Road Rage Can Affect Classic Car Owners - How To Avoid Becoming A Victim

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

Road rage can affect just about anyone, at any time, anywhere. Once infrequent, random incidents, it seems that we're hearing more and more about road rage encounters. Should you, as a classic car or muscle car owner, be concerned?

Photo Credit:
San Antonio-Bexar County
Metropolitan Planning Organization

Yes. Unfortunately the trend seems to be spreading rapidly as more and more drivers are having anger management issues. Just today a story on the Internet surfaced about an extreme road rage incident in Queensland, Australia where the victim's dashcam recorded much of the action unleashed on the driver as he drove down an interstate. Another driver rear-ended him and made rude gestures to start the event. It can only be guessed at what sparked the outrage that ensued.

According to autos.aol.com, "the assailant pulls alongside Olsen's car and bumps him, retreats, pulls along the other side of Olsen while straddling a grassy median and, finally, veers in front of him and slams on his brakes, causing an accident. That was just the beginning of this dramatic road-rage episode. Next, the raging driver gets out of the car, climbs on Olsen's hood and shatters his windshield."

Also in the news today was an update from a case right here in San Antonio, Texas where in October of 2011 two men were caught up in an automobile dual that turned deadly. Fighting each other with their vehicles, one was sent careening into oncoming traffic when hit from behind by the other, resulting in a 2-year-old boy being paralyzed and his father with serious injures which leaves him still unable to work. According to the story in mysanantonio.com, both drivers were "indicted on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon — their pickups — causing serious bodily injury. If convicted of the felony, each man could face up to 20 years in prison."

If vehicles are used in an assaultive manner to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly cause serious bodily injury the actions of the drivers can be considered a criminal act. Road rage accounts for roughly 280 injuries on San Antonio-area roads from 2007 to 2011 according to a recent San Antonio Express-News analysis.

Part of the problem is that the very definition of "road rage" varies. Some states view road rage as driving aggressively, while others view it as violent confrontations between driver. Still others may see it as a combination of the two actions. Howstuffworks.com has a great article on road rage that I recommend reading. It is something all drivers should think about.

Road rage also costs drivers. Insurance premiums go up for those with road rage records, and cause costly claims for those victimized by the actions of those who've gone out of control at the wheel. One insurance industry blog states that road rage is not always covered by auto insurance, and there is evidence to back this up. What if another driver was the aggressor and caused you damage? What if you were not part of the road rage itself, but an innocent person caught up in one? Your insurance company may or may not cover it.

There was an interesting story of a Farmers Insurance claim that was initially denied because insurance felt that the road rage driver "deliberately caused" the crash, therefore it was not an "accident". Over time, the State Commissioner got involved and put pressure on Farmers to pay the claim. But clearly, there are few, if any, guidelines for insurance companies to follow, since the phenomenon is relatively new.

And classic car enthusiasts are not safe from becoming a target, or even an innocent victim of rage. In July 2012, the driver of a 1969 Triumph Spitfire was killed in Santa Rosa, California. The sport car driver was an innocent bystander who was caught up in what is being looked at as a road rage chase between two drivers. The Triumph was hit from behind, causing it to flip over and catch fire. The 55 year old driver was tragically burned alive. The driver who caused the crash, 28 year old Ann Howell, was arrested for suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and reckless driving causing great bodily injury.

Not so severe, but damaging was an episode experienced by Guy Algar years ago when a driver in another vehicle was driving very aggressively, waving his arms and swearing, perhaps feeling that Guy was slowing him down. The driver tried to force him off the road, bumping into the side of his vehicle. He luckily escaped serious harm, but the event left him surprised over the driver's quick flash of extreme anger. "The way you handle the aggressive driver can either help calm or escalate the other driver's agitation level, and his or her reactions to you. Don't return a rude gesture or swear at the other driver, as this will almost certainly make things worse," explains Guy. "Give them room to make their getaway. Hopefully if their temper goes unfueled, they'll feel satisfaction and will speed off leaving you with minimal damage."

What should you do if you are confronted by someone who is driving aggressively and perhaps experiencing road rage? Here are some hints offered by AOL Autos:

• "If someone is shaking their fist and making threatening gestures, the best move you can make is pull over and let them get away from you, or turn off of your route to get away from the other car. The best way to avoid a fight is to leave it before it starts.
• "If someone has left their vehicle and is confronting you on foot outside of your car, get your doors locked. Calm yourself and turn away. If you have your phone, dial 911 and let the responder know that the police are coming.
• "Do not retaliate against a road rage instigator. You have no idea whether the person has a weapon. Be smart. Try to leave the area of the instigator as quickly and safely as possible."

Almost everyone agrees that it is best not to do anything to provoke him/her. It is a wise idea to call 911 to let them know of your situation and your location if you feel things are getting more heated or out of control. The most important thing to prevent a situation is to remain aware of your surroundings and of other drivers while you drive. Keeping alert and in-tune to what is happening around you can give you the advantage you need to get out of a sticky situation safely.

REFERENCES/RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION

autos.aol.com - "He Was Going Berserk At Me Again"
esurance.com - How Road Rage Can Affect Car Insurance Rates
howstuffworks.com - Introduction To How Road Rage Works
jalopnik.com - Road Rage Chase Ends With Fiery Death For Vintage Sports Car Driver
komonews.com - Farmers Insurance Does About-Face In Road-Rage Crash Claim
mysanantonio.com - Pair Indicted In Road Rage Case
sametroplan.org - Safety Study Road Rage
smartshopyourcarinsurnace.com - Road Rage Not Covered By Auto Insurance

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.