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Crazy road rager tailgaits me today, I have ti hit my brakes because of a tire inroad

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Market

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? MD

What looked like a piece of tire was in the road so I hit the brakes even though a road raging jerk was tailgaiting me within a foot or less of my bumper. He proceeds to then drive around me and cuss at me while throwing small coins at my car!

I tried to get away and he chased me so I had to back up on an exit and go the other way. I could see his car around the other side so he was waiting for me to come out the other end.

This guy was mad because I did not move out of his way fast enough when I was even doing 10 over and he could have easily moved over. I was going to move over but had to break..so anyway that's what happened.

I just wanted to get away. What are MY liabilities in such an event. I know that he had 1 other person in the car and people being so litigous today and especially if they are mad, could they come up with something bogus against me? Also, do I have any recourse? I don't plan on necessarily taking any but just wondering. Thank you.
 


TYRIS

Member
Market said:
What is the name of your state? MD

What looked like a piece of tire was in the road so I hit the brakes even though a road raging jerk was tailgaiting me within a foot or less of my bumper. He proceeds to then drive around me and cuss at me while throwing small coins at my car!

I tried to get away and he chased me so I had to back up on an exit and go the other way. I could see his car around the other side so he was waiting for me to come out the other end.

This guy was mad because I did not move out of his way fast enough when I was even doing 10 over and he could have easily moved over. I was going to move over but had to break..so anyway that's what happened.

I just wanted to get away. What are MY liabilities in such an event. I know that he had 1 other person in the car and people being so litigous today and especially if they are mad, could they come up with something bogus against me? Also, do I have any recourse? I don't plan on necessarily taking any but just wondering. Thank you.


-Liabilities for what? There was no conatct between vehicles.

Recourse for what? You did not incur any damage as a result of the incident. The only thing that happened was a verbal on his part..No crime.

I highly doubt anything would come about from this incident. I would go about your life and forget about it.

Tyris
 

outonbail

Senior Member
What looked like a piece of tire was in the road so I hit the brakes even though a road raging jerk was tailgaiting me within a foot or less of my bumper.
OK, you may sell some with this "what looked like" a piece of tire in the road story. But there are always those skeptics who are gonna believe you actually hit your brakes for the "road raging jerk", too send him/her a message. Possibly because the sudden, unexpected "slamming on of the brakes maneuver" is the universal signal for "Hey "#@@&!*%, get off my butt!


He proceeds to then drive around me and cuss at me while throwing small coins at my car!
Thank heaven they weren't large coins,,, anything larger than a nickel can leave one hell of a welt!

I tried to get away and he chased me
Huh? I thought he drove around you (and I assume, the tire debris which caused your sudden braking stunt as well)
So how is the road rage jerk now chasing you? It wasn't by any chance, due to a sudden "floor it" type of acceleration stunt on your part now was it? I only ask because the "floor it" response often follows the "slam on the brakes" stunt. It would also explain how he's now in a position to chase you?

This guy was mad because I did not move out of his way fast enough when I was even doing 10 over and he could have easily moved over. I was going to move over but had to break..so anyway that's what happened.
So anyway, I have no doubt. I can visualize the whole event. Your driving down the road, or to be more specific, your speeding down the road at roughly 10 mph over the posted limit. Taking a quick glance in your rear view mirror, you spot a road raging jerk who's now tailgating you and it appears he has a hand full of small coins?

This is when you decide to take your attention (and your eyes) from the rear view mirror and away from the drama unfolding behind you, just for a second, or for however long it took you to notice your speedometer and the fact that you were driving 10 mph over the posted limit, then identify and brake for the alleged road hazard that suddenly popped up in front of you!

I just wanted to get away.
After getting in the last word/gesture I imagine....


What are MY liabilities in such an event.
What event are you referring to? Did the road rage jerk actually hit your car when you were braking for hallucinations?

I get the feeling there's more to this story than your innocent driving and minding your own business scinerio?

If not, then you have no liability because you don't claim any wrongdoing.

I know that he had 1 other person in the car and people being so litigous today and especially if they are mad, could they come up with something bogus against me?
I wouldn't worry so much about hypothetical or "Bogus' claims, I'd be more concerned with the true turn of events. But we don't know what they were, so, you'll have to post all the facts as they truly happened.

Which for some reason, is often a real challenge!

BTW, I have a bumper sticker you might relate to, it reads, "Some people don't know how to drive",,,,, I call those people, "everyone but me!"
 

Market

Junior Member
When he came up beside me he slowed down as well (I was AT the speed limit at that point). That's when he began withthe screaming and throwing stuff. I sped up to get away and he kept trying to match my speed beside me. So that's what I meant by trung to get away. He was beside me trying to throw stuff and I was tring to get away. I finally hit the brakes really hard when he was beside me and tried to go to an exit behind him but he backed up and followed me. The braking was only one time and from then on I tired to get away from him. That's the truth. After several attempts to just get away, I ended up backing up on a ramp and getting away. That's basicallt it.

"So how is the road rage jerk now chasing you? It wasn't by any chance, due to a sudden "floor it" type of acceleration stunt on your part now was it? I only ask because the "floor it" response often follows the "slam on the brakes" stunt. It would also explain how he's now in a position to chase you?"

Maybe when I was younger. But no that is definitely not what I did. I honestly don't want to play games like that. I was just driving minding my own business. There's nothing else to it other than me simply trying to get away from this wacko after one time hitting my brakes. He was just bonkers out of his mind probably b/c I was in his way even though there was another lane. There were no games on my part with a back and forth or speed up slam on. I know what you are talking about but that was not what I did. He was simply enraged by my slowing down the one time. Maybe he was late? On drugs? Or normally just like that. I don't know.

I am seriously considering mounting a video camera for crazies like that.
 
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outonbail

Senior Member
OK, now for the only relevant part.

What damages did you receive and what losses did you suffer and/or will continue to suffer in the future, as a direct result of the other parties actions?

What proof do you have that would clearly show that the other party is in fact, the person(s) responsible for your claimed damages?

It sounds as if you were both driving in violation of the law, if you were doing so because you were truly in fear for your life, did you attempt to contact the police or local law enforcement agency via cell phone or call box?

If not, did you attempt to drive to the local police or sheriff station for assistance while you were attempting to get away?

Did you at any time, contact law enforcement to report the incident and provide the them with the other parties license plate number and vehicle description?
 

Market

Junior Member
Thanks for the response. Answer to your questions:

No party suffered any damages.

I did not contact the police because I was too busy trying to get away from the maniac. AND the last thing I wanted was for this crazy to get any of my information so losing him was enough for me. Although I have no idea what he was planning to do to me other than throw objects at my car.

I did not get his license number. I guess I just wanted to ge tthe heck out of Dodge. After he pulled beside me and started screaming, I knew I had a nut on my hands. To react like that over hitting my brakes (not screetching them), I thought he's a nut. I have never seen anyone so mad before. Must have gotten him at a bad time.

Anyway, that was my original concern that the person was so mad that they might have called in a frivilous charge on me or something to get back at me for not moving out of the way when then nearly drove into my tail-pipe basically saying move the #$%^ over or else.

I know I should just pull right over but it is more than disturbing when there are no other cars on the road and some jerk in a suv decides he wants to speed and you better move out of his way and gets so close that you can't see his bumper in the rear view (even though he can just go around).

The reason I ask is that a number of years ago I had a similar incident when I was in the left lane and so wacko literally bumped my car to move me out of the way. I tried to get this person to pull over to assess damage. They immediately called 911 saying I was chasing them. Then they filed a assault charge! Nothing happened other than me trying to get them to pull over for about a mile until I gave up and called the police myself. It was a frivilous and spitefull charge and was immediately thrown out b4 even going to court.

The difference here was that I did not follow the person, I just tried to get away. The were the clear aggressor. They had 1 other pasenger in the car and I guess could come up with any story they like. Again, the only thing I did was slow down. The rest was them going bananas.
 
Not saying you did anything wrong, but when driving you should keep over in the right lane and keep out of people's way. Try not to get into a road rage situation whenever you can. I have a friend who drives a truck and he tells me you would not believe the number of handguns he sees on people's seats.

Road rage just isn't worth it.
 

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