A road rage incident - dreadful outcome

[tezxr8man]

I think personally that road rage incidents are happen more often because the quality of driving is declining, there is just too much c&*p in cars now that take peoples focus off driving and more and more silly things are happening.
have been doing delivery driving for a few weeks while a driver was on holiday and my experience wasn't great in a 20 min period i was almost ran off the road twice by people on the phon and cut off at a roundabout when i had right of way.
i know it is wrong and illegal to commit road rage and just be cranky behind the wheel but i can understand how it can happen.

[Ducati888]

There's also a continuing trend in people lacking the humility to accept they have made a mistake. Someone cuts in front of you because they are in the wrong lane, if you honk or flash, they flip the bird and abuse you, rather than just say sorry mate. What's with people getting abusive when it's they who made the mistake?

Humility and integrity, two things that are sadly lacking in our society at the moment.

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by new2ford

Country drivers are heaps better, but this may not have been a person from the country. The population of Shoalhaven apparently trebles from about 100,000 to about 300,000 at Xmas holiday time and boy do you notice a difference in driving behaviours when the city folk arrive. Lane chopping, aggressive driving, Mercedes (the rudest) up your clacker flashing lights, shouting, gesticulation.

We have to shut up and appreciate it because it's good for the local economy but it's sure nice when they're gone lol!

All this is a culture shock after Europe too - and Australia's supposed to be an easygoing society.

Road rage comes from any one regardless if you are Country or City Driver..... Country people do go on holidays, not just the city/surbarban folks.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by new2ford

And the scientific paper linking this issue almost exclusively to Australia, NZ and the US is where?

Well Aus, US and NZ all have one thing in common. They all have never been invaded and had extreme consequences for there actions forced on them.

People tend to be a bit more polite when there has been a history of death penalties for minor confrontations......

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by flappist

Well Aus, US and NZ all have one thing in common. They all have never been invaded and had extreme consequences for there actions forced on them.

People tend to be a bit more polite when there has been a history of death penalties for minor confrontations......

Germany has laws dealing with intimidating behaviour on roads. That's dealt with the Porsche drivers who close up to your clacker at 250 km/h with lights flashing so that's a thing of the past. I believe no Porsche drivers were put to death in the process, whether that's a good thing or not is not for me to say.

[chamb0]

Originally Posted by flappist

Well Aus, US and NZ all have one thing in common. They all have never been invaded

Don't forget there were people living in all three of these countries before white folks came along.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by chamb0

Don't forget there were people living in all three of these countries before white folks came along.

True, there was no road rage at all back then......

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by trublu

Road rage comes from any one regardless if you are Country or City Driver..... Country people do go on holidays, not just the city/surbarban folks.

I think the drift is country people are more relaxed, city people stressed out of their brains - and they take the stress with them on holidays.

Mind you I'm undergoing a bit of cultural relearning here. After 6 months in central Europe with people politely giving way to each other on lane merges and moving over to let faster cars go ahead, in two days here I'm run into the gutter on one merge even though I was in front and signalling - the guy just accelerated to block me when he saw my signal - and the other guy did a Formula One takeoff to get in front of me, only to then slow right down. It seems a small step from these little things to road rage.

I think there's enough work cut out on this country's roads to keep a whole conference of anthropologists busy.

[irish2]

Originally Posted by new2ford

I think the drift is country people are more relaxed, city people stressed out of their brains - and they take the stress with them on holidays.

City people also drive as if there is lots of traffic around when there is not, where as country people keep left, and pull over when required.

[Ben73]

I miss proper country driving.
Only 'country' driving I do over the past 3 months is between Newcastle and Singleton. I would not consider that country driving since it pretty much feels like one big city with hectic traffic everywhere.

[TC200six]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0hhoO5Z6pw

Another recent road rage attack. It looks like it's around the Logan region. This guy must have intermittent explosive disorder to lose it like this.

http://www.news.com.au/national/ken-...-1226540320984

A WEEKEND drive turned to horror for a man caught up in a road rage attack south of Brisbane.

Former policeman Ken Olsen said he was the victim of an unprovoked attack recently when he was rammed more than seven times and run off the road.

"I had to go onto the footpath, got onto the footpath, and went over traffic islands with him in pursuit," Mr Olsen told Today Tonight.

"I got around a traffic island, then he crunched into the side of me, so I had to go onto another footpath to get away from him.
Road rage attack

"He'd crashed into my vehicle so many times I was convinced it was going to stop going, and I thought once my vehicle is not going, I have no protection, this bloke is going to kill me," Olsen said.

The violent driver also flung himself onto the car after running Mr Olsen into a barrier, punching in Mr Olsen's windscreen.

It is believed there was also a woman passenger in the car at the time.
Road rage attack

Mr Olsen called triple zero for help during the attack and was instructed to drive to Logan Central police station.

"This has shaken me. It's something that you don't expect and it's something that's very difficult to deal with," Mr Olsen said.

"How do you deal with somebody trying to, what I think, trying to kill you on the road? I'm struggling."

Police media was unable to confirm if the man involved in the attack had contacted police with plans to hand himself in

The driver of the black ute has come forward to police.

It is believed the man earlier attended a police station on Saturday to lodge a complaint - different to the station Ken Olsen visited to report the incident.

The man is now seeking legal advice and is yet to be charged.

Police have also asked for anyone who may have seen the attack to contact them.

Police are also searching for the driver of a white ute who passed the incident and may be able to shed more light on the attack.

[MAD]

I think more will come from that story.
I totally don't agree with how the guy reacted, but there will be more to it.

At the start of the video, just after the lanes merge, you see a short stab on the brakes. (on the version at news.com.au, it is skipped on the youtube link above)
With nothing in front of the lead car, it was clearly an act of provocation.

But geez, in the time of that video, you'd think he might realise he's going over the top and calm down a little. Scary situation.
I wonder how his elbows are after smashing the windscreen.

[Dash_XR]

His lane was ending he should of given way instead of pushing the black ute into oncoming traffic.

[Resurrection]

Originally Posted by MAD

I think more will come from that story.
I totally don't agree with how the guy reacted, but there will be more to it.

At the start of the video, just after the lanes merge, you see a short stab on the brakes. (on the version at news.com.au, it is skipped on the youtube link above)
With nothing in front of the lead car, it was clearly an act of provocation.

26 second mark of the video it is evident that he gave his brakes a quick jab.

Originally Posted by MAD

But geez, in the time of that video, you'd think he might realise he's going over the top and calm down a little. Scary situation.
I wonder how his elbows are after smashing the windscreen.

I've seen on a number of occasions where a lane disappears and people deliberately speed up to stop you getting in front of them - but you have no option as the lane you are in is about to end. Then if you do get in front some of them getting really ****ed off. It is as if they believe the road belongs to them.

My rule of thumb - if I am in front of the person beside me I merge ahead of them. If I am beside or behind them, I merge behind them. Why do people have trouble understanding this???

[flappist]

In QLD the law is:

If your lane ends and you must cross a line to merge then you must give way to all traffic in the other lane regardless of whether you are in front, parallel or behind. They have right of way in the same way that if you get to an intersection slightly before someone on your right you still have to give way to them.

If the lane ends and there is no line to cross then the one in front has right of way.

[Dash_XR]

I know that's the law but I meant it's the safest option if your unsure rather then forcing the car next to you into oncoming traffic.

But on the other video it's shows that wasn't the case anyway, he deliberately hit his brakes for some reason and the car behind had no time to react (probably from tailgating) and hit him.

Both were in the wrong.

[karj]

Originally Posted by Dash_XR

His lane was ending he should of given way instead of pushing the black ute into oncoming traffic.

That is actually incorrect. I believe this is one of the most misunderstood road rules.

If you look at the YouTube footage again at 15 seconds, you will see that neither lane is marked as ending, but instead both merge into a single line of traffic

Using the picture below from the SA License website, the give way rule that is followed in this situation is Example 38, not Example 39.


The victim of the road rage should not have given way to the black ute, and if the black ute was somehow pushed into oncoming traffic, it would have been his own fault for failing to give way.

EDIT: Flappist beat me to it, he has said essentially the same thing regarding the give way rules.

[Dash_XR]

I wasn't saying it was the rules, I was just saying it's the safest thing to do.

So if a pedestrian is crossing on a red pedestrian light your ok to hit them because they are in the wrong? People seem to think that because they are in the right common sense is no longer needed.

That mentality also causes accidents.

[MAD]

Originally Posted by Dash_XR

His lane was ending he should of given way instead of pushing the black ute into oncoming traffic.

we can't see where the ute is when the lanes merge. It only appears afterwards. Maybe he was flying up trying to beat the guy with the camera. Its all speculation. Also, has anything happened on footage prior to this that has been edited out?

[Streets]

Guy's got some issues. I hope he gets the help he needs... and gets the hell off our roads until he does.

[b0son]

If I'd been on the receiving end of that idiot, when he got out of the car, I'd probably have driven into him. Too many such incidents have ended with the attacker pulling out a weapon (I've witnessed one). Why give him the opportunity...

[Sorted]

Originally Posted by MAD

At the start of the video, just after the lanes merge, you see a short stab on the brakes. (on the version at news.com.au, it is skipped on the youtube link above)
With nothing in front of the lead car, it was clearly an act of provocation.

May have been when they collided in the first instance

The news.com.au vid then changes from the video footage to the interview

[Stagg]

From my experiences with road rage, most of the offenders do not expect you to do anything about it.

I ride a motorbike every day to and from work, gym, mates houses and shopping and pretty much every week there is someone who does not see me. Not their fault sometimes it's just hard to see bikes and I do my best to keep out of trouble. However, some people do start to shout abuse at the lights at me regardless. I mean really, those people are just bullies.

Thing is they don't expect anyone to defend themselves, just like bullies in school. The second you stand up for yourself then from my experiences they calm down. However, that said, I came to realise that I'm a quite well built 6ft1 leather sporting motorbike rider, who often gets mistaken for a suburban viking...

Honestly I struggle to relate to people being victimised because I never let myself get victimised lol

[superpursuit83]

Yesterday I had a fool "Couchy" in front of me. Brake tested me locking up his 4wd. I managed to stop with 3 car lengths between us so I was not tailgaiting. Then he speeds up and slows down and tries to **** me off.
Have no Idea why he did this. Now I normally dont give a toss about **** like this but he got to me. He turned into a culdesac and I followed him to his house.
I just got out and asked his problem. He acted like all bullies and backed down a little bt kept argueing.
I simply gave him my card and said call me after new year because I did not want him in hospital over the festive season and his family miss out being with him.
He shut his mouth then and his wife had come out and told him off too.

Wished him a merry xmas and left.....

His mistake was being a idiot
Mine was letting it get to me and taking it that far.

Sometimes it it so easy to let ya emotions get to you. Stupid really because if it had escalated one of us would have been hurt.

Chill out, salm down and enjoy the journey.

Merry xmas everyone

[GREGL]

I cannot beleive some of the responses to this. To chase down someone in that manner on a busy 80 kmh road regardless of what he has done is madness. The way he was acting there must of been some history , and I'm talking past history , not being cut off 2 mins ago. FFS some of you find his actions justifiable or excusable because he was possibly cut off and maybe verballed /given the finger. WOW my faith in human nature continues to be lowered.

[MAD]

So its OK to poke a snake and blame it for biting?

[flappist]

Originally Posted by MAD

So its OK to poke a snake and blame it for biting?

No you kill it with a big stick not blame it.

Regardless of what the first guy did the second guy tried to kill him and his passenger in a premeditated way and in doing so collaterally endangered the lives of other road users.

If you upset me by pushing in front of me in a queue would it be ok for me to take a weapon and try to kill you and your wife and anyone else who happened to be behind you at the time?
Or would that be the act of a psychopath?

I believe he should spend a long time in jail and never be allowed on the road again.

[MAD]

Originally Posted by flappist

No you kill it with a big stick not blame it.

Regardless of what the first guy did the second guy tried to kill him and his passenger in a premeditated way and in doing so collaterally endangered the lives of other road users.

If you upset me by pushing in front of me in a queue would it be ok for me to take a weapon and try to kill you and your wife and anyone else who happened to be behind you at the time?
Or would that be the act of a psychopath?

I believe he should spend a long time in jail and never be allowed on the road again.

Agreed 100%. But the other guy might not be as innocent as he claims.

[my_gxl]

I am not surprised by any of the responses or reactions of this thread.

I now carry methods of defence against road rage in my door pocket, for these reasons.

I invite any road rager to try jump in my window.

That guy that punched the windscreen is lucky he didn't get rammed and squashed between both vehicles...honestly....

Survival of the fittest was unfortunately voided by humanity.