Brake check

[Xpirate]

I got a phone message on my answering machine today. He said my first and last name out loud so I would know that he knows who I am before he said, “You drive like an :eek:. You got in front of me, brake checked, and ran like a little :mad:. You can run but you can't hide. Have a nice day bubba.”

The caller id showed the number as “private.” I had to listen to it several times before I could discern the words “brake check,” and then I had to look up what it meant with Google. It means that I intentionally slowed down for no reason. The reason most people do that is when they are being tailgated.

My freeway trip to work has a couple areas that slow traffic to somewhat of a crawl. I never got my car above 60 mph this morning because of the slow downs. I slowed down with the people in front of me from a safe distance.

I would never “brake check” anyone for tailgating because I do not want to get rear ended and have to meet that tailgating clown in court or otherwise. Getting hit from behind could mess up my back. He probably just got mad because of the regular slow down. Then he looked up my name with the reverse license check that you have to pay for. Or maybe he works for the DMV or other government agency that has access to that information.

I did not see anyone on the road this morning that seemed upset. So I have no clue who he is or why he feels that he has been "brake checked." If the guy had any balls he would left his own name number instead of just popping off a halfway anonymous threat.

Been away from the forums for a while. It's good to be able to come back.

[x88x]

Then he looked up my name with the reverse license check that you have to pay for. Or maybe he works for the DMV or other government agency that has access to that information.
[..]
If the guy had any balls he would left his own name number instead of just popping off a halfway anonymous threat..

/\ These.

He's trying to scare you, and make himself feel better about himself. I wouldn't worry about it, I would bet money that he'll never contact you again, and if he does, assuming it's continues this trend, I would go straight to the police. Keep the answering machine message just in case, but I would hope it doesn't come to that. Seriously though, anyone who gets that worked up over someone trying to get them to stop tailgating them has serious issues to begin with. The fact that he contacted you this way and didn't leave any way of identifying himself also reeks of someone who is afraid of confrontation. Someone like that is not going to be very likely to actually do anything that would involve personal contact with the target (ie, you). Think of them like an internet troll. Yeah, sure, they can get all sorts of information about you from the internet, and they'll bully you on the internet, where they have power, but to cross that confrontation into the real world? ..not gonna happen. Also, incidentally, last I checked caller ID blockers are illegal in most US states, so if it does go any further, that's another thing you can hit him with.

[mDust]

Could also be a prank by a friend or friend of a friend. It sounds like something I'd pull...:)

[Mark_Hardware]

I kinda side with mDust here.... It's not just anyone who would actually pay the fees for an online reverse license plate look up service, waiting for the off-chance they will actually get to use it... Plus if he was talking funny and you had to "discern" some of the words, then it might be that he didn't want you to recognize who it was...

[BuzzKillington]

If he actually paid for the plate lookup, you can find out who he was since he'd be on record looking up your plate.

Probably just a prank though.

[Luthien]

I agree. It sounds like it's most likely a prank, especially since you hadn't notice anyone acting crazy while u were driving.

[blaze15301]

easy security buy a gun! lol

no go to the police.

[Xpirate]

I thought it was a prank at first, or that my wife had a traffic altercation that morning. But, I believe this dude is for real and I also believe x88x is right. I will probably never hear from him again. If I do hear from the guy again I will call the police and I have the message saved as a wave file on my PC along with the timestamp on the caller id. Unfortunately the man did accomplish something that he wanted to do. I was dang scared of something happening to my house for the whole weekend. I also devoted way too much time thinking about my Friday morning trip to work and I remember this:

I was in the middle lane and I had to make a really fast slow down to avoid hitting the vehicles in front of me. Then about three cars in front of me moved to the outside lanes to get out of the 10 mph middle. The mass slow down in the middle lane was probably caused by someone needing to get to the outside lane and make an exit. When all the cars moved out of the way the area was clear and I could go back to a normal speed of about 40 mph. Then I moved to the outside lane so I could get off at my exit.

The guy probably did not see the cars in front of me and thought I was just putting on the brakes to be a jerk.

Like I wrote before, the freeway I travel on to work has major slowdowns all the time. So I always expect them. If you are playing with your iPhone on I35 and rear end the car in front of you, you're at fault.

[Twigsoffury]

Well if he was following the proper distance away he wouldn't have to worry about being brake checked lol.

I usually just get over and let them zoom past to harass the ass of the next car in line and get back over

last major snow storm we had i did that, and soon as the car passed it slid out and went flying into a traffic light pole.

I slowed down, pointed and laughed then kept going.

also had someone tail gate me, got over and he zoomed past only to be pulled over by a cop radar checking people. I lol'd again.

always actually a good thing to have speeders in front of you, think of them as the bait in front of you for the police officers.

all time favorite though is swerving suddenly around objects left in the road and having the tail gaters behind me crash into them. hilarity ensues in the rear view mirror

[blueonblack]

always actually a good thing to have speeders in front of you, think of them as the bait in front of you for the police officers.


Yep. Nothing like running in the jerk's radar shadow. :)

[Xpirate]

This situation has reminded me how much I hate driving. The more defensively you drive, the more of a chore it becomes. Now I drive like everyone on the road is going to try something aggressive.

Hearing the "You can't hide" part of the threat has encouraged me to finally become an armed citizen.

[Snowman]

Wish more people would take up protecting themselves. One of the biggest reasons that this country has never been invaded is because they are just as scared of the armed citizens as they are the army. If you do choose to arm yourself, I recommend taking a defensive training course. Also don't get the biggest baddest gun you can find, many people make this mistake and hurt themselves or people they don't intend to. Right now I carry a 22 because I have 11 shots to take care of the task at hand, and a 22 is deadly accurate and hollowpoints are pretty nasty when they mushroom.

[x88x]

One of the biggest reasons that this country has never been invaded is because they are just as scared of the armed citizens as they are the army.

This is a good point in some areas, but I always thought it had more to do with, well, no countries that would be at all able to invade us being within 10,000 miles of any of our borders. I mean, you've got all the countries to the south, none of which, to be completely honest, have posed a serious military threat for about a century and a half, and then on either side we have huge oceans. Oh, also there's Canada...read into that what you will... :whistler:

[Snowman]

Crossing an ocean with a military is like a weekend kayak trip for a civilian.

[x88x]

Yes, but supplying a military across an ocean...that's the hard part. ;)

[Snowman]

just go for california by the time the hippies realize whats going on the invading force will already have occupied a walmart.

[Airbozo]

Yes, but supplying a military across an ocean...that's the hard part. ;)

There are plenty of supplies in this country to take care of an invading army. That would be one of the first major targets; A supply depot...

As for the phone call. It was a threat. If you don't feel it was a prank by one of your friends, I would call the police right away and report the incident. YOu could also ask them to monitor your phone line. If the guy calls back and threatens you again, the police will pay him a visit, "reminding" him that threatening someone is a serious offense.

I know it sounds harsh, but several years ago I had some crazy nut call me threatening me and my animals. I didn't call the police at the time. Several weeks later I was awoken to the sound of this nut emptying his gun into my house... I would never ignore those type of calls anymore.

[Airbozo]

just go for california by the time the hippies realize whats going on the invading force will already have occupied a walmart.

lol.

Not all of us are laying on park benches smoking the ganja... Plenty of us have weapons too.

Thanks to the likes of Cartman, we now monitor those drum circles closely.

[Trace]

There are plenty of supplies in this country to take care of an invading army. That would be one of the first major targets; A supply depot...

As for the phone call. It was a threat. If you don't feel it was a prank by one of your friends, I would call the police right away and report the incident. YOu could also ask them to monitor your phone line. If the guy calls back and threatens you again, the police will pay him a visit, "reminding" him that threatening someone is a serious offense.

I know it sounds harsh, but several years ago I had some crazy nut call me threatening me and my animals. I didn't call the police at the time. Several weeks later I was awoken to the sound of this nut emptying his gun into my house... I would never ignore those type of calls anymore.


I'm still waiting for that book!
Write it and I'll buy 10 copies, as long as they're autographed!

[Oneslowz28]

I know it sounds harsh, but several years ago I had some crazy nut call me threatening me and my animals. I didn't call the police at the time. Several weeks later I was awoken to the sound of this nut emptying his gun into my house... I would never ignore those type of calls anymore.

That is the exact reason I sleep with my .45 on my nightstand and every gun in my home is loaded. If someone is stupid enough to break in or just shoot up my house they better hope they either A. Kill me or B. are out of range by the time I can draw down on them.

[SXRguyinMA]

That is the exact reason I sleep with my .45 on my nightstand and every gun in my home is loaded. If someone is stupid enough to break in or just shoot up my house they better hope they either A. Kill me or B. are out of range by the time I can draw down on them.

I don't own a gun but I agree with them being loaded at all times (kids safety another issue, but I don't have any right now). It's no tlike you can tell the guy that just broke into your hosue and is threatening to kill you to hold on a minute while you get the keys to your gun cabinet, then the keys to the ammo safe, then load your gun lol :facepalm:

[x88x]

B. are out of range by the time I can draw down on them.

That's what the bigger guns are for. ;)

[Xpirate]

I am going to get some kind of child proof lock because I have a 5 year old. I'm going to get a 9mm because the ammo is cheaper and it's probably easier for a beginner to learn with. I can always get a larger caliber if I enjoy going to the range to shoot the smaller pistol.

I did report the guy to the police. Unfortunately, they do not investigate it unless I get more calls from him within a certain time frame. I went to the station to report him and learned that they would rather just send an officer to your house.

At first, I wanted the guy to call back so we could discuss his problem like civilized men. But, he already proved that he probably isn't very civilized from the "I know where you live" threat. I just hope he is not the kind of crazy that makes lists of people he wants to mess with when he gets bored.

I was around 25 years old when I delivered pizza. I had customers do mean things to me like sic the dog on me, pay me with a big bag of change that was short, or spray me with a hose. I even got slapped in the face once. I gave some very serious thought to doing something to their house while they were asleep. But at the end of the work day, I would remind myself that I was an adult. I just went home and forgot about seeking revenge. Some people forget that they are adults.

[Snowman]

I am going to get some kind of child proof lock because I have a 5 year old.

Safer than a lock is teaching your five year old, my grandpa took me out back to shoot his 9 millimeter luger he brought home from the war, after I picked myself up off the ground I didn't touch a gun for 10 years. I very firmly believe in gun control, you never know what could happen if you don't grip firmly. My son knows everything I do about guns or atleast the parts he can understand, I could try to hand him my gun and he will ask me if it is ok first, and whether or not it is loaded. Some of you may be going :eek: but I grew up with a marine in what some would call the boondocks and I trust education a hell of a lot more than I do a gun lock. The knowledge and lesson will be there even if you forget the lock.

[x88x]

Safer than a lock is teaching your five year old

Agreed+1000. Everyone these days seems to think kids are idiots who can barely string together a full sentence....idk where that idea came from, but it's very much not true. Education is always better than locking something away, especially with kids, who will want to get around that lock just because it's there, keeping them from it. ..ok, a lot of adults are that way too.. :P Anyways, point being, teach them about guns, how to handle them, how to fire them, let them use them under controlled circumstances, and so on. Not only will you be the coolest dad in the world, but your guns and child(ren) will be much safer than if they were just locked away (the guns that is, not the kids ;) ).


I very firmly believe in gun control, you never know what could happen if you don't grip firmly.

Definitely sigquoted. :D

[Airbozo]

...Some of you may be going :eek: but I grew up with a marine in what some would call the boondocks and I trust education a hell of a lot more than I do a gun lock. The knowledge and lesson will be there even if you forget the lock.

I completely understand. I grew up with relatives that hunted and by age 3 was exposed to all sorts of weapons. I had fired my first pellet gun by 5 and my first 22 rifle the following year. Guns were not a feared item in my mind whereas most of my friends were never taught about guns and they held a certain fascination of them. If they were around one it was like show and tell and everyone was fighting to touch it. The mysterious smoke cannon whoa! Those of us that had been around them all our lives thought it was no big deal _until_ those that were completely fascinated by them started acting like a bunch of cavemen. That was the cue to leave and notify the parents...

[diluzio91]

I had customers do mean things to me like sic the dog on me,
Trying to get donations for my eagle project i had a guy do that... The dog probably wont be coming after me again.... I wore my steel toes as part of my uniform that day...

edit: i love dogs... i just dont like large mean ones that want to bite me... and if i wasnt about to be attacked i would have never hurt the poor thing. Not the dogs fault. but the a**H*** owners