Don't mess with 'Rita!!! I was coming to work on the 210 frwy at the 57 junction this morning at 6:30am. As usual in So Cal it was bumper to bumper and with the 57 merging onto the 210. People were changing lanes and doing all kinds of crazy things jockeying for a place to settle in. I looked in my rear view mirror and there was an Acura on my tail. Literally two feet from my bumper. I turned my lights on and off thinking he might be having an out-of-body experience and didn't realize he was so close. I had less than 2 car lengths between my car and the car in front of me, the carpool lane on my left and a wall of cars on my right. We were moving about 35-40 mph. He crept up even closer, so I touched my breaks to try to get him to back off. No luck. He was determined that if I just climbed over the car in front of me we could all go faster. Now I was really getting annoyed... my brand new car..doesn't even have the plates yet...back off pal!! Well, as could be expected all the cars came to a sudden stop and he rear ended me. We pulled over, I got out of my car and went back to his car. In a less than pleasant voice I asked him if he was happy now!!! He snarled at me, and rolled up his window and refused to get out and face the crazed woman standing at his door. Well, now I'm thinking of pulling him thru his window and doing dreadful things to him. Instead, I called the Highway Patrol. He said he was leaving since there was no apparent damage to my car. I told him fine but I have your plate number and I WILL TURN YOU IN FOR HIT AND RUN!!! Finally, the HP showed up, asked me if I wanted an accident report. He said it would go on my record as no fault and he would get an accident report to his insurance. Start writing officer Brown. I was so furious that they made me sit in my car for fear I would harm this bonehead that had hit me. Officer Brown said, well I can't say I blame you. This is a nice car. I'd be really annoyed if someone carelessly ran into me too....however, you don't get to kill him. FINE!!!! (a four letter word when used in that tone). I think 'Rita is ok, but I'll take her to a body shop just to check. It looks like a little pin hole in my paint. The paint that I just double sealed, Hydro'd and Slicked!!! Sorry, made a long story even longer...

 

You handled that as well as anyone ever has or ever will again.

 

sorry to hear about your beloved MINI involved in a heavy metal altercation. on the positive side your Rita will probably only need a bandaid and you are ok. I'm glad to read so many cases where MINI's were involved in fender benders and the damage to these cars seems very minimal compared to so many cheaply constructed cars.

Sleep well knowing that Acura driver will be paying more for his insurance for the next few years. Hopefully his lighter wallet teaches him not to drive like a total jack*ss!

 

The idiot that hit you is lucky you weren't on the way to a pistol range! LOL.

 

All I could think about was that lady in Texas who "accidentally" ran over her husband three times!! And he was SUCH a jerk. Really tried to intimadate me. It's nice to know that in times of stress I act with such grace and dignity

 

I wonder who peed on his Wheaties this morning. What could motivate someone to be such an a$$?

Your self-control was admirable. In addition to being responsible for the accident, does he also get a ticket for tailgating? Or is that your word against his and the cop wasn't there to observe so no ticket?

 

Officer Brown said he was concerned about writing it as a tailgate because it would/could open a can of worms about me stopping suddenly to cause an accident. This way it was clearly his fault. He was not in control of his car...I guess. The CHP seemed to be concerned for my well being so I took his word for it.

 

Go home. Put feet up, and sip a very large Margarita!

 

I don't want to wait until I get home. It's five o'clock somewhere right?

 

Don't want the same cop to pull you over for a DUI.

 

True, I wonder what my daughter is doing this afternoon?? I want to be the designated drinker!!

 

 

Definitely Margarita time! What a bummer! Whenever I have a tailgater I feel compelled to really squirt those front and rear windshields. For better visability, of course!

 

I never like that method if only cause you could miss the guy behind you and get the car behind him instead, or overspray/wind could make it hit the cars to the sides, etc. And if you were in one of those innocent cars minding their own business who just happned to have spent several hours or bucks detailing you car, you can bet you'd be pissed.

 

Wow! I can so relate to your story.... It happens every once in a while in Los Angeles.... Glad you are okay, and glad you did not pull him thru the glass, and also not let the J.A. get away with it.

(now for the shameless plug)

Hey Rita, check out my charity run August 25th and come meet some nicer people and new friends if you can...

(Italian Job Run for Charity)

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=108382

We have a number of people from Los Angeles area, and San Diego signed up so far...

Good Luck with the repairs...

- Charlie

 

Years ago my rental car got rear-ended at a San Francisco stop sign. Low speed, not much damage, no injuries, etc. Before I got out of the car I had a mental talk with myself--"easy now, no problem, talk nicely." Once I got out of the car it was a different scenario. Without thinking I blurted out "What the f*** did you do that for???"

Fortunately he was a gentleman and we simply exchanged information...

 

THIS...is wat occurs cause of tailgaters..i rest my case..(vented out in another thread..)
but glad there's no serious damage on your car. but still..

 

.

 

I am only in SoCal- LA area a couple times a year and even I know to not expect to get anywhere fast-especially in the morning, this guy lives there and should know better. Good for you for not giving in to the jerk. Glad you and rita are OK.

 

As a friend of mine pointed out yesterday, this guy was trying to intimidate me so I would move over and he could have my spot. He would then do it to the person who was in front of me and it would continue on. It's a learned behavior in someone like this guy. It wasn't just daydreaming and not realizing you had gotten a little close to someone (we've all done that), it was a very definate act of defiance to move me out of the way. I had no where to go however, and instead of getting what he wanted he ended up sitting on the side of the freeway for 40 minutes. I'm sure we were the talk of the CHP at the end of this officers shift. And...obviously, if the driver of the other car was smart he would have admitted he was wrong (like most older men have learned to do with us cranky types) smiled, appologized, and got the heck out of there before the crazed terrorist in the red MINI exploded all over him.

 

Sorry to hear about the bumper to bumper connection, but you sure did handle yourself very well. I'll give you a BIG thumbs up for that one. I pray that if I'm ever put through that situation I'll be able to be that calm. It would sure be better than a visit to the local jail house for beating the living crap out of such a well deserving idiot.

Our local interstate traffic is always like what you explained. We have tail sniffers galore.:impatient If you don't keep a very short:impatient distance between you and the car ahead of you, you'll be cut off by someone wanting to change lanes for an extra mile or two more an hour. It's just a bad situation for all involved, which is normally everyone on the road at rush hour.

 

People................they're just cars! They can be fixed or replaced easily! Don't let people like this intimidate you, but if you're blocking the left lane at least have the courtesy to move over and let them get on with their miserable lives. You have more important things to do and see, like your familys and enjoying motoring in your MINI. Relax! And hey, let's be careful out there!

Rita, I'm glad no one was hurt and your MINI was only "ouched", but you never know when the idiot who bumped you will be carrying.........there's no reason to lose life, limb or property over a car.........

I know this is gonna sound like heresy, but please, let's keep some perspective..........

 

LOL. I've never heard that phrase before. Love it.

 

I'm thinking the CHP thought he was going to have to call in the SWAT Team to get me off this guy. I asked him if he would let me borrow his gun. He told me to go sit in my car. Now who's "packing" However, in a calmer state of mind you are right about most things....but not the "just a car" part. 'Rita is family now. Maybe if I hadn't named her this would not have been such an issue....

 

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