to be shocked at this road rage incident that was more or less my fault

[ilovewelshrarebit123]

I was driving somewhere unfamiliar and I turned right in front of a car. This car was driving round a bend very fast, and I swerved as did the driver and apart from being very shaken, everyone was unhurt and no damage at all to our cars.

It was completely my fault and I pulled over to apologise. What happened next was just so shocking and scary.

He ran over to my car screaming and shouting at me, I apologised, said it was completely my fault and asked if he was OK.

He had completely lost the plot and two men in a van pulled over as they could see what was going on. One of them cracked a joke about women drivers trying to lighten things I think, but the driver just wouldn’t calm down and continued ranting, he was flailing his arms around and it was pretty scary.

I accept he had every right to be upset and I apologised several times. I also had my 10 year old DD with me so she witnessed all this. My best friend was behind in her car and she and her daughter also witnessed this.

Next thing a boy in his dressing gown appears out of the angry drivers car, he looked around 10. He approached my window and got right in my face and called me a fucking twat.

The men in the van said that’s not on to angry man and went to get out of the van. Angry man then turned his anger onto his boy!

I just can’t stop thinking about it and I’m so angry with myself for making the mistake. But AIBU to think to think his behaviour was out of order, I’m just grateful the van men stopped as I’ve a feeling it could have been worse.

Gosh, how horrible. I would have a good cry, get it all out, and then try to forget about it. That level of anger is never OK.

Id rather be shouted at than have the death of a man and his young son on my conscience due to my piss poor driving

I wouldn’t have stopped tbh. He would have honked at you and that would have been an end to it most likely. His reaction was totally wrong, but I expect he was scared stiff. My FIL died as the result of a car accident like the one you nearly had (he was the one pulling out.)

You've admitted it was your stupidity. What more do you want?

Maybe not to be shouted and ranted at in a threatening manner for a prolonged period when she's repeatedly apologised? It's hardly unreasonable, is it?

Honestly, people round here can pick arguments in a paper bag.

We only have the OP's opinion as to their speed. By her own admission, she made a mistake and I would have a field day with her testimony.

If she was so aware of his speed, how was she so unaware of her own driving?

Unless there were his skidmarks on the road (or other evidence such as road wear), his speed is unprovable.

The fact she turned right in front of him yet there was no collision suggests his speed was acceptable.

She wasn't abused. He waved his hands and swore a bit.

I think you (and others) could do with growing up a little. I would rather have someone swear at me than pull across in front of me. Only one could end my life.

Again, anyone thinking the OP should contact the police as the one wronged are completely off-key legally and are taking a very strange social stance.

You would be lucky to get the police, they are operating at bare minimum!
Seriously though, you just don't know who is in any other car, what issues they have and what they are taking. The aggression I have witnessed on the roads recently is unbelievable.We all make mistakes and we all need to be tolerant of other drivers errors. Only yesterday a car was parked on double yellow lines near a junction causing an obstruction, I couldn't drive forward as on coming cars were overtaking it even though it was my right of way. I said out loud to myself 'you are causing havoc' she must be an expert lip reader as she flung her door open yelling at me to fuck off, jumped out and came towards me! Luckily it was clear by this time and I was able to drive off. Didn't fancy my name in the local paper for whatever she may have accused me of

His actions was ROAD RAGE. While I don't condone his actions, people react differently when life flash before your very eyes especially when he's got his own kid in the vehicle too. Or he could be precious about his vehicle.

I was driving somewhere unfamiliar... It was completely my fault and I pulled over to apologise. I really hope you weren't trying to justify your bad driving to soften the comments you may get . The price have gone down now so get yourself a dash cam front and back for your own benefit. Also, people tend to back off once they realised they're being recorded.

Well I guess the prevalence of road rage is demonstrated some posters on this thread.

No, it's not ok to scream and swear at someone. Road rage is not ok. There is no excuse for that sort of threatening behaviour. It clearly was threatening, for the other van to pull over and intervene.

I'm sorry this happened to you, OP - sounds very upsetting.

Again I will say that there is nowhere in the Highway Code that says it’s ok to be verbally abusive to someone because of a mistake.
A mistake on the road is not a police matter if everyone is well and the driver was not drunk or drugged.
Shouting swearing and waving your arms in someone’s face is threatening, violent and abusive. Yes she made a mistake. Yes she should apologise. But this was not an acceptable way for the other driver to react and I would imagine if the police witnessed a genuine mistake and then this verbal abuse, this they would agree.

Ive had this pulling out of our local tesco! It's a small roundabout; looking right there are 2 lanes coming on, none marked so either can go straight on. It's overgrown on that corner, so not easy to see oncoming traffic.

The number of cars that whizz along there (being 2 lanes it;s a dual carriageway) straight over the roundabout - I can't see them (they are going too fast) and they can't see me (overgrown hedges/scrub)

I have often been beeped at by BMW drivers because I have pulled onto the roundabout and they are right there! If Tesco markedthe lanes so the left turned into Tesco carpark, it would be safer, as I could see cars in the right-hand lane easier (being further over from the undergrowth)

There is NEVER any excuse to scream and shout and intimidate someone like this. I'm sad that some posters on here think this behaviour is acceptable, no matter the circumstance.

inkAdvantage, swearing at people is abusing them. Especially when you are doing it loudly, in a threatening manner, and over a prolonged period when they have repeatedly apologised to you.

I still havent worked out who is worse- those that dont look and just pull out, or those who see me and pull out anyway- both could kill me

Ive shouted and screamed expletives at those that have done it to me then gone to sit down for a few minutes to slow my heart down to less than 200bpm

I had a similar thread the other week. Misjudged space I had to move forward and back wheels crossed line at end edge of zebra crossing (about 2m from actually stripy lines).

A man who appeared from up the road began kicking and shaking my car and yelling at me.

People pointed out despite it being my mistake assault isn't ok and that they doubted he'd have done it if I was a big burley man!

Wow. Look at all the perfect drivers on this thread that have clearly never made a mistake driving.

No way, should he have behaved like that. Its not acceptable in any situation. I've been in several actual accidents over the years. One was my fault, the others were the other parties fault (I do a lot of driving) and in every instance we have managed to behave like normal, sensible human beings and not yell at each other!!! Despite, how annoyed and angry we might have been underneath!

I still haven't worked out who is worse - well, its men who get out and abuse women, and who have obviously taught their son that this is the way to behave.

The OP made a mistake. She then made another one by stopping to discuss it. She could have paid a very high price ie. if those men in the van hadn't been there/other witnesses I think this entitled prick would have taken things a lot further. I suppose araiwa would support that though.

I've been a passenger when someone pulled across us, forcing us to swerve and very nearly t-bone someone else. The adrenaline absolutely made me swear and shout inside the car as we came to a halt inches from the driver's side door of the third car. It's adrenaline. However, we didn't get out and yell and we accepted (probably not hugely graciously) the waved apology from the careless driver.

The driver you scared was unreasonable to act the way he did towards you, and the child was certainly unreasonable. Your driving was unreasonable. I'd say neither of you has the moral high ground here to be honest.

Also, the OP says the other driver was going very fast, not that he was speeding. As someone else said, he managed to come to a stop before hitting an object in the road so his driving was fine from the information we have.

You've had a double shock OP, try not to think about it any further.

What an idiot. I'd of reported him too. I once got blocked in a McDonald's car park by a guy who thought it was ok to try and intimidate me whilst I'd got a newborn and 6 year old. He parked so close to my car I couldn't get in or move the car just because I'd parked over the line a little bit (sleep deprived didn't think to check) when I asked him if he could move he just made boo hoo poor you noises at me. He had the choice of a few different spaces yet chose mine. Some people are just arseholes.

He sounds deranged. Of course it’s horrible when someone turns in front of you and I guess it would anger most of us but to carry on like he did was so wrong.

I don’t know whether I’d report it though. He would probably play down his actions and focus on you.

Several years ago I went into the side of someone at a round about. They were really really kind about it and we did everything above board the insurance policy paid for the damage to their car. He could have ranted and raved but he didn’t I think he saw how upset I was and apologetic and he was very understanding. It was a genuine mistake and an error of judgement on my part. I took responsibility he behaved like an adult.
More recently someone also bumped my car whilst queing at traffic lights. Again I wasn’t delighted but I accepted Their apology and was polite and respectful to them. They paid for the damage to my car.
Being almost involved in an accident does not mean you can behave however you like towards another driver.

YANBU OP.

Yes, you made a mistake and it could have ended in a nasty collision. However, it didn't & you apologised.

I agree that this man may have been spurred on by the adrenaline of the moment to some extent, but there's also a very good chance that he is also somewhat of an angry twat in other aspects of life. I take this from the fact that a) other adults getting involved failed to calm him down at all and b) he has a young-ish child who seems to think it appropriate to go about calling people a "fucking twat". I'd hazard a guess he's heard his father use that expression many times before.

he sounds like pond life with low impulse control...the behaviour of the child illustrates that pretty clearly imo

If you are at fault then you can be dealt with by the law.
Vigilantism....the dishing out of summary justice on the spot by victims leads to bad outcomes and is the hallmark of failed states and the like
we should not condone or encourage it

I'd turn a blind eye on it. You made a mistake...you probably scared him shitless and while he shouldn't have raged at you, fear makes us do things we shouldn't.

StaplesCorner ah, so shouting at someone is worse that driving in a potentially fatal and dangerous manner and risking my life, gotcha both men and women have done it to me

but yeah, i can exactly see where i have said that violence or whatever the fuck you are suggesting is appropriate. when you make up bullshit to try support your argument, you look ridiculous.

The fact is, in this instance you have a man intimidating a woman on her own with a child, and his son copying his behaviour. Yes, the OP admits to making a mistake. But I somehow don’t think he would have reacted like that if it had been a man in the car.