Road rage, minus car plus knife

I witnessed a strange and mildly scary event yesterday afternoon.  I was leaving work and had stopped at a stop light when I notice a man crossing the street.  The man was in the crosswalk and had a walk signal when a car turning left crossed in front of him.  The man became incensed and began flipping off all traffic that was attempting turn left while he was still in the crosswalk.  He began to scream at them. A middle aged women started to turn she slowed and stopped waiting for him to finish crossing the street but by this point the man had become so angry that any car moving was in violation of some natural right of his.  He stopped dead in the crosswalk and began screaming at the women in the car who was simply waiting for him to cross, he then pulled out a large folding knife from his coat and pointed it at her.  She immediately became frightened and drove around him rapidly leaving.  He continued to cross the street passing in front of my car still holding the large knife.  Then it happened, our eyes meet.  I knew I shouldn't have done it but his behavior and threatening of the women over something so minor angered me.  I glared at him and as I expected he immediately picked up on my anger and began yelling at me.   I carry a big knife.  Its a useful tool for me.  I have never thought of using it as a weapon but that day I did.  I started calculating in my mind if he approached my car would there be time for me to exit and brandish my knife in defense.  I had a seat-belt to deal with and a door to open.  He was too close, I would be safer in my car, after all its a much more effect weapon against a crazy guy then my knife.  I stayed.  He yelled.  My light turned green and I drove away.  Leaving the angry crazy knife wielding man in the middle of the street.  I saw him yelling at other drivers in my mirror as I headed home and though to myself "I wonder how my two dogs are doing, I sure look forward to seeing them".

Comments

[Darrin Eden]

Oh man. That's a creepy situation. Good choice not to kill the guy. Madness has a way of rendering one immune to the threat of physical pain.

[Lo]

Good Choice Honey! You Are My Hero!

[Will]

Madness may render you immune to physical pain but a good hamstringing always produces results. The recipient of said hamstringing however is a matter that could have gone either way so you are wise not to have initiated any further action. But every now and then things like this make you wonder why you stopped carrying that sword in your car. After all the look on his face might have been worth it if you had stepped out while brandishing a few feet of gleaming steel and shouted "There can be only ONE"!