Road Rage Caught On Tape

[MJS]

**Warning: Some Strong Language**


Came across this clip on another forum. What initially led up to this was not caught on tape, so I'm not sure who was initially to blame, but if I had to take a guess, I'd say the guy on the outside of the car may be the cause.

What are your thoughts on what you saw?

How do you feel the situation was handled by the guy in the car?

How do you feel the situation was handled by the LEOs once they arrived?

What would you have done if you were in this situation?

 

[MJS]

To answer my own questions:

If the guy on the outside was to blame, then IMO, the little punk got what he deserved.

The cops IMO, handled the situation very good. The first cop on scene took control, had the guy in the car stay where he was, hands on the car, and cuffed the other guy. Although the camera didn't show this, I got the impression that he was arriving as he saw the other 2 outside of the car, hence his comment, "Shut the **** up, I saw you!"

The guy in the car probably should have just driven off, but he didn't so....

Rolling up the window was an option, although probably not the best one, as the guy on the outside could have and probably would have forced it down. I was a bit surprised that the guy in the orange shirt didn't get out of his car sooner.

What would I have done? My first instinct would probably be to stop as well, although you really don't know what you're getting into if you do stop. I always have my cell phone with me when I'm out, so calling the police is important. There have been a few times when I have stopped, however, nothing led to anything physical.

In the perfect world, its easy to say that you'd just shrug it off, because its really not worth getting into it with someone. However, when someone else on the road causes you to have to slam on your breaks or take evasive action to avoid a crash, its kinda hard not to lean on the horn, yell something out the window, etc. On the other hand, I don't think that we should have to subject ourselves to being spit on, such as we saw in the clip, as well as our car damaged. Sure, we can say the damage can be fixed, but do you want to just sit idle while some jerk damages your car? Thats like saying you wouldn't fight for your loved one if someone was harming them.

 

[KenpoTex]

can't really say for sure as the video does not provide us with the complete story (what led to the incident, positioning of the vehicles, etc.) but he probably would have been better off just driving away. Get the license number of the other guy's car, as well as a description of the BG and drive off while calling the cops.

If the BG is actually trying to force his way into the car (and you can't just drive off)...treat it like an attepted car-jacking.

 

[terryl965]

I would say we really have no ideal what lead up to that point but with the evidence we have the guy on the outside sure was at fault or seemed to be.

 

[stickarts]

can't really say for sure as the video does not provide us with the complete story (what led to the incident, positioning of the vehicles, etc.) but he probably would have been better off just driving away. Get the license number of the other guy's car, as well as a description of the BG and drive off while calling the cops.

If the BG is actually trying to force his way into the car (and you can't just drive off)...treat it like an attepted car-jacking.

Thats basically how I see it also.

 

[fireman00]

don't stop, get the license plate number, call 911, keep the windows up... what if the guy had a knife or gun? Who was the person filming? What if was wife and kids in the car?

 

[MA-Caver]

From the brief description of the video (after watching it) it says that the BG was angry because the guy in the orange cut him off, thus spurring the road-rage.
Note: Don't cut anybody off if you can help it. I don't know how many times I've allowed someone to just go on ahead of me instead of speeding up and jumping into their lane. I know where my exits are on the freeway and plan ahead accordingly, I know where I need to turn on city streets and again, plan accordingly by getting into a lane where I can turn without having to "jump" into it 1/2 block away.

Rolling up the window while holding on to the guy's arm has been discussed here before. The guy in the orange tried twice I think to get out of his vehicle but the hoodie wouldn't let him. Why he didn't attempt to exit out the passenger side door (even by crawling over someone sitting there) is a mystery to me.
I would imagine that blood pressures and heart rates were pounding for the both of them. It's a scary situation to be sure. Either ONE of them could've had a gun.

Yes, the cops handled it well. Kudos to them and kudos for their prompt response to whatever 911 call made it to them. Probably just happened to be in the area.

 

[girlbug2]

Yes, if driving off was an option it would have been the best one.

Next best would have been if he had been able to roll up the window. May not have been able to for some reason..? Hoodie guy blocking?

Failing that, the orange shirt guy was correct in waiting until the moment he did before exiting the vehicle. First, because the other was too close before that and second, because that was when the cop arrived to witness hoodie guy pounding the car. Excellent timing, I must say.

 

[Mike Hamer]

I definitly would have just drove away.

 

[Pacificshore]

This is why we all need one of these.........................


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1882664901133929840&q=&hl=en

 

[MJS]

This is why we all need one of these.........................


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1882664901133929840&q=&hl=en

LOL!! That was great!! And yes, we do need one of those! :ultracool

 

[stickarts]

this is why we all need one of these.........................


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1882664901133929840&q=&hl=en

lol!

 

[bowser666]

It also goes to show that pulling over and confronting is a dumb idea. What if the guy had a gun, and plugged him as soon as he reached into the car. People just don't think these days. Is that extra .5 a second you gain from cutting someone off worth it?

 

[Jdokan]

The neanderthal in me says I would have positioned me stopping the car so I could get out of it faster & knock the guy out...BUT... then THINKING about it rationalizing I shouldn't stop....or confront...WHen the guy did jump out and knock him down the downed guy could have been run over...not good...leaving his parents burying a child...not good.....
He seemed to me to have been on some sort of drug or whatever......

Easy to judge when you're not involved....
???

 

[bowser666]

Easy to judge when you're not involved....
???[/quote]


It actually is very easy to judge. I would have more than enough brains to not pull over to confront someone with road rage. I also drive courteously. Problem solved.

 

[kidswarrior]

I agree with most of the above. Two points, though: First, we really don't know how this started, and who the 'bad guy' really was, even tho first cop on the scene said he saw it (what part, tho?). Second, officer turned his back to one of the two unknown guys on the scene while cuffing the first one, so literally bet his life on being right about who the BG was. What if he'd been wrong, and Orange T Shirt had been the real aggressor (or just a sociopath--or rage-aholic); OTS could have easily pulled a weapon--even the officer's weapon--and killed both officer and kid.

Or am I missing something? (Sound wasn't real clear for me).

 

[Archangel M]

Sure, we can say the damage can be fixed, but do you want to just sit idle while some jerk damages your car? Thats like saying you wouldn't fight for your loved one if someone was harming them.

Thats stretching it a bit dont ya think? The only property I would defend like a human is my home.

 

[MJS]

Thats stretching it a bit dont ya think? The only property I would defend like a human is my home.

To each his own. Personally, I work hard for what I have, and the thought of some clown damaging my vehicle, while I hide inside doesn't sit well with me. What good is sitting inside going to do, when all he has to do is bust the window and now he has access to me?

If possible, drive off. Thats no different than talking your way out of a dispute. I've preached that many times, that doing your best to verbally defuse is the 1st option. However, it may not always work, so if talking or in this case driving away isn't an option, you have to go to plan B.

 

[celtic_crippler]

People get cut off in traffic all the time. I hate it when it happens to me, but I don't chase the perp down and confront him/her in their car. That idiot is lucky he didnt' run down some lunatic with a shotgun under his seat. Instead of getting his head blown off he just got a love tap on the chin. He should chalk it up to experience and count his blessings.

 

[bluemtn]

My question is, if the guy in orange cut him off, how come they didn't keep going? Did the guy in the hoodie follow the one in orange, or were they both so p.o'd, that they pulled off together?

If I were in either position, I wouldn't have pulled over at all. You never know what is going on in the other person's head, nowadays. If I was forced over, I'd have made darned sure I knew where my cell phone was, and in the process of calling 911. Same with if I was followed, but I would've tried to find a good location, where I either could get help ASAP, or had plenty of witnesses around, or was able to make a quick exit. Having the window rolled up isn't a 100% gaurantee that the other couldn't get in, but it still buys some time for figuring a way to get something to defend yourself with, or figure out how to get out fast.