Right approach to dangerous driver behavior?

Dan Cosley wrote:

I've been having a larger-than-usual number of unpleasant-to-
potentially-dangerous encounters with motorists recently. This
involves verbal stuff, which usually I can shrug off. However,
it also sometimes involves being cut off or squeezed off the
road, and this I find harder to just let go. I'm trying to
train myself to get license/vehicle numbers rather than just
be scared, but:

1) Is it worth getting license numbers of cars? Trucks?
2) What else (if anything) do you do about bad driver behavior?

-- Dan


Today, I started carrying a little notebook in
my jersey pocket on my commute. It is a "wet notes"
book, which is a coated paper that is waterproof.
You can get it at marine stores. I started carrying
it because the same car leaned on the horn and gave me
the finger for the fourth time (six-lane road, light
traffic, I was in the right half of the right lane).
I will now have a dated log of such occurences. If it
ever does get serious, which I doubt, the log will
be important.

Today, I wrote down the first license plate number, a
description of the car, and the driver's actions.
I've decided not to just shrug things off anymore,
if I can tell people what they did wrong, and why
it is wrong, I will. If you address them by their
license plate number, it has a surprising calming
effect. I bet that if you obviously write it down
as well, it will be even more effective.
Unfortunately, this state doesn't require
front license plates, so I can't always do it.

As far as having the larger-than-usual number
of encounters lately, I find that I feel that way
at times, and it is probably just the statistics
of small numbers. The events are rare anyway, only
a few times a year usually, so if I get a few in
a month I notice. It is probably just chance.

Stergios

"Dan Cosley" wrote in message
...
I've been having a larger-than-usual number of unpleasant-to-
potentially-dangerous encounters with motorists recently. This
involves verbal stuff, which usually I can shrug off. However,
it also sometimes involves being cut off or squeezed off the
road, and this I find harder to just let go. I'm trying to
train myself to get license/vehicle numbers rather than just
be scared, but:

1) Is it worth getting license numbers of cars? Trucks?
2) What else (if anything) do you do about bad driver behavior?


Getting the license is good, in case there is a real incident.

I treat them the same way I treat the wild, uncontrolled kids of some mom's
I see in (pick your) public places. I do my best to put them in their
place. In my opinion, it's my duty and responsibility as a Citizen of the
USA to police my own behavior and also of those around me. If some asshole
is screwing up in my presence, I let 'em know that it's noticed, and that
it's disaproved of by me and others. In regards to bicycling, if a motorist
tries to sqeeze me I'll yell first and thump their car if I must. If I
catch them at a stop I'll give them an earfull. There are a lot of spoiled
brats out there who've been coddled and believe that no-one can tell them
what to do or how to behave, or certainly not reprimand them for bad
behavior. In fact, they were taught that by permissive parents and a weak
public school system.

Only once in 5 years with this behavior have I had to reach for my weapon.
That's as far as it went.

As of recent, I've take to giving the bird to any asshole with a
super-thumper sound system. If I get any flack, I ask them, "This is what
you're saying to me and the rest of the world, isn't it? Here's back at
ya!"

Oh, no, we must be afraid of everyone and rely on the coppers to protect us!
LOL!



--
Robin Hubert

On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 09:38:08 -0400, Stergios Papadakis
wrote:

snip


Today, I started carrying a little notebook in
my jersey pocket on my commute. It is a "wet notes"
book, which is a coated paper that is waterproof.
You can get it at marine stores. I started carrying
it because the same car leaned on the horn and gave me
the finger for the fourth time (six-lane road, light
traffic, I was in the right half of the right lane).
I will now have a dated log of such occurences. If it
ever does get serious, which I doubt, the log will
be important.

If you have been harassed on the road four times by the same person,
the situation already is serious. Report this to the police now and
again following any further incidents. Insist on a report. The
police will want to do as little as possible of course, but it is
important that you establish a real paper trail now rather than after
the sociopath hits you.

By the way, the car didn't do anything, there is (purportedly) a human
behind the wheel and they are supposed to be responsible for their
actions. Please don't absolve them of responsibility by saying that
their car is the one harassing you.

--
Chris Bird

I agree with much of what you say, including your opinion that we can't rely
on the police for much.

However, I wouldn't recommend that others follow your example of giving the
finger to people just because their stereo is too loud or regularly carrying
a weapon.




"Robin Hubert" wrote in message
link.net...
"Dan Cosley" wrote in message
...
I've been having a larger-than-usual number of unpleasant-to-
potentially-dangerous encounters with motorists recently. This
involves verbal stuff, which usually I can shrug off. However,
it also sometimes involves being cut off or squeezed off the
road, and this I find harder to just let go. I'm trying to
train myself to get license/vehicle numbers rather than just
be scared, but:

1) Is it worth getting license numbers of cars? Trucks?
2) What else (if anything) do you do about bad driver behavior?


Getting the license is good, in case there is a real incident.

I treat them the same way I treat the wild, uncontrolled kids of some
mom's
I see in (pick your) public places. I do my best to put them in their
place. In my opinion, it's my duty and responsibility as a Citizen of the
USA to police my own behavior and also of those around me. If some
asshole
is screwing up in my presence, I let 'em know that it's noticed, and that
it's disaproved of by me and others. In regards to bicycling, if a
motorist
tries to sqeeze me I'll yell first and thump their car if I must. If I
catch them at a stop I'll give them an earfull. There are a lot of
spoiled
brats out there who've been coddled and believe that no-one can tell them
what to do or how to behave, or certainly not reprimand them for bad
behavior. In fact, they were taught that by permissive parents and a weak
public school system.

Only once in 5 years with this behavior have I had to reach for my weapon.
That's as far as it went.

As of recent, I've take to giving the bird to any asshole with a
super-thumper sound system. If I get any flack, I ask them, "This is what
you're saying to me and the rest of the world, isn't it? Here's back at
ya!"

Oh, no, we must be afraid of everyone and rely on the coppers to protect
us!
LOL!



--
Robin Hubert

I have had some close calls myself lately, including one yesterday at, of
all places, Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta, where a driver attempted to
turn right from the left lane and had to slam on the brakes to not hit me.

Lately I have had the feeling that my luck is running out. I am afraid that
eventually one of them will get me.


"Dan Cosley" wrote in message
...
I've been having a larger-than-usual number of unpleasant-to-
potentially-dangerous encounters with motorists recently. This
involves verbal stuff, which usually I can shrug off. However,
it also sometimes involves being cut off or squeezed off the
road, and this I find harder to just let go. I'm trying to
train myself to get license/vehicle numbers rather than just
be scared, but:

1) Is it worth getting license numbers of cars? Trucks?
2) What else (if anything) do you do about bad driver behavior?

-- Dan

--
Dan Cosley * http://www.cs.umn.edu/~cosley/)
GroupLens Research Lab, Univ of MN (http://movielens.umn.edu/ *
612.624.8372)
*** Just a foot soldier in the Army of Truth ***

the proper response to bad driver behavior is cool stoicism. Freaking out when
drivers mess up or act with deliberate malevolence is a sign that the rider
holds unrealistic expectations about riding in traffic. The proper time to
freak out is when drivers start acting properly.

Robert

"Chris B." wrote in message
...
On Tue, 12 Aug 2003 09:38:08 -0400, Stergios Papadakis
wrote:
If you have been harassed on the road four times by the same person,
the situation already is serious. Report this to the police now and
again following any further incidents. Insist on a report. The
police will want to do as little as possible of course, but it is
important that you establish a real paper trail now rather than after
the sociopath hits you.

Absolutely, at four times by the same person, a call to the police is past
due. Assuming of course that you are by now sure it isn't someone you know
pulling your leg or trying to say hello.

Some drivers have made up their own rules of the road and get quite put out
that others haven't read their minds. Chances are they're aggressively
harassing others too. Do everyone, other drivers, pedestrians, etc a favor
and get that rolling time bomb off the road ASAP.

Doug
Toronto

"Dan Cosley" wrote in message
...
I've been having a larger-than-usual number of unpleasant-to-
potentially-dangerous encounters with motorists recently. This
involves verbal stuff, which usually I can shrug off. However,
it also sometimes involves being cut off or squeezed off the
road, and this I find harder to just let go. I'm trying to
train myself to get license/vehicle numbers rather than just
be scared, but:

1) Is it worth getting license numbers of cars? Trucks?
2) What else (if anything) do you do about bad driver behavior?
This happens to me on a frequent basis, even when I am in
my 4x4 truck. People are constantly cutting in front of me to
take an exit, even when there is nobody for quite some distance
behind me. I drive in a fairly calm manner, at a steady speed
to avoid this nonsense, and it still happens.

This is a primary reason why I avoid the streets during rush hour.
We had a bicycle rider get run over from behind yesterday
morning, about 1 mile from where I work. There are a lot
of drivers who act like they have a death wish and they don't
care who they take with them.

"Stergios Papadakis" wrote in message
...
Today, I started carrying a little notebook in
my jersey pocket on my commute. It is a "wet notes"
book, which is a coated paper that is waterproof.
You can get it at marine stores.
You should be able to find these at any store that sells
surveying supplies.

"Dan Cosley" wrote ...
I've been having a larger-than-usual number of unpleasant-to-
potentially-dangerous encounters with motorists recently. This
involves verbal stuff, which usually I can shrug off. However,
it also sometimes involves being cut off or squeezed off the
road, and this I find harder to just let go. I'm trying to
train myself to get license/vehicle numbers rather than just
be scared, but:

1) Is it worth getting license numbers of cars? Trucks?
2) What else (if anything) do you do about bad driver behavior?

-- Dan

Along with the notepad, carry a cell phone. If you can give a calm,
objective description of the incident immediately after it happened, making
it pretty obvious that some traffic law was violated, you have a much better
chance of persuading the police to act. Use some discretion here. If the
incident is over and done with and you are no longer in any danger, calling
911 will be counterproductive. In this case, call the non-emergency phone
number for your county's police/fire/ambulance dispatch center. I have
numbers in my cell phone directory for state, county, and various local law
enforcement agencies just for this kind of thing.

With commercial vehicles, a call to the business can be very effective.
Vehicle numbers can be more useful than license numbers if the business is
big enough to own several vehicles. If you can't get a vehicle number or
license number, sometimes a description of the vehicle along with location
of the incident and time of day will let the employer deduce which driver
was involved. If the company takes this sort of thing seriously, they will
call you back and ask questions trying to get a clearer picture of what
happened.
--
mark