My big lesson on "empowered" drivers happened in Houston. While at a red light, the two cars in front of me started a conversation - friendly like they had not seen each other for a while.
The light changed to green and they continued sitting there, talking and blocking the intersection for me and several other cars. The car next to me started honking their horn. One of the drivers rolled down their window and shot him a finger. The light turned red. The conversationalists continued talking until the light changed to green again and then drove through the intersection - the one who had given us the finger, drove off at a very slow pace and I was trapped behind him while all the other traffic went around him - while sounding their horns.
Finally I got around him, but had to stop for a red light. I glanced in my mirror and there he was - coming up behind me and not slowing down. CRASH! He was not going that fast, but the sound of metal on metal and the force told me, I had been smacked good.
After hitting me, he backed up, honked his horn and gave me the finger. Being overcome with stupidity, I got out of my Jeep and went to look at the damage. Just as I reached the back of my Jeep, he roared off, nearly hit me and went through a red light and down the street.
I had done nothing. I had not honked at him or revved my engine. Yelled. Flashed my lights. Or given him the finger. But here I was, stopped at an intersection the victim of circumstances I had nothing to do with. AND, I didn't even get his license number - though I knew it was a fairly new silver Volvo. :cus:
Well, I looked at the back of the Jeep - and then looked again, shocked - I could not find any damage. There was metal all over the pavement and liquids, but they didn't come from the Jeep. It appeared he had rammed the trailer hitch and ball and that had taken all the impact. A quick look showed all the bolts and welds were OK, I got back in the Jeep, relieved and when the light changed I drove off.
About a half mile down the road, there was the Volvo, sitting on the side of the road with a thick column of steam rising from its hood. As I drove by, I looked at the front of it and was surprised at all the damage to the grill - the ball and hitch on the Jeep must have punched through the grill and radiator, then when he backed up, it got hooked on who knows what else and ripped the crap out of them.
Instant Karma. I just drove on by and controlled my impulse to smile and laugh - you can never tell when Karma will occur. In one way, we were all lucky - very lucky. I didn't have any damage. I was not run over. Nobody in the crosswalk or in cross traffic was hit when he went through the red light. A tow truck and a repair shop got some business. And, the Volvo driver was given a lesson in the perils of losing their temper and becoming "empowered". If he didn't, I did - there are things worth being angry about and battles to fight, but there just is no way to win if you have lost your temper.
Tom
hyea:
