So a car full of angry young men were screaming at me and giving me the finger the other day...

[Curtland1015]

...I was driving the car in front of them on my way to work.

Anywho, I'm stopped at a light, and this car load of young guys pulls up behind me. I casually look up into my rear view, and all four of them (shaved heads and tattoos) were red faced. Swearing at me, giving me the finger, the whole bit. I would have guessed they were just racists, if I too weren't a white male, so that ruled that possibility out...

I was totally confused. Did I cut them off and not notice? Perhaps my mind wasn't on the road? I wasn't so much scared as I was curious about why they were treating me this way. Either way, I smiled and waved at them, which only seemed to piss them off more. They were enraged enough to scream at me and flip the bird, but not enough to get out of the car and start anything...

So I turn off the road, and toward the parking garage across from my job. They speed past, still red faced, still swearing and making gestures. I blew them a kiss and they drove away, leaving me totally perplexed.

It wasn't until I got out of my car that I remembered all the Obama stickers and magnets on the back of my car.

"Oooooooh yeah."

:blush:

Maybe they were just racists after all. Or at the least Repig assholes.

Well, that's what happened to ME this week. Weird.

[JuniperLea]

1. I feel I'm crossing a line here...

I'm beginning to think that all the haters need preemptive mental health evaluations, for national security reasons.

I hate myself for thinking like this, and since your incident didn't involve a threat, per se, it doesn't really come close enough to danger to warrant the drastic things I'm thinking.

But people who say things like, I'd buy a tag to hunt Obama, or any other mention of violence against the president, might warrant a 72-hour hold, good old 5150, during which a person could be fully scrutinized by mental health professionals to determine if the person in question is a danger to themselves or others.

The lunatic violent fringe is becoming empowered, and it scares the hell out of me.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. I'm glad that is all that happened

and you weren't run off the road or assaulted when they got out of their vehicle. So sad that they are so angry.

[Curtland1015]

4. Well, the main reason I wasn't worried was simply that I was at the front of the light...

Had they gotten out of their cars, I could have just pulled away, thank God.

Still and all, a pretty strange event. I don't know why people need to hold on to so much hate.

[liberal N proud]

3. I recently had several motorcycles behind me that looked like a nazi group

These guys all had nazi style helmets all in black (not unusual for bikers) but they had their face covered in black masks as well.

We were on the east side of downtown Tampa, I am in an Ohio car with Obama stickers on the back.

I stopped at a traffic light and looked in my mirror and could see them pointing at the back of my car. I was a little freaked out, so I pulled into another lane to see if they would pass, it took several blocks before they went on past. The backs of their leather jackets had the name of the group and some German looking name.

My wife just thought I was being paranoid, but my radar on these things is usually pretty good, I can sense when it it time to clear out of an area. The hair on the back of my neck or something, but this was one of those moments.

I tried to search the name on the internet when I got back to the hotel but couldn't and now I don't remember the name on the back of their jackets.

[tridim]

5. I had that happen once right after the election

Some young skinhead types tailgated me all the way to my home, they stopped and stared me down as I got out of my car. I just said, "What the fuck do you want?" and they growled and took off.

All that for a freaking Obama bumper sticker.

[cwydro]

6. That is my tack too when people get aggressive on the road...

I smile or blow kisses. Pisses them off no end.

That being said, sorry that happened to you. Obama stickers are everywhere down here and besides, we're a real "live and let live" kind of area.

[debbierlus]

8. You better stop trying to piss them off, they are dangerous.

[cwydro]

11. You are exactly right.

I try and keep that in mind. It's only when I become angry too that I do that.

But you are right and thanks for the reminder.

[Curtland1015]

9. I do too for the most part. That's probably one of the reasons I was so confused by their behavior.

The area I live in isn't the greatest, but it's certainly not known for hates crimes or racism. If I had seen this kind of thing more often, I'd have probably sussed out why they were acting that way right away.

[debbierlus]

7. Don't provoke them, I am serious. I almost got my ass beat with cutesy behavior once

The same type of thing you are talking about...

The person got out of the car at a light and came for the drivers seat. I had to pass the car in front of me and run the light to get away.

IGNORE people like that - and drive away from them. They are LOOKING for a confrontation. These people carry guns. They are angry.

Don't put yourself in a dangerous situation by goading them with smiles and waves and thrown kisses....they will take that as provocation and it is NOT worth it.

I know from experience.

KEEP YOURSELF SAFE

[Curtland1015]

12. You're right of course. For my own safety I should have kept my head down.

But I don't like being bothered like that. It makes me want to goad people and that's certainly not the smartest course of action.

But as I said above, I wasn't all that worried because I could have just pulled right off had they tried to get out of their cars. Still... you're right.

[kentuck]

10. the democraticunderground bumpersticker evokes similar response..

in Colorado Springs.

It is the only bumper sticker on my small car.

[SDuderstadt]

13. Attaboy, Curtland! n/t

[madamesilverspurs]

14. Very similar experience, here.

Impressive display of manhood and manual dexterity, as they alternately shook their fists and flipped the bird; I could hear them shouting but couldn't discern the words over the loudness of their car stereo. Such brave young lads to exhibit such behavior toward an old lady on oxygen driving a vehicle with wheelchair tags.

I swing a mean cane if I have to, little boys.

[virginia mountainman]

15. Do like many of us do here in Virginia..

Put an NRA sticker, beside the Obama bumpersticker..

No problems here...