Road Rage story..

[CWLONGSHOT]

Guys I post this little story for you so maybe you will think twice before jumping out to "adjust: someone who wronged you out there... I don't tell you this to brag or try to impress, we are "friends here, I'm just trying to impress to possible finality of a split second decision that can change your life in an instant.

 

PLEASE BE CAREFUL!

 

Here is a little story for you guys... I normally don't do this, but this guy really tweaked me.

The other nite a guy cut me off, and then gave me a break job 2X! I pulled into on coming traffic and tromped on the MJ to get around him. (No one was coming and I could see better than a 1/4 mile ahead.) Well, he MJ is fairly quick for a 22year old 6cyl, but no match for the late 2000s Intrepid he was driving. So I pulled back in behind him and followed ... At the next light the road opened to two lanes and I pulled to the right and drove right by the guy, I looked at him as I did, but tinted window showed me nothing. At the next light, (100 yards from last) He gunned it and swerved and cut me off again!!! :headpop: :fs1: . I threw the truck in park and jumped out... I holler at him he is a AH and drives like a F-IN AH. . . I get to the side of his car, his window is down. The guy says, "know what?" and pulls up his shirt showing me a pistol! I tell him I don't give a F%$K if you have a gun, pull it out and lets see what happens! He is surprised to say the least, and as I am in a "command" position and notice he is left handed. Then he tells me he has a badge too! Then call him a AH and say something like " BIG surprise, another COP that cannot drive"! He tells me I should get back in my car! We exchange some more words, I suggest we visit the local PD. he repeats that I should get back in my car. I am really fuming... I get back in as I do, he peels out, pulling away.

I get to thinking, NO WAY he was a cop. I'm thinking corrections officer. Cocky, young and a AH for sure. My pop was there and asked what I would have done if he did pull the pistol. My instant response was, "Take it away from him" The look on his face when I responded to his proclaiming then showing the piece was shock. I noticed he was lefty and kinda cramped in the car. NO WAY he could get that pistol out before I would have had it and he was smart enough to see the weakness of his position and the error of his ways. The look on his face was dismay.

 

On the way home, I called up a good friend on the department in that town, a Sargent. I recited this story to him. We spoke on this for some time. I am not pursuing anything more with this. I just want to mention it as I am sure many of you guys get pissed just like me and want to kick some @$$. But you never know what that driver is carrying or capable of. This is one place where turning the other cheek is GOOD ADVICE!! I was very lucky he wasn't crazy or drugged. Cooler heads prevail... It's not cowderess, its not a matter of whose tougher or more macho. Let those people go, get away from them, don't confront them, you have no way of knowing who or what they are or what they are capable of at that time. Simply said, its not worth it!

 

CW

[Backroads]

I was waiting for the story to end with 'then later that night when I got home, a police car was waiting in my driveway' lol!

 

Similar incident happened to my wife the other day....

 

She was driving to the grocery store to get some last minute mothers day dinner supplies. Pulls in, parks, goes in for groceries....comes back out to see 2 cop car sitting here and thinks to herself 'ooohh someones in trouble :D ' little did she know it was her!!!

 

They claimed some woman driving a red GMC, said my wife 'hit them at the stop sign then fled the scene' dumbfounded by this, (my wife knows cars, thanks to me) says she wasnt following a red GMC.....moments later the accuser shows up in a red jeep liberty with a tire on the back (of which she then tells the officer she recogized)

 

Long ridiculous story short, this lady, with not a lick of damage to anything, and even if there WAS, it would be to my wifes car as her plastic grill met the tire :doh: claimed my wife 'bumped' her at the stop, then fled the scene (to go grocery shopping double :wall: ) and was ready to press charges! On top of all that the cop was treating my wife like shes a total criminal, claiming hes gonna take her to jail for lying about the GMC thing.

 

In the end, the cops asked the lady if she wanted to press charges, and they would go into the grocery store and get the cameras to watch her illegedly chasing my wife around the parking lot....which never happened. And she then gave up on the bogus story.

 

The last words the cop said to my wife was 'next time don't fu*&*!@ ever lie to me again. and let her go...

 

 

so everyone...apparently make sure your car is 100% in mint condition because apparently any previously existing scratches or dents could possibly hold you accountable in the future.

[JeepcoMJ]

had a tractor with a 3 point mounted blade (grader) for sale at the end of my parents driveway when I was 17.

 

came home late one night, there's a pickup there at the end of the driveway. get closer...the grader is loaded in the back.

 

I pulled over with my gf in the truck, told her to stay put, walked over to the thief's truck, opened the door, and took the keys before they even had a chance to react. they were just about to leave.

 

 

told them stay put, cops will be on the way to pick them up shortly. police show up, ask how I kept them there...I said that I simply took their keys and told them to stay put. Boy, you would have thought I did something wrong...they yelled (literally) at me for being a dumbass and reaching in their car.

 

 

idiots. at 17 years old, I'm really gonna let someone steal my $500 grader off of my fully restored Massey Harris high crop model 50, that I paid for cash money and restored with my dad.

 

 

didn't press charges, but let them sit in jail. that was my dad's idea...they were a few years older than me, and after that they came over and helped out doing work at the house for awhile, plus invited me to some decent parties.

 

*shrug*. in general, police or people who supposedly uphold the law are idiots. they pulled my brother over no less than 40 times in his porsche 944...he had it for less than a year, never sped, and it wasn't that loud. it said turbo on the back, so they pulled him over. it was a sports car, so they said the exhaust was loud...it was quieter than my comanche.

[aemsee]

I used to experience road rage. It has clamed down a great deal since having kids. But I still have a quick finger :D . What really calmed me down was getting my pistol permit. Now I realize that ANYONE could be packing. I KNOW that I am.

[Akula69]

Geez - I can sure feel the love for law enforcement here :popcorn:

 

*shrug*. in general, police or people who supposedly uphold the law are idiots.

 

In 13-plus years of law enforcement I have run into a few folks who have this very short sighted opinion. I always try to be fair and listen to opposing views, but I'll put it like this: While there are certainly individuals that are comissioned officers that should not be, by far the number that are honest folks trying to do a job outweigh them. Please remember that the next time you call 911 for assistance or do something else spectacularly silly that requires your upper-most appendage removed from your defecator.

 

As a civilian, no matter how "John Wayne" your are feeling it is almost always a bad idea to confront an aggressor (unless you have no choice). As God has given most of us the ability to see and record the details of events that go on around us, it is far better to be a good witness rather then a possible hero....as it is very difficult to relate the facts to the police later if you are dead.

[aemsee]

I have known, worked with and been around a large number of LEO's. Especially over the net being involved with some gun websites. MOST are good people. Some are a-holes. But I think that is a pretty small percentage. Just think about what their average days interaction with the general public entails. I think very few of us could do it. My hat is off to MOST LE people.

[DJM/78]

:agree:

Its not the cops its fuggin laws that bind us from protecting our land and property , those same laws bind law enforcement from doing there

job . So in the end the criminal wins and we are left pointing the finger at the law for upholding stupid laws that protect criminals .

 

CW I would have followed that SOB until the cops made me stop , had that MF'ers bage # real quick , no cop I've ever met pulls steel

at a whim , if so he wouldn't be a cop very long .

[dasbulliwagen]

Back to OP, If the guy just showed you his gun, thats called brandishing and is illegal, and he said he had a badge, but didnt show you? Either he's impersonating an officer... also VERY illegal, or he knew he was in the wrong as well and didnt want to chance getting in trouble himself. And if him cutting you off was for some legit reason, I think he would have either arrested you, or cited you on the spot.

[Akula69]

Back to OP, If the guy just showed you his gun, thats called brandishing and is illegal, and he said he had a badge, but didnt show you? Either he's impersonating an officer... also VERY illegal, or he knew he was in the wrong as well and didnt want to chance getting in trouble himself. And if him cutting you off was for some legit reason, I think he would have either arrested you, or cited you on the spot.

 

I had a similar experience to CW's and I will tell you how we are REQUIRED to handle it as a LEO:

 

I was driving my mother-in-law's minivan (GASP) and a young guy with several girls in a Chrysler Sebring convertable saw the Handicapped plate and, probably thinking he was gonna have some fun at granny's expense roared up from behind and past on the driver's side at about 75 MPH in a 55 zone. I was going 55-60 MPH, and when he got in front of me he jammed on the brakes so hard he went sideways. After sufficently re-gaining my wits I got his plate and called it in via cellphone while following him at a safe distance. He saw me calling and became nervous, pulling into store parking lots and other places until the road unit arrived. When I got out he was hollering to the officer about how I was "stalking" him :roll: . I simply walked up, showed my ID and signed the citation as the affiant. There was none of this silliness of waving middle fingers or pulling up along side to compare penis length....just enforcing the law.

 

I agree with CW, this guy he encountered was probably NOT a LEO but a security guard wanna-be or (worse) a private investigator who thinks he was the po-lice.

 

I realize my comments will probably grate aginst the younger folks here in the forum, and I don't apologize for that. No one like to have restrictions on thier behavior when they are "having fun". But the fact of the matter is there really are some folks out there who have no clue how to act, and unfortunately one bad apple can spoil it (at least until I figure out you are NOT nuts) for the rest.

[Eagle]

Geez - I can sure feel the love for law enforcement here :popcorn:

 

*shrug*. in general, police or people who supposedly uphold the law are idiots.

 

In 13-plus years of law enforcement I have run into a few folks who have this very short sighted opinion. I always try to be fair and listen to opposing views, but I'll put it like this: While there are certainly individuals that are comissioned officers that should not be, by far the number that are honest folks trying to do a job outweigh them. Please remember that the next time you call 911 for assistance or do something else spectacularly silly that requires your upper-most appendage removed from your defecator.

 

As a civilian, no matter how "John Wayne" your are feeling it is almost always a bad idea to confront an aggressor (unless you have no choice). As God has given most of us the ability to see and record the details of events that go on around us, it is far better to be a good witness rather then a possible hero....as it is very difficult to relate the facts to the police later if you are dead.

If you are a "good cop," you are in a very small minority. Maybe it's a regional thing. Around here (and I'm in the same general area as CWLongshot), most so-called police officers are low-lifes who have a power problem. They almost all have shaved heads and think of themselves as "operators." They act like laws don't apply to them, they think nothing of lying to cover when a fellow officer screws the pooch, they treat victims like criminals, they speed whether on or off duty, they yak on their cell phones while driving even though that's against the law ... and then they have the nerve to wonder why the world isn't kissing their posteriors.

 

When I was a kid, I knew every cop in town and was on a first name basis with all of them. Except the chief. He wasn't "Richie" ... he was "Chief Richie." Back then, if you called because of a trespasser or someone suspicious in the farmer's field across the street, they went after the subject of the call first, found out what was going on, and came over to fill you in and take your complaint after the fact. Now, they roll two or three "units" for every call ... and they all come to my house first, clog up the driveway, and while they're busily writing down my full name (including the spelled out version of the middle name), date of birth and social security number ... the perps are making tracks. By the time our intrepid boys in blue finally get around to investigating ... there's nothing left to investigate.

 

Had to call State Police headquarters one day to ask a routine, administrative question. Female trooper answered. Before she would let me start my question, she asked my name and date of birth. I told her I wasn't making a complaint or filing a report and she didn't NEED my name and date of birth. She immediately shifted into "command voice" and demanded that I give her my full name and date of birth. After a couple of volleys of this idiocy, I hung up, called back and got her sergeant, had a nice chat AND got my question answered ... and didn't ever mention name or date of birth.

 

We have a big problem here in Connecticut about open carry of handguns. CW probably knows about this. It's legal if you have a carry permit; the permit and the law say nothing about "concealed." but the police have decided that they don't like open carry, so they arrest you if they see you open carrying. When they can't find a statute that says open carry isn't legal, they use the old stand-by: "disturbing the peace." How's that for a crock of manure?

 

Yeah, I just LOOOOOVE cops.

[Eagle]

The guy says, "know what?" and pulls up his shirt showing me a pistol!

That's called threatening. It's illegal and your friend the cop should have encouraged you to file a formal complaint so they could arrest the guy.

 

But ... I'm sure he was one of the fraternity, so there's no way they would encourage you to do that.

[JeepcoMJ]

Geez - I can sure feel the love for law enforcement here :popcorn:

 

*shrug*. in general, police or people who supposedly uphold the law are idiots.

 

In 13-plus years of law enforcement I have run into a few folks who have this very short sighted opinion. I always try to be fair and listen to opposing views, but I'll put it like this: While there are certainly individuals that are comissioned officers that should not be, by far the number that are honest folks trying to do a job outweigh them. Please remember that the next time you call 911 for assistance or do something else spectacularly silly that requires your upper-most appendage removed from your defecator.

 

As a civilian, no matter how "John Wayne" your are feeling it is almost always a bad idea to confront an aggressor (unless you have no choice). As God has given most of us the ability to see and record the details of events that go on around us, it is far better to be a good witness rather then a possible hero....as it is very difficult to relate the facts to the police later if you are dead.

 

it's alot simpler than that.

 

we only see or hear about the ones who screw up, not the ones who do a good job.

 

I only remember the bad experiences with police, not the good. it's because we're a negative society

[Oizarod115]

Geez - I can sure feel the love for law enforcement here :popcorn:

 

*shrug*. in general, police or people who supposedly uphold the law are idiots.

 

 

i have the same opinion as jeepcoMJ... except about people my age. (20) the general population of guys my age seem to be useless hotheaded and entitled idiots.

 

(that comment isn't directed at you pat, just speaking about people ive known or met)

[HOrnbrod]

Well, it's a LOT better in the States regarding firearms control, but I have to relate this "incident" I experienced while stationed in the Philippines. My wife and I were returning home from a nice dinner at the Subic Bay officers club. We had to pass through town (Olongapo) to get to our off-post house. While sitting at a red traffic light, an obviously drunk Philippine fool cop in uniform staggered across the street in front of my truck (had an 87 XJ at the time), looked in my windshield, saw my wife was a Filipina, made an abrupt left turn, opened his fly, and proceeded to squirt on my front bumper. This was about 10PM. I had rammed a few San Miguels at the club, lost it, jumped out of the XJ, grabbed the SOB and rammed his head into the hood a few times and proceeded to clock this clown best I could. This of course created a lot of attention; his buddies ran out of the Philippine Constable bar these a$$holes frequented. Wifey screamed to get back into the XJ, which I promptly did, and hauled. The bastids blew out my rear hatch window w. a one lucky shot, as they all had M16s they walked around with. Got home, parked the XJ for a few weeks, and used my BMW motor to commute to work until I got a new rear hatch and repaired the damage.

 

Stupid - I suppose so. Would I do it again, NOT with a qualified maybe. But at the time it was instant rage, and that's not a good thing. :nuts: Mama still talks about it since she had daughter #1 maturing in the oven. My regret is that I dented the hood pretty badly with this jerk's head. Should have used the bumper. :yes:

 

I have all the respect possible for our US of A police officers, but not much for our overseas neighbors.

[pilotblake]

I have a good friend and classmate of mine here in the midwest that is a state patrol man/swat team, and is a stand up guy. Even the knot head cops get put in demanding situations, that hopefully make then better people. It is like any job eventually it forces some sense into you :shake: . Having said that, I live in a small town and have some STUPID local cops. Oh the stories to tell

[MJ is dead]

Wait...the real question here is how in the holy horsecrap did you know he was left handed? :rotf:

[CWLONGSHOT]

Just to repeat, I didn't post this to be braggadocios. I know the age group here is much younger than I and simply wanted to try and impart some knowledge and experience. We know each other thru what we post here, we all have real lives and many do not recount them publicly.

 

I have the utmost respect for law enforcement. I have worked with them for many years now. I am a firearms certified firearms instructor a certified NRA range officer, a coach and a armorer of a couple different makes, both pistol and shotgun. I have built, repaired and sold tens of thousands of firearms thru the years as a manager of two large local gun stores. I got out of the business of sales about 5 years ago when I went back to construction and now work as a building mechanic.

 

I have dozens of very good friends in various departments both local and state in a couple different states. Some of these guys are the kind of friends I could call in the middle of the night, during there anniversary, holiday or kids birthday and have them on my door step with in a hour or so. I would do exactly the same for them, no questions asked. Mutual respect to say the least. Theirs is mostly a thankless job, this is a big part for the "good Ole boys mentality" and become Very Clicky. Because most every person a cop sees during the coarse of his day is some kind of a dirt bag, dregs of society. Many comment about there attitude when they are pulled over. People need to step back and realize these guys and gals take there lives in hand every time they pull someone over. They to never know who that person will be or what they may do or even what they may have just done! They know full well, people are capable of anything. Taking a command position and control of every situation is tantamount to doing there job safely.

 

Dasbulliwagen,

Of coarse it was brandishing, very foolish as well. Like I said he was young, cocky and I'm certain figured I would cower away with the mere sight of the firearm. The expression on his face when I responded that I didn't care what he had was draining or blank, all the "wind" was out of his sails. As for impersonation, he didn't say he was a cop. But the law reads something like if you respond in a way, because you think a person is a cop and that person leads you to believe he/she is a cop, then that person is impersonating a cop. I didn't intend on anything more than speaking my mind to the idiot. So altho I did "curtail" my responses, it's all I really wanted to do.

 

MJ,

"How did you know he was left handed" His pistol was on his left side, snapped, in a in-the-pants, waist-band holster, butt to the rear on his left side, Star/shield on the belt in front. In any situation, when the information you get by looking and observing can and does save your life. I look an entire room over, assess possible threats, exits and strong areas. I face the entrance/exits if at all possible. i listen to conversations and constantly access the changes in the area.

 

Eagle,

We have spoken on this topic... Yes he did urge me to pursue filing charges. I didn't get a badge number, I did see it it was right beside the pistol on his belt, under the shirt. It wasn't a regular shield either, not a star but was or did have small points on the top maybe three. I saw it when he first said "know what" and pulled the shirt up. I decided to let it go.

 

Akula69,

Thank you for the "police perspective"! :thumbsup:

 

CW

[Eagle]

This is what we deal with around here:

 

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009 ... 993326.txt

 

94 MPH in a 40 MPH zone, racing another patrol vehicle when not responding to a call. Result: two young adults killed.

 

Video is from the other patrol car's dash cam. Speed is at top of the screen. The unit with the dash cam was going almost 70 MPH (in a 40 MPH zone) when the other patrol car blew by him on the right (passing on the right is also illegal in Connecticut).

[Akula69]

This is what we deal with around here:

 

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009 ... 993326.txt

 

94 MPH in a 40 MPH zone, racing another patrol vehicle when not responding to a call. Result: two young adults killed.

 

Video is from the other patrol car's dash cam. Speed is at top of the screen. The unit with the dash cam was going almost 70 MPH (in a 40 MPH zone) when the other patrol car blew by him on the right (passing on the right is also illegal in Connecticut).

 

While this is tragic, it unfortunately happens all over the country. We recently had a similar type of incident here, but it was with a young officer who was off duty and had been drinking. When he approacheded a traffic check point for DUI he initally stopped and then (seeing the officers were his friends) sped through and crashed in a hairpin turn a bit further down the road. His date was severly injured (but will live without permanent damage) and he has been in a coma for the last three months.

 

Just goes to show you that there are officers who make bad decisions, and I do not defend them. We can only hope that the really dangerous ones are discovered before they cause other folks harm.

 

Here we have a similar setup...cameras in cars and mikes on our bodies that record all we say and do. Our Tazers have cameras on them so they record everything when we use them. Frankly I was against it at first as I was concerned it would cause the department to "witch hunt" folks that were not well liked, but as it turns out they have actually saved me a lot of grief from several complaints that were unfounded. The videos and audio are readily available to the lawyers and courts, and password protected so I cannot access them or change them.

[wyk]

This is what we deal with around here:

(passing on the right is also illegal in Connecticut).

 

:hijack:

 

With good reason. It could have been easily possible from the viewpoint the teens had that all they saw was the one cruiser with the video. That cruiser could have been blocking the view of the other officer in the cruiser traveling at 94MPH until it was too late due to both the angle and the high rate of speed. Even so, at night it is more difficult to gauge the speed of other vehicles, and no one is expecting someone coming at them at nearly 95MPH on a city road, let alone the fwy.

 

I was thoroughly appalled at some of the remarks in defense of the officers on that web page. This act is indefensible. Even if the officer had his overheads on and roman candles on every inch of his cruiser, you do not fly through an intersection at 94 mph on a city street, especially when there is traffic at the intersection.

 

There is currently an officer in jail in England for hitting a pedestrian at 100 mph: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/oct/26/police-patrol-car-crash-jail

He received 6.5 years. I wonder would I receive a similar sentence to a police officer if I committed such an act...especially if I hit a police officer even if he didn't have his lights on...

 

The problem we have is all it takes is virtually no effort of a search on the internet and one can find atrocities committed by the police by the scores. Civilians have a feeling that the police are out of control, and worse - act with a large amount of impunity. The 'thin blue line' is meaningless when the 'thick blue shield' is employed, as well. Power corrupts. Privilege corrupts. Officers have both of those. The only way to mediate it is to police the police. Until we have unbiased video and audio of everything they do, atrocities will continue to occur and go unreported. Even if they are watched 24-7, we will still see atrocities. They are human, and they make mistakes. But - that is never an excuse when it comes to law enforcement. In fact, when those that are required to enforce the laws abridge them, they must be punished more severely than those they watch over, as they have committed the crime two fold; they acted criminally, and they have betrayed the public trust. Otherwise you set a precedent of irresponsibility on their part - which is basically what we have - the thick blue shield.

 

In a free country, EVERYONE is wary of the police, and everyone will question their authority - and the police should expect that. Are we a free society? Being a police officer is not a job or a career - it is a service. Once they consider it anything other than that - they have compromised their morals. How many police officers do you know would read this post and say, "He has a point."?

[wyk]

OK, now for my road rage incident. Well, I have had several since I have driven all manner of things for a living at one point or another. Nearly every time, simply ignoring the other person is enough to make them go away. However, one night I was driving along in my 1964 Thunderbird. Few things get me visibly upset in real life, or on the road. Most of the time I am quite satisfied with simply muttering a few words under my breath and just driving onwards. Sometimes I see drivers that are so bad or doing something so stupid(how many of us have seen some idiot nearly stopped in the fast lane so he can make an exit?) it just makes me laugh and then cry...

 

So, anyways, I'm in my T-Bird in maybe 1997 or 96, it's just after midnight on a weekend and I am trying to make it home before the bars close and the true idiots get in their cars. I am not halfway home when some idiot in a truck drives up next to me, is swerving and varying their speed dangerously, and nearly hits me. I looked over to see if he was drunk and was greeted with a truck full of smiling young idiots that seemed to be enjoying their time harassing me. So, I slow down and try to let them pass. They respond by slowing down, as well. This is when they make me angry. Either the passenger or the guy riding b*@$£ threw a beer bottle onto the hood of my immaculate 1964 Ford Thunderbird. I hit the brakes, committed their tag to memory, and pulled over to check the damage.

 

After I was at a stop on the side of the road, I got out and about the time I leaned over the hood to check out the damage, I could hear that their truck was coming my way, and so I turned to look. They also had pulled over and were now backing up to me. When they got to about 30 yards away, the truck stopped and the doors opened. As the dust was clearing I noticed they had baseball bats. At the time, there was a 'gang' in that particular town that was known for beating up people, cars, etc with bats - usually minorities - especially Mexicans and illegals. I'm half German, the rest Cherokee and Japanese. With my tan, I can maybe see how they thought I was Mexican(ignoring the fact I am 6' tall). I had heard a lot about them, but I was still very surprised to see them. Now, I ALWAYS have a firearm when I travel - usually my first gen Glock 19 in the center console or even on my person. However, I reached in to the back seat instead of the console this time because I spent the day varmint hunting with a friend up in the hills(we took his truck) with my AR15. There weren't a lot of street lights where we were, so I made sure to step close to the front of my vehicle's headlights(I hadn't even bothered to turn the motor off) and racked the rifle and leveled it at them. I said one sentence loud and clear enough for them to hear, "I don't know when I am gonna start shooting, but it's gonna be soon here." They looked at me intensely for a good bit, then decided to go pick on someone else.

 

I never did remember that license plate. So, I just let it go. Fortunately, there was virtually no damage to my T-Bird. It is the one car I ever regretted selling :(. Here's a photo of her - she is now in Germany:

 

That is the original paint you're looking at, btw. Everything was original, and it nearly all worked - including the power windows, seat, and locks with tilt away steering. I shoulda turned that AR on myself for selling it!

http://www.pbase.com/wyk/image/7455/original

[M1A1TankerTom]

hmmm....after working as a LEO for a couple years now I am gonna have to say this guy was in no way an officer of anything and was lyin his @$$ off. Just another punk carrying a gun and after flashing it to you realized he could get in trouble so threw the badge thing out there hoping you would just leave.