Road Rage

[bwframe]

Car horns are a Pavlovian device that trigger jerks into action.

For some reason just the sound of a car horn turns some people from normal to angry jerk in a heartbeat. Maybe it is a defensive response to a perceived public accusation of doing something wrong or stupid.

The car horn is good for warning "Hey, you are about to hit another vehicle" but they sometimes produce a bad reaction when used afterwards as a rebuke for "Hey, you almost hit another vehicle".

That's right. Big difference between a short "wake up" beep and a long "eff you" beep.
I think one should think very hard about not using the horn at all if it would appear that you could be trapped in place by the offending driver. As stated above, you can't possibly know who you might be dealing with.

 

[yeahbaby]

Hell around NWI if you don't keep your cool you could be in a road rage incident weekly. People drive like a******s around here.

 

[mainjet]

That's right. Big difference between a short "wake up" beep and a long "eff you" beep.

I agree... With all the technology in cars these days, can't we have a couple of simple buttons on the steering wheel - one that would politely call out "Wake up" and another that would rudely yell out "eff you"!

It really would clear up a drivers intended meaning behind the horn honking.

For cars sold in NYC there would be only one button which would be the "eff you" button. IT would be the NYC compliant horn.

 

[SMiller]

Situation could be viewed as you escalated the situation in case you were in the wrong.

I did not say you were in the wrong but a prosecutor might feel differently.

Situation awareness as well as having your weapon on your person would have helped.

DQ does have good chicken fingers!

 

[Paul30]

Car horns, use them only when it improves safety, never as a negative feedback signal. There are some people out there who are a breath away from snapping, and they aren't labeled. I never use my horn unless it is going to help prevent an accident, or on rare occasion if I am at a light and the person in front of me is visibly texting after the light has changed and it's been about half a light cycle, never a second or two after it changes. Even then it is the shortest honk I can make. If someone is backing into me and doesn't see me, puling into my lane while I am still using it, etc. they get a short honk. If a feedback honk results in a bloody mess in court, you will forever regret honking a horn in anger. I also had to train a girlfriend not to honk MY horn when she did not like another drivers actions.

As for the gun retrieved that is a topic that might need legal clarification from a legal source. I never really thought about it until now but I can clearly see why you would "retrieve" it from a place you had it stored because if the situation escalated you might not have time to get to it. I imagine your thought was to get it in a more convinient location in case it went south, and that's human. I don't know if the courts would view that, most carry it in a holster on the body, but everyone is different. I understand wanting to have it with you even if you can't carry at work. Perhaps keep it in the holster in the console while at work, then put the holster on your body as soon as you get in the vehicle. I don't know if the courts would view retrieving it from it's location as drawing it from a holster with intent to use it.

I agree with others here, escape if possible, and think ahead so it is possible. I don't pull up a few feet from the car in front of me, and always consider alternate exit routes if something happened. A suv with awd or 4wd gives you other options, as the person found out when they drove over the motorcycle riders who were trying to trap him and attack his family. The hands up don't shoot crowd found out a suv with awd will get you out of an angry mob too, even if you have to drive over someone.

In short, don't have any part in starting an altercation, escalating an altercation, and use every resource possible to avoid having to use lethal force. When all that does not work, shoot to stop their actions, and stop shooting when you feel your life is no longer in danger. We can't always avoid using lethal force, but I plan to make every effort to try to avoid it until the day I die.

 

[mtinner]

Let's try to think what would have happened if you didn't honk that horn.

 

[looney2ns]

Avoidance is key in any self defense situation. It is good to think through scenarios and decide what you would do.

 

[bmbutch]

Am I just that old, that lucky, that naive?

I can remember when you goofed driving, you got honked at, you gave a "sorry wave", & that was that.

Now days, you give a brief honk at the person just sitting @ green light, & you get the bird, dude stepping out of car, rarely, very rarely the "sorry wave".

Maybe I just lived in the right town until I moved away 27 years ago.....

 

[ModernGunner]

Bleh, I drive in Chicagoland traffic daily. There's so many dipstick drivers out there I just starting laying on the 'E-F-F-F-F Y-O-U-U-U!" horn as soon as I leave the house, and don't release the button until I'm parked back home!

Around Chicagoland, car manufacturers should make a horn that starts blasting as soon as the vehicle is put in 'D', LOL...

 

[TTravis]

Sounds like you handled it well and kept it from escilating. I've had the same type of thing happen to me before. It seems that they can sense when you are not intimidated, especially when your have your hand on your unseen pistol. It throws them off when they see a serious, rather than a scared look on your face. One time I rolled down my window with a guy shouting at me about 20 feet away to make it easier to shoot if I had to. I just looked at him and smiled and waited for him to fishish his fit. He took off when he realised that I was either crazy, or capable of blowing his ass away******, or both. When you are not afraid, or bothered by their yelling/cussing when they think you should be, It throws them off their attack. BTW, that incident was my fault, but still no cause for road rage.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

hey Adam.
see post #16

 

[1911ly]

hey Adam.
see post#16

I'd guess he had second thoughts! To bad the internet is forever.

 

[Harleyrider_50]

hey Adam.
see post #16

I'd guess he had second thoughts! To bad the internet is forever.

.....Rec'n......I'm dense.......cuzzzz......I'm miss'n the the point, evidently.....

 

[1775usmarine]

.....Rec'n......I'm dense.......cuzzzz......I'm miss'n the the point, evidently.....

Appears he tried to delete his comments though someone had quoted his first post so now it lives on.

 

[Harleyrider_50]

Appears he tried to delete his comments though someone had quoted his first post so now it lives on.

ohhhh..........
had'n been back ta the 1st page.......did go ta #16, which's MINE....an' thought.....
".....?.....ok, whut'a hell's the problem?..."

 

[bwframe]

Looks like the OP took his ball and went home. He wiped all of his posts including the "Save my dog" thread where he was shooting inside city limits.

Maybe thought better, maybe didn't like the responses?

 

[Paul30]

If a conscientious member quoted him, could they edit their post to remove it? I'm sure it lives elsewhere, but it's less obvious.

 

[Dead Duck]

Hello everyone.

I am new to this site and this is my first posting. Please forgive me if this topic has already been discussed. I just wanted to get everyone opinion about an incident that happened to me yesterday on my way home from work. Like so many companies these days, I am not allowed to have my gun inside the building, so I leave it in my glove box in my locked truck while at work.

Yesterday after work, I stoped off at Dairy Queen to get something to eat (I love those chicken strip baskets). After pulling out of the Dairy Queen, a kid maybe 19 or 20 pulled out in front of me. When I say pulled out in front of me, I mean he missed me by maybe a foot. I slammed on the brakes and laid on my horn and as soon asI hit the horn, he slams on his brakes and puts his truck in park. As soon as I saw him putting his truck in park, I threw open my glove box and grabbed m gun. I didn't grab my gun because I was looking for a fight, but because I didn't know if he was going to come out with a weapon of his own. When he got out of his truck, he starting mouthing off saying stuff like "f**K you" and "whats your problem" I remained in my truck and said "your the one who pulled in front of me".

My gun was always below the dash, he never saw it and I never pointed it at him. Not sure if he saw me retrieve it or not. I didn't get out of the truck, not because I was scared, but because I didn't want to escalate the situation any and I never pointed it at him because when he got out, his hands were empty. He mouthed off a couple more things and then got in his truck and pulled away. I did not pursue him because I just wanted to let it go.

I will admit, the whole situation got my heart rate up a little, again not because I was scared, but because I thought I might have to take a Human life. Like i said his hands were empty, But had he approached my truck, I would've pointed it at him to show him that I'm willing to defend myself. I believe that if you carry your gun and get into a situation like that, then you have a responsibility to be more mature and level headed than the other person and to deescalate the situation rather than escalating it.

Anyways, that's my story. Just wanted to see what you guys thought and maybe what you would've done differently.
Thanks to all my 2A brethren and Stay safe.

Oh - It exists...
https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/carry-issues-self-defense/376135-road-rage.html#post5683205