Road Rage

nickobrien1986

Hey,

I was just in a 50km/ph zone, doing 45/50km/ph.
Some guy was right up close to my bumper all the time.
The road then opened up in the opposite lane, he overtook me,
and gave me the 'wan-ker' hand gesture.

About a mile down the road, we stopped at traffic lights,
he was in front of me.
He then got out of the car, tried to open my door in a highly aggressive manner,
and proceeded to call me a variety of colourful names.
I remained in my car with the doors locked, and my seat belt on. Granted I did use the f-word towards him. But it wasn't me who got out of my car.

What should I do? I have his reg, and a physical description. He was actually a well to do man.
I felt highly threatened.

Should I go to the Gardaí?
I'm not a fan of dealing with the police, and I don't see what exactly they can do given its his word V mine.

Any suggestions?

Plug

What a prick, just call the gaurds and see.

L1011

Trafficwatch, 1890 205 805.

AugustusMinimus

Did you tell him you were doing the speed limit ?

I get frustrated when other driver well below the speed limit but this clearly isn't the case here.

delta_bravo

I wouldn't ring Trafficwatch. I would go into the local station and make a formal complaint.

Avns1s

Straight to Gardai IMO. He will do it to someone else tomorrow if not put into check!

Avns1s

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

I get frustrated when other driver well below the speed limit but this clearly isn't the case here.

We all do, but you don't stop at the lights and get out to the other driver. Takes a real scumbag to do this, and perhaps a dangerous one at that.

I think the gardai WILL take it seriously provided the OP is prepared to give evidence in court of what actually happened.

ford jedi

why didnt you just get out and fight him,?might have changed his tune then most of the these lads are just mouths,,

i, seen a similar thing a while back and the lads who was been abused got out of the car and knocked seven shades of crap out of the guy who was doin all the shouting deadly that showed him what was what,,

Danbo!

ford jedi wrote: »

why didnt you just get out and fight him,?might have changed his tune then most of the these lads are just mouths,,

i, seen a similar thing a while back and the lads who was been abused got out of the car and knocked seven shades of crap out of the guy who was doin all the shouting deadly that showed him what was what,,

Thats a really good idea. :rolleyes:

nickobrien1986

What could happen to him?
I'm not overly keen on going to court or anything.

ford jedi

put it out of yer mind bud , it,l only wreck your head ,this lad will pull that crap with wrong lad and and will get what he deserves ,

high horse

nickobrien1986 wrote: »

Hey,

I was just in a 50km/ph zone, doing 45/50km/ph.
Some guy was right up close to my bumper all the time.
The road then opened up in the opposite lane, he overtook me,
and gave me the 'wan-ker' hand gesture.

About a mile down the road, we stopped at traffic lights,
he was in front of me.
He then got out of the car, tried to open my door in a highly aggressive manner,
and proceeded to call me a variety of colourful names.
I remained in my car with the doors locked, and my seat belt on. Granted I did use the f-word towards him. But it wasn't me who got out of my car.

What should I do? I have his reg, and a physical description. He was actually a well to do man.
I felt highly threatened.

Should I go to the Gardaí?
I'm not a fan of dealing with the police, and I don't see what exactly they can do given its his word V mine.

Any suggestions?

I saw a similar incident a few months back where a guy had gotten out of his car and was threatening the driver of the car behind him. He soon copped on when he realised that the passenger of his victim was taking video of the whole incident on her phone!

MunsterCycling

Don't do this...

If the wanker had left his door open you could just have overtaken him again thus removing that pesky door.

CyberGhost

If I was driving on the speed limit and someone was right up close to my bumper all the time and gave me a finger, I'd be the one trying to open his door in a highly aggressive manner at the traffic lights.

Random

if he tried to force his way into my car i'd call 999 there and then.

johnos1984

Random wrote: »

if he tried to force his way into my car i'd call 999 there and then.

Exactly. The guy clearly isn't in a correct state of mind. You could end up doing him a favour calling the Gardaí.

I have a great way of handling these twats, smile and wave at them. They give up quickly when they realize your not taking them seriously.

nickobrien1986

What type of punishment would he get? A slap on the wrists from the guards?

johnos1984

I'm not a legal expert but I imagine an assault and threatening behavior charge would be applicable

Make a complaint at the nearest Garda station. They may not have enough evidence to prosecute, but the least he deserves is to have to open his door to find a garda there demanding an explanation.

P.S. I had a somewhat similar experience in the past. No prosecution but the guy did have to come into the station to give a statement and hopefully will think twice before acting the maggot in the future.

furtzy

Once he tried to open your door he crossed the line. formal complaint to the Gardai even if it just results in them contacting him should put the sh*ts up him and make him think twice

hondasam

nickobrien1986 wrote: »

Hey,

I was just in a 50km/ph zone, doing 45/50km/ph.
Some guy was right up close to my bumper all the time.
The road then opened up in the opposite lane, he overtook me,
and gave me the 'wan-ker' hand gesture.

About a mile down the road, we stopped at traffic lights,
he was in front of me.
He then got out of the car, tried to open my door in a highly aggressive manner,
and proceeded to call me a variety of colourful names.
I remained in my car with the doors locked, and my seat belt on. Granted I did use the f-word towards him. But it wasn't me who got out of my car.

What should I do? I have his reg, and a physical description. He was actually a well to do man.
I felt highly threatened.

Should I go to the Gardaí?
I'm not a fan of dealing with the police, and I don't see what exactly they can do given its his word V mine.

Any suggestions?

Traffic watch and the will pass it on to the gardai. There might be cctv but are you sure you will look completely innocent in all this. He might tell a different version to the gardai.

Bull76

Report him straight away. Wasn't a man beaten so badly that he died due to something similiar.
Don't give it a second thought report him. Let him explain it to the Gardai.

MagicSean

The other day my girlfriend was leaving the toll bridge on the M4 when a car cut across in front of her. My girlfriend beeped the horn moved out into the overtaking lane and drove on to the next exit. As she was driving up the off ramp the same car came up behind her overtook her and blocked the top of the off ramp. The driver got out of the car and started coming towards her car. She had to reverse and go up on the grass to get around and drive on. Some people are just mental. This kind is getting very prevelant.

Absurdum

always leave plenty of space in front of you when stopped

Pkiernan

OP - you have 2 choices:

1. Let this jackass away with it, or
2. Report it to the guards.

I would choose option 2 my self.

franksm

furtzy wrote: »

Once he tried to open your door he crossed the line. formal complaint to the Gardai even if it just results in them contacting him should put the sh*ts up him and make him think twice

This is exactly it. Getting out of the car and going to open yours is technically the beginning of assault.

BlackWizard

You never know who is out there either so I'd try to think twice before confronting anyone in situations like that. Two road rages don't make a right.

Max Power1

Absurdum wrote: »

always leave plenty of space in front of you when stopped

+1

Hopefully the other jackass that gets out to confront you forgets to close the door of his car, making it a prime target when i drive off!

MaxFlower

nickobrien1986 wrote: »

What could happen to him?
I'm not overly keen on going to court or anything.

I have experience of this in that a person tried to get into my car because I hooted them to move on at a green light. I repoted it and the Gardai called to the guys house.

He was full of the 'its not like me/I was having a bad day/under pressure' etc but aren't we all. It was up to me if I wanted to take it further but I figured it was enough at that stage it ended there.

dr.fuzzenstein

ford jedi wrote: »

why didnt you just get out and fight him,?might have changed his tune then most of the these lads are just mouths,,

i, seen a similar thing a while back and the lads who was been abused got out of the car and knocked seven shades of crap out of the guy who was doin all the shouting deadly that showed him what was what,,

Tempting, but I bet as soon as you'd have gotten out he'd have crapped his pants and done you for assault.
Never a good idea to fight back since it will land you in hot water at best and at worst will get you knifed.

Reloc8

nickobrien1986 wrote: »

Hey,

I was just in a 50km/ph zone, doing 45/50km/ph.
Some guy was right up close to my bumper all the time.
The road then opened up in the opposite lane, he overtook me,
and gave me the 'wan-ker' hand gesture.

About a mile down the road, we stopped at traffic lights,
he was in front of me.
He then got out of the car, tried to open my door in a highly aggressive manner,
and proceeded to call me a variety of colourful names.
I remained in my car with the doors locked, and my seat belt on. Granted I did use the f-word towards him. But it wasn't me who got out of my car.

What should I do? I have his reg, and a physical description. He was actually a well to do man.
I felt highly threatened.

Should I go to the Gardaí?
I'm not a fan of dealing with the police, and I don't see what exactly they can do given its his word V mine.

Any suggestions?

Go to the gardai, make a statement, having regard to recent (appalling) incident of a similar nature I would be surprised if he did not get a visit (although he may not be prosecuted).

ford jedi wrote: »

why didnt you just get out and fight him,?might have changed his tune then most of the these lads are just mouths,,

i, seen a similar thing a while back and the lads who was been abused got out of the car and knocked seven shades of crap out of the guy who was doin all the shouting deadly that showed him what was what,,

Jesus. There was a village somewhere missing an idiot while you typed that mate, if you're serious about what you said.

nickobrien1986 wrote: »

What could happen to him?
I'm not overly keen on going to court or anything.

Visit from gardai - unpleasant in itself. Possible prosecution for a minor assault/breach of the peace. Not going to result in jail time but not an enjoyable process. Look on it like this, if it was a once off for him, the warning might be good for him. If it wasn't a once off, he needs to be charged.

nickobrien1986 wrote: »

What type of punishment would he get? A slap on the wrists from the guards?

Possible. Equally possible a prosecution in the District Court.

johnos1984 wrote: »

I'm not a legal expert but I imagine an assault and threatening behavior charge would be applicable

Yes (s. 2 Non-fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997, S. 6 Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994.

furtzy wrote: »

Once he tried to open your door he crossed the line. formal complaint to the Gardai even if it just results in them contacting him should put the sh*ts up him and make him think twice

^ Agree

Bull76 wrote: »

Report him straight away. Wasn't a man beaten so badly that he died due to something similiar.
Don't give it a second thought report him. Let him explain it to the Gardai.

^ Yes, and I agree.