The other day I was turning onto the street and I cut off a couple in an suv. Nothing serious but they did have to hit their brakes. they then sped up in the lane next to me and hollered and gestured wildly at me. Not a big deal but a little more than I thought I deserved. I caught them at the next light and rolled down my window as I pulled up next to them. They leaned toward me faces scowling, ready for the inevitable conflict... "I'm sorry" were the words that came from my mouth. The anger in their faces melted to smiles and they waved to me as we parted ways at the next light.
With road rage the new norm in everyday news. Why is it so hard for people to just admit they were wrong and apologize?

 

I don't know, but I would hope they learned something from that.

I don't have a problem with people who makes mistakes, but most of the things that people do are a result of ignorance, stupidity, obliviousness and inconsideration for everyone around them. It's just stunning what people do - they just don't care.

 

Holy Shmoly. I can't believe you apologized. I can't believe that they didn't take the apology and turn it into fuel for their anger. I can't believe they turned the scowls into smiles and ya'll parted on good terms. Wow. That is just unprecidented. Good for you ranger74!!! Seriously, I'm impressed. I have never seen or heard of anyone doing that before. I've unfortunately seen the total opposite, where it turned into hwy tag or road rage. It is refreshing to hear some people still take responsibility and try to amend small wrongs.

 

ranger74, you're a much bigger man than I am! I do stupid stuff like that all the time, and no one ever gets angry, so I never have to apologize.

Of course, I'm an old fart driving a '96 Town Car- people just EXPECT I'm going to do something stupid!

 

You did a stupid thing, then you appoligized. The road rage was them following you , you do have to be carefull about that. I had someone start to pull a gun on me out of road rage, then the realized they had the wrong vehicle, and the other one was on the other side of a light.

 

woooahhhhh

 

One of my biggest pet peeves is people being just plain inconsiderate on the highway. I won't even take "Sunday drives" anymore because of others' self-importance(ignorance?!?). It seems like everyone is in a bigger hurry than me, their time is more important than mine, etc., etc. I almost always try not to pull out in front of someone or ride too close to their butts simply because 1) it's dangerous, 2) it's not polite and 3) because they are the things that I hate most about other drivers. It was very refreshing to see that some are actually sorry for their actions, but you are soooooo right...why can't we all simply acknowledge our mistakes???!?!? Seems like the words "I'm sorry, I was wrong." aren't in our vocabulary any more. I will remember this next time I'm the one who is wrong (and yes, sometimes I make mistakes too!!! Imagine that....?!?!?LMAO...)
My Kudos to you for your simple acknowledgement!! Hope to pass it on!

 

Why in the world did you feel the need to apologize after being yelled and gestured at? THEY were in the wrong for their juvenile actions. So you accidentally cut them off, nobody's perfect. They'll be ok, they'll live. They were the ones displaying the road rage, not you. No way would i have apologized to those kind of people.

 

Max1: He was being the bigger person and calming the situation down, preventing something stupid from happening. He probably made their day by something that simple - someone on the road being accountable for their actions. They other drive was probably fed up with the way (some) people are on the roads today.

Holding the door for someone, picking up something they dropped - simple things can make someone else's day and they will probably pass it on themselves.

I think you did the right thing Ranger74, congratualtions on defusing a situation and spreading the love. haha.

paul

 

Captain, I wholeheartedly agree that simple courtesy in everyday life can "make someones day." i.e. holding the door for the little old lady, waving someone to go first at a 4-way stop, etc.

These people "sped up in the lane next to me and hollered and gestured wildly at me."
They owe HIM an apology. Why should he make these people's day? Save it for the elderly lady at the supermarket.

 

It's not just road rage, but rage in general.

Seems like it's the norm nowadays.

 

Kinda like "pay it forward?" It really does take a big person to admin they are wrong.

I don't usually have conversations with the person I offend, but if the opportunity arises, I'll give them a little shoulder shrug and an "oops" kind of look.

 

I know I get angry if someone does something stupid like that - on purpose or not. But a simple wave, or an i'm sorry certainly does make me feel better about the people on the road.

 

I try to wave when I do something stupid....

What I like is when someone does something stupid or wrong and then gets mad a the person they did it too.

The last accident I was in....

5 way stop intersection, really spread out, 2 stops at one end and 3 at the other, it is a screwed up free for all intersection.

I stop and proceed on from the 2 stop end, a truck at one of the other stops is waiting on someone else from there end to get out of the way and pulls out in a hurry to clip my new toyota... so we all get out and the lady is telling me how she is going to sue me, her neck hurts, she is getting a new truck, i'll probably have to goto jail.... ok, I have seen court tv, I never said one word to them... I called the police and get back in my vehicle.

Well here she comes, now she has decided we shouldn't call the police because she has realized it was her fault.... I just smiled and rolled my window up.

The county deputy arrives and takes my info and does the report thing, runs her ID and sends me on my way while the transport cruiser shows up... seems she has a warrant.. nice.

So, let me rant about the insurance now:

A few days later I pick up a copy of the police report and head to my agents office. They don't do claims anymore, I have to call the national number, ok just what do they do... anyways, I file a claim over the phone and here nothing.
So I contact them again and they would like me to pay my deductable and they will fix my car(with aftermarket parts only) and IF they collect from her company I will get my deductable back IF it they collect enough money.

Apparently they cannot contact her company because they don't have there phone number... I hang up and call her company and file a claim with them, they called back in an hour and told me she denies ever being in an accident, do I have the police report number.. yes.

Next day the adjuster shows up, does his thing and mails me a check for $1450....

Clint

 

I had an incident last week - guy in a van tried to basically cut me off at a light from the right lane - that lane is very short after the light, guy pulled into the right lane and tried to 'squeeze' me basically into oncoming traffic - needless to say, I wasn't particularly pleased. After that he tailgated - so, I hit the brakes a little to send the message, and then...he bumped my car. He doesn't pull over right away but pulls into a parking lot ahead - I've got my phone set to call 911. I get out and the guys like 5 ft, and obviously very nervous. I swallowed my anger, said something like "We're all in a hurry to get home. etc". Guy was obviously very relieved that I didn't leave him bloodied, and I DID feel better that I controlled the anger and let the incident end there. I'd like to think the guy won't be doing the same thing(s) again. . .