Road Rage!!!

Image from the internet

No pretty picture today just a bit of getting something off my chest.  I wouldn't normally write about this sort of thing on my blog, I like to keep this as my happy space to share happier times and lots of crafty and foody goodness with a bit of life thrown in.  Fortunately not many of us have ever been the subject of the unacceptable behaviour of road rage and this included myself up until this week. 

it was 6.30am and you wouldn't think there would be too much traffic on the roads at this time. I had approached the junction and checked that the road was clear enough for me to turn onto the main A road out of our village and proceeded to turn, it was moments later that  a car came up behind me flashing lights.  I'm not quite sure what type of communication this was supposed to be making but obviously not one that I had learnt when reading the high way code.   Not content with already aggressive type behaviour the car then overtook me, not a problem you might think and ordinarily no.  I don't like to drive at excessive speed especially on country roads.  But this guy not content with taking over my car on a bend then slammed on his breaks and put his hazard lights on.  To be fare I thought there may be something in the road such as a badger or a deer that I hadn't seen.  I duly slowed down to a stop at which point the car sped off again.  Not too much further down the road the same car did the exactly the same thing not once but three more times by which point I was becoming a little concerned for my safety and for those vehicles that were now behind me and the thought of whether they were intoxicated came to mind albeit 6.30am.  The said vehicle then once more took off at speed and it was at this point I felt I should drop my speed and let the vehicles behind me take over to put space between our vehicles which they did.  I felt more relaxed and carried on my journey.  As I approached my destination, the local petrol station en route to my place of work I noticed a car had pulled into a layby,  I did think at the time that it was the same vehicle but told myself I was just being paranoid and sometimes people car share and this may be the best place to meet up.  It wasn't until I indicated to go into the car park that leads to the petrol station that I noticed the car from earlier was again behind me and was the same vehicle that had been pulled into the layby, this immediately made me feel apprehensive and a little scared for my safety.  By now I was committed to making my turn but decided to pull up by the front doors of the supermarket attached to the petrol station so that not only  were there more people milling about, amazing how many people choose to shop so early in the morning, but also there would be CCTV camera's.   As it turned out I was right to be concerned as the car then pulled up along side me by which point I had locked my doors.  Now the fellow in the car waved and signalled to put my window down.  At this point I had already located my mobile phone and was ready to call the emergency services.  I decided that maybe I was over reacting and he was trying to tell me that my lights were out at the back or some such.  Rightly or wrongly I did wind the window down enough to be able to hear what he was saying. He went on to deliver a diatribe of what he thought was wrong with my style of driving but could not see that his behaviour was in any way in appropriate.  Now there are times when I can be quite calm and articulate and there are others when his style of behaviour would of had be a gibbering wreck.  On this occasion I was the former and when he had completed delivering his speech ending with did I not have anything to say I then took my opportunity to tell him that not only did I have plenty of room to make my manoeuvre if he was driving at the correct speed, that his subsequent behaviour had not only the potential to cause an accident which would have not only involved my vehicle but the  vehicles behind me that he hadn't seemed to notice but he also had deliberately pulled over into the lay by to wait for me to come past with the full intention of continuing to follow my car no doubt with the intention of continuing to pull in front of my car  slamming on of the breaks etc... and that here he was now sat next to my car in a public place telling me how he thought I shouldn't be allowed on the road and would he like to wave to the camera that was pointing directly at his car.   I said I was about to put in the last digit in order to call the police to report not only intimidation, but also intent and what would be considered road rage despite the fact he hadn't left his vehicle and that he now had 30 seconds in which to remove himself from the car park which is approximately how long it would take me to close my window before I contacted the police.  At which point I began closing my window but at the same time put my phone to my ear and made out I was through to the emergency services and talking to the police.  Needless to say he left quite rapidly. 

It did occur to me afterwards whether he would like his mother, wife or daughter to have this happen to them and how that would make him feel. I didn't contact the police as in the UK road rage is not an offence without actually physical harm to me or my car or independent witnesses.  I didn't get his number plate I think I was too much in shock but as D pointed out that could be retrieved from the CCTV.    Perhaps he is now reflecting on his behaviour and feeling some remorse or may be he is waiting to see if he gets a knock at the door or a letter from the local constabulary. 

By the time I reached the office shock of the incident had kicked in and the gibbering wreck status had arrived in full.  My lovely colleagues looked after me and I didn't tell D about it until  I arrived back home in the evening, I didn't see the point in worrying him when I was safe. 

I suppose the moral to this story is that we don't necessarily live in a nice world and we are not necessarily as safe in our environment as we think we are.  Never leave home without your mobile phone and if you have a mobile phone make sure you have put your emergency contact details in it so that if you are ever in a situation where you need to get help and quick you have the means to do so whether it be from the boys in blue or your friends and family. 

Thank you for virtual listening and stay safe out there. 

Mx