jt59
Regular Member
Hey all,
Something pretty wierd happened this morning as I was heading north to Bellingham. I left at 5:00AM, and hit South Seattle about 35 min. later, running with moderate traffic, about 65 in one of the middle lanes. From behind me, a car came up on my rear, head fake left, then right lane, accelerated and ran into traffic, cut left in front of me (cutting me off) and he was right on top of the car in front of him. I flashed him, when he cut in, but am sure he knew I was there....he then proceeded to flip me off in his mirror.
I backed off, and within a quarter mile, he slowed, I changed lanes, he changed lanes, then he changed again and was running parallel to me. He was late 20's, older mercedes, low ride seat, hoody, stocking cap and sunglasses (5:30 AM heading north...it was dead on dark)....looking like a pretty "thuggy".
I know all this cause, his window is down, he's hanging out of it, shaking his fist and throwing stuff at my vehicle. I moved left, accelerated a bit, he kept up and kept it up and I realized that he was throwing coins at my windshield, windows etc.
I slowed down, tried to get a plate number and call 911 to report, he matched pace, and kept tossing stuff....finally veering onto an off ramp and into Seattle downtown....and just like that it was over.
Continuing on, I wondered if he was or had been armed, flashed a gun, what could have happened next.....what would have been the limits for either party under
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.36.045 and making a case for self defense.
I am not sure that trying to completely dis-engage the guy by hitting the shoulder and stopping would have been a good idea, as he clearly wanted to interact.
I was involved in a similar situation in Everett late last year (not tossing junk, but just an aggressive ditz), in that instance because it went on for 3-4 miles, I called 911 reported the plate, they took the info and said they would see if an officer was in the area (not)....so my experience with this approach was percieved as fruitless.
Opinions from any IANAL's?
Something pretty wierd happened this morning as I was heading north to Bellingham. I left at 5:00AM, and hit South Seattle about 35 min. later, running with moderate traffic, about 65 in one of the middle lanes. From behind me, a car came up on my rear, head fake left, then right lane, accelerated and ran into traffic, cut left in front of me (cutting me off) and he was right on top of the car in front of him. I flashed him, when he cut in, but am sure he knew I was there....he then proceeded to flip me off in his mirror.
I backed off, and within a quarter mile, he slowed, I changed lanes, he changed lanes, then he changed again and was running parallel to me. He was late 20's, older mercedes, low ride seat, hoody, stocking cap and sunglasses (5:30 AM heading north...it was dead on dark)....looking like a pretty "thuggy".
I know all this cause, his window is down, he's hanging out of it, shaking his fist and throwing stuff at my vehicle. I moved left, accelerated a bit, he kept up and kept it up and I realized that he was throwing coins at my windshield, windows etc.
I slowed down, tried to get a plate number and call 911 to report, he matched pace, and kept tossing stuff....finally veering onto an off ramp and into Seattle downtown....and just like that it was over.
Continuing on, I wondered if he was or had been armed, flashed a gun, what could have happened next.....what would have been the limits for either party under
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.36.045 and making a case for self defense.
I am not sure that trying to completely dis-engage the guy by hitting the shoulder and stopping would have been a good idea, as he clearly wanted to interact.
I was involved in a similar situation in Everett late last year (not tossing junk, but just an aggressive ditz), in that instance because it went on for 3-4 miles, I called 911 reported the plate, they took the info and said they would see if an officer was in the area (not)....so my experience with this approach was percieved as fruitless.
Opinions from any IANAL's?
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