Dealing with Hot Headed Drivers - How?

[kotiko]

Hey guys, I don't know if there's an existing topic like this, but if not, I'd just like to bring it up.

Well yesterday morning on my way to school, I was kinda rushing not to be late. Further on, there was a car in front of me that was driving kinda slow and I used my horn to remind him to speed up a little bit. Well would say that I was wrong that time because I realized there were humps there. After crossing the intersection in Belair-Jupiter on our way to the Vito Cruz area, there's this kinda long road just after sa likod ng Mapua going to the Toyota Makati dealer na maraming nakapark na taxi.

When we were cruising down that road I decided to finally overtake him because he's not going any faster despite of a few horns I did. I took a look at the incoming lane and noticed it was safe to do an overtake since the incomng armored truck I saw was far enough for me to be able to execute it, and the road was basically open. I took the left lane and started to try and overtake and I noticed he purposely speed up, probably so that I would not be able to overtake. I would say we weren't driving over 70kph when we were already beside each other. I was able to be ahead but I realized the armored truck was already approaching near me, so I took a desperate turn back to our lane knowing that I was already able to have enough distance so I won't collide with the car I overtook with.

I saw on my rear view mirror that other car had put on his brakes and I also heard some screeching noise. I immediately stopped realizing that I needed to give even a sign of apology to the person driving. Then the other car started to go ballistic with his horns and then nangigitgit even though I already stopped. He pulled down the rear passenger window and starting yelling the hell out, cursing, and nanghahamon ng suntukan. I really couldn't figure out what he kept on saying but you can probably guess what an angry driver says. :D I pulled down my window and just kept saying sorry's and I was freakishly sincere with it and kept on just gesturing my hands ng sorry, all in all, because I know almost everything were mostly my fault. He wasn't contented with his cursing and he decided to go down the car and headed my side. I had to think quick because I didn't want to get into a fight with someone a bit older and larger than me (he's a college student, I am too :D ). So I pulled up my window and he slammed it with his hand, then went back to his car and drove off.

Well I think we do study in the same school cause we both seemed to be going the same direction but I park somewhere else.

Anyway, analyzing the whole situation, how it went, and how it should have went to me is driving me crazy. I know that I was wrong in trying to overtake, but hell, there was basically nothing wrong with what I tried to do given the circumstances that was there. Alam naman nating lahat ang tamang tancha dito. I wouldn't have overtaken if it was alanganin or anything. Siguro naman lahat tayo ditong mga nagddrive nagoovertake given the right circumstances. Now I'm feeling that I should have at least confronted the guy back. I was very apologetic and all he kept doing was swearing and trying to start a fight. I just don't see how people would go to this extent just because of this, while there wasn't any accident even taking place in the first place. Probably the main reason why I didn't get arrogant that time was I knew that I was MOSTLY wrong, and he was basically bigger than me and getting into a fight with him would be just very stupid.

Well, please share your views, don't flame me though, if you will, please do it in a nicer way, hehe! How would you react to that event or anything similar with regards to "away trapiko"? How will you deal when you are confronted with such thing? What is the best thing to do when in a situation when you are dealing with a hot headed driver?

Thanks Tsikot Brothers!!

[Shadetree MKNX]

I would have probably done the same thing you did--apologize with a wave and continued driving.

If the guy really went crazy and tried to block my way, I'd probably try and stand my ground. What I would probably have done is, stop the car on the roadside, pop the trunk, open my door, and prepare to get out of the car. I wouldn't get out just yet but I would try to size out the guy and make sure he doesn't have too much of an advantage, either in size, or in terms of weaponry.

If he doesn't look too scary (too big, muscular/athletic, or doesn't have a bladed weapon or gun), I'd try to return his aggression, bringing back to mind how he had been driving too slowly, hindering my progress like he owned the road. (Hopefully, this would help me muster the courage.) Sometimes, I notice people become more aggressive if you show signs of weakness, and it'll sometimes help the situation if you let them see how you can "return fire".

The reason for popping the trunk open is because I usually have something in there that I could use as a weapon, just in case I start losing control of the situation.

But then again, this is just "hypothetical" thinking for me, cause I really haven't been in such a situation yet. I'm not really that much of a fighter but I'm kinda average in build (5'7", 200 lbs.) and I figure I could also create some damage, just as long as the opponent is not a seasoned combatant.

[ILuvDetailing]

Well you have to remember there are lots of personalities on the road at any given time you may encounter a hot head, maybe the guy behind you took exception when you cut in front of him thats why reacted that way, daming ganyan na driver na ayaw magpatalo pag kinut mo eh parang natalo sa laro. Either way don't loose your cool unless you have to avoid a fist fight or any physical encounter.

What I do when I encounter a slow driver is I wait for the right moment to speed up and overtake, I may flash my lights or beep a couple of times, but if the car infront of me doesn't speed up well I just wait. I find that more effective than rushing the car in front of you, well in an emergency its a different matter.

[GlennSter]

how to deal with karding!?!?

[ILuvDetailing]

:bwahaha:

[Shadetree MKNX]

...What I do when I encounter a slow driver is I wait for the right moment to speed up and overtake, I may flash my lights or beep a couple of times, but if the car infront of me doesn't speed up well I just wait. I find that more effective than rushing the car in front of you, well in an emergency its a different matter.

If I'm in a real hurry, I let them know they're wasting my time with my successive beeps on my horn (a long beep sounds more aggressive), then when I finally get a chance, I'll pass them without looking at them, hopefully making them understand it was nothing personal.

If the other driver likes to play and accelerates, I'll let them accelerate ahead of me (I don't have a fast car so 50% of the time, I'd probably lose in an acceleration contest). At least they're now speeding up allowing me to travel at a faster speed. But if they really want to piss me off, like they slow down after a swerve back into the right lane, then I'd probably also play along with them just for kicks, honk my horn, flash my lights and try to drive aggressively, all the while maintaining my cool. But, most likely, I'm also probably going to have a hard timie not wishing I had a more powerful car and try to think of the situation as something of a childish time passer (pang-kasiyahan lang).

[KCboy]

just keep ur cool. usually ako, kahit mali nung tao, kung nagapologize na, it calms me down. ang ayaw ko yung sila na mali, ang yayabang pa. dun ka talaga mapapaaway.

[moneywhiz]

in my case, i try not to look at the other person's eye kahit sino ang mali......it is NOT worth it to lose a limb or a life in a fit of road rage when we can avoid it and be humble enough to just speed away and forget about the whole thing

[j_avonni]

in my case, i try not to look at the other person's eye kahit sino ang mali......it is NOT worth it to lose a limb or a life in a fit of road rage when we can avoid it and be humble enough to just speed away and forget about the whole thing

Agree.

[KCboy]

mabilis sabihin, mahirap gawin pag uminit na ulo....