Hey Mick!  You're lucky he only got your nose...

Mick Kalber wrote:

> 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
>

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