This happened to me this evening: I turn left out of my neighborhood, onto the 35mph, double yellow line road. I may have cut it a little close pulling in front of someone, but if they hadn't been speeding, it wouldn't have been an issue. Seriously, it wasn't close at all ( I had my 6-year-old nephew in the car with me, so I was taking it easy). But that's the only thing I can come up with to explain this moron's actions. He runs up on my rear bumper and then weaves like he is going to pass me over the double yellow, but oncoming traffic prevented it. About 1/4 mile later, we come to the stop sign at Kellogg Creek Rd. I turn left and so does he. Kellogg Creek is another 35mph double yellow line road. I'm going the speed limit and he's behind me, but not close at all. This guy is driving an older Crown Vic. It's green with a missing passenger-side mirror, a spot light, an antenna on the trunk and a "thiin blue line" plate on the front bumper. (All the signs of a wanna-be cop, if you asked me) Suddenly, he zooms up to me, passes me across the double yellow, swerves in front of me and slows down. Great, he cuts me off then slows down, I've seen that plenty of times. Except he keeps slowing down. He stops in the middle of our lane and I see his door start to open. I stop behind him, check that my rear view is clear and immediately start backing up. I back up to the closest driveway, turn around and start heading in the other direction. When I see that he has turned around and is following me, I dial 911. I give them my location, direction and describe the crazy guy following me in as much detail as I can. I'm heading west on Kellogg Creek towards Hwy 92, obeying the speed limit, at this point. He's following, but not closely. It looks like he is on his phone or talking into a hand held radio. I get to Hwy 92 and stop, signalling to turn left onto 92 eastbound. I'm still on the line with 911, updating my location and direction. I turn left and realize that he has to wait for traffic before he can follow me. As soon as he is out of view behind me, I speed up and get around a couple of curves. I take a right onto a residential street, go about .5 mile and turn again. At this point, I'm pretty sure I've lost him. I keep moving through this neighborhood for a few minutes, then head back to 92. I get back on 92 going west, opposite my original direction of travel for this errand. 911 asks if I want to speak with a deputy, I say no as I have gotten away from the maniac. They say they have put out a BOLO for his vehicle. I thank them, hang up and finally start to breathe again. So...that was my fun evening. I have NO idea what set this crazy dude off, but I wasn't going to sit in the middle of the street behind his stopped car and find out.
+100, mz, way to keep your cool! Stay yellow, he may have been communicating your tag number. Again, good job!
Way to keep it cool man.....He should thank his lucky stars because even though you kept a level head and he thinks he scarred you, he had no idea that perhaps he could have been a worm buffet had he escalated it to that type of situation. From the description you give of the car I bet he has a "Conceal Carry" badge. I hate folks with road rage issues but you can't stoop to their level. Karma will bite him in the ass.
mzmtg, jeez, we're practically neighbors based on your description...been down Kellogg many times. I'll keep a look out for this guy and steer clear. Glad everything turned out well and thanks for the heads up.
Hey mzmtg. As you have discovered, there are some really crazy people out there, although it sounds like you managed the situation as well as anyone possibly could. Congratulations. In the situation as you describe, I'd do the same. Get away from the grazy guy! It's safer for everyone! The reason I applied for a GFL was a road rage incident. I was in a situation where I couldn't get away and came very close to getting into a street fight. Unfortunately, it wouldn't have been much of a fight... Only by bluffing him into thinking I was holding a gun inside my jacket, did things work out peacefully. However, I decided I'd never venture out into Atlanta traffic ever again without a weapon in the vehicle.
The law requires you to yield to speeders, too. The people already on the road have the right of way. This is a pet pieve of mine, because it happens to me on almost a daily basis, and yes, I am speeding. It is just a given. If you see me on the road, I am speeding. It is like automatic probable cause for any officer that sees me to stop me.
Like I said, it really wasn't close. But, since that's when he proceeded to run right up on me, that's all I can think of that might have set him off.
Exact same thing happened to me 6 months ago, but I was lodged in traffic at a stop light...He was actually in front of me by this time as he cut me off earlier... He got out with a baseball bat, that was the first time I displayed my Taurus still in holster...He slowly retreated back to his car... WTF is wrong with people...Yes this was in Acworth at Baker and Hickory Grove.....
MZ, As I was reading this I was glad to know it wasn't a green jeep whew. all kidding aside, I am glad it turned out well for you. I know because I can't count how many times I have pulled out of our neighborhood and had some idiot racing to the same stop that I was going to go to.
I guess in that situation calling 911 would be best. I have always thought what if the other person called and told the police that he was threatened by a man with a gun? Might be best to give them your side of the story before he gives them his.
Even though he was in front of me and stopped, I didn't get his plate number. All I could tell the 911 operator was that I noticed he didn't have a county name sticker on the plate. That shows where my attention was directed...at getting the hell out of there.