So, I’ll put it right out there, I had a small accident the other night. Yeah, accident, but fault is sketchy. I know many know my “old” driving habits, which have morphed, where others are still with me no matter how old and “mature” I get.
To start, road raging is something that I’ve put behind me. Some years ago, not sure when, but I completely started ignoring other drivers who rage out of control. I’ve had some near misses and a few “situations” in my past. One, the soccer mom in her mini-van incident while commuting to my office and car-pooling with my good friend Dave Hix, comes to mind. (I’ll let him fill in the blanks.)
Long story short, somewhere around that “indecent”, I changed my views. I finally figured out that trying to teach strangers a lesson while driving was becoming a mute point, if not a waste of time. A majority of people are selfish, stupid drivers. I can’t fix stupid or selfishness and decided to stop trying.
That was several years ago, now fast forward to Friday night, November 20th, 2009. Quick back story, I’m now involved in an IT Consulting company whereby we all work virtually. One of my partners lives in far south Denver, Lone Tree. We’d just finished several business meetings near his home office. We’d gone to Jing, in the DTC. I retrieved my car at Scotts house. I now drive Jodi’s old car, the Infiniti and was heading home around 5pm. On the radio, the announcer mentioned several parking lots along I-25 corridor meandering through downtown. Deciding not to be late for dinner, I chose to just ride the far reaches of E470 toll that circumnavigates Denver’s east side.
So, with that decision made, I stayed facing east on 470 rather than make the turn north on 1-25. Within minutes, orange construction signs announced the left lane would disappear. I am an observant driver. Staying in the middle lane, I noticed a newer white truck with business lettering in the soon to disappear left lane crawling along. Another “mossier” in the left lane. He signaled, moved in front of me and maintained the slow pace causing myself and several behind me to slow by about fifteen miles per hour. Posted speed is around sixty. The white truck fluctuated it’s speed between forty-five and fifty.
Cars flew by on our right. With several cars on my own tail twitching to move right and pass, I was somewhat stuck. My phone rang. It was easier to just watch the slow tail lights in front of me than figure out if there was an opening in the high-speed traffic flying along in the right lane. Speaking to one of my partners about a few aspects of our recent meeting, I continued to follow the white truck figuring as soon as the cones end their lane blockage, I’d just pass and go on about my business.
Within a few minutes, the rear cargo light came on somewhat blinding me, but it didn’t make a major problem for moving forward. While on the phone, I glanced in my right mirror to see if there was a break. There wasn’t. I continued on at the lower speed, while everyone on the right flew on.
Once the cones stopped, the left lane became available, so even with multiple cars on my tail, I signaled to go left, figuring I had first right of refusal behind the poking truck. Changing lanes, I noticed the sixty-five sign and punched it while still on the phone.
In my window frame, I saw the white truck drop backwards knowing I had wide open road in front and there was no one in front of him in his lane. Finishing my call, I hung up by placing my phone into the cradle on the dash, glanced over my shoulder looking in the right mirror and saw blackness. Not looking over my shoulder, I changed lanes.
Everything changed with the crunch sound as my cars ass shifted left and I was looking too far right. Turning into the sixty mile an hour slide, I didn’t brake. I’ve been driving for years and know that braking can be as damaging as anything. Swinging back in a more straight line, I was processing what just happened, looked in my rear view mirror, I saw headlights drop rapidly indicating who ever I’d just bumped slammed on their brakes.
With commuter traffic in near full swing, I eased to the side of the road to inspect and see what happened. Initially, I thought maybe someone who’d used the right lane for passing had merged back and we’d bumped. In my mirror a set of lights followed me with emergency flashers as we hit the emergency lane. Flipping my visor down to find my paper work, I saw something in the corner of my eye. A guy standing there in the dark waving his arms pointing.
Opening my door, I heard a verbal assault with multiple “F” bombs being dropped in staccato delivery. Standing up at my full six foot three inch stature, the assault stopped immediately as the five foot six guy realized he was verbally berated someone much larger than he and started backing up towards his vehicle. He did continue with his verbal abuse stating things like, “…what, you in a such a big “F-ing” hurry…” – “…just couldn’t wait to get the “F” around me? You ‘F-ing’ idiot…” and a few other choice string of words.
Still not fully comprehending what had happened, and to all those who may have been around me well past ten years ago, I was the epitome of calm. Then it hit me as I looked back at his vehicle, the car I’d bumped was of all things, the white truck that had crawled along causing the earlier backup. All I could think was, he’d sped up out of my vision and I’d not been expecting a vehicle in his lane. Things happen pretty quickly at sixty plus miles per hour.
Anyway, he walked back to his truck where both doors to his truck were wide open and a small child sat in a car seat. He pointed and said a string of explicative’s about his sons safety and all he could think about was his kid. He continued the F bombs, some son-of-bitches as he inspected the scratch on his bumper. He was setting a wonderful example for his son. Hopefully one day, he’ll grow up to follow in his fathers footsteps. I trailed him with a completely calm dameaner. Jumping into the safety of his truck, he glared back at me expecting a return of his own rage. I did nothing of the sort.
“Sorry man, hope you guys are all okay.” I showered him with kindness. Mentioning I hadn’t expected him to be there after his earlier slow speed, “was just passing” etc… he retorted about speeding and being a jerk and a few other derogatory comments, which I assume he was berated my driving style. “I asked him to calm down so we could rationally sort this out.” – he continued with his verbal assault from the safety of his truck. I blinked a few times figuring he was out of control. I told him I was going to return to my car and call this in. He actually got more upset again shouting, “yeah, go ahead call the cops…” He said some other stuff as I walked away, but I’d chose to just ignore him.
At this point, I called the police who asked of course, if anyone was hurt. I told them it was a true fender bender just a few bumper scratches. The operator said, they’d be there as time availed. Translation; you’re low priority, so don’t hold your breath. I walked back to the truck and updated the other driver about my call. He was seathing, but left the verbal comments to a stern, “Fine”.
Sitting in the car, I called Jodi, let her know the situation, texted my partners back and forth and waited. After thirty minutes or so, I saw a car pull up behind the truck. Getting out in preparation for police questioning, I walked back a few feet, but realized it was the guys wife picking up the kid in the truck. I returned to my truck. Wasn’t going to deal with a she-bear and her cub. At this point, I figured if he was out of his mind, his wife probably wasn’t any better.
After another thirty minutes, I was not happy about being late for dinner and the seriousness of the situation did not warrant the time waste. I returned to the truck, where the guy was on the phone, apparently with his boss. He’d calmed quit a bit and actually apologized for his behaviour earlier. My belief is, he was ragging and out of control, which actually caused the situation even though my lane change caused the actual bump.
We agreed to just exchange information and not drag this out any further. I called the police operator back and stated that we were leaving where I was put into a recording system which I left the particulars and details, time, location, vehicles involved, plate numbers and call back numbers.
I took photos with my iPhone. Wrote down all of his details, gave him a business card etc… he did the same. He’d returned to a rational sane demeanor which eased any tension. We parted ways.
- Reflection: on my hour drive home, I revisited what happened and best I can figure, he was one of the many drivers who like to sit in the left lane and show all of us who drive fast how to do it. I’ve seen these before but never actually “run into” one. Well, that luck ran out Friday night. The situation could have escalated, but I chose to keep my cool (yeah, I can see the eye balls rolling now). Mostly, because I’d not given the earlier activities any thought what so ever. I’ve learned to just ignore people on the road. The only thing I can figure was, he’d gotten pissed that I was tail gating, then passed him and decided to increase his speed to either shoot the finger, follow me, maybe even jump in behind me and flash his lights. Who knows, but his car in the other lane was the last thing I was expecting.
It takes all kinds.
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