Hey, Remember that saying "walk softly but carry a big stick!"? I agree that one does the very best to avoid or even turn away from a potential confrontation: even verbally concede to the ranting and raving of a madman. However, when push does come to shove it is best to be prepared in such a way that you or your loved ones on board don't become victims. That's why, in states where it is legal, I will always have my trusty Walther PPK with self-defense loads along for the ride (I like someone's idea of a pump 12 GA in the trunk as well and may implement such a measure!) whether I am on my way to Wally-World with the wife and kids to buy a plastic pool or out alone with the Ferrari. I do avoid driving the car at night to minimize running into crazies and drunks and others of the sort one never sees on the roads on a Sunday afternoon See ya out there!
Well shout out next time you're down! You just have to be aware, no matter where you are. I feel as safe in the El Dorado Ballroom with the old blues cats, as I do in the West University area, but there's been gunplay in both neighborhoods! As whart said, it's mean streets out there after dark!
I've worked or lived within the New York City limits for 44 years, I have never seen a gun fired in a crime that whole time. That Texas place really sounds like a hoot.
Frank, Not to be aurguementative but I am having a little problem understanding your statement, puntuation or something. Do you mean that attempted murder should be treated as murder by law or do you say this from a moralistic point of view? As I stated, intent has to be established before a punishment can be determined. Not everybody that shoots a gun is trying to commit murder. Sometimes it is done to intimidate and /or incapacitate. In some cases it is an act of self defense and on occasion shots are fired to stop a person, not kill. Again, A person CANNOT be charged, convicted and punished for murder or suffer the same punishment if the victim is not dead. The person CAN be charged for ATTEMPTED murder but the punishment will not be the same as one that was successful in commiting the act. This is the law as it stands. To muddy the issue even farther, there is Murder 1, Murder 2 and manslaughter. Murder 1 & 2 can be further classified as premeditated or aggravated.
I've mellowed out in my old age. For awhile there I would get out of the car and personally confront anyone that tried to start something with me. My attitude was basically I don't care if I die, but the last thing I'm doing is letting someone try to get the best of me. People bark tough, but I never had someone stand up to me once I confronted them. That was pretty dumb, I haven't been out of my car in 3-5 years now. Most of my problems now are when cycling. I'll have at least 2-3 incidents every 50 mile ride. I think the problem is nationwide, but maybe worse in Texas that drivers don't understand the laws of the road and rights of cyclists. They do pretty dumb things in their ignorance of the law while in a 5,000 lb. one ton dually and I'm on a 18 lb. bike. Most the time I wave and act friendly as they buzz me honking and yelling. If someone really does have an intent to hurt me, then I have my phone to call their plates in.
AW, Some people are CRAZY out there, and this is multiplied by them seeing a Ferrari. Usually i back off and if it gets bad i get to the far right. If they still follow, i go to the break down lane and stop. If they follow you to the break down lane you indeed have problems so drive off again and call 911 ASAP. NEVER underestimate the stupidity of the other guy. NEVER!!!!!
Not many car jackings in my neck of the woods but I have a low security correctional facility about 5 miles up the road. Being out here in the sticks I felt a home defense apparatus was prudent. 12 gauge Winchester Defender, 18" barrel, twin pistol grips for ease of maneuverability inside the house. Nothing like the sound of jacking a shell into the chamber to make an intruder think.
Be careful Rob. We had two cyclists run down and killed here last year. I do not think the perps were EVER ID'd....... And of course, Bob Wolleck... Trails are MUCH safer, IMO. I live by the new Greenbelt Trails along the bayou. It's like having your own highway!
Thank you. I am saving up for a silencer and a tuxedo! My wife dismisses the notion of the Bond babes...
I'm with you. Don't have a gun -- don't know anyone who does -- never even seen one, other than in a cop's holster, and even the holsters in Canada have a big flap over them so you don't really see the gun!
Hi, Unfortunately, in places where gun control is draconian, the only other time one would see a gun is when a scumbag criminal is pointing it at him! BTW in my opinion, displaying an "NRA" sticker on the car communicates a subtle message
What I would do is downshift, then rev up to 8500rpm and pass them totaly and completly ignoring them and going on with my day.
Growing up around here it was a common sight in every pickup truck. Gun rack in the back window, with guns.
Had a similar deal a few weeks back on I-8 enroute from Yuma to San Diego. A kid in a new Mustang decides to start something he can't finish as we start up the mountains. You know the deal-passes, then slows down, doesn't keep a constant speed; does everything to attract the wrong kind of attention. I totally ignore the dude, even when he pulls right alongside and stays there for a couple of miles. This is all at "elevated" (slightly illegal) speeds. Finally, after about 20 miles of this silliness, my radar detector goes nuts and I figure, this is going to be expensive...The Mustang is RIGHT next to me as we approach the CHP car in the median. You guessed it-the cop pulls right in behind the Mustang and pulls him over! I avoided a dumb meaningless confrontation and a ticket just by pretty much ignoring this moron and not getting caught up in being stupid and dangerous. Someone in the plane or helicopter must have noticed...Obviously, ignore the deal if at all possible. If it starts getting out of hand, dial 911.
Rob, How about bike rage? I passed a bicyclist on my favorite stretch of curves giving him much room as I always do, about half a lane width, as I pull up to the stop sign at the end of the road he slams into my car and opens the passenger door where my wife is sitting, stunned. He starts to yell at me saying I am crazy for passing him. Excuse me but WTF? Since that day Ive watched bicyclists on the sidewalks, riding against traffic, riding across crosswalks, riding with traffic and passing all the cars between lanes and on the right, running stop lights, stop signs and riding diagonal between lanes of cars. I have less and less tolerance for the guy on the bike who says "I have the same rights as a car on this road! Well if I drove like the way I see bikes ride on the road I would probably be writing this from jail. Since that day I must admit I am much less tolerant of bicyclists in general. But, in terms of passing I understand that bicyclists have rights to the road and my pass was a clean and safe. This brings me to my point; IMO too many people in this country don't want to be passed, and when passed it results in rage. Why do you suppose that is? I blame NASCAR. When will this country start producing better, considerate, more aware drivers? People, when we drive we should stay to the right, unless we are passing. How many of you see people or maybe yourselves are guilty of getting onto the freeways and immediately moving to the left lane and stay there until they or you exit? In a country that is populated with people whose attitude is "it's about me" it's no wonder that the rest of the world sees us as rude, self-serving targets. I think that when we start to realize, as a country, that it isn't about me, it's about us, we all will be better off. Until that day, I will carry "protection".
This is rare though. I grew up in Canada and we and others in my family had shotguns. While his facts are suspect, [if I recall] Michael Moore reported in Bowling for Columbine that Canadians have more guns per capita than the US (hunting is popular). To the Americans I wouldn't say Canadians in general are that unfamiliar with guns.
AS much as you would like to look at him at throw an obscene gesture, its just not the right thing to do. It may lead to something more extreme....just leave him alone or look and smile like you did. That was the best thing you could have done. I think i would have made it into more of a situation....
I will say that I don't know what the exact situation was here, but can say that I feel both ways. I reguraly make the drive from Rochester NY to New Jersey(~250 - 300 miles), and have seen some terrible traffic debacles. I try not to have road rage, and am always more than willing to move over for people who are going faster than me at my first available convience. I would love if others would show the same courtesy, but it seems never to happen. On the other side of the issue, driving fast is not what causes accidents, tailgating is(obviously not always). If you are traveling at 85 or 90, and at 10 car lengths, there is no problem... when you close that distance to 1 or 2 carlengths, that is when an issue arises because there is no distance to stop. I personally have had people come up on me while I was doing 87 in a 65, and tailgate me... flashing her lights. I slowed down to move over behind a tractor trailer, and she tried to pass me on the left in the shoulder.. I sped back up to avoid being hit, and she layed on the horn and started flipping me off. After getting her plate number, and calling 911, I was able to get over. She flew past me, slowing only long enough to flip me off and let me see that she had an infant and a 5 year old in the car. This is just irresponsible and stupid... I am glad I was able to move over before she flipped her SUV and killed her children. I am sure that your situation was not this drastic, and it sounds like you did the right thing, but the follower can sometimes be at fault too by tailgating which usually only irritates the situation. I know that I will move over a lot faster, and make a genuine effort to get out of the way if the person following isn't right on my a$$. Just my $.02, but I think that everyone is in a large rush, and at the saftey of others it isn't worth it. Craig
Hi, Peters has the right idea. Another way to get that speed thing out of your system is get a shifter Kart. After Karting your Ferrari driving will be much more subdued. Good luck with your driving. Ciao, Jim
Guns, yes. Hand guns, no. I was not making a Canadian statement as much as a regional one. I was agreeing with a New Yorker. I suspect mid western Canada is like mid western USA
It's best to ignore them. If that doesn't work, I use this system: if on a 2 lane road, slowly increase the speed around the corners, until he goes off the road, or slows down. If they get too aggressive, just leave. May require aggressive driving, but so what? If you get stopped, tell the officer what happened, and you can use the defense of necessity. Art
If I'm only having problems with a couple cars every 50 miles, then that's maybe only 1% of the traffic. 1% can still kill you, but most of the cars aren't a problem. I also think it's the same with cyclists. I'm not talking about the low income bike commuters or kids running around wild. I'm talking about fitness cyclists that are riding towards the right of the road. Most of these are courteous riders that know the laws. Not sure what you did, but I guess you ticked the cyclist off. If you weren't tailgating him and cleanly passed, then he shouldn't have been upset. Often cars pass and they think a foot or two is enough room. It's not, when a car zooms by there is a huge aero effect. Many cyclists are hit only by side view mirrors, but at 50 that still kills you. If you come upon a cyclist you should just be patient and wait until you can safely pass just like you would a slow moving car or tractor. One thing us competitive cycling types are guilty of and will continue to do, even though it's against the law is running stop signs. Of course we never do it when traffic is there, but if there are no cars to interfere, than it's better for us to just roll through keeping the momentum up than stopping and putting our foot down. Although group rides are the safest for cyclists, it frustrates motorists more as we'll take up the entire lane. I think that's the best anyway as it forces a car to wait and pass when they can go completely in the other lane. The motorists that complain the most are the fat out of shape crowd that are maybe just building up a little anger that they've let their physical condition go to heck. Don't take it out on others that are doing something about their health, start working out yourself. You'll feel better all the way around and maybe won't be so angry at everything.
It sucked, I got a ticket last year after slowing down didn't get the person driving up beside me away, so I sped up. Still my fault officer, but...
