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-   -   Road Rage - Understanding, Avoidance and De-escalating Situation (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/road-safety/133373-road-rage-understanding-avoidance-de-escalating-situation-64.html)

Unfortunately, I have a similar incident to share.

It was 8:15 am, and I was on my way to my office in Udyog Vihar Phase 4, Gurgaon, driving my Nexon. I made a U-turn from DLF Atria Road towards Delhi, then turned left onto the road leading to Safdarjung Hyundai Showroom and Service. Everything seemed fine until then. Those familiar with the area understand the narrowness of the roads in Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon. I was in the right lane, preparing to make a right turn.

A white Dzire taxi, which had just dropped someone off at Lloyds Ventures, suddenly cut across towards me from the left, intending to make a right turn before me. Seeing the lack of space, I honked and proceeded with my turn before he could enter my lane. Despite my maneuver, he seemed offended and began hurling expletives and honking. I chose to ignore him and turned left at the T-point. However, he drove recklessly and blocked my path by parking in front of me. I asked him to move, but instead, he charged towards me, threateningly attempting to open my door handle. He tried repeatedly but failed, as I didn't want to let the situation ruin my day. In his frustration, he broke the door handle with the request sensor and continued to threaten me. I remained calm and drove away while he shouted and behaved aggressively. The damage sustained was to the door handle with the request sensor. I've contacted the service station, and they're arranging for a replacement part, which should be installed this or next week.

Reflecting on the situation, I pondered alternative courses of action: Option 1 - Not stopping the vehicle and maneuvering through the wrong side to continue ahead. This might have led him to follow me to my office, but I wouldn't have allowed him to enter the premises. Option 2 - Open the door myself, retrieve my baseball bat, and engage in a confrontation to assert dominance. However, I prefer to avoid conflicts and confrontations whenever possible. Overall, I can't help but feel disheartened by the damage to my vehicle.

Dont be disheartened. You chose the best option in the conditions. Best option if possible in such situations is to get to a safe place, such as the office in your case here, or to a police figure, whether a cop, PCR, or station.
One, you dont know what the other person is capable of in an altercation, if he fights better, or maybe has a gun/knife of his own. Two, a baseball bat/stick/knife, if it changes hands could well be used against you.
Good call, staying in the car.

Any videos/photos? An after-the-fact visit to the police station for the other guy will be much more satisfactory for you than any beatdown you could have given him, if you have evidence.

No, this is where I think a dashcam could have been handy. Will get one installed.

Yes you would definitely feel bad that you didn't get back at the goon. Take him out with the baseball bat. Imagine the satisfaction!!
But after few days you will realize that the cost of the handle is nothing compared to the outcome if you were to go out with your bat. A damage to the vehicle can be replaced, but the outcome if you were to take your bat out is not.
Yes it hurts the ego, but its not worth it..

I'm sorry about the handle, but don't worry only you alone will know that its a replaced handle, others wont know :)

Neither of these options are worthwhile. Trust me on this. Nothing matters more than your life and your safety.

Civic duty, masculine ego, sense of justice - all these reasons can be damned when compared to your own safety.

What you did was the only course of action - keep your calm and get yourself safely out of the area ASAP.

However much you love your car, it's an inanimate piece of machinery that can be replaced any time. You have only one life, there's no point endangering it for now valid reason.

Getting an automatic car has made me a much relaxed driver. These days I anticipate people switching into my lane and let them do that. What are you actually loosing in doing that? Life in general has become stressful for everybody and people are getting irked by the slightest of provocation. What you did was the right thing. Better to have let the driver take the right turn ahead of you and let him enjoy the 2 seconds of gratification.

Stop! Ponder not.

What you actually did was as near perfect as possible! Option-2 is just bad. Assuming you came out of it without any bodily harm, you could still be looking at various negative outcomes after that, dealing with the police, possible revenge from the cabbie and his friends, far more damage to your car, etc, etc. All of which would “cost” you way more than a broken door handle.

“He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight”
- Sun Tzu

Trust me, you have more to lose here. Do not attempt anything like that which can put you in serious legal trouble. The escalation can go out of hand pretty quick. A single criminal case can ruin the life. Moreover, you do not want to attract the mob towards yourself. The taxi drivers are notorious for ganging up against people.

Hi,

Installing dash camera is a must for all car owners.

Action plan in case above is not available:

a) take photo of car with number (if possible) and driver
b) call 100 and say you are being attacked by unknown people. Do not mention road rage and inform location

Wait for police and take the matter further. Only after these people are taken to task legally will they learn to behave more rationally.

You did the right thing. It's disheartening that Indians are becoming more and more inhuman by the day. I faced a similar issue while my travelling with my infant, wife, senior citizen mother and in-laws.

It is appalling that folks have lost all respect and stop at nothing regardless of the other person's condition. Just rage and anger. I felt so helpless. So I can completely related to your situation.

Kerala MVD isn't doing its job right. Individual cars and bikes are soft targets. They won't take any action on bus drivers because their hands greased enough.

Hi everyone.
In my 12+ years of driving and riding, I have never had a road rage experience.
I would attribute that to
* My nature of not responding to any aggressive overtures.
* Defensive driving, accommodating other users.
* Minimum honking while driving, zero honking while riding.
* I ride only scooters - Jupiter/Aprilia SR 150, at safe city speeds maintaining lane discipline.

I have been using dashcam in my car since 2014, but don't have a camera while riding. After the below incident, I will invest in a decent action cam.

With this out of the way, I will recount my experience from last Sunday, 26th May 2024. Unfortunately I don't have a video footage of this incident. Hence sharing a pictorial representation of what happened. The green arrow represents the path I intended to take.

This incident happened near Ashok Nagar Metro Station, Chennai. BHPians familiar with the area will be able to relate. This junction is very risky with vehicles crossing over in an "X" format, on a 2 wheeler even more so.

On 26th May, morning I started from my home in Ramapuram, towards T-Nagar to attend to some personal errands.

I was on my Jupiter, riding normally, and as I neared the pillar near Ashok Nagar Metro Station, indicated right (Refer Scene-1 in the pic). I saw that an auto was waiting to cross over towards the metro, so I came to a complete stop for the auto to pass.

Come an uncle and aunty in an Estilo and keeps honking behind me continuously as I wait for the auto to pass. I didn't react. Once the auto passed me, I continued on my way slowly moving towards right. Estilo uncle had by that time overtook me and gestured at me which I too responded with (my mistake). (Refer Scene-2).

Now this is where I made the biggest mistake. Refer (Scene-3). I was just behind Estilo uncle who was navigating the "X", our eyes met in his ORVM. Thought of giving him a taste of his own medicine. I honked.
He got so pissed off, that he swerved right and tried to knock me down.
I was shaken. But paced up and kept riding left towards my destination.

Scene-4. Estilo uncle chased me and again tried to knock me down, we both stopped, he glared at me and took off. I stayed there for a minute, calmed my nerves and then went on my way.

Few things I reminisce from this incident:
* It is very easy to get carried away in the heat of the moment. Don't react.
* Consider everyone a lunatic and behave accordingly.
* People get pissed off for absolutely minor non-incidents.
* Get an action cam to record such incidents. I have already shortlisted SJCAM C200.

Hopefully, this is my first and last incident where I would react to some looney guy on the road.

Another road rage incident happened in Bangalore, near Varthur, motorists smashed car windows.The incident was recorded on a car dashcam. I am not sure what happened, the car owner has not shared the entire video. The car owner shared the video on X. Based on the video, the police registered the case against motorists.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/trendi...07679-amp.html

https://twitter.com/DJain1989/status...0%2Fframe.html

Wondering whether summer heat also plays a significant role?

Of all the road rage incidents that have been coming to spotlight in Bangalore, this is the most deplorable - An ambulance driver transporting a critically ill toddler attacked by a bunch of goons near a toll plaza in front a few policemen, the reason for the provocation beingthe ambulance driver was driving fast and overtook the Innova car!
https://www.indiatoday.in/cities/ben...408-2024-06-10

The video shows how the attackers are undeterred even when the policemen arrive at the scene. Also, the policemen's attempt to diffuse the situation looks meek. I have always maintained that the incidents being highlighted in Bangalore is no less or no more than what happens in other cities, but this incident leaves me with a sour feeling and dents my trust on the ability of the city police to keep law and order in check!