Woman tired of tailgaters

[GA Russell]

This from Breitbart:

HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - A woman who told authorities she was fed up with tailgaters pulled out a gun and shot at the tires of a pickup that got too close, police said. Officials believe the bullet missed the pickup, and no one was hurt. Bernadette Headd, 39, was in rush-hour traffic Wednesday in suburban Detroit when the pickup pulled behind her, police said.

Headd changed lanes and fired one round from a 9 mm handgun, police said. The driver followed her and flagged down a deputy, who stopped her and found the weapon.

"She said she was tired of people tailgating her," Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel said.

Headd, who had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, discharge of a firearm from a vehicle and use of a firearm during a felony.

She was ordered held on $50,000 bond.

*****

The tailgating here in North Carolina is the worst I've experienced in my life. I was hit (my truck was totalled) a few months after I moved here four years ago.

If I were on this woman's jury, I'd vote to acquit.

The tailgaters are threatening violence to the innocent. I've got no sympathy for the guy whose tires were shot at.

edit for typo

Edited February 28, 2007 by GA Russell

[Dan Gould]

This from Breitbart:

HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - A woman who told authorities she was fed up with tailgaters pulled out a gun and shot at the tires of a pickup that got too close, police said. Officials believe the bullet missed the pickup, and no one was hurt. Bernadette Headd, 39, was in rush-hour traffic Wednesday in suburban Detroit when the pickup pulled behind her, police said.

Headd changed lanes and fired one round from a 9 mm handgun, police said. The driver followed her and flagged down a deputy, who stopped her and found the weapon.

"She said she was tired of people tailgating her," Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel said.

Headd, who had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon, discharge of a firearm from a vehicle and use of a firearm during a felony.

She was ordered held on $50,000 bond.

*****

The tailgating here in North Carolina is the worst I've experienced in my life. I was hit (my truck was totalled) a few months after I moved here four years ago.

If I were on this woman's jury, I'd vote to acquit.

The tailgaters are threatening violence to the innocent. I've got no sympathy for the guy whose tires were shot at.

[Jim Alfredson]

That's a logical reaction.

[AllenLowe]

I, too, am in agreement - if the cops, lazy butts that they are, enforced the law, a lot of lives would be saved -

Edited February 28, 2007 by AllenLowe

[Jim Alfredson]

So the solution is for people to carry guns and then shoot at other people who they think are driving too close to them?

That sounds like a fantastic society!

[jazzypaul]

Simply playing devil's advocate here, but...

[rant]If you think about it, the tailgater and the shooter are engaging in roughly the same activity. Bad driving is almost as deadly as people shooting at bad drivers. Think about how many of us have stories about how we're still lucky to be alive after some idiot was trying too hard to drive too fast for the situation. And think about how many people have died because of those same drivers.

While I don't condone going around and shooting at bad drivers, I sure wish sometimes that someone would go around pouring sugar in the gas tanks of those who can't fathom following the traffic laws that are in place for our safety.[/rant]

[paul secor]

Don't see them as the same at all. I'd rather have some idiot tailgating me than have an idiot shooting at me.

[Jim Alfredson]

Exactly. You just slow down and they'll move out from behind you eventually. If they don't and start following you, drive to the nearest police station. That always works. Take their license plate number as they drive by and report them.

I don't see how shooting at someone solves anything.

[Noj]

The most interesting part of this is that the shooter is a woman. Between this and the psychotic astronaut lady strapped in diapers, it seems the women are making an effort to catch up to we men in terms of being complete idiots.

[ghost of miles]

A similar incident happened here in Bloomington last weekend.

[7/4]

There's a good reason why I shouldn't carry a gun.

[Jim Alfredson]

After riding around Israel, where drivers tend to drift in and out of lanes seemingly at will and love to use the "flashing lights" technique for getting slower cars out of the way, the over-reaction of US drivers has never been in starker contrast to me.

Things that would get you at least a middle finger and at worst shot at here don't even phase people over there.

Here's a clue for y'all: Calm the fuck down. You'll get there. Let the assholes be assholes and just get out of their way. Karma will get them sooner or later.

[Jazzmoose]

I don't see how shooting at someone solves anything.

Well, it depends on your aim...

[Claude]

[David Ayers]

Personally I hate the people who hang back 200 yards behind you like your going to slam on the brakes suddenly like a lunatic. It's pure disrespect. Maybe I need a longer range weapon to deal with them?

[rockefeller center]

That reminds me to finally get Mad Max and Mad Max 2 on DVD. Thanks!

[Dan Gould]

Exactly. You just slow down and they'll move out from behind you eventually. If they don't and start following you, drive to the nearest police station. That always works. Take their license plate number as they drive by and report them.

I don't see how shooting at someone solves anything.

It prevents the following:

A] you slow down, they hit you from behind because while they think they're the greatest drivers in the world, they really aren't.

B] You slow down, they go around you, and then jump back into your lane and slam on the brakes, just "to do the same thing to you". I nearly died on the Cross-Bronx Expressway once when that happened to me.

And what the hell does taking their license number do? If a cop doesn't witness the moving violation, nothing happens to the asshole driver.

What I am saying is that I identify with the urge that woman felt. No, road rage terminating in shooting at an occupied vehicle isn't a good idea. But I sure as hell have wished I'd had a front mounted .80 calibre machine gun most of the time I drive on the highway in south Florida.

[Jim Alfredson]

Exactly. You just slow down and they'll move out from behind you eventually. If they don't and start following you, drive to the nearest police station. That always works. Take their license plate number as they drive by and report them.

I don't see how shooting at someone solves anything.

It prevents the following:

A] you slow down, they hit you from behind because while they think they're the greatest drivers in the world, they really aren't.

B] You slow down, they go around you, and then jump back into your lane and slam on the brakes, just "to do the same thing to you". I nearly died on the Cross-Bronx Expressway once when that happened to me.

I would say these are the exceptions rather than the rule. Usually if you just put your signal on and slow down or slightly speed up to get into the right lane (because most tailgaters are in the fast lane), then the person will just drive by in the fast lane and give you the finger. Big whoop.

[brownie]

After riding around Israel, where drivers tend to drift in and out of lanes seemingly at will and love to use the "flashing lights" technique for getting slower cars out of the way, the over-reaction of US drivers has never been in starker contrast to me.

Israeli drivers are a special breed. Not really all, but a lot of them.

They seem on speed (in the various interpretations of the word) all the time.

I have driven in many countries all over the world and even enjoyed driving through the madness of road attitudes in numerous countries. Mexico, Italy, France, Egypt, Argentina, among others could be pretty bad (and sometime fun, I have to admit!).

But Israel was no fun and the worst, with Morocco coming second. Car drivers in those two countries just ignore the road laws and drive on as if they own the road.

In Israel, there is no way you can leave a small space driving behind another car without some crazed suicide-bent motorist coming in at full speed from left - and right - to fill the vacuum. With horn blaring at top volume and accompanying this with gestures I would not dare imitate. This from citizens that probably are very nice people and easy to get along with!

In the end, I took the same attitude as you. Calm the fuck down!

Glad you survived (thanks probably to Barak's expert help)!

[paul secor]

Personally I hate the people who hang back 200 yards behind you like your going to slam on the brakes suddenly like a lunatic. It's pure disrespect. Maybe I need a longer range weapon to deal with them?

I hope that's a joke and you just left off the smiley.

[Jim Alfredson]

I think he's making a point about how stupid it would be for people to shoot at other people on the road.

[Dan Gould]

Wasn't there a toy marketed a few years back, a dashboard mounted toy gun to "shoot" dangerous drivers and relieve the stress that they cause?

This woman just took the next logical step.

[porcy62]

That's a good reason to ban firearms. As motorbiker I have frequent blasts of blind hate against car's drivers that simply ignoring you put my life in danger. If I'd allowed to carry a gun, I'd probably be sentenced to life once a day.

[Late]

Claude — you made me laugh on that one!

But the photo you forgot to include was of the same model — the toy driver ejects himself through his sunroof, flies through the air, and, upon descent, falls through the offending driver's open sunroof and lands on said driver, whereupon toy fisticuffs ensue.

Toy Barbie drives by, flashes her augmented bosom to the dueling ingrates, and they, oblivious with hate, don't even notice the kind gesture of driverly love.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

heh ...

aston

Edited February 28, 2007 by Man with the Golden Arm