South Florida Road Rage

J

Jim567

New member
A few years back when I lived there -

I had a .22 pistol I just retrieved from the gunsmith, it was sitting in a gun rug on my passenger seat.

It was Friday, I was happy and I was on the way home for a cold one :) .

As I slowed my vehicle for a red light a maniac passed me, cut me off, forced me off the road and stopped at the red light in front of me as I pulled back on the road.

OK -- I was in a really good mood, this wasn't gonna spoil it.

I had my right hand on the steering wheel and kinda wagged my index finger at him. Surprised he could even see it, my hand never left the wheel. Didn't point, just wagged the finger twice.

Next thing I know he is jumping out of the car coming to my vehicle. I am boxed in.

My first thought - is - I don't want to loose my gun rights / get in trouble.

Threw the pistol in the glove box.

What to do ---

He was almost to my car.

I pointed up to the red light like it changed to green.

He cursed me, turned around to get in his car, saw the light was still red and cursed me again.

Then it really turned green and we were back on the road.

Maybe not what John Wayne would have done but ----

On any given day :) Who knows?
 
Maybe not John Wayne, but Bugs Bunny perhaps? :D

Road Rage didn't seem to be a "thing" until they named it -- that gave it sort of a legitimacy. I wonder if that was on purpose because it makes for great news stories (which then adds to the feedback loop)
 
Maybe not John Wayne, but Bugs Bunny perhaps?

----------------------------------

:D

Read my next story " You Never Know -- " !!!
 
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So you gave him the finger ?? Not smart . he might have thought it another finger .so you escalated things -worst move. Next time just tell him he should have turned left at ,,never mind he probably doesn;t know where that is .
 
Jim,

There are lots of idiot drivers in Florida. Your location shows you are in the NE part so I will assume Jacksonville. We have a lot more idiot drivers down here in Miami. Miami even won the worst road-rage award 2 years running (not a badge of honor for us).

The best advice is that cooler heads prevail. The way I see it, I have a lot more to lose than a lot of people and having thicker skin will keep me out of a lot of trouble. If trouble does find me though, I will not hesitate to protect myself and my family.
 
I lived in Ft Laud and worked in Miami ten years. It was a zoo.
Jacksonville area / I live in NW St Johns County is worlds better to drive :).
Worlds better lol!
 
"having thicker skin (than the other guy) will keep me out of a lot of trouble"

That's the thought for today.
 
So you gave him the finger ?? Not smart . he might have thought it another finger .so you escalated things -worst move. Next time just tell him he should have turned left at ,,never mind he probably doesn;t know where that is .
Click to expand...

Oh please... there is absolutely nothing Jim could have done that wouldn't have escalated this. Make eye contact, avoid eye contact, etc. The fault here lies totally with the maniac.
 
You did the right thing. I'll take a cold beer over a fist or gunfight any day of the week. Road ragers are losers with mental instabilities.
 
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I have just relayed two fairly odd stories of situations involving guns in adverse situations.
This is my only other story and fairly straight forward.
The only time I ever displayed a firearm.
I was downtown Miami pulling a conveyor permit some years ago.
The building I had to pull the permit at was the same area that housed the tent city that held the Marielitios ( Cuban Refuges of the 80's exodus) some few years prior. You saw a mock up of it in Scar Face.
The parking was all under an underpass.
As I got close to my car, two scruffy men who had been laying down in a rusted out Mercedes quickly left the car and started toward me.
I sped to my car, locked it and put my firearm in my lap as they approached me and rapped on my window.
They stopped when they saw the pistol in my lap and said " Nice Car ".
"I said, yeah, and I will keep it". They turned and walked away.
End of story.
Maybe I should have just hurried to start the car. I felt at the time --- they were right on my A$$ so I did what I did. You can always second guess.
Here is to hoping I never have another story.
The three stories span 25 years. I am 60 now.
All the wild crazy stuff and the hairy places I went as a young man, places maybe I shouldn't have gone :) --- nary a problem.
All the problems happened coming home from work,working, or sitting in my easy chair!!!! In my middle age.

Jeesh!!! lol
 
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