Road rage, followed home! Happened to us recently.

[pt111pro]

Ok, let me start with some background information. I have been a member here for a while, I read frequently but post very rarely. I have been carrying (concealed) for about 3 years. Still feel like I have a lot to learn, but I do take my responsibility to protect myself and wife and child very seriously.

This happened to us a few nights ago and after having some time to process it, I thought I would post on here and try to gain some insight on what other people would have done/what I could better do in the future.

The three of us, my wife myself and our ten year old, were heading to my parents for our Christmas dinner. They live in a very rural area, week before this night their neighbor had a medical emergency and it was well over 30 minutes before first responders were able to get out there. We left town heading to their house on a two lane road with no shoulders. From the town we left to the first turn headed to their house is about 9 miles. About a mile before the first turn there is a gas station on the side of the road. About three miles before the gas station a truck passed us, my wife was driving and had the cruise set on 67. She dimmed her lights and let the truck get a couple hundred yards ahead of us before turning her brights back on. When she did so the truck slowed down to around 45 and we came up behind him. She dimmed her lights and he drove about 45 mph for just a bit and then sped back up. We were thinking he was looking for a place to turn or something. Repeat that whole process, he got back ahead of us, she gave him plenty of room before turning brights back on, and this time when she did he slowed down until we caught up with him and then stopped completely in the road and got out. With both hands raised in the air and mouthing something he proceeded towards our vehicle.

At this point we were several miles outside town with no houses in sight. My wife immediately threw it in reverse and started backing up, at which point he got back in his truck and sped off. She pulled forward enough that I could get his tag number and then waited for him to take off before we did the same. The two or three miles from there to the gas station we drove about 55 and gave him plenty of distance, and thought it would be over. When we got to the gas station I noticed him sitting in the parking lot and told my wife that he would probably get behind us, and sure enough he did, with his brights on. Since we were going under the speed limit another car had caught us and was now in between us. When we made the first turn and he followed us I got on the phone. We we at least 10 miles from the town we came from and if we had kept going instead of turning it's 30 miles to the next town with nothing in between but farm houses and oil field roads. Knowing that law enforcement would be miles away, and knowing he would more than likely follow us al the way to their house I called my dad and told him what was going on, asked him to meet us at the end of their driveway and call the Sheriff for us.

Knowing my dad would be well armed and not knowing if there were other people in the truck with him or if he was armed I decided that would be the best course of action. He turned down the gravel road along with us and as we got to their drive way my dad was waiting for us, he was carrying a Kimber 1911 and I was carrying in an outside the waste band holster. I got out of the car and told my wife and kid to go on up to their house and joined my dad at the gate. Just as I thought, the gentleman, and I use that term very loosely, tried to turn in their drive way. My dad politely informed him that he was on private property and was trespassing and needed to go back the way he came from. He ignored that request and said "I just want to ask him what's up with his bright lights". I was slightly less polite when I informed him that I don't take threats to my family lightly. He insisted he never threatened me, and I told him that took him getting out in the middle of the highway and coming towards our car and then following us several miles to a private drive in the middle of no where a definite threat. The whole time dad was on the phone with the 911 dispatcher, and after a advising him several times to leave that we were on the phone with 911 and had given them his tag number he offered his name and said he wasn't "afraid of the law" and would wait for them at the end of the road. he did not follow up on that promise.

We sat down to eat and the Sheriff came out, took a statement and said he would have a visit with him and that was pretty much the end of it. I did look him up on our local court records site and saw that he has more than his share of run ins with the law including domestic assault and stay away orders from several people. I really believe he was just looking for trouble.

I will add that as I exited our car I did pull my shirt up and over my firearm as open carry is now legal in our area. My dad was also openly carrying his firearm, but other than that our firearms were not involved in any way.

So with that, what would you have done differently?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[brocktice]

Easy to say in retrospect, it's never easy to see in the moment. Would it have been possible to just pull around him and quickly leave when he stopped and got out?

[Mike1956]

I would recommend cooling it with the brights in peoples' rear-view mirrors.

[Stirling XD]

I would recommend cooling it with the brights in peoples' rear-view mirrors.

Agreed. Some of the newer cars have extremely bright headlights and some people have more sensitive eyes. Even if none of that is the case, it simply ticks people off. if people act irritated over something your doing, stop doing it.

[blanco64]

Sounds like the part that probably escalated the situation the most was when you pulled up on him to get his plate number. If not for that, maybe you wouldn't have seen him again?

[Crestwood1001]

First thing is don't use your high beams when someone's in front. You would be surprised how far they throw light, and why did you go to the house? I would I turned around and went to the (I'm assuming) well lit gas station while calling the police


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[Maximpactguns]

I wouldn't take any chances at night. At least during the day you can see what's goin on. I wont stop for anyone at night unless I'm getting pulled over which never happens.

[OldVet]

Sometimes there's just no escape from idiots. Yeah, bright lights in my rear view mirror bother me too, but I flip the "night" lever and go on about my business as usual.

[DaGunny]

Do you think he got your plate number?

[pt111pro]

Well this was helpful!

[ANGLICO]

I'm really glad that you and your family are OK and that no one or animal was harmed here. However, I would not have taken that person to your Dad's house...........

I run into this sometimes on the back roads with people who just hate Harleys (Bikers) and are having a 'bad day' for them. If I can, I back track.

Really, unless you are having a bad day also, and want to force a confrontation, just go the other way...........

I say this as a Marine....... Only engage in the direct conflict on the terms you choose = winner!

Also, stick a boot up the local LEO/Sheriff and make sure they go out and follow up on this! Politely and with purpose, make them understand that this is a situation of 'To Protect and Serve' that they get paid for............

[Bardo]

Had a similar run in the other day, also on the way home from family on Xmas. What the heck is wrong with people today? It's like they're looking for things to be angry about!

[iguanadon]

Had a similar run in the other day, also on the way home from family on Xmas. What the heck is wrong with people today? It's like they're looking for things to be angry about!

Actually, it's people looking for outlets for the anger built up inside them from various sources and reasons. You just never know what's going to trigger someone anymore.

[dukalmighty]

Under the Conditions I think you handled it fairly well,except I don't recommend taking a threat to anybodys residence,BG could retaliate later by vandalizing property or worse

[F350]

From the OP

She dimmed her lights and let the truck get a couple hundred yards ahead of us before turning her brights back on.

For all saying stop going back to brights the general guidelines for dimming

500 ft while approaching someone.

300 ft. when coming up behind.

So if the distance was indeed "a couple hundred yards" she was well within any legal requirement to go back to brights. The guy was a dick as evidenced by his criminal record.