I'm bad. I'm so, so bad. I was flipped the bird again last night

[in_cog_ni_to]

by another FREEPER MAN.

I was on my way to Tinley Park which is a 45 minute drive North from where I live. My son and some friends are in a wrestling camp on Tuesdays and Thursdays and last night was my car pool turn. I had my son and 3 of his friends with me. I was on I-57 heading North when I passed a jeep and then pulled back into the right lane to get ready for my I-80 exit and the jeep guy sped past me and pulled in front of me a slowed down. Naive me, thought nothing of it. I thought he was just doing what I did and was readying himself for the I-80 exit. Then we get to the I-80 ramp and the guy drives 10 m-i-l-e-s a-n h-o-u-r down the ramp and proceeded to poke along on I-80, so I passed him on the left and as I passed him the kids yelled..."He just flipped you the bird!" and I said, "Ohhhh! He doesn't like my bumper stickers! No wonder he was driving so slow. He was trying to tick me off enough to pass him so he could do that!." DUH!

I continued on and the kids say, "slow down in front of him and lets see what he does!" So, I did. I got back in the far right lane and slowed down and when he got close he tried to pass me on the left and I got in front of him before he could pass. He then went back in the right lane and I did the same...in front of him. Then my Tinley Park exit came and I had to leave, but before I exited I rolled down my window, slowed down to let him pass and I flipped him the bird and he made the gesture of shooting us with a gun. He didn't like my bumper stickers.

It doesn't end there. My son came out of wrestling camp and said, "mom, you know the guy you flipped the bird to? He's ONE OF THE WRESTLING COACHES." Me...OMG! "He's the one who couldn't handle my bumper stickers and flipped ME the bird first." All the boys said..."Yeah! he started it!"

I told my husband this story this morning and he said, "GOOD GIRL!" Then I told him the man is one of the wrestling coaches and he said I should walk up to him in front of a room full of people and ask him, "Are you the guy who didn't like my bumper stickers and flipped me the bird while I had 4 children in the car?" ;)

The more I think about it though...I shouldn't have done that in front of the children (13 year olds). :( That wasn't nice, but I was PISSED.

OK...give me my DU beating, I deserve it.:( I shouldn't have done that, but I just couldn't help myself. Usually, I flip the peace sign, but that just wasn't my MOOD at the time.:grr: Beat me, DU!

[Richard Steele]

1. Yeah, that was stupid.

You were playing "road tag" in a car full of kids?

Not amusing at all.

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. I know.

I feel bad. However, there was PLENTY of room between us. I was wrong though.

[GardeningGal]

3. No beating from me.

I'd call him out at the next wrestling match or practice. Just make sure you have witnesses.

[KansDem]

14. Ask him if he could do something constructive with his other 9 fingers

As a wrestling coach, he should have that ability.

[0007]

51. I'll second that!

[Benhurst]

4. The man shouldn't be a coach. Thanks for giving him the finger. NT

[Benhurst]

28. But you should be careful. There are a lot of nuts out there.

And the coach just might be one of them.

Call him out at school, in front of witnesses.

[Hard_Work]

5. Beat you?

I wanna kiss you! (Umm, don't tell the hubby, ok?)
:* :* :* :* :*

[DUHandle]

6. How are your sons doing in wrestling?

[DanCa]

7. What kind of wrestling camp in Tinley ?

I was just wondering I may know they guy your refering too.

[in_cog_ni_to]

10. It's the TOPGUN BULLDOGS. It's on 171st street.

Does the guy you know drive a jeep?

[DanCa]

12. Ah no for some reason

I thought it was one of the Indy Pro Wrestling Leagues. In that case I would have known the guy from back in my college days.

[donco6]

8. It's not worth it.

No sense provoking more anger from someone who's obviously unable to control themselves.

[noamnety]

9. What is wrong with you?

Engaging in road rage stunts is stupid enough, let alone with your kid in your car. It's unbelievable you did it with someone else's kids in the car.

Why in the hell would you endanger somebody's kids over something like that?

[Faygo Kid]

11. Too dangerous. There is another way to challenge kids to think critically

Luckily, all's well that ends well, so don't beat yourself up over it. But don't do it again. I am sure you won't, and appreciate your honesty in posting this episode. Your motives were great; your judgment was suspect. Good opportunity to talk to the kids about why you did what you did, and how you feel about it now. Don't pass that up.

[in_cog_ni_to]

17. I won't pass it up. I don't drive again until the end of April. I will

make it a point to tell them I was wrong to do that and the guy was wrong to flip the bird over my bumper stickers, but that didn't make what I did OK. I should have ignored him.:spank:

[Ufomammut]

19. We ALL pick and choose, and...

Being human, sometimes don't choose as we later think we should have. Don't sweat it...

[Faygo Kid]

23. Ahem: Quit beating yourself up!

This is a great opportunity to talk to the kids about your passion in light of a very human mistake. Why does it matter so much, that you would react like that? It will be a history lesson, and a dialogue with youngsters who deserve better than just "I made a mistake." Sometimes we get frustrated. Sometimes we make mistakes. Sometimes we have a Rosa Parks; other times we choose the wrong venue. But you were offended by someone who wanted to silence you, and who does not recognize injustice. That's the point. That's where you need to be with the kids. You leave them hanging by beating yourself up and thinking that's a good enough explanation. It's not, and it's not true. Get to work. I hope this advice is why you posted here. You already knew it to be true.

[sendero]

29. While I agree.

... with those chastising you in my head, my heart knows I would have done the same thing. Fuck a bunch of freeper idiots :)

[Gman]

13. So what does your bumper sticker say??

[elehhhhna]

18. "Flip me off if you're stoopid" ?

[in_cog_ni_to]

21. "BUSH IS A LIAR"...."IMPEACH BUSH"...."JUST SAY NO TO FASCISM"

"DRAFT YOUNG REPUBLICANS"...

"DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION"....

"WAR......

"W STILL A MORON"

"W is for WIRETAP"

"ONE NATION UNDER SURVEILLANCE"

"LIBERAL AND PROUD OF IT"

:7

[Gman]

31. Poor guy...

He just was overloaded with reality! Can't blame the guy. He has a weakness and needs the right wing dogma to give meaning to his life. He was made to think for a second in shades of gray. He couldn't handle it and flipped out.

Pity the poor fool!

[Gabi Hayes]

56. A MEN! RIP, Hunter

[Ufomammut]

15. Unrealistic to think you'll always react the same way

You didn't do anything wrong. I'm a peacenik myself, but realize that hostile disputes and even violence are unfortunately unavoidable sometimes. I have "dissident" stickers, and Orwell stickers on my old beater, and I know it's inflammatory to some - that's the point! To get people's attention, get the blind faithers to realize it's "OK" to disagree with MSM, and to hopefully encourage others to not feel so intimidated that they can't 'speak out,' even if only though a bumber-sticker-public-message thingy.

[Dora]

16. Bad, bad. But now that you know about that coach....

Keep a digital camera in the car and make sure your kids know how to use it. That way, while you're driving safely (without playing tag), the kids can take a picture of the creep flipping you the bird.

Then you can give the coach a lovely 8X10 of himself at the next match, and perhaps all the other coaches too.

[MadHound]

20. Wow, just wow

Playing tag with a Freeper going down the highway, moving back and forth across various lanes of traffic all so you could flip this guy off? Glad I wasn't on the road, I would have probably gotten run over.

Look, I appreciate a good bird flip as much as the next person, but endangering not only yourself, your children, other children, the guy who you wanted to flip off, and the rest of us who use the highway is insane.

Also, is the really the example that you want to set for you children, drive maniacly in order to get the last bird in? I really do hope not. Rather, since this was one of your kid's coaches, you could have actually gone and confronted this man in person, rather than playing in traffic and endangering everybody.

Glad I'm not driving in your neck of the woods, I'd shoot the tires out from underneath both of you simply in order to get such rolling menaces off the road.

[Warpy]

22. Your penance will be to

do what your husband told you to do: approach him in a crowd and ask him in a stage voice, "Are you the guy who didn't like my bumper stickers and flipped me the bird while I had 4 children in the car?"

At that point your sin of reacting in kind will be absolved.

[FoxNewsSucks]

24. Don't blame you at all

I know it's wrong, but I can't blame you for something I've done myself. I'm sick of taking crap from idiot republicans. And that means I will probably speed up to pass them back and respond.

I printed a page that says in big letters "No, Fuck YOU!" I hold that up when I get the finger. Sometimes surprises the asshole into laughing, which defuses things. In any case, I've got the last word.

You should definitely confront the coach. Preferably with his boss and other witnesses present. At the very least, report it. I passed a school van full of HS kids once and the adult driver gave me the finger. He was a coward about it, holding his hand so that none of his passengers could see. That's about the only time I just went on.

[wicket]

25. LOL!!!!

I printed a page that says in big letters "No, Fuck YOU!" I hold that up when I get the finger.

LOL!!! THat's great! :D :rofl:

Oh, and by the way, welcome to DU!

:hi: :toast:

[Ufomammut]

26. Wow, big heaps of sanctimonious bullshit!

I'm sure you wish children hadn't been present, however, I'm more than willing to bet that every tsk-tsk you've gotten here is from someone who likewise has pulled some truly bone-headed shit too. Good stickers, btw :)

[in_cog_ni_to]

30. Thank you.

:) This is the second time in 2 months 2 MEN have flipped me the bird over them. I guess they are doing their job, eh?

I'm never doing that again with the kids in the car. It was STUPID. However, if it ever happens again and I'm not on some time frame where I have to be somewhere at a particular time and I'm alone, I'm going to confront them...IN PERSON. They don't scare me.

[Ufomammut]

44. We have a daughter too

So I know where you're at. Besides being cut off a few times {which may or may not have had anything to do with my "offensive" stickers} I've never had anybody fuck with me where I knew it was in direct political relation. I also have anti-Boooosh shirts that draw ugly glances, but I look like a big, crazy, tattooed hippie, so that may deter against some harassment ...unless you're outnumbered: that's when redneck-jock-asshole types really kick it into full-tilt sadist gear against "pinkos!" LOL

My wife drives a newer car, so we don't have stickers on it, and ironically, she has many more driving nightmare stories regarding Bush sticker-addled vehicles.

Now watch, having said that, today I'll end up being confronted by a pickup load of those Easy Rider type of hippie-stomping sadists ..ugh LOL

[specimenfred1984]

27. The Bird and the Gun Gesture are Both Illegal as Hell in VA

especially the gun gesture. Slowing to 10 mph is illegal too. I'd suggest you don't do that stuff anymore and next time, get the guy's licence number and call it in as a roadrage incident.

The guy might have prior offenses and 1 more would really get him in trouble. I'd also report it to the wrestling camp as the guy is endangering the live's of the kids by slowing down on an interstate.

Roadrage happens all the time around here in VA, it's not even a joke because many do end up with shootings.

[ProfessorGAC]

32. OK Except For One Thing

I think it's too dangerous a game to cahnge speeds and impede flow on the interstate. Although i know that area isn't too high in traffic most of the time.
The Professor

[ProfessorGAC]

Triple Post

...

[ProfessorGAC]

33. Triple Post

...

[in_cog_ni_to]

35. I know. Traffic was slow, but I still shouldn't have done that.

I was bad.:spank:

[Roaming]

34. Umm, personally I don't think behaving like this (especially in front

of a car of kids) really accomplished much? And what sort of example did it really set? That guy had no business doing what he did... but are politics really something to get so completely enraged over?

[in_cog_ni_to]

38. Yes, but not with kids in the car.

Had they not been with me and if I didn't have to get them to camp at a certain time, I would have followed his ass and confronted him TO HIS FACE. The problem is, these people have had Liberals giving them a pass on ALL OF THEIR RADICAL BEHAVIOR and THAT is why they do what they do. I wonder if the guy has ever been confronted to his face by someone he flipped the bird to? I doubt it. They aren't getting away with it when they do it to me. I've had enough of their shit. He can explain himself to me to my face.

[Roaming]

59. Be very careful--jerks who do stuff like this and then are confronted

could get violent, pull a knife/gun, or whatever. It's just NOT worth it.

[stop the bleeding]

36. Confront the coach - he a public example for a lot of children & secondly

use the thumbs down next time instead of the bird - works everytime:thumbsdown:

[bunkerbuster1]

37. Since there's no more Morning Sedition with its "Liberal Confessional"

I'll just say this: "Go and sin no more."

You already know that you fell prey to weakness by getting into a flip-off. Fine.

Go talk it over calmly with this guy when you have a chance. Learn from it.

Teach your children well.

[proud2BlibKansan]

39. CCW is the law here

So i don't flip any drivers off anymore.

[in_cog_ni_to]

40. CCW? What's that? Common Courtesy (W?)?

:shrug:

[proud2BlibKansan]

42. Concealed Carry

They let any idiot who can pass the background carry a gun.

[in_cog_ni_to]

43. Oh.

Damn.:scared:

[NoPasaran]

41. The coach is a jerk!

Fuck 'em and feed 'em fish heads!

[bikeboy]

45. I would go

and ask a friendly officer of the law to join you at the next practic and confront the individual. I have a real hard time with the gun motion and I think that the officers in your local area might share that concern.

Take HIM to the mat as they say...

and no more nany nany new new with kids in the car!

otherwise, bite him in the ass hard and shake him like the rat he is!

[Matariki]

46. How do you know it was your bumper stickers?

maybe you did some driving he didn't like, something you are unaware of? perhaps he didn't like that you pulled around him or something?

ps - don't get me wrong, the guy sounds like a standard creep.

[in_cog_ni_to]

47. I KNOW it was my BS because as soon as I pulled in front of him,

he saw them and passed me, slowed down to a crawl in hopes of me passing him. It wasn't my driving. Trust me.:)

[greenbriar]

48. you need to report the threat The SHOOTING THREAT

a person like that that makes terroristic threats does NOT need to be around children!

[Common Sense Party]

49. That was immature and reckless behavior on your part.

Americans in cars can be nuts. You could have been endangering not only your life, but that of the 3 kids in your car.

[in_cog_ni_to]

50. I know it was.

:spank:

[Beausoir]

52. Playing with the lives of children. Beyond bad. Develop some control.

Get off the road until you get help for your anger problems.

There is NO EXCUSE WHATSOEVER for endangering children over silly bumperstickers.

You had best hope and pray the parents of those children don't find out what you did.

If one of those kids had been mine..you would have definitely been paid a visit.

Sorry to come off harsh...but you have a responsibility to be the ADULT in this situation and keep those children safe at all times.

[warrens]

53. Report him--the shooting motion sounds like a threat to me. nt

[in_cog_ni_to]

55. If I see his jeep at the next practice I drive to, I'll get his license

number AND I want to confront him in person. The kids are the only ones who saw his face. I had my eyes on the road when he flipped me off and when I flipped him off and when he acted like he was shooting us I caught that action, but not his face. All the boys saw his face though. IF he is a coach and travels the same route to the camp then I will probably encounter him again. I'll ignore him, but have a pen and paper ready and my cell phone ready to call the cops.

[Gabi Hayes]

54. Tinley! where the people too stupid to live in Homewood used to go

when I was a kid

not going to beat you up for driving technique, as many already have

next time PLASTER his jeep with stickers that he hates

like this

[in_cog_ni_to]

57. LOL...I LIKE! I'm going to save that and print some up!

Great idea! Thanks, Gabi!:hi:

[Gabi Hayes]

60. yr wlcm! first thing that came to mind, after this:

just about the closest I ever came to being killed was in just about that same spot, by a semi, who cut me off, and ran me onto the margin, for no reason. there was no way he didn't see me, cause I'd just passed him, with no funny business involved, either

scared the crap out of me

[yellowcanine]

58. Getting into a pissing contest with anyone on the road is ALWAYS a bad

idea. You never know - they might have a gun or they might use their car as a weapon. The best thing to do is drive at normal speed as much as possible and exit as soon as possible. If they slow down or stop - keep going. Call #77 or 911 on your cell phone if you feel threatened.