Are these people insane?

In article >, Arif Khokar wrote:
> TCS wrote:
>
>> I once had some idiot chasing and tailgating me at 20mph over the speed
>> limit and who obviously intended to have an accident and take me with him.
>
> Interesting. How did this whole thing start out?

You'll be surprised how little it takes to set some psychos off. I had
some dufus in a blazer act like he was going to ram me. My crime? I was
making it through traffic faster than him and didn't give in to his
previous attempts at intimidation. (expecting me to brake as he tried to
force his way into my lane, etc etc)

On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 20:28:28 GMT, Arif Khokar > wrote:
>TCS wrote:

>> I once had some idiot chasing and tailgating me at 20mph over the speed
>> limit and who obviously intended to have an accident and take me with him.

>Interesting. How did this whole thing start out?

We were both leaving a parking lot and I honked at him and pointed at the
continuous merge lane that he was too stupid to understand how to use. He
was waiting for the three main lanes to open up for a half mile in order to
exit. After I honked, he gave me the finger. As I passed him in the merge
lane (he was at that point in the right main lane doing 5mph) I returned the
gesture. Next thing I knew, he was on my tail looking for an accident. I hit
the brakes on a strip without any side streets for 500' figuring it was
better to have the accident there than at the next intersection where a
pedestrian would probably get hit. Instead of running into me, he ran
himself off the road. Very kind of him. I bet his daddy was ****ed.

TCS wrote:
> On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 20:28:28 GMT, Arif Khokar > wrote:
>
>>TCS wrote:
>
>
>>>I once had some idiot chasing and tailgating me at 20mph over the speed
>>>limit and who obviously intended to have an accident and take me with him.
>
>
>>Interesting. How did this whole thing start out?
>
>
> We were both leaving a parking lot and I honked at him and pointed at the
> continuous merge lane that he was too stupid to understand how to use. He
> was waiting for the three main lanes to open up for a half mile in order to
> exit. After I honked, he gave me the finger. As I passed him in the merge
> lane (he was at that point in the right main lane doing 5mph) I returned the
> gesture. Next thing I knew, he was on my tail looking for an accident. I hit
> the brakes on a strip without any side streets for 500' figuring it was
> better to have the accident there than at the next intersection where a
> pedestrian would probably get hit. Instead of running into me, he ran
> himself off the road. Very kind of him. I bet his daddy was ****ed.
>

Did you stick around for the cops?

> >
> > We were both leaving a parking lot and I honked at him and pointed at
the
> > continuous merge lane that he was too stupid to understand how to use.
He
> > was waiting for the three main lanes to open up for a half mile in order
to
> > exit. After I honked, he gave me the finger. As I passed him in the
merge
> > lane (he was at that point in the right main lane doing 5mph) I returned
the
> > gesture. Next thing I knew, he was on my tail looking for an accident. I
hit
> > the brakes on a strip without any side streets for 500' figuring it was
> > better to have the accident there than at the next intersection where a
> > pedestrian would probably get hit. Instead of running into me, he ran
> > himself off the road. Very kind of him. I bet his daddy was ****ed.
> >
>
> Did you stick around for the cops?

Why would he . . . so the other guy could try to drag him into sharing some
responsibility for a one-car accident, somehow? -Dave

Dave C. wrote:

>>Did you stick around for the cops?
>
>
> Why would he . . . so the other guy could try to drag him into sharing some
> responsibility for a one-car accident, somehow? -Dave

I'm not sure...what if someone wrote down his license plate # and
called the cops? Even if you're not at fault in an accident, or are
a mere witness, arent you required to wait for the cops?

In article >, 223rem wrote:
> Dave C. wrote:
>
>>>Did you stick around for the cops?
>>
>>
>> Why would he . . . so the other guy could try to drag him into sharing some
>> responsibility for a one-car accident, somehow? -Dave
>
> I'm not sure...what if someone wrote down his license plate # and
> called the cops? Even if you're not at fault in an accident, or are
> a mere witness, arent you required to wait for the cops?

Even if so, why would cops care to track you down even if they could?
Unless there is a fatality, expect no investigation what-so-ever.

Brent P wrote:
> In article >, 223rem wrote:
>
>>Dave C. wrote:
>>
>>
>>>>Did you stick around for the cops?
>>>
>>>
>>>Why would he . . . so the other guy could try to drag him into sharing some
>>>responsibility for a one-car accident, somehow? -Dave
>>
>>I'm not sure...what if someone wrote down his license plate # and
>>called the cops? Even if you're not at fault in an accident, or are
>>a mere witness, arent you required to wait for the cops?
>
>
> Even if so, why would cops care to track you down even if they could?
> Unless there is a fatality, expect no investigation what-so-ever.

OK, but in a scenario like above, you be sure wheter there is
a fatality or severe injury.

In article >, 223rem wrote:
> Brent P wrote:
>> In article >, 223rem wrote:
>>
>>>Dave C. wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>>Did you stick around for the cops?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Why would he . . . so the other guy could try to drag him into sharing some
>>>>responsibility for a one-car accident, somehow? -Dave
>>>
>>>I'm not sure...what if someone wrote down his license plate # and
>>>called the cops? Even if you're not at fault in an accident, or are
>>>a mere witness, arent you required to wait for the cops?
>>
>>
>> Even if so, why would cops care to track you down even if they could?
>> Unless there is a fatality, expect no investigation what-so-ever.
>
> OK, but in a scenario like above, you be sure wheter there is
> a fatality or severe injury.

I've stopped where I wasn't involved in case the person was hurt.

But in this case, I agree with the person that was there. All stopping would do is
provide the tard with the name and address of the person he was trying to
harm. Informing the cops why he ended up where he did might result in a couple
of tickets for the tard. However it opens one up to all sorts of trouble as the
tard might try to claim he was run off the road, yadda yadda. Risk to benefit
ratio says keep going. Call 911 if there is concern the person may be hurt.

On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 21:12:44 GMT, 223rem > wrote:
>TCS wrote:
>> On Wed, 09 Mar 2005 20:28:28 GMT, Arif Khokar > wrote:
>>
>>>TCS wrote:
>>
>>
>>>>I once had some idiot chasing and tailgating me at 20mph over the speed
>>>>limit and who obviously intended to have an accident and take me with him.
>>
>>
>>>Interesting. How did this whole thing start out?
>>
>>
>> We were both leaving a parking lot and I honked at him and pointed at the
>> continuous merge lane that he was too stupid to understand how to use. He
>> was waiting for the three main lanes to open up for a half mile in order to
>> exit. After I honked, he gave me the finger. As I passed him in the merge
>> lane (he was at that point in the right main lane doing 5mph) I returned the
>> gesture. Next thing I knew, he was on my tail looking for an accident. I hit
>> the brakes on a strip without any side streets for 500' figuring it was
>> better to have the accident there than at the next intersection where a
>> pedestrian would probably get hit. Instead of running into me, he ran
>> himself off the road. Very kind of him. I bet his daddy was ****ed.
>>

>Did you stick around for the cops?

No, although I found a phone and called 911.

Daniel J. Stern wrote:

>
> Or, y'know, option 'C': Back off, take a breath, wait for the temporary
> snarl to clear up, and be on your way.
>

Of course you're right. Are you always rational?