I have been victim of major road rage- action to take?

bigpinkelephant

Hi all,
I am wondering what action can I take for another driver banging on my car window, screaming at me and throwing things at my car, while I am stopped at lights?
This was while I was stopped on a busy street with people watching.
I have reported it to Traffic Watch and said I'd be happy to make a statement.
Is there anything else I can do?
Some of what this person threw at my car is still on the car (food item).

Karoma

What did you do?

Was the other person a pedestrian, driver (Did you get their reg?), cyclist?

galwayrush

All you can do about it is make a statement with the Gardai and be prepared to go all the way with it through the courts.

starn

Exactly what did you do

bigpinkelephant

Person was another driver.
I was moving into their lane (had indicated, checked there was room etc) when they came up behind me halfway through my manouevre and started tailgating and beeping.

They proceeded to follow me down a narrow one-way street and try to overtake me as I was passing a parked car. They missed me by an inch.

luckat

Just a story for you to think about before you take action.

Last year I was pulling out of a tight parking place when I lightly struck the car in front. No damage.

I pulled back in, and went to pull out parallel, intending to go back and check for damage once I was out of the spot, and if necessary leave a note on the car. (Did this once before, 15 years ago or so, and the other driver practically wept, his faith in humanity revived.)

But before I'd completed pulling out, the owner of the other car came running up, screaming. She launched herself at my car in a running kick. I was petrified.

I pulled the car back in and got out to talk to her. She was lunatic, determined that I had been in the process of running away, leaving her car smashed to bits!

Unfortunately, my passenger was someone who has many skills, but these do not include the ability to walk gracefully away from a row.

Long story short, the other car owner called the Gardai; a couple of gardai turned up 15 minutes later, listened to both sides, took her aside and lectured her about kicking the car, and pointed out to her that if she claimed for the (non-existent) damage on her car, she might herself lose her no claims bonus.

I went home and typed up an account of the incident and filed it on my computer; went into the garda station as asked and showed my licence and insurance.

A couple of weeks ago - a long time after all this - I got a call from a woman asking me if I remembered the incident. I said yes, cautiously.

She said she was ringing to apologise. She'd been ill at the time, and had in fact been cooking up hydrocephalus (/is?). Two days after that, she'd been hospitalised and had been in hospital for some weeks, dangerously ill.

She said everyone who knew her was asking her why she was behaving in such a wild, out-of-control, uncharacteristic way.

Anyway, what I'm saying is that you may not need to take action. Your road rager may have been ill, or under pressure, or otherwise behaving uncharacteristically.

AugustusMaximus

Any more details.

Was it in an urban environment or on a dual carriageway.

Was there a big difference in speed. Were you travelling a lot slower with the person coming up behind at a much greater speed ?

What way was your lane change and for what reason ?

Anan1

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

Hi all,
I am wondering what action can I take for another driver banging on my car window, screaming at me and throwing things at my car, while I am stopped at lights?
This was while I was stopped on a busy street with people watching.
I have reported it to Traffic Watch and said I'd be happy to make a statement.
Is there anything else I can do?
Some of what this person threw at my car is still on the car (food item).

Unless your car was actually damaged, I think it's purely a matter for the Gardai.

Anan1

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

Any more details.

Was it in an urban environment or on a dual carriageway.

Was there a big difference in speed. Were you travelling a lot slower with the person coming up behind at a much greater speed ?

What way was your lane change and for what reason ?

I can't really see how it would make any difference, TBH.

bigpinkelephant

It was in Dublin city centre in the middle of the day.
The reason I had to go into her lane was because I was taking the next left.

She was in the bus lane as far as I remember, which I had to cross to get over into the left-turn-only lane. (I can't be sure).
Speed was approx less than 10km/hr- crawling speed.

AugustusMaximus

Anan1 wrote: »

I can't really see how it would make any difference, TBH.

Just interested.

I've seen people pull into the overtaking lane doing maybe 40kph less than those in the overtaking lane. At that speed differential, the perceived gap in the road can close fairly fast.


I've had an idiot try to cut accross me at a roundabout, taking the 3rd exit from the left hand lane. he got out of the car in a fury and even tried to open the door of my car, all the time roaring that I was wrong.

MagicMarker

luckat wrote: »

Just a story for you to think about before you take action.

Last year I was pulling out of a tight parking place when I lightly struck the car in front. No damage.

I pulled back in, and went to pull out parallel, intending to go back and check for damage once I was out of the spot, and if necessary leave a note on the car. (Did this once before, 15 years ago or so, and the other driver practically wept, his faith in humanity revived.)

But before I'd completed pulling out, the owner of the other car came running up, screaming. She launched herself at my car in a running kick. I was petrified.

I pulled the car back in and got out to talk to her. She was lunatic, determined that I had been in the process of running away, leaving her car smashed to bits!

Unfortunately, my passenger was someone who has many skills, but these do not include the ability to walk gracefully away from a row.

Long story short, the other car owner called the Gardai; a couple of gardai turned up 15 minutes later, listened to both sides, took her aside and lectured her about kicking the car, and pointed out to her that if she claimed for the (non-existent) damage on her car, she might herself lose her no claims bonus.

I went home and typed up an account of the incident and filed it on my computer; went into the garda station as asked and showed my licence and insurance.

A couple of weeks ago - a long time after all this - I got a call from a woman asking me if I remembered the incident. I said yes, cautiously.

She said she was ringing to apologise. She'd been ill at the time, and had in fact been cooking up hydrocephalus (/is?). Two days after that, she'd been hospitalised and had been in hospital for some weeks, dangerously ill.

She said everyone who knew her was asking her why she was behaving in such a wild, out-of-control, uncharacteristic way.

Anyway, what I'm saying is that you may not need to take action. Your road rager may have been ill, or under pressure, or otherwise behaving uncharacteristically.

As heartwarming as this is, what's your point? We should all ignore aggressive and ignorant pricks for fear they weren't cuddled enough as a child?

bigpinkelephant

luckat wrote: »

Just a story for you to think about before you take action.

Last year I was pulling out of a tight parking place when I lightly struck the car in front. No damage.

I pulled back in, and went to pull out parallel, intending to go back and check for damage once I was out of the spot, and if necessary leave a note on the car. (Did this once before, 15 years ago or so, and the other driver practically wept, his faith in humanity revived.)

But before I'd completed pulling out, the owner of the other car came running up, screaming. She launched herself at my car in a running kick. I was petrified.

I pulled the car back in and got out to talk to her. She was lunatic, determined that I had been in the process of running away, leaving her car smashed to bits!

Unfortunately, my passenger was someone who has many skills, but these do not include the ability to walk gracefully away from a row.

Long story short, the other car owner called the Gardai; a couple of gardai turned up 15 minutes later, listened to both sides, took her aside and lectured her about kicking the car, and pointed out to her that if she claimed for the (non-existent) damage on her car, she might herself lose her no claims bonus.

I went home and typed up an account of the incident and filed it on my computer; went into the garda station as asked and showed my licence and insurance.

A couple of weeks ago - a long time after all this - I got a call from a woman asking me if I remembered the incident. I said yes, cautiously.

She said she was ringing to apologise. She'd been ill at the time, and had in fact been cooking up hydrocephalus (/is?). Two days after that, she'd been hospitalised and had been in hospital for some weeks, dangerously ill.

She said everyone who knew her was asking her why she was behaving in such a wild, out-of-control, uncharacteristic way.

Anyway, what I'm saying is that you may not need to take action. Your road rager may have been ill, or under pressure, or otherwise behaving uncharacteristically.

I don't know or care what today's psycho's mental state is. Anyone can think up a sob story.

RandomAccess

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

It was in Dublin city centre in the middle of the day.
The reason I had to go into her lane was because I was taking the next left.

She was in the bus lane as far as I remember, which I had to cross to get over into the left-turn-only lane. (I can't be sure).
Speed was approx less than 10km/hr- crawling speed.

I guess there is a slim chance there could have been a camera at the Junction. Best of luck with it anyway!

Keith186

I'd just get a carwash and move on.

Sounds like you pulled out right in front of the other person when you weren't entitled to.

XJR

Doesn't seem to major a road rage incident to me after all no damage to you and no damage to you car.

Make a statement to Gardai but my guess is that it will go nowhere.

Anan1

Keith186 wrote: »

I'd just get a carwash and move on.

Sounds like you pulled out right in front of the other person when you weren't entitled to.

How much did you pay for that crystal ball? I've been looking for one for ages.

RandomAccess

Oh, forgot to say,
Keep a camera in your car glovebox or drivers door pocket. One of those Kodak disposable instant cameras should be fine, you never know when it might come in handy.

An Fear Aniar

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

Is there anything else I can do?

Yes, you could feel compassion for this person who is obviously unwell, forgive them and move on with enjoying your life.


.

Boskowski

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

Hi all,
I am wondering what action can I take for another driver banging on my car window, screaming at me and throwing things at my car, while I am stopped at lights?
This was while I was stopped on a busy street with people watching.
I have reported it to Traffic Watch and said I'd be happy to make a statement.
Is there anything else I can do?
Some of what this person threw at my car is still on the car (food item).

So no damage to the car. Get over it. Only thing you do about this is thinking 'some really ****ed up people out there, JesusMaria&Josef'. Then you forget about it, that's it.

bigpinkelephant

An Fear Aniar wrote: »

Yes, you could feel compassion for this person who is obviously unwell, forgive them and move on with enjoying your life.


.

Amen. :rolleyes:

I'm not the forgiver of sinners or something and I'm not a doormat.

Guy:Incognito

Anan1 wrote: »

How much did you pay for that crystal ball? I've been looking for one for ages.

In fairness it's as lkely as the OP telling the God's honest.

I get cut off a few times a week by other drivers who are clearly unaware I'm even there. They just seem to move lanes while lookign straight ahead. You flash or beep them and you can see the look of bewilderment because they havnt a clue what they've done.

bigpinkelephant

Stekelly wrote: »

In fairness it's as lkely as the OP telling the God's honest.

I am telling the truth.

MagicMarker

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

I am telling the truth.

So am I, I have a 12 inch cock.

bigpinkelephant

MagicMarker wrote: »

So am I, I have a 12 inch cock.

Right well what do you think I am lying about so?

corkandproud

MagicMarker wrote: »

So am I, I have a 12 inch cock.

And I'm not the driver in question...

skyhighflyer

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

I have reported it to Traffic Watch and said I'd be happy to make a statement.

Good

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

Is there anything else I can do?

Car wash?

Steve

Oh dear.

Was this moved from AH or something?

Berty

Similar thing happened to me in 2004. I was in a van moving from the left lane of a dual carragieway in very slow moving traffic. I needed to be in the right lane for the oncoming roundabout. I indicated and proceeded to move at around 10mph into the other lane through a large gap. The PUG206 in that lane accelerated hard to block the space.

I was already between both lanes so could not go back as a car had already taken up my position. She blew her horn and tried to go around me. She even put her wheels into the central median(mud/grass) to go around me. I was in the lane at this stage and the passenger came up to the passenger door and was banging shouting and screaming. I ignored him completely and continued on my way.

My van had lots of advertising and phone numbers to the office. I got a phone call later from my boss saying somebody had made a report that I tried to run her off the road.

I told him the story and he told her that he would reprimand me which he didnt because he believed me and knows my driving.

I called the garda station because I took down her reg just in case. They said just to leave it because she had a long list of aggravated assault and road road infractions.

Whether or not she should have told me this is another question but needless to say there are some whacko's out there.

Put it to the back of your mind.

Hagar

Throwing food around? Report to the litter warden wouldn't go amiss.

cyclopath2001

This is what major road rage is:
From CyclingNews

Cyclist loses leg in alleged road rage attack

By Rosee Woodland, BikeRadar.com

A cyclist in Toronto has had to have his leg amputated after a row with a cab driver allegedly turned nasty. Police yesterday said the cyclist lost his leg after a cab reversed and pinned him to a utility pole.
.....
Police said in a news release that Sultan Ahmed, 38, of Maple has been charged with:

Criminal negligence causing bodily harm
Dangerous operation causing bodily harm
Fail to stop at scene of accident bodily harm
Obstruct peace officer
Aggravated assault
Assault with weapon

It is understood the alleged weapon described in the charge sheet is Ahmed's taxi.

Sergeant Tim Burrows told the Ottawa Citizen that Toronto police have charged motorists with using a vehicle as a weapon on previous occasions. "Common? Yes and no," he said. "We had a very similar case in 1995. It's not unheard of."

The incident happened on November 14, but because the cyclist had to undergo three operations and was heavily sedated, it was some time before police could get a clear picture of what happened.

Ahmed was due to appear in court today.