Road Rage - When Stupidity Provides Its Own Reward

[Big Steve]

A number of you know I work overnights. This morning I took a slightly different route home because I went by Target to pick up a copy of Avengers: Endgame, and then dropped off by a library branch just off this route so I could return a few books I've finished. As I was getting back onto the road home, a red car pulled up behind me, a Chevy IIRC, one of those neato new ones. I'm a bit cautious making my turn - cars coming from my left and turning right blocked my view of the cars going straight, so I wasn't assuming a clear path that actually existed - and the car honks its horn.

I end up making the turn and go on to the end of the road, where I was going to turn right onto the major road taking me almost entirely home. Said car is behind me again. I see a bit of a clearance, move up a bit, then brake again to make absolutely sure I've got clearance. (For clarification, I drive a 2004 Chrysler Town and Country, which aren't built to accelerate rapidly in my experience, so I like to be safe rather than sorry when it comes to making right turns into oncoming traffic lanes).

A moment or two after I brake... WHAM!

Yeah. The red car rear-ended me. And I'm not just talking a love-tap idling forward rear-ending, he'd put his foot on the gas and built up a bit of speed. This was a solid impact.

So we pull into a convenience store right there and I survey my damage. Driver side rear bumper is a bit loose. His damage? A gash in the passenger side hood and other clear damage - he got the worst of the impact. "It looked like you were going and you suddenly stopped again!" In the moment I thought I'd seen some potential oncoming traffic and said so, but he insisted there was none. Which is fine by me, because frankly, it doesn't change the fact he was a dumbass. Yes, I can be an overly cautious driver, but he was the nitwit who rear-ended me from impatience!

I offered to exchange insurance information and he didn't care to. I could understand why, and I even pointed out "Yeah, if the cops get involved, state law is the rear-ender is automatically at fault" (something I've run afoul of over a decade ago). He got in his car and drove away, then I left after double-checking my rear fender.

I mean... jeez, the guy had to have hit the gas without making sure I was actually committing to the turn. He was being an impatient douchebag (and he even had the gray, elbow-padded office jacket of the "young professional" variety, while I'm there in my work uniform). And now his car looks like it'll need some repair work on the hood area, there was clear tearing of material and paint loss and all that. Because that's what happens when you're in a fast car running into a more massive vehicle: mass tells and you lose.

Now to let my over-active imagination stew about the possibility of him (or his daddy/mommy, if it was the parents' car) calling my company to claim I was at fault and cause me trouble or something.

 

[Emperor Tippy]

You did still get his name, plate number, and license number, right?

And that sucks.

 

[Deleted member 1]

And this is why the local constabulary should always be called. You are much too nice of a gentleman, Steve. That rastabout didn’t deserve to be let go. If someone refuses to provide insurance information, take down their plate and make your report. You deserved to get your bumper fixed by him.

 

[Es Arcanum]

Write a description of the event in question as it happened and email it to yourself along with any photos of the damage to your car. Other than that I wouldn't worry too much. The damage is on the front of his car and as you pointed out that pretty much makes him automatically at fault in any event where you weren't reversing or merging. The damage to his car is not as severe as you'd get at travelling speed so he'd be hard pressed to say you were merging improperly.

If you've got his license plate number and name then put that in your message to yourself as well.

You want the email (or electronic message) for the timestamp it provides.

 

[GoldRanger]

The reason why you braked is irrelevant. Even if it was a full tire-squealing brake with ABS engaged (a bit contradictory but you know what I mean ) it was his fault since he's legally obligated to be paying full attention AND keeping an appropriate distance at all time. He decided to tailgate? His insurance can cover all the damages (and if his insurance goes up as a result, just call that douchebag-tax).

Edit: So you don't have the insurance details? You have the license plate I hope? It's time to involve the police. Do NOT pay for your own repairs!

 

[Big Steve]

You did still get his name, plate number, and license number, right?

And that sucks.

I did not. I was impatient and tired and it's muggy and hot and I just wanted to go home after a night at work. I don't even have a proper functioning A/C in my van - the A/C proper works, but the fan doesn't blow and I only get cold air with the outside vents open and my van moving down the road to push the air through. So I try to get home before the day's heat really kicks in.

So he may have the advantage on me there, since my company ID has my name printed on it and it's clipped to my right shoulder strap/shoulder board.

And this is why the local constabulary should always be called. You are much too nice of a gentleman, Steve. That rastabout didn’t deserve to be let go. If someone refuses to provide insurance information, take down their plate and make your report. You deserved to get your bumper fixed by him.

Yeah, I probably should've. Also, Florida's a no-fault state, so our insurances would cover each other regardless.

Write a description of the event in question as it happened and email it to yourself along with any photos of the damage to your car. Other than that I wouldn't worry too much. The damage is on the front of his car and as you pointed out that pretty much makes him automatically at fault in any event where you weren't reversing or merging. The damage to his car is not as severe as you'd get at travelling speed so he'd be hard pressed to say you were merging improperly.

If you've got his license plate number and name then put that in your message to yourself as well.

You want the email (or electronic message) for the timestamp it provides.

Yeah, thanks for that advice, I wrote a quick description of the incident and took a few photos with my smartphone just now.

The reason why you braked is irrelevant. Even if it was a full tire-squealing brake with ABS engaged (a bit contradictory but you know what I mean ) it was his fault since he's legally obligated to be paying full attention AND keeping an appropriate distance at all time. He decided to tailgate? His insurance can cover all the damages (and if his insurance goes up as a result, just call that douchebag-tax).

Yeah, that's basically my view. He was just being a whiner to cover for his own impatient douchery. Honestly even his claim that I could've gone I consider spotty; drivers like that don't always consider that not every vehicle is as nimble and easy to accelerate as their precious car, so they never realize that what looks to them like a safe turn isn't for someone else. He should probably feel lucky he hit me and my minivan instead of screwing up with a full-sized work truck or something of the like.

 

[GoldRanger]

I did not. I was impatient and tired and it's muggy and hot and I just wanted to go home after a night at work. I don't even have a proper functioning A/C in my van - the A/C proper works, but the fan doesn't blow and I only get cold air with the outside vents open and my van moving down the road to push the air through. So I try to get home before the day's heat really kicks in.

So he may have the advantage on me there, since my company ID has my name printed on it and it's clipped to my right shoulder strap/shoulder board.



Yeah, I probably should've. Also, Florida's a no-fault state, so our insurances would cover each other regardless.



Yeah, thanks for that advice, I wrote a quick description of the incident and took a few photos with my smartphone just now.



Yeah, that's basically my view. He was just being a whiner to cover for his own impatient douchery. Honestly even his claim that I could've gone I consider spotty; drivers like that don't always consider that not every vehicle is as nimble and easy to accelerate as their precious car, so they never realize that what looks to them like a safe turn isn't for someone else. He should probably feel lucky he hit me and my minivan instead of screwing up with a full-sized work truck or something of the like.

I'd still involve the police, maybe they can find the car on some traffic camera nearby or something.

 

[Emperor Tippy]

I'd still involve the police, maybe they can find the car on some traffic camera nearby or something.

Not worth it. I mean no one is injured, he wasn't at fault, it's a no fault state, and neither has proof that the other was involved (unless @Big Steve or the Idiot took pictures, and with camera phones everywhere one always should).

 

[GoldRanger]

Not

Not worth it. I mean no one is injured, he wasn't at fault, it's a no fault state, and neither has proof that the other was involved (unless @Big Steve or the Idiot took pictures, and with camera phones everywhere one always should).

Not familiar with American state laws on this matter, so if you say so...

 

[Emperor Tippy]

Not familiar with American state laws on this matter, so if you say so...

Generally, if both cars can safely drive away and no one is injured, the police really aren't going to be inclined to show up even if you did call them. If they had then the most the police would have done is written the other guy a relatively minor traffic ticket and taken a police report (which would help if you sued in small claims court).

 

[Big Steve]

I figure he had work to get to or something of the like so he didn't want further hassle. And I'm sure he's somewhere now complaining to co-workers about how his car got damaged because of the slow fat and stupid security guard who braked on him.

 

[GoldRanger]

Generally, if both cars can safely drive away and no one is injured, the police really aren't going to be inclined to show up even if you did call them. If they had then the most the police would have done is written the other guy a relatively minor traffic ticket and taken a police report (which would help if you sued in small claims court).

I didn't mean calling 911, I meant going to a police station and filing a complaint, or an equivalent procedure. If he wants to sue him, he first needs some way to identify him, right? And isn't refusing to give insurance details after an accident illegal?

 

[Emperor Tippy]

I didn't mean calling 911, I meant going to a police station and filing a complaint, or an equivalent procedure. If he wants to sue him, he first needs some way to identify him, right? And isn't refusing to give insurance details after an accident illegal?

And all the police will do is toss the report into a filing cabinet that may as well be a trash can. Suing the dude really isn't worth the bother, and there was no actual refusal to give insurance apparently. More a mutual agreement not to do so.

 

[Big Steve]

And all the police will do is toss the report into a filing cabinet that may as well be a trash can. Suing the dude really isn't worth the bother, and there was no actual refusal to give insurance apparently. More a mutual agreement not to do so.

Yeah, I offered to exchange insurance information and he declined, which I suppose could be interpreted as a refusal, but it was more a mutual agreement that it wasn't necessary. I'm somewhat surprised though, he clearly took more damage than I did (my damage shown above).

 

[GoldRanger]

The damage seems negligible, you're a lucky guy.

 

[Big Steve]

The damage seems negligible, you're a lucky guy.

It was a low-speed collision. I wasn't even moving, I was braking. The fact I took that amount of damage kinda tells you this kid hit the gas in anticipation of me completing the turn and didn't give himself time should I not do so.

 

[Flintsteel]

I, for one, look forward to when the cars can drive themselves and idiots are no longer behind the wheel. Sadly, that day is still a far way off.

 

[GoldRanger]

As someone who enjoys driving I actually dread the self-driving era. I hope that for people with clean slates accident-wise a manual driving mode will remain legal on the road.

 

[Hlaalu Agent]

As someone who enjoys driving I actually dread the self-driving era. I hope that for people with clean slates accident-wise a manual driving mode will remain legal on the road.

I agree. I find driving to be quite pleasant, really.

 

[Deleted member 1]

As someone who enjoys driving I actually dread the self-driving era. I hope that for people with clean slates accident-wise a manual driving mode will remain legal on the road.

There is now a human driving advocacy association in the US. I am a member, as they can tear my crack old manual touring cars from my cold, dead fingers. RWD, straight sixes and shifting unto the bitter end!

https://humandriving.org/