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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    3

    Default Minor Road Rage Incident, What Should I Do

    I was recently involved in a strange situation in California.

    At an intersection near my workplace, an individual broke several laws in rapid succession. He first drove forward through a dedicated turn lane going at least twenty miles an hour over the thirty-five mile an hour speed limit. He then attempted to change lanes in the middle of the intersection in front of the car ahead of me, but was unsuccessful. At this point, he swerved directly in front of me and braked, causing both myself and the car behind me to slam on our brakes to avoid a collision. Following this, he turned into the parking lot shared by my firm and several others. I parked my car, wrote down his license plate number, and went into the building.

    I was severely shaken by the incident as it was the closest I had ever come to being in a collision. Perhaps this is what led to my subsequent lapse in judgment. Over the course of ten minutes, I decided that it would be a good idea to confront the other driver. He had parked in front of a retail location, so I assumed he would be leaving shortly. I went back outside and sat down in my car. Within a few minutes, he exited the store and began pulling out of his parking spot. I did the same, but I stopped my car in a position that prevented him from leaving in one of the two available directions. He chose to go in my direction, at which point I motioned for him to come over. He either didn't notice or didn't care and spent the next thirty seconds edging right up to my car. Finally he jumped out and began yelling for me to move. I tried to ask him what he was doing earlier, but he began to get more agitated. I told him that if he wanted to leave, all he had to do was turn around and go out the other direction. At this point, he wedged himself in my partially-open window and attempted to open my locked door from the inside while periodically taking swings at me. We struggled for about a minute until I realized that he wasn’t going to yield, so I told him I would let him pass. I moved out of the way, and he sped through and out of the parking lot.

    I’m not sure what if anything I should do at this point. My window is covered with his fingerprints both on the inside and outside, and I have his license plate number. Conversely, he is aware of the location where I park my car. I’m not interested in pressing charges as he caused no harm to me or my property, but he is obviously a reckless driver who shouldn’t have a license. Unfortunately, none of the other cars involved ended up pulling into the lot, so there are no other witnesses. I’m also not certain if I have done anything illegal here. I should note that the parking lot where this occurred is private property that belongs partially to the firm where I am employed.

    I would be grateful for any advice on this situation.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
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    Behind a Desk
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    98,846

    Default Re: Minor Road Rage Incident, What Should I Do

    Next time you should call the police and report what you've observed, rather than putting yourself in harm's way.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    3

    Default Re: Minor Road Rage Incident, What Should I Do

    I'm not sure that reporting the traffic violations to the police would have resulted in anything. I was under the impression that at least two eyewitnesses have to report an infraction if there is no other evidence, which is the case in this situation. If the law were formulated otherwise, then the police would be flooded with frivolous accusations 24/7.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    9,096

    Default Re: Minor Road Rage Incident, What Should I Do

    I am confused.

    You went out of your way to encourage a confrontation and GOT a confrontation.

    What did you think would happen?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    3

    Default Re: Minor Road Rage Incident, What Should I Do

    Indeed, you are confused. I thought it was fairly clear from my original post that the issue was not the confrontation itself, but its violent nature. When someone cuts in line in front of you at the store or litters on your property and you confront him/her about it, do you expect to be attacked physically? No, you don't. Let me further mention that this man drove his expensive new SUV recklessly to a yachting supply store. Granted, this is to some extent a stereotype, but you don't expect someone of that socioeconomic status to be violent.

    In any case, your response doesn't seem to address my question.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    LA LA Land
    Posts
    9,170

    Default Re: Minor Road Rage Incident, What Should I Do

    Quote Quoting Lunker
    View Post
    Let me further mention that this man drove his expensive new SUV recklessly to a yachting supply store. Granted, this is to some extent a stereotype, but you don't expect someone of that socioeconomic status to be violent.
    OK, let me take that stereotype a step further and hypothetically add that this might have been some sort of drug dealer who may have had a sawed off shotgun under his seat... (insert whatever outcome you want to imagine here)...

    Here is my version of what answer I can give you to your question... (I'm almost sure you won't like this one either):

    If and when you choose to do the police's job, and when you get slapped around in the process of your vigilante act, get a description, a license plate number, call the police and report to them that you were assaulted. Not sure why that is so difficult to figure out!!!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    California
    Posts
    20,594

    Default Re: Minor Road Rage Incident, What Should I Do

    Quote Quoting Lunker
    View Post
    Over the course of ten minutes, I decided that it would be a good idea to confront the other driver.
    BAD idea! People have been killed for doing just that.

    I did the same, but I stopped my car in a position that prevented him from leaving in one of the two available directions. He chose to go in my direction, at which point I motioned for him to come over. He either didn't notice or didn't care and spent the next thirty seconds edging right up to my car. Finally he jumped out and began yelling for me to move.
    I probably would be angry, too. You had no legal right to block him in that way. As most parking and driving regulations are not applicable in a retail parking lot I cannot say that a crime was committed, but it certainly makes YOU the aggressor, now, as you apparently sought out the confrontation.

    I tried to ask him what he was doing earlier, but he began to get more agitated. I told him that if he wanted to leave, all he had to do was turn around and go out the other direction. At this point, he wedged himself in my partially-open window and attempted to open my locked door from the inside while periodically taking swings at me. We struggled for about a minute until I realized that he wasn’t going to yield, so I told him I would let him pass. I moved out of the way, and he sped through and out of the parking lot.
    Okay.

    I’m not sure what if anything I should do at this point. My window is covered with his fingerprints both on the inside and outside, and I have his license plate number.
    Well, you can call the police and see if they will take a report for battery, but I suspect that even if they do forward it to the DA the DA will take one look at the matter and decide not to file. But, you never know. Maybe they will.

    Conversely, he is aware of the location where I park my car. I’m not interested in pressing charges as he caused no harm to me or my property, but he is obviously a reckless driver who shouldn’t have a license.
    If you don't want to pursue charges, then what do you think you can do? I suppose you can write a letter to the DMV but that will avail you nothing. You can also speak to the police about his driving, but this long AFTER the observed driving, and given the confrontation that you instigated afterwards, I doubt that they will forward a complaint to the DA on that infraction. (Oh, and there is no law that says that two or more people must observe an infraction to make a complaint for it valid.)

    Plus, if this bad driving by the other guy occurred in a private lot, then most laws will not apply. Yes, reckless driving might still apply but your credibility will be in question given your exercise in judgment when contacting the guy later.

    So, you can call the police and tell them what happened and let them follow up if they will, or, you can just let it go and thank your lucky stars that this guy was not a true psycho and decided to kill you.

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