You can't get the h*ll out of Texas

[ILH]

I don't recommend one of those cheapie dash cams from China. I got one off you-know-where and it was pure garbage. My 18 year old son plans to use it in his truck when he goes bogging instead.

Last week Costco was selling a dash cam by Garmin. I didn't take a close look at it, but it certainly looked high quality from a distance.

I agree with one of the other contributors, a quick photo or video from your smart phone will do wonders - and if nothing else, provide great evidence when reporting the incident to police.

 

[Jim.Allison]

Texas has a liability insurance law. If I'm hit and the other party cannot show proof of liability insurance (at fault or not at fault) the other party can demand that the party without liability be taken to jail. Last time I was hit by an illegal alien he could not show proof of liability, I demanded payment on the spot or I would have him jailed. He produced $500 on the spot. LOL. BTW, I'm retired Border Patrol and I can tell you that car accidents involving drunk illegal aliens are much more common than not.

In Texas it is not the driver that is liable but instead the car. So If you are hit in this state, it is the owner of title that is liable. Regardless of a sale. Meaning that if you sell a car, you must file the paperwork before the buyer takes possession or you risk the liability the buyer incurs if he were to wreck what is technically still your car.

Before I had my current Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 truck, I had a 1989 Dodge B350 15-passenger van that I towed our old trailer with . . .

That thing was 5-blocks long, but pulled a trailer like nobody's business!

In many ways I wish I still had it to pull my trailer . . .

Ironically, it was destroyed in a rear-ender while I was sitting at a red light by an uninsured illegal alien from Mexico who disappeared the next day after the accident (according to the police report of the accident).

Anywayz, once I was up at the neighborhood Ace Hardware . . . I always parked way out in the parking lot so that I could get out easily.

But when I came out I was all parked in . . . cars all around me!

That van was so long that I had to fanigle my way out of the parking spot (we've all been there before with our trucks) . . . in other words, I had to back in and out of the parking spot several times before I could get out of the spot!

Just as I was on my last 'fanigle' . . . some high school kid tried to be a smart@$$ and pulled around the isle right up to the side of my van and started beeping his horn for me to get out of his way!

And he was in the direction in which I had planned my exit from the parking lot isle and was too close for me to make my final exit . . .

He expected me to just pull back in to the parking spot and let him pass by!

So I just sat there for a few seconds to see if he would back up and let me leave . . . but he just kept laying on the horn . . . expecting me to get out of his way!

So, after about 30 seconds of listening to him being a dumb@$$, I shut the engine off . . . got out of the van (leaving it blocking the isle) and leisurely closed all of the windows and locked the doors . . . walked over to his drivers door and told him "Ooppsseeyy, I forgot something!" . . . and walked back in to the Ace Hardware Store, leaving my van blocking the isle and him sitting there in total confusion.

I stood inside the store watching out of the store window to make sure that he didn't do something to my van (he would have gotten his rear-end kicked had he tried anything) . . . finally after a minute or so he got the idea and backed up and moved on without incident!

One of the hardware guys in the store saw the whole thing and laughed his @$$ off at how I handled this kid!

Here is the old beast the next day after the accident:

View attachment 30980 View attachment 30981

I really do miss that van . . . it was a trailer-towing beast!

The reason that the front was smashed is that I was hit so hard from the rear end that it slammed me into the Toyota Forerunner that was in front of me (it was totalled as well).

My $1000 Reese trailer hitch setup is what took the brunt of the impact and probably saved me from more bodily damage than what I received.

That was 15 years ago and I still suffer back and shoulder problems from that accident (just had physical therapy this afternoon for the shoulder) . . .

And I still have tranny fluid stains in my driveway from that accident (drive shaft jammed into the bell housing)!

 

[ILH]

This thread is timely - I had a driver exibit road rage behavior earlier today. The details are irrelevant except to say that when I had enough of his antics, I pulled out my smart phone, pointed it at him and took a few pictures. He immediately ceased his activities and turned onto a side street. I subsequently reported him online to our police.

 

[Curt_Hinson]

I didn't realize this thread would go on this long or be such a touchy subject. I had read and saw on TV many instances of road rage, but for the most part, I was blissfully unaware because they didn't affect me personally. Well now it has, and I will be looking in to the dash cameras. I have a 32 and 38, but I do not have a license to carry. I will be looking into that as well. I don't want to shoot anyone, but maybe by putting the business end of a pistol barrel in their face and asking them if they have anything to say will have a calming tendency.

Every body drive safe and be happy. I am back home now in "Sweet home, Alabama", which means that I did get the heck out of Texas.

 

[Jim.Allison]

I believe this is a serious problem in the USA. Its about respect and tolerance, a valuable resource we are running out of. It's also about the inability to cope, and the amount of medication we dispense in the name of mental health.

I refuse to participate in the antics of the insane. You can see them coming a mile off, and I just look the other way. If I have to pull off the road to let them go on, I will. But I will make this guarantee. If I ever witness a road rager, then I see him/her in an accident, I will pull over and give the victim my name and contact information, I will travel to the trial to testify to what I saw.

Road Raging is a crime in the State of Texas, just as drunk driving is, and if you have an accident that involves death while raging, you are subject to negligent homicide and can go to prison for the act.

 

[Birchwood]

The guy probably had a serious personal issue (like job loss) on the go You just happened to be a vent for him.If it wasn't you it would of been someone else so don't feel like you did anything wrong.

 

[tracks]

Curt, you used excellent judgment and great restraint. I believe in having a “45” at the ready in the vehicle as a deterrent to bad behavior!!!!!!

 

[danemayer]

Folks,

I would recommend reading up on "brandishing a firearm" so you don't get yourselves into trouble. Here's one resource.
Here's a key point:

Do not display the firearm or threaten deadly force unless you are ONLY threatened with imminent death or great bodily harm (do not casually sweep or lift your shirt or cover garment exposing firearm);

 

[pegmikef]

. . . i.e., in Texas "concealed" means "concealed!"

 

[JohnD]

Don't mess with Texas...

 

[Jim.Allison]

Yes brandishing is serious, however the inadvertent display of one is no longer an offense. But, one of these knuckleheads that is causing the issue in teh first place will call the police and tell them you pointed a gun at them. But another thing about this state, they have to have a warrant to search your vehicle including your RV. Never consent to a search if you are in a situation in Texas. If you do show your firearm to someone, pull over and put it in your rig and deny like **** that you have one, and require a warrant to search. The upshot is don't brandish one. And if you cant help yourself, when you get caught do not make a statement without an attorney present. What the officer thinks is brandishing may not be and you dont want to admit to it. I could be said that you displayed deadly force because you were being assaulted with a motor vehicle. In which case its not brandishing. Still the up shot is never pull that thing unless you intend to use it.

 

[scottyb]

And BTW, you do not need a permit to carry a concealed handgun in you car, truck, or RV, in Texas.

 

[Peteandsharon]

Jim I carry an oak tire knocker as well. I also carry a 12" crescent wrench in the door pocket for those times an uninvited head comes in my window. Works great for close quarter attitude adjustment.

I was given an expandable marshall arts baton which compresses down to about 9 inches and fits beautifully between my seat and the center console. It quickly expands and will put a nice little know on any head tries to go where it doesn't belong.

 

[Peteandsharon]

I was given an expandable marshall arts baton which compresses down to about 9 inches and fits beautifully between my seat and the center console. It quickly expands and will put a nice little know on any head tries to go where it doesn't belong.

Thats a nice little "knot" on the head.

 

[Jim.Allison]

An asp is a very useful thing but you need to know how to use it. BTW hitting someone in the head with an asp is considered deadly force, do use caution.

The collapsible baton has a little ball on the end of it. That ball actually travels at an incredible velocity and has the power to penetrate a skull. Unless you intend to use deadly force refrain from a head strike. It is considered a weapon (if you conceal it it is a concealed weapon as well). The neat thing about a tire thumper is that you have every reason to be carrying it. It's is actually a tool. If forced it becomes a weapon. Under questioning, it is a tire thumper for your RV, and it was the closest thing that you could get to defend yourself with. No matter what is asked your motivation for using any weapon is that "you feared for your life or grievous bodily harm, or for that of an innocent third party, meaning your wife or child. IF ever confronted by a man with a badge (nice guy or not) you need an attorney. Remember, man with badge asking questions, you need an attorney. Period. If you ask for an attorney it is not likely that an officer is going to pursue a case against you. In fact he might take that opportunity to get rid of the case right there. Putting an RVer in jail for defending himself is not really on the top of his list to do. But if you go blabbing off, and you give him enough, he will make a case. Always require an attorney if you get in this fix.

I was given an expandable marshall arts baton which compresses down to about 9 inches and fits beautifully between my seat and the center console. It quickly expands and will put a nice little know on any head tries to go where it doesn't belong.

 

[Peteandsharon]

An asp is a very useful thing but you need to know how to use it. BTW hitting someone in the head with an asp is considered deadly force, do use caution.

The collapsible baton has a little ball on the end of it. That ball actually travels at an incredible velocity and has the power to penetrate a skull. Unless you intend to use deadly force refrain from a head strike. It is considered a weapon (if you conceal it it is a concealed weapon as well). The neat thing about a tire thumper is that you have every reason to be carrying it. It's is actually a tool. If forced it becomes a weapon. Under questioning, it is a tire thumper for your RV, and it was the closest thing that you could get to defend yourself with. No matter what is asked your motivation for using any weapon is that "you feared for your life or grievous bodily harm, or for that of an innocent third party, meaning your wife or child. IF ever confronted by a man with a badge (nice guy or not) you need an attorney. Remember, man with badge asking questions, you need an attorney. Period. If you ask for an attorney it is not likely that an officer is going to pursue a case against you. In fact he might take that opportunity to get rid of the case right there. Putting an RVer in jail for defending himself is not really on the top of his list to do. But if you go blabbing off, and you give him enough, he will make a case. Always require an attorney if you get in this fix.

Well to me that's the nice thing about this. It's very maneuverable and easy to use. And you don't need to hit someone in the head to get him thinking about something other than attacking you. A trainer of rotweilers once told me that the best way to stop a dog attack is to wack that dog in the shins with a good stick. That hurts him a great deal without "hurting" him if you catch my drift. And in most cases he won't want to hang around. To my way of thinking it would work on a man too. A shot to the shins or to the knee (if you can do that) with this baton would definitely get your point across without using deadly force. Of course, sometimes you dont have room to do that or maybe his attack is so dangerous you don't want to take that chance. But it's certainly an option.

 

[cookie]

Good luck trying to get close enough to the shins to use that thing.
Unless you're after Nancy Kerrigan.

Peace
Dave

 

[TandT]

good luck trying to get close enough to the shins to use that thing.
Unless you're after nancy kerrigan.

Peace
dave

ROFLMAO
Trace

 

[Peteandsharon]

Good luck trying to get close enough to the shins to use that thing.
Unless you're after Nancy Kerrigan.

Peace
Dave

Pretty sure that was a tire thumper they used on her.

 

[Jim.Allison]

Re: Don't mess with Texas...

I was just talking about being cautious about using deadly force. I was not talking about doing shin shots. If you have to use the asp, you should be thinking about rendering his arms useless by striking the forearms, wrist and the back of his hands, breaking ribs with body shots, and striking in the common peroneal, groin, and side of thighs. The force of the ASP is based on the length of it and that little ball that is on the end of it. That ball represents a bullet and is traveling at tremendous speeds. It is the ASP job to transfer all of the kinetic energy of the user to a single point to inflict as much pain and damage to the body as possible, multiple times. ideally the energy is transmitted through that little ball. But do not use deadly force unless you fear for your, or, an innocent third party's life or grievous bodily harm. It is not difficult for older people to articulate using deadly force against a crazy younger more fit person who is physically more capable than the older person. In some places an assault of an older person is a felony.