I believe a strategic right turn may have saved my life tonight.

[Gil]

Longish story warning here:
This is how my work night ended:

I was driving home from work at 0245 in the AM.
I was on a road that is normally quite deserted at that time.
I passed a local BBQ joint and the area around it was jumping. Lotsa cars in the lot. A "roach-coach" on the opposite side of the street.
I wove thru all the people, and was now MUCH more alert and wary.

About a mile down the road the street widens to 3-4 lanes per side.
I'm approaching a light and there is a Nissan "parked" at the right curb in the lane of traffic. *strange* (weird ****-o-meter starts buzzing in my head)
See that there is a person in the Nissan, scooched way down low, peering just over the door at me as I pass (the buzz is increasing in my head)

I get about 50 yards up the road and the Nissan starts moving...FAST!
The brights come on! And this guy has shot from far right to far left and is crowding me, so I slow and pull right....Just as Nissan Boy pulls sharply into the lane I was just occupying.

He then speeds off to the next intersection...the damn light turns red.
I go into coast mode, hoping to coast up and keep my momentum when the light turns green.
I see I'm not gonna be able to do that so I come to a stop well behind and left of the Nissan. I see the dude peering out the bottom corner of the window again, and it looks like he's muttering to himself.

I then catch a glimpse of an old Saturn, coming up quick on my left.
I'm about to be in a "box"! I'm wondering if I can pull a Rockford turn in a front wheel drive car, and thankfully, the light turns green. I gun it, like I'm gonna try to run.
Both the Saturn and the Nissan gun it and beat me off the line.
I hook a quick right onto the street beside us, and head for the parallel street that will take me to the freeway I was headed for.

Crap, I see the Nissan and the Saturn grab the next right! Are these asshats gonna try to block me?!?!
The Nissan grabs a left. Now it's headed straight for me! Where the hell did the Saturn go?
The Nissan passes me! Time to get to steppin'!
I gunned the old Camry and beat a hasty retreat.
I pretty much kept one eye in the rearview, and my right foot on the floor, till I was good and out of the City, and back in "middle of Nowhere, KS.

I'm thinking those guys meant to harm me.
Any thoughts?

 

[niky]

Got their plates? Sounds like either they wanted your car and were trying to pull some lame "let's get out and exchange insurance information" bump and stop or were just trying to mess with you.

But seriously... got their plates?

 

[TheCracker]

Christ, i bet you were crapping yourself Gil. It does certainly sound like they had some agenda with you, quite what is anyone's guess. You'll be taking an alternative route home from now on i suppose?

 

[Neal]

It sounds like they were definitely planning something, best not to wonder what and be thankful your spidy senses were working. Definitely find a different way home for a while!

 

[Legendary]

Thats creepy. I bet they weren't after you though, you just happened to be the unfortunate victim . They were probably going to do something to your car but I am willing to bet they would have done it to anyone else coming by had it not been you. Maybe they were looking for something fun to do and just decided to be idiots and play games with you :/.

 

[LizMcQueen]

Some time ago I had a similar experience, fortunately in my case it was a "joke".
Two options:
First, assholes with too much free time playing with you.
Second, those guys were thieves and they wanted your car or your money.

 

[Ibonibo]

Man!! Strange. I also believe you were really lucky that night. You never know what those people do in order to get your money or car.

Just a question: why didn't you call the cops as soon as the nissan passed you??

 

[Gil]

All I really wanted was out of there.
Too freaked out to get plates.
I will indeed be going home another way.

KCMO has a huge number of murders and violent crimes.
I did not figure that what appeared to be scrawny white dudes would give me a second look in the 'hood.
Visually, I fit.
So, I'm thinking "bump and grab" or knock big Gil upside his head and take all his stuff.

And for the record, I've been home for a couple of hours, and I'm still wound up....

 

[Kubalivre]

It's great to know you're alright. Let's just hope this was casual, and not someone out to get you.

 

[Joey D]

Unfortunately this happens quite a bit in the Detroit area, pretty much in the exact manner you describe. They try to box you in and then slam on the brakes so you rear end them, or they just pull out in front of you so that you hit them. They do it for the insurance money around here, but there has also been numerous thefts that have come out of it too. The good news is these guys will probably get caught, and hopefully they get caught without harming another person.

I am glad you are OK and were able to stay level headed enough to figure something out in a split second. However coming from a military and nursing background you've been trained to think quick on your feet so that probably helped out.

 

[Reims_]

I enjoyed that story! Good writing haha.

My Dad had something similar happen with him in Florida while on holidays. He had a boat engine (big V8) in the back of a big american pickup truck thing and some guy tried to force him off the road, gun in hand, and all. Dad swerved off onto the off ramp while old mate missed the turn. Pretty lucky.

Where is "Edge of Nowhere, KS" anyway? I'm thinking america somewhere?

 

[Prince.M5]

Try to be more careful mate.. Those guys were just playing around with you or could be they have something to grudge over you for. There are various of people out there, trying to take advantage of you and others.

There are several things happens quite a lot in here like when you stop for a red light, the guy at the back will slam on your back, get out of the car and take advantage over you. I've been advised to stay in a car if they get out of their car with a weapon or with a suspicious face... Hundreds of cars being stolen a month only because of this unfortunate incident from these idiots. Becareful guys... it never is safe out there!

 

[Duke]

Wow, Gil, that's quite an epic. I'm glad that quick thinking on your part got you clear of the situation. Well done, my friend.

 

[d3uc3_dropp3r]

I can honestly say this story made me feel afraid to drive at night. It's time like this when it would be nice to have a handy weapon by the side.

 

[Prince.M5]

It's time like this when it would be nice to have a handy weapon by the side.

Owh yeah, I used to keep a steering wheel lock in a car... Very useful! Also if you want to, you can keep a small knife in your glovebox.

 

[d3uc3_dropp3r]

Owh yeah, I used to keep a steering wheel lock in a car... Very useful! Also if you want to, you can keep a small knife in your glovebox.

Haha, I am not sure if I'd like to use a knife against two guys though. I was watching a video a few weeks ago of some drunks kicking cars driving by, one of the drivers did not take to kindly to this and came out with a baseball bat and beat them down haha. I think Gil's story is scarier than getting attacked by some drunks though..

 

[Prince.M5]

Haha, I am not sure if I'd like to use a knife against two guys though. I was watching a video a few weeks ago of some drunks kicking cars driving by, one of the drivers did not take to kindly to this and came out with a baseball bat and beat them down haha. I think Gil's story is scarier than getting attacked by some drunks though..

Yeah

Bad thing about keeping a knife in a car is... Whenever a police trying to stop your for some traffic infringement or whatsoever and found a knife in your glovebox, you're pretty much in a hot soup

Indeed it's scarier... It's like being in a crazy, heart pumping and scary car action movie!

 

[opelgt1969]

Owh yeah, I used to keep a steering wheel lock in a car... Very useful! Also if you want to, you can keep a small knife in your glovebox.

Taking a knife to a gun fight is never a good ideal, as I'd think that if they were intent on blocking him in they had their own guns. Best ideal would be a cell phone (Just a thought I would have called 911); but I can't talk on a cell while driving in the "State" I live in.

 

[jswilli1]

Growing up in Texas, my dad used to tell me stories where people would try and run you off the road to rob you or worse. Not sure what the intentions of the Nissan and the Saturn were but I would almost guarantee they weren't good. Since I moved from California to New Mexico last year I make frequent trips back and forth to Texas. North Texas and West Texas are long stretches of road with nothing in between. I have 4 kids and a wife and we choose to travel at night since it's easier. In two weeks I will be taking my concealed weapons class which will allow me to carry concealed/loaded legally between states. Today I am going to pick up my pistol I will be qualifying with in 2 weeks. I'm getting a M1911 .45ACP Springfield.

 

[lbsf1]

Good driving!!!!

As said above they were probably out to get the car.
They probably weren't out to get you since a normal person wouldn't have the info and ability to plan it like that and a contract killer would have done a better job.

But if you are worried then I since you are in america you can carry a pistol in the glovebox or something just incase. (I think, I'm not an expert on american law)

 

[opelgt1969]

Good driving!!!!

As said above they were probably out to get the car.
They probably weren't out to get you since a normal person wouldn't have the info and ability to plan it like that and a contract killer would have done a better job so.

But if you are worried then I since you are in america you can carry a pistol in the glovebox or something just incase. (I think, I'm not an expert on american law)

No you can't carry a weapon in the glove box unless you have a permit; but in some states you can carry one as long as it can be seen. on car seat (sticking out your pants as long as the handle can be seen at least here in Virginia)

 

[Gil]

Thanks all for the input.
I really don't now how good the driving was.
I've been replaying the whole mess in my head, and think that I may have been robbed if the "paranoia" hadn't kicked in.
I was, thankfully, able to process a whole lot of crap in a very short time.
I knew that I was outgunned on the horsepower scale by the Nissan, and that if necessary I could use the weight of the Toyota to disable the Saturn.
I also noted a viable escape route and I KNEW where it went.

Even more thankfully, I ran into some activity prior that was unusual, and put me on my guard.

Still, a guy driving alone in the 'hood at 3 in the morning in an 11 year-old Camry does not, to me, seem to be a "rich" enough target for smart crooks....
I mean it's Thursday, I'm likely either on my way to work, or home from work.
The 11 year old car screams "working person". So, I'm still pondering their purpose and intent.

I may be lobbying for more power, and a Ruger SP-101.

 

[Akmuq]

Tell the cops about it and the area and the time so they can have better patrol. Also I don't think a pistol is a good idea since they could easily have one as well.

 

[mustangGT90210]

Glad to hear you got out of that all alive and well. I've gladly never had that happen to me, and hope not to. I woulda freaked

Turbo that camry, and never have that problem again!

 

[TheBook]

+1. And get a Ruger SR9C instead; my mom has one, and I've shot it and love it.

 

[ND4SPD]

Hmm that's creepy, good thinking. That's why it's always nice to have a few more extra horsepower.....

 

[Gil]

Tell the cops about it and the area and the time so they can have better patrol. Also I don't think a pistol is a good idea since they could easily have one as well.

I'm mostly joking about the pistol.
I also don't know if I could shoot to kill.
I'm SURE I could shoot to live.
All things equal, I would REALLY liked to have just been dripping with horsepower....(Infiniti G35X or Mazdaspeed6 come immediately to mind)....
I see myself taking a different route home in the future.

 

[niky]

I feel much the same way. And if you're sitting inside a car with limited lines of sight and no escape routes (two to one), that's not a great place to start a gun fight.

T'aint the power alone. If you need something to barge your way out of trouble, it'll have to be a truck with 4WD and a lot of torque. Something you can "tap" your way out of trouble with. However, you'll want a dash camera to prove you rammed through the guy in self-defense.

You did okay. Number one rule: pay attention to what's happening, Number two: don't let yourself get boxed in. You did both, you should be proud.

 

[tfujiwara]

As what the law says, "Always Drive Defensively". Glad you escaped!

 

[Solid Lifters]

Wow, scary stuff. Sounds like over zealous drunk driver catchers. Here in SoCal, at 2:30am, we have too many drunk drivers on the roads. There's these people who drive around and report drunk drivers. I had one follow me for about 6-7 miles once. They can be idiots, but most just follow you for a while, to see if you're drunk, and if you drive OK, they just turn around and go follow somebody else.