Road rage a sign of our times

[Boomer54]

So I am driving in Manchester, got in the wrong lane. Indicated to change from middle lane to inner lane, checked mirror and started to move thinking there is space. Car behind accelerates up the inner lane closing the gap and I correct back to middle lane. So, I am frustrated ,because I don't know the road and am in the wrong lane so I am shaking my head at it not even looking at the other driver. Faster than you blink the guy goes past and stops to parks diagonally across my lane forcing me to brake hard to a stop. Next second this chieftain tank steps out in my direction so I open the door without getting out and try to defuse the issue by apologising for my frustration, but the guy is still giving me a mouthful with aggression and looking pretty  much as though he is going to take it to the next level. Now years ago he wouldn't have had to move ,because he would have had me in his face, but age is what it is. Hence, I just quietly pointed out I was old enough to be his grandad and with a heart bypass under my belt if he wants to hit me he stands a good chance of killing me so does he want to end his own life behind bars. Another mouthful, but now he gets back in his car and drives off. The moral of the story is when you get old enough you have to make your brain do the heavy lifting that your body can no longer do. However, put a dampener on my day to think how random it can be to just get in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person. I am truly sorry that Santa left people like this off the prezzy list and they cannot stop being perpetually angry about it, but please do it somewhere else .

Addendum, heart bypass does not make anybody more vunerable unless they also have had a heart attack. It's just a change of hose pipes not a blown head gasket, but he didn't look likely to have got past CSE's so I was confident he wouldn't know the difference.😉

[Malc1]

Well fella I’m so sorry to hear of this …… youth today eh ! 
 

You acted well …..

Always good to defuse bad situations if one can 

….. one good reason I don’t mind driving an older car with dings and dents …… I might have just on purpose then driven into his car and done irreparable damage to it …… and maybe his stupid pride too …… oh and I’d have taken piccys of his “ parking “ antics and said it was his manoeuvring that caused me to ( hopefully ) write his car off 

Wonder what the insurers would do …… my Cat N Ls400 might have actually finally been pensioned off at 248k miles 😂

Hope you’ve had a good dose of Merlot medicine 😇

Malc

[dutchie01]

Stephen, there is this special category of people you do not want to meet. Inner city folk know who i mean. from coke filled hot hatch juveniles to real underwold criminals. I can remember one occasion i was cut off driving in city centre by a black mercedes s class with 4 bearded gentlemen inside that looked they were not going to attend the annual stamp convention. My wife sitting next to me wanted to hit the horn and tell them off. I made it clear that was propably not a good idea. Stay under the radar and go with the flow is my motto.

[PaulWhitt20]

Sorry to hear of your encounter. You did the right thing. 
 

why can’t people be nice to each other ?
 

We need more people to drive like Ogmios. Check out his other videos too  

 

[Notamech]

I had something similar too recently where I was dropping a friend off at the station and the car behind mine parked up right next to me and started telling me off for blocking him when i stopped to drop off my friend. So i was like if i was really blocking you how come are you parked right next to me and telling me off? And I told him to FO and leave. He got very upset and was like "make me leave" . Agree I should have tried to diffuse the situation.. but it became a bit of an ego battle and things just escalated further. The guy got out of his car and tried to force open my door. I fortunately pulled out my phone started recording him at this point. Told him that he would be hearing from the police. He sat right back in his car gave me a death stare didn't say a word and drove off. Moral of the story pull out your phone and record them if things escalate.. Also make sure your door is locked..Under no circumstance do i recommend getting out of your car or trying to get into a physical brawl. If you record them they know you've got their face and number plate on camera and are unlikely to want to end up with a criminal record. 

[Malc1]

Or to add to their criminal record …… some might not actually care …… so best just to “ walk “ well, stay in your car and escape asap 

Malc 

[Notamech]

2 hours ago, Malc1 said:

Or to add to their criminal record …… some might not actually care …… so best just to “ walk “ well, stay in your car and escape asap 

Malc 

Yeah good point. Some of them may already be criminals with multiple records and who dont really care. 

[dutchie01]

All very civilized and the right thing to do but what your inner devil tells you is to pull out the bazooka and blow their car to smithereens!

( oh well, metaphorically speaking that is..)

[Boomer54]

Carrying a taser isn't even an answer notwithstanding it's a criminal offence. First there is probably less than 1 in 10 chance I could hit the side of a barn door and secondly could I even remember to charge it, or is a farce waiting to be played out

Me. Why doesn't this work?

Wife. When did you last charge it?

Me. You're in charge of charging  (sic).

Wife. No, this is a tool not a domestic appliance it's your responsibility.

Me. But it's an indoor charging electrical item like your vacuum.

Wife. Oh no it is not, right I'm not baking this week if you're being like that.

Me. That is hardly fair what has baking to do with you not charging the taser?

Meanwhile unnoticed the other party lost the will to live and left 15 minutes ago.

[Boomer54]

8 minutes ago, dutchie01 said:

All very civilized and the right thing to do but what your inner devil tells you is to pull out the bazooka and blow their car to smithereens!

( oh well, metaphorically speaking that is..)

Exactly, or left jab right uppercut. Then you remember only in your mind are you fast enough ,or strong enough. Then to confirm that I remember the 59 year old guy the other week who decided to make his professional boxing debut. Even the younger guys jab shook him to his ankles and he was just so  slow it was like treacle in motion waiting to be hit. Life is what it is. use your brain not your muscles.

[Lmafudd]

25 minutes ago, dutchie01 said:

All very civilized and the right thing to do but what your inner devil tells you is to pull out the bazooka and blow their car to smithereens!

( oh well, metaphorically speaking that is..)

This is why we aren't allowed to own real guns isn't it. 

[dutchie01]

and rightfully so as no doubt the agressive hotheads giving you trouble will carry one. Some countries do allow it but i am not sure if its is really working for them.

[Malc1]

Wonder how many in the USA get aggressively shot …… especially in Road Rage 

Malc 

[Boomer54]

From a Psychological viewpoint this is never really about the incident itself. That is just a trigger for a mental state that has been created by whatever they have going on in their lives up to that point. It's an outlet for all that emotion and you the innocent bystander so to speak are just a random unwitting target. When one considers that context it really is very obvious why you don't want people carrying guns licensed ,or not. The USA is the standout example of this and frankly I am always amazed that they miss the obvious and just keep on getting the same outcomes year after year of people losing their lives when they should not. That has a nation they cannot get a political majority to ditch their gun control policy is just very very sad and a stark reminder that money really does talk.

[GMB]

15 hours ago, Boomer54 said:

So I am driving in Manchester

You have my sympathy. Manchester seems to have more than its fair share of aggressive idiots. We had to stay there for 2 weeks and there were at least 2 nasty incidents from drivers who seemed to enjoy confrontation.

I don't understand why, I never understood why they do it because escalation can lead to all sorts of very unpleasant consequences.  I just wish there were more ( yes more ) police about.

My policy is to ignore them, not make eye contact, wait until they go away and hope that they do not damage anything, if you take them to court they their defence team will get your address and then God knows where that will lead. Believe me I KNOW.

A lot of things are recorded nowadays so it pays to let them do the first aggressive act. Only then can you kill them.

It is so sad and upsetting that we all have to live amongst this low life. Just be on guard and drive defensively.

[Boomer54]

14 minutes ago, GMB said:

You have my sympathy. Manchester seems to have more than its fair share of aggressive idiots. We had to stay there for 2 weeks and there were at least 2 nasty incidents from drivers who seemed to enjoy confrontation.

I don't understand why, I never understood why they do it because escalation can lead to all sorts of very unpleasant consequences.  I just wish there were more ( yes more ) police about.

My policy is to ignore them, not make eye contact, wait until they go away and hope that they do not damage anything, if you take them to court they their defence team will get your address and then God knows where that will lead. Believe me I KNOW.

A lot of things are recorded nowadays so it pays to let them do the first aggressive act. Only then can you kill them.

It is so sad and upsetting that we all have to live amongst this low life. Just be on guard and drive defensively.

I don't think I will be going back for awhile, probably ever. I don't need that sort of thing in my life and there is nothing in Manchester that I cannot get elsewhere so bon voyage. It isn't but 2 years since I was out for my daily walk trying to cross a junction and had to step hurriedly back on to the pavement to avoid an Audi turning in to that road. I had looked ,but he came from behind my shoulder so I either missed seeing him ,or he was just so quick he wasn't there to be seen. Either way he pulled up and rolled his window down to speak to me. Being pretty deaf I didn't catch what he said so I  took a couple of steps closer and bent my head to hear better. What I heard was 'you silly old bas...d what the f..k were you doing, you blind c...t and before I could close my mouth even he threw his door open and hit me in the mouth splitting my lips. Even if I had had the presence of mind to have a phone camera on me the truth is I was so shocked he drove off before I could even think to look at his plate. Taking my daughters dog on my walks as at least ensured no repetition of that.

I suppose there is a reason that my preferred place to be these days is my home.

[Malc1]

Suggest avoid driving in Delhi ….. and Manchester 😂.    

Delhi ….. Answer to a slight knock is to jump out, rant and rave, pick up the bit of your car that’s got bashed off and pop it in your boot to get it fixed later ….. who bothers exchanging addresses etc …… it passes …… like tuk tuks, horses, cows, elephants and camels …… now you don’t wanna clash with one of those, especially a cow ….. you’d be hung drawn and quartered and fed to the wild dogs 👍

You carry a gun and a policeman would shoot you dead first …… why ask a Q, you’re gonna be dead ! 
 

BUT everyone in the UK likely to be a road rage antagonist would do well to have a short stint driving in Delhi …… good for the soul 🥳

Malc 

[RONNIE W HODGEKINSON]

16 hours ago, Boomer54 said:

So I am driving in Manchester, got in the wrong lane. Indicated to change from middle lane to inner lane, checked mirror and started to move thinking there is space. Car behind accelerates up the inner lane closing the gap and I correct back to middle lane. So, I am frustrated ,because I don't know the road and am in the wrong lane so I am shaking my head at it not even looking at the other driver. Faster than you blink the guy goes past and stops to parks diagonally across my lane forcing me to brake hard to a stop. Next second this chieftain tank steps out in my direction so I open the door without getting out and try to defuse the issue by apologising for my frustration, but the guy is still giving me a mouthful with aggression and looking pretty  much as though he is going to take it to the next level. Now years ago he wouldn't have had to move ,because he would have had me in his face, but age is what it is. Hence, I just quietly pointed out I was old enough to be his grandad and with a heart bypass under my belt if he wants to hit me he stands a good chance of killing me so does he want to end his own life behind bars. Another mouthful, but now he gets back in his car and drives off. The moral of the story is when you get old enough you have to make your brain do the heavy lifting that your body can no longer do. However, put a dampener on my day to think how random it can be to just get in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person. I am truly sorry that Santa left people like this off the prezzy list and they cannot stop being perpetually angry about it, but please do it somewhere else .

Addendum, heart bypass does not make anybody more vunerable unless they also have had a heart attack. It's just a change of hose pipes not a blown head gasket, but he didn't look likely to have got past CSE's so I was confident he wouldn't know the difference.😉

Stephen.. You Did The The right Thing..Keep Cool Apoligise And If You Say Anything SAY NOTHING .You Don,t Know what is Going on in this Guys Life.. His upbringing ,Social Background, Mental state Etc So You Absolutely did the Right Thing..I Come across Some people like this Periodically And Its Best to let them Rant on Diffuse There Anger And Move on.. Thats always The scientific way To Deal With This scenario...

[Boomer54]

21 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

Suggest avoid driving in Delhi ….. and Manchester 😂.    

Delhi ….. Answer to a slight knock is to jump out, rant and rave, pick up the bit of your car that’s got bashed off and pop it in your boot to get it fixed later ….. who bothers exchanging addresses etc …… it passes …… like tuk tuks, horses, cows, elephants and camels …… now you don’t wanna clash with one of those, especially a cow ….. you’d be hung drawn and quartered and fed to the wild dogs 👍

You carry a gun and a policeman would shoot you dead first …… why ask a Q, you’re gonna be dead ! 
 

BUT everyone in the UK likely to be a road rage antagonist would do well to have a short stint driving in Delhi …… good for the soul 🥳

Malc 

Add to that Naples and the Amalfi coast, indeed most places in Italy. Land of the millions of two wheeled heroes who all think they are Agostini reincarnated. In fairness, it's stressful, but it ain't road rage and after an hissy fit you will probably end up having wine together.

[GMB]

7 minutes ago, RONNIE W HODGEKINSON said:

Stephen.. You Did The The right Thing..Keep Cool Apoligise And If You Say Anything SAY NOTHING .You Don,t Know what is Going on in this Guys Life.. His upbringing ,Social Background, Mental state Etc So You Absolutely did the Right Thing..I Come across Some people like this Periodically And Its Best to let them Rant on Diffuse There Anger And Move on.. Thats always The scientific way To Deal With This scenario..

As a footnote to my experiences I mentioned the incidents to my sons who both live in Manchester. Their reaction was; Yes we know, you have to be careful because a lot of them are on drugs. If it looks like a drug dealer - and BTW both incidents were black range rover and black BMW - and it smells like a drug dealer/addict and it acts like one, then it probably is on drugs or a dealer.

I found in one case, that I do not want to talk about, a while ago that the Milenco sterring wheel lock is a handy tool. Just the sight of it in one's hand is a good deterrent.

[Boomer54]

5 minutes ago, GMB said:

As a footnote to my experiences I mentioned the incidents to my sons who both live in Manchester. Their reaction was; Yes we know, you have to be careful because a lot of them are on drugs. If it looks like a drug dealer - and BTW both incidents were black range rover and black BMW - and it smells like a drug dealer/addict and it acts like one, then it probably is on drugs or a dealer.

I found in one case, that I do not want to talk about, a while ago that the Milenco sterring wheel lock is a handy tool. Just the sight of it in one's hand is a good deterrent.

Two for one..er. Strap it to your wrist and it will cure your tendonitus.

[Malc1]

Looks like the olden days Krooklok I used to use …… 😇

Malc 

[Boomer54]

Malc you've been subtly telling me to skip that second car and I was there yesterday to look at one. That guy though is may be doing what you could not in making me question whether I want another car so every cloud has a silver lining comes to mind.

[GMB]

5 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

Looks like the olden days Krooklok I used to use …… 😇

Yes, this country has gone to the dogs, no police, no-one cares, crimes not reported and son and so on...... It really is like the Wild west nowadays. Be careful you might just bump into a real nutter/ schizo/ druggie/ deadleg. Flippin heck, what does it say about this dump of a country. Thanks a bunch Rishi.

[Boomer54]

1 minute ago, GMB said:

Yes, this country has gone to the dogs, no police, no-one cares, crimes not reported and son and so on...... It really is like the Wild west nowadays. Be careful you might just bump into a real nutter/ schizo/ druggie/ deadleg. Flippin heck, what does it say about this dump of a country. Thanks a bunch Rishi.

In fairness this is nothing to do with Sunak who intellectually is probably the most suitable Pm we have had since Thatcher. Shame so many of his colleagues are not equipped to butter a muffin. No, this is a lot more than that. It's a modern society bombarded by 'noise', technological change. time pressures, that frankly 'winds' people up to a pitch where they behave in a manner where normal rules of behaviour are just 'parked' in the ignore zone. Examples, a friend of my daughters pursued by a very normal looking woman in a car who 'thought' she had 'dissed' her out of a parking spot. Literally waited for the girl to come back out of a store and then followed her 'buzzing' her. WTF !

Zebra crossings, just lost count of the times I am on the crossing with the dog and cars just keep coming through...so my question is where is the drivers attention? Are they looking and ignoring, or are they just totally out of it focused on the pressing need to be somewhere a few seconds faster. I could cite many more examples of people just behaving beyond the pale ,but really why bother when it's just all around us virtually everyday.