Re: An M3 ate my Q

["Daniel Hussey" <dan_hussey@email.msn.com>]

Brings new meaning to the word ROAD RAGE!  Geez, you had to think...what
happened to that guy to make him that mad???  There must have been something
else going on and that was the last straw.

Most people would have gotten out and probably had some sort of
confrontation.  I think you were smart not to have stopped.  If he rammed
you, I think that was a sighn that he would be willing to do a lot more.
Definately not a stable individual.

It's just funny though that this guy HAD to cut you off to begin with as
there were NO cars behind you.  I get ticked off at people like that, and I
often fly by people who are driving WAY too slow in the left lane about an
inch away from thier bumper just to let them know that they are a waste of
space...and air!  I'm supprised I haven't been at least verbally assaulted
yet or followed by an angry motorist.

I think road rage is more a problem in big cities though.  Saw it a lot when
I lived in Atlanta and heard reports on the news about incidents caused over
such a minor thing.... some of which can end in serious personal injury or
death.  It's just not worth it!  If someone wants in, let them in.  And, if
someone follows you, get off at a buisy truckstop or something where people
(prefferably BIG truckers!) are around and this person is less likely to
pull some shit.  Or, like me....carry a cell phone with you and call the
Police immediately!!!!!!

I feel this is the best course of action and I agree, getting out of the car
is exactly what he wanted.   Worst thing you could do!  Yes, there are dents
on your car...but dents can be removed.  You made it out of there without a
scratch and that's what matters.  I am scared to think of what he might have
done had you confronted him.

Later,
Dan

BE SAFE!

-----Original Message-----
From: Doyt W. Echelberger <Doyt@nwonline.net>
To: quattro@audifans.com <quattro@audifans.com>
Date: Friday, June 11, 1999 11:46 AM
Subject: Re: An M3 ate my Q


>Great story, Joe.  I will tell one similar in that it involved briefly
>keeping another driver from performing some maneuver that he was very
>motivated to carry out (but with a different result.)   :-(
>
>Picture me approaching pay booth area where one gets off the turnpike. I am
>the fifth car in line. No cars behind me.  The line move briskly and when I
>am third in line a black Ford Econoline sitting in the parking area to the
>right of the booth moved as if to demand entry to the line by aggressively
>driving to within a few inches of my front bumper, at about a 45 degree
>angle..  All he has to do is wait ten seconds and I will be past him and
>gone. He gesticulates wildly at me to let him in. Remember, there is no car
>behind me. I mentally calculate that this is a rude intrusion. I don't see
>any reason to be accommodating and this guy is cutting in line.  I don't
>like that, any time, any where. So, I ignore him and move past him and
>become the second car in line.
>
>He pulls the giant Econoline in behind me and slams into my rear bumper,
>which jolts the car but not enough that I think it is damaged.  OK, the guy
>is angry, crazy, probably on drugs...who knows. I didn't stop, didn't get
>out, want out of there as fast as possible,  paid my ticket  and zoomed
>away on the ramp to a nearby major highway.  He is history, right?
>
>He quickly pays his ticket and follows, pushing the Econoline at full
>throttle.  It is a long, winding ramp with trees and rural look. When I get
>to the actual merge point I see that traffic is lined up solid and is
>stopped on the 4 lane divided main highway. Panic!
>
>I see a space large enough to fit into and dart in.
>
>The Econoline pulls up beside me on the shoulder and parks. The guy gets
>out. About 5-8, 30 years old, dark complexion, curly black hair, maybe
>construction worker.  Black angry eyes. He walks up to my driver window and
>gestures to wind it down. He isn't talking. I ignore him.  He pounds on the
>window with his fist. He hits the top of my car.  He walks around to the
>passenger side and does the same act for my alarmed wife. This seems to be
>taking forever. People in cars around me are watching with open mouths. I
>just sit there and ignore him and make no move, figuring he will go away or
>traffic will move. He keeps circling the car, hitting it with his fist.
>
>The line finally moves a few car lengths, very slowly. Some cars made a
>turn-on-red at the cross road up ahead. I get enough space to pull out past
>the guy and the Econoline and I drive along the shoulder with this guy
>shouting behind me.  I increase speed and drive about 500 yards to a
>traffic light at the cross road. By now the guy is back in his Econoline
>and closing on me.  The signal is red.  No cross traffic in either
>direction. I run the red light and drive full throttle along the now empty
>main road, hoping to be stopped by a police car and catching up to traffic.
> In my rear view I see the Econoline pause at the cross road, turn right,
>and give up the encounter. It was over with.
>
>30 minutes later I was still getting over the adrenaline, and I never will
>forget the crazed, angry look on that guy's face as he circled my car. I
>reported it to my local police when I got home, and they said I was lucky
>he didn't kill me. They said that such events of madness are fairly common.
>I still have the car and there are several fist dents in it.
>
>This was several years ago, before "road rage" developed a name and media
>coverage.
>
>I don't do stuff like that anymore. Some guy wants my place in line? No
>problem. I want nothing to do with crazy people and if they want to get out
>ahead of me and run, GREAT! That way, they are behind SOME ONE ELSE.
>
>And if you are the guy that was driving the Econoline, I apologize for not
>noticing that you were totally insane and not backing my car up so you
>could go slam into ANYONE else, etc. Yes, I am shouting.
>
>As you say, life, some days, is good.  Today, yes. Not that day.
>
>End of story. I don't play games on the road with strangers anymore.
>
>Doyt Echelberger
>
>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>At 07:35 AM 6/11/1999 EDT, you wrote:
>>One has to learn to pick one's fights.
>>
>>1- I'd never go stoplight-to-stoplight with my urS4..........snip........
>>3- There are other ways to "get" an M3, particularly if driven by an
idiot.
>>Story:
>>
>>I'm moving along nicely on the FL T-pike, in the flow of traffic at ~75-80
>>mph. I have both my V1 and BearTracker up and running. .snip......
>>
>>While all this is going on, a SEEMINGLY modified (OK, OK "slammed", etc.)
>>Dakar Yellow (boy, do I HATE that color) E36 M3 roars up behind me and
tries
>>to somehow get around me, then goes to the adjacent lane to get around the
>>other car (nondescript Dodge coupe). He flashes lights, honks (!) and
>>otherwise gestures/makes a bloody nuisance of his own damned self. I toy
>with
>>him by not letting him pass and let his frustrations build up...which is
>>enjoyable, because he seems to be such a jerk.
>>
>>Finally, I let him run and run free. Over the next hill I find our hero,
>>having stepped out of the car and having produced license and registration
>>for the local constabulary, in the process of being cited for excessive
>speed.
>>
>>Life, some days, is good.
>>
>>-Joe in SoFla
>>1992 ur S4, ~54K mi.
>>