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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Road rage attack yesterday morning, is it me or are people getting angrier?

40 replies

LivinLaVidaLoki · 05/03/2020 06:49

Was driving to work yesterday and a man pulled out in front of me not even looking or indicating...nothing. Almost hit my car.
As he wasnt looking, I quickly peeped my horn to let him know I was there.
He stopped. Got out of his car and came to mine banging on my window shouting "did you not see me pulling out you stupid fucking bitch? You fucking blind cunt!!" More banging.
I just kept looking ahead not engaging so he sped off.
I pulled over to collect myself for a moment (a man who was just getting out of his car in front of where I pulled over came over to ask if I was OK) but the more I thought about it yesterday the angrier I got. What makes people think they can just do that and its OK?
Why are people so angry these days? Or have they always been a and I've just not noticed?

OP posts:

Defaultuser · 05/03/2020 09:21

I think it's because they know they've done something wrong, are embarrassed and defensive and it comes out as anger if they're that type of person. It definitely seems worse when there's a woman involved as they seem to think they are better drivers and hate being shown up. (Not so underlying) misogyny.

PointlessAddict · 05/03/2020 09:23

YANBU

similar happened to me a while back, some guy pulled right out in front of me on a roundabout, I hooted the horn and got a torrent of abuse and the finger. I know we can all make mistakes when driving but he was clearly in the wrong and that kind of aggression is ridiculous. I bet they don’t do it to men.

Floramcfluff · 05/03/2020 09:25

Same thing happened to me last year. Was taking my kids to the childminder, I was in a housing estate with narrow roads. I went around a parked car and had plenty of time. There was a van coming towards me, he put his foot down and slammed on last minute and started beeping and getting all aggressive. I ignored, drove on and dropped the kids off.

As I was leaving CM estate, I stopped at the lights, and next thing I know this same guy was banging on my window, shouting and swearing at me. He was vile!

crispycracker · 05/03/2020 09:25

@itsabitofamess
Absolutely agree with all you said.

SapphosRock · 05/03/2020 09:38

Sorry that happened OP. Male drivers are arseholes.

It happens to me regularly - I live on a one way street and the only way to drive out is along a narrow street that is two way but could easily be mistaken for one way due to the visible one way sign on my road.

Literally 2-3 times a month men (it's always men) wind their windows down and inform me the two way street I am driving on is one way. Sometimes they yell at me 'it's one way you stupid bitch'.

I know they are in the wrong and probably feel really stupid when they realise but it shakes me up every time.

dottiedodah · 05/03/2020 10:04

I think its a mixture of aggressive males.(usually middle aged men with a massive chip on their shoulder) and the huge volume of traffic that seems to have increased hugely in the last 4 or 5 years .Not sure why .We live on South Coast, medium size town and cant seem to go anywhere without being in long queues of traffic! These horrible entitled men treat women as insubordinates, and cant bear it if we dare to do something they dont like ! They are probably the same men who scream "My wife doesnt understand me" or "the fucking bitch has taken all my money and stopped me seeing my kids "No idea why!

cliodh · 05/03/2020 11:04

These are all awful. I've had people scream abuse at me for being in the wrong lane when I'm actually in the correct lane (road next to my house is somewhat confusing but I've lived there for years). But also on the other side of the coin, I've been the driver in the wrong lane on occasion and I actually think the abuse from 'righteous' people who scream at you for making a mistake can be much worse IME.

Purplelion · 05/03/2020 12:24

This happened to me recently. I was turning left at a green light and a man opposite me was turning the same way, so he needed to wait for a gap. He pulled in front of me, I slammed by breaks on and beeped to warn him I was there. He opened his windows, gave me the finger and called me a stupid fucking cunt! It was SO hard to do but I just sat there and smiled at him. I was then behind him for a few miles and he was constantly trying to overtake but there was a lot of traffic and his driving was ridiculously dangerous and got him no where any quicker than driving normally would have!

adaline · 05/03/2020 12:30

What will the dashcam do? How does it stop road rage?

If you have a sticker or sign up saying "dash cam recording" it may stop people in their tracks. But, even if it doesn't, you at least have evidence to send to the police.

Otherwise, a report saying "A man in x car shouting abuse at me" won't get you very far unless you have a witness, because it's just a case of your word against theirs.

SewingWarriorQueen76 · 05/03/2020 12:36

I had someone Road rage at me when I pulled them up for driving across a zebra crossing when I was still on it. I took the reg no and the Pcso went and had a word about the abusive language and agressive driving..
The crossing had been put in for the school. He then had to face me in a Community event, where the PCSO was helping me out. He did visibly squirm.

WeAllHaveWings · 05/03/2020 12:42

I have been driving for 30+ years and have never personally experienced a road rage incident where the other driver got out the car or was intimidating and I can't remember ever seeing one either.

There is the occasional horn beep if someone has cut in, but no more than that.

I am in Scotland and drive from a large town to a city everyday but avoid peak hours by starting/finishing early. Is this happening mostly around cities where it is very congested and therefore more stressful driving? Stress is no excuse obviously but just wondering where all this road rage is happening.

KatherineJaneway · 05/03/2020 13:00

What will the dashcam do? How does it stop road rage?

It doesn't stop them getting angry at you, but knowing they are being filmed usually stops them coming up and banging on your car window screaming abuse etc.

endofthelinefinally · 05/03/2020 13:06

Dash cams are really useful. I witnessed a cyclist being knocked off his bike and injured. The police weren't going to do anything, but we had already stopped to help, called the ambulance and told the man we had it on video.
He contacted us, we sent him the footage and as a result the police traced the driver and the victim got compensation for the damage.

RedWine123 · 05/03/2020 13:13

@itsabitofamess I second that!

Rosebel · 06/03/2020 17:50

There are more drivers on the roads that when I passed my test so more chance of encountering an angry driver. I certainly think drivers are more aggressive and not just make drivers than they used to be.
A lot of people seem annoyed all the time. I frequently see customers getting shopping rage so I think people are more angry in general.

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