in all fairness to fellow mankind: most humans are idiots (like me) and soon we will all be plucked away from this reality sooner than later.

Be careful!

[chris5264]

My personal opinion is, America needs to switch to mountain bikes for ALL commuting. Presto, overnight the obesity problem, pollution problem and reliance on foreign oil problems are all solved. Oh, and road rage goes away too ... you're too fried from the exertion, and buzzing too much on the endorphines, to do anything else but grin.

In total seriousness, I think this is really it. One of my goals was to never need a car for work and just bike back and forth. Now, due to uncontrollable forces, I drive almost 2 and a half hours a day just getting from A to B and back to A. Think about us all taking a bike or walking to work, no polution, better health, but no oil profits, no new car sales...hopefully someday.

[ryyannon]

In total seriousness, I think this is really it. One of my goals was to never need a car for work and just bike back and forth. Now, due to uncontrollable forces, I drive almost 2 and a half hours a day just getting from A to B and back to A. Think about us all taking a bike or walking to work, no polution, better health, but no oil profits, no new car sales...hopefully someday.

Not to mention one-hour work days due to the seven-hour R/T bike commute!

[Victoria]

Surely that's the crime right there. What country lets their wounded veterans require handouts?

A free country.

Here they don't "require" anyone to do anything of the sort. They do so out of their own free will, their own mental health, their own life circumstances. Maybe he was a panhandler before, and went into the Marines to centre himself, you know?

But I suppose that didn't occur to you, Pugwash. But that's all right. That's why I and others are here to respond about your misassociations regarding the US.

[eddhead]

The problem with your reasoning, Pugs, is that mentally impaired people often REFUSE treatment. Their condition causes them to see helpful attempts the wrong way. There are many people wandering the street suffering schizophrenic delusions and your hospital bed is confinement to them, and your pills are aliens spores to infect their brain. That is their reality and nothing you can do as a lay person will help. You can put them in a facility and once medicated they get along very well. But then they start doing so well they reason they surely don't need that medicine, stop taking it, and then they're delusional again.

Do we strip them of their freedom so we can force-medicate? Do we force confinement upon them?

This is a no-win. There are lots of vets doing just fine and not on the corner begging.

Either way, it was a nice gesture on Vbarret's part.

[Victoria]

In total seriousness, I think this is really it. One of my goals was to never need a car for work and just bike back and forth. Now, due to uncontrollable forces, I drive almost 2 and a half hours a day just getting from A to B and back to A. Think about us all taking a bike or walking to work, no polution, better health, but no oil profits, no new car sales...hopefully someday.

Perish the thought! Invest in alternative fuels, before getting on bikes. Me, I like bikes, I own one, but I rarely go out in mine.

They are dangerous in many parts of the US, and with such a high-powered lifestyle here, they are certainly not for the middle-classes with their Rolexes and their 2.3 soccer-camp going kids. I'd like to see a family all ride their bikes lugging all their tschokes around like they do here. The trend in America has always been more, not less, and you can't place a DVD player on the back of a bike...

All of this, is not taking into account the wide distances in the USA, since yeah sure bikes are great for city folk, but what about the 50 miles separating country people from the nearest big town?

What of the cargo that needs to go on huge lorries, can you see supermarkets restocking from bikes?

What of the cultural impulse towards the automotive since the 1920s? The Wright Bros were bicycle shop owners, but even they got bored with its limitations and tried their hand at aeroplanes, eventually.

This bike idea is an affectation of city Yuppies, and foreigners from smallish countries, who do care about the environment of course. That's wonderful. But I doubt they have thought about all the cultural and practical considerations that come with this.

I'd sooner go back on a horse than on a bike. At least you can talk to a horse. *g*

Yeah, that would definitely appeal to the American ethos...backwards is the new forwards, folks! What a brave new world.

[Victoria]

Either way, it was a nice gesture on Vbarret's part.

Thanks for all the nice PMs and replies guys. I thought I done bad, but turns out I done good. Who knew.

@Nanuq: It's legal to carry concealed weapons in the State of Florida, too. But let's not start that all over again.

[Pugwash]

But I suppose that didn't occur to you, Pugwash. But that's all right. That's why I and others are here to respond about your misassociations regarding the US.

Nice over-reaction. My implication was that he was scamming you, but you ran to the radical view instead. You prejudiced my post, how's that for freedom.

However, I'll admit I hadn't considered Nanuq's point.

[Victoria]

Nice over-reaction. My implication was that he was scamming you, but you ran to the radical view instead. You prejudiced my post, how's that for freedom.

Your implication was about America, else you would've quoted this part of my post:

"Who knows if he really was a vet or not. Maybe it was just another lie to get money."

And not the one you did.

Sorry if I'm wrong, truly Puggy, but that's what happens when you have a penchant for, shall we say, vinegary posts about the US.

However, I'll admit I hadn't considered Nanuq's point.

Yes, that's why bikes aren't big in Siberia (and Canada) either. Or Arizona. Or Florida...

[ryyannon]

Pffft! Only for the out-of-shape among us.

It takes me 13 minutes to bike to work and 15 minutes home... it's uphill. I've put just over 20,000 miles on one of my bikes doing just that. And boooooooooy do I sleep well at night!

Dun be a Pug, Nanuq

My calculation of seven hours R/T was in response to Chris'

Now, due to uncontrollable forces, I drive almost 2 and a half hours a day just getting from A to B and back to A. Think about us all taking a bike or walking to work, no polution, better health, but no oil profits, no new car sales...hopefully someday.

2.5 hour car commute - which on a bike, would easily take seven hours - even for a Stakhanovian such as yourself.

[ryyannon]

Ya wan fries with dat?

[World Traveller]

I used to live near Walter Reed hospital in DC and I saw many of the disabled veterans. It's really sad to see these young guys with no legs and badly burned. So many damaged soldiers from this war too. Hopefully they don't end up homeless one day too.

I had a few times in the past where road rage type of situations affected me. Mostly it was just the stress of being stuck and impatience of being stuck in traffic, not rage at other drivers. I live near subway and avoid rush hour, it's too stressful. Unfortunately for many people live in sunbelt cities like the ones Florida where you need a car to go anywhere, really means your stuck in your car more and more.

[Victoria]

I had a few times in the past where road rage type of situations affected me. Mostly it was just the stress of being stuck and impatience of being stuck in traffic, not rage at other drivers.

Just remember, we're animals with souls. No eye contact.

I live near subway and avoid rush hour, it's too stressful. Unfortunately for many people live in sunbelt cities like the ones Florida where you need a car to go anywhere, really means your stuck in your car more and more.

Yes. Although I have to say that I LOVE driving. Love love love. I may not know what model car I drive, or how to change a tyre, but as for driving itself, put me behind the wheel of a car and I'm the happiest girl on earth.

[chris5264]

I've heard most arguments against the "bike solution" from my wife as I've talked about this for years and she always gets really annoyed. I mean, I work with some people who are so obese they can

[ryyannon]

Wow.....R.D. Laing!

The dark hero of my college years....