RoadRage: Harrassed at Traffic Lights

I agree with extopia, she must have been a very stressed mother to have left the child in the car and it probably had nothing to do with you. She may not even have noticed that she did anything wrong in cutting across you. And yes it is terrible thing to have happened to you for sure.
 
extopia said:
Maybe common sense should prevail. The desire for vengeance can be strong. But nobody got hurt (this time at least).
Click to expand...

had similar thoughts this morning. Some middle-aged guy in a brand new volvo shaved the paint off the front of my car as he failed to yield at a roundabout at about 50mph. He was going straight through; I was coming from his right. (I had slammed on the anchors and stopped). Wanted to chase and kill him in the split second afterwards.
Still alive, so decided to get on with life

Thank god for ABS.
 
I'm not so sure about this. It's not a matter of vengeance, it's a matter of giving a clear message that this kind of behaviour is unacceptable. I would suggest a formal report to the Garda TrafficWatch line, and followed by a statement at the local station. Explain to the investigating Garda that you're not looking for the death penalty, but you do expect someone to call to her to soften her cough.
 


I can see all viewpoints on this post...and agree that the behaviour was unacceptable. However have you ever been in a situation where someone behind is flashing their lights at you and you have no idea why? Maybe in her eyes that kind of behaviour is unacceptable? I know it bugs me...So there are two sides to the story is what I'm saying I guess....

Going to the guards is one thing but then theres the worry of the court situation..Its just not worth the hassle... To the original OP my advice would be to let it go and get on with your life and hope not to meet her again...

Unfotunately aggression like this seems to be common in our society...
 
Would it have been better if the OP had used the car horn to signify that something dangerous had been done? Flashing lights is a bit ambiguous and could be construed in different ways but leaning on the car horn is pretty clear.

Apart from that I agree with the Trafficwatch suggestion. This kind of aggression should not go unpunished. One would wonder if it is part of a pattern of aggressive behaviour and maybe a call from the Gardai could act as a wake-up call.
 
didn't blow my horn. And my lights were on as it was too because of the heavy rain so flashing them wouldn't have been a major deal. If she reacted that way with flashing my lights I dare to think what way she would have reacted if I blew my horn! Granted she may have been having a bad day, but sure for all she knew so was I. Personally I wouldn't have taken the risk if I was her.
 
Lauren said:
have you ever been in a situation where someone behind is flashing their lights at you and you have no idea why?
Click to expand...

yes but I have never got out of my car shouting abuse at anyone because of it.
 
I havent yet. I tried ringing them a few minutes after the incident but they told me I would near to go to a certain station to actually report it. I had to go back to work and would not make the station before it closed (its only a small one!). By the sounds of it, I'd be wasting my time anyways.
 

Think this is a good option. It was a serious thing to happen to you and although a day or so later you see it as less serious, if someone were to speak to the individual concerned, she may think twice before doing it to someone else.

Years ago, I had only started driving and was coming around the corner at O'Connell Bridge. A pedestrian ran out in front of me. I was in the flow of traffic and had to keep going. He had to jump back and started banging on the top of the car and trying to pull the door open. Was going to report his agressive behaviour, as it was scary at the time, but he had ran off into the crowd so no point.

Few days later, Garda calls to my house out of the blue. Turns out the idiot called in to Pearse Street Station to try to report me. Told Garda the story and what happened. Garda says did he now, I'll sort this. The person then had to admit that he ran onto the road on a Pedestrian Red light and that he banged my car and pulled the door. Garda asked would I be happy with an apology. Said yes.

In the overall scheme of things, a word in the ear might work someone who thinks its ok to take their bad humours out on someone else. What if she pulled open the door on the wrong person. Numerous incidents of road rage have resulted in death. It's a bullying issue and should not be tolerated.
 
What did she shout at you? Did she perhaps think she had right of way or something? People aren't great at their knowledge of the rules of the road and some, even though they are completely in the wrong, will abuse other drivers.

I recently had a lady shouting at me at a round about that I blocked her view. Now I had done everything according to the rules of the road. Stopped where I should have, proceed when I should have, left space for cars to pass in front of me and yet she and her passenger felt she was right. I apologised for blocking her view (even though I was in the correct position as per the rules of the road) but she just ranted on. There was no point argueing with her. I hoped that later when she would think about the situation she would realise that she was wrong.
 
Be careful what you wish for...I have seen instances of road rage end up in the district court. And instead of a solicitor turning up the defendant has a barrister representing them in the district court. Under cross examination the proscution withness get flustered mixed up and hey presto a seed of doubt in planted that you were the instigator of all the trouble. These things usually work best when you have another independent withness. Only my 2 cents.
 
ClubMan said:
I'm confused....


... perhaps you can clarify?
Click to expand...

tried calling the local station only to get no answer and to be put through to a main switch for the area only to be told to go to the local station that was not answering.
 
Spoke to a Garda friend who said that regardless of who was in the right or wrong the person who gets out of their vehicle is guilty of roadrage.
 
Not implying anything about your driving g1g (and i'm going off the point a wee bit) but extopia raises an interesting point. I'm sure most of us have been on the receiving or witnessed someone else being at the end of an aggressive blast of a horn for an unwitting error or otherwise. I manage to shrug it off in the knowledge that if they have enough time to sit on the horn, shake the fist or roar at me, then they had plenty of time to come to a safe stop to do all this!
 
inspector said:
Spoke to a Garda friend who said that regardless of who was in the right or wrong the person who gets out of their vehicle is guilty of roadrage.
Click to expand...
I don't think 'roadrage' is mentioned anywhere in the road traffic act - please correct me if I'm wrong.
 
stevec said:
I don't think 'roadrage' is mentioned anywhere in the road traffic act - please correct me if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, it's there alright. In the same Act that says the guard has to give you a lift home after the pub and he can't arrest you if he's not wearing his hat!
 
deadwood said:
In the same Act that says the guard has to give you a lift home after the pub
Click to expand...

whaddaya mean *hic* iiiii cannnt drive *hic* gaard - shuuur iii'm in no *hic* conddishuun to wallk......*

*please don't take this as serious advice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register