I suppose everybody has a road rage = story... here's mine...
 
I pulled out onto a four lane divided = highway just behind a truck... as I started to overtake the truck on the left, he cut = me off without a turn signal, slowed and went into the left turn lane, = again without a turn signal.  I swung past him on the right and made the = mistake of flipping him off as I went by.
 
He aborted his turn and chased me to = the next stoplight... jumped out of his van and started screaming.  I put = the window most of the way up and locked the door.  He wanted me out of the = car so we could beef... I wanted no part of him.  so he reaches through the = slit of the window that was open (maybe two inches or so and smacks me in the = nose with the side of his hand... got me good.
 
Got his plate number and the name of = his company (it was on the side of the truck... duh!).  Went straight to the = police department and reported the incident.  Called the company up when I = got home and told them their employee had assaulted me and I had reported it = to the police.  they knew exactly who I was talking about and aplogized profusely... seems they'd had trouble with him before.  Next think = I know he's calling me, pleading with me to drop the charges or he'll lose his job.  I probably should have taken him to court, but I gave him a = break (after he almost gave my nose the same treatment).
 
But I learned several valuable = lessons... don't flip anybody off... you never know what kind of a nut case they may = be.  And in case of confrontation, roll the window all the way up.  I'm = no fighter... self preservation is much more important than proving the = size of my genitals.  And drive defensively... there is no future in getting = someplace two minutes faster... who cares?  Besides, if I'm interested in = arrival time, what am I doing in a vanagon?
 
Mick Kalber
89 Syncro Westy = "Daddeo"
Tropical Visions Video, Inc.
62 Halaulani Place
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
808-935-5557
808-935-0066 (fax)
hotlava@interpac.net
www.volcanoscapes.com
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: JordanVw@AOL.COM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Sent: Saturday, February 10, = 2001 11:35 AM
Subject: Re: road rage...my = first experience tonite.. LOCK YOUR DOORS!!!

In a = message dated 2/10/01 2:17:20 PM Eastern Standard Time,
jwalker17@earthlink.net = writes:


can't let it ruin your life, and make you afraid to go =
out. that's what i don't like about SUVs ... they tend to promote that =
sort of temperment in their drivers (i'm more important than anybody =
else on the road!!!).




i agree.. =   Alot of SUV drivers get that pumped up testosterone level "im the
king of = the road-dont mess with me" attitude.. That, and maybe he was trying =
to "impress" his girlfriend (who was sitting in the SUV the whole time) = with
his "tactfulnes" (read: "insane brut force") in handling a = situation.  i hope
she dumped him after last night.   One of = these days he is going to do that
to the wrong person...someone who wont = back down like i did.  Someone who has
a short temper just like him..someone who has a loaded gun in the glovebox.
And he'll be = dead..
what comes around, goes around, they say...
i think i did the = right thing , tho. still a little shaky, but calming down.. =

chris