Avoided a fight today.

[mrhtbd]

I must be maturing because after almost being smashed into today I avoided a fight by actually, can you believe it, being reasonable.
Had my daughter in the car and was going to the coffee shop from the toy store.
Driving up a road near a merge before the coffee shop. A guy was trying to pull out, I was on his side ready to turn right.
I had the signal on but he pulled right into me anyway.
Quick reflexes and defensive driving allowed me to swerve and avoid him at the last second.
I stuck my open hand out the side window and turned right into the coffee shop. He followed.

I got out of the car, and as I walked around to get my kid out, he jumped in my face and said, "Nice driving asshole!"
I said, "If I didn't swerve you would've smashed right into me."
"Yeah," he said, "well you better watch who you flip the bird to, tough guy."
I said, "Well, maybe you could pay attention, I had my turn signal on."
To which he gracefully replied, "Oh yeah, I didn't see any turn signal, so fuck you!" Then he walked into Starbucks.

Hmmm, at first I thought to hell with this I'm just going to leave (because, he went inside to get coffee or what-ever.
I had my 4 yr old with me, and quite frankly didn't need the grief, but figured, hey, it's on my list so to hell with it).
On the way in my daughter said, "Daddy, I'm not going to talk to angry people like that." I said, "Smart move, you never know what's bugging somebody."

We went in, I got my bag of coffee and waited in line. The guy was huffing and puffing all around after he got his "mocha latte" while I stood there ignoring him and being patient. He walked behind me to get his coffee stick to which I imagined he would be shoving in his ass on the way home. He stood there graling at the back of my head (or whatever?).

Figuring it wasn't over, and that I needed to take charge of the situation before it got more out of hand,
I turned and said, "Excuse me sir, but I didn't flip you the bird out there, I just stuck my open hand up
and out of my window like, hey, and besides, I would never be flipping anybody off with my kid in the car."
"I mean, I did get a bit heated because you would've hit my daughter's side of the car."
"The car means nothing to me compared to her."

Then he changed his tune (maybe because as he stood behind me he saw my huge traps, wide shoulders,
unfrayed demeaner, and/or my four year old daughter, I figured any one of those would have sufficed).

He responded, "Ok, I can see you are being a gentleman, maybe I was a bit rash."
I put my hand out and said, "Thanks for being reasonable, let's start over."
He shook my hand (in a very intimidatingly firm manner to which I laughed privately) and we let it go at that.

He was about 5 inches taller than I, but we probably weighed the same.
I'm 6' and 220, bodyfat around 10%, if that, and still feel hard as a rock.
I feel strongly the muscle I worked with and held for 10 years at around 245.
He had a basketball build and narrow shoulders. Had an expensive Volvo and was wearing gym clothes.
Obviously an aerobicizer. I figured I could have....(*%&##*)..., but just decided to rise above it.
I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone right now, as my personal demands are sufficient.

I'm in a building stage right now, tearing myself and others down is "au passe" (in the past) for me.
I'm almost surprised to read me writing this stuff after the way I was 2 years ago,
but after getting stabbed last December and almost bleeding to death,
and with the death of my son's mother to cancer a month ago,
and after having a massive bleed-out of my nose last week after breaking a blood vessel in my head,
I just figured (while holding my daughter's hand) there were more important things to be thankful for.

[Mr Incredible]

Cool read, I think that's about where I'm at these days, been young and stupid, now I'm live and let live

[Dawgpound_Hank]

Propz for laying low especially since your daughter was with you. But no way in HELL I woulda turned my back on him brah...easy target for a sucka! Good to hear an accident didn't happen with your young daughter in the car. Definitely not even worth the hassle of a fight & possible jail time.

I had an instance similar about 3 years ago on the way to work. I was driving thru McDonald's and the dude in front of me had just recieved his order. So he starts to pull off, but he stops...I can't pull up coz he's still half way in the drive thu window. I'm runnin' late to work and I'm like WTF so I beep my horn. He still doesn't move, so I beep again and I'm gettin' pissed off!lol This mofo gets outta the car and starts to walk back to my car. I get out immediately also. He stops as soon as I got out, and I holla at his ass "WTF's goin on man...lets GOOO lets GOOO lets MOVE IT!". I'm pretty sure he stopped when he seen me get out, as it was in summer and I just wore shorts and a T-shirt with the arms cut out to work...I was about 270 at the time. This dude looked to be in his 50's, dressed like a construction worker, roofer or whateva and maybe 5'8 and 160.lol So he calmly says "I was checking my order, no need to beep." I said "You takin' FOREVA lets GOOOOO my ass is runnin' late to work!". So he gets in his ride and pulls off.

Maybe it was stupid for me to do that, as homie coulda had a gun or ya never know wtf...maybe he just had a major argument with his wife, someone died, etc and had enuff adrenalin to kick my ass! But if someone actually gets outta their ride and walking to my ride, I'll be damned if I'm gonna sit there to let him be in an advantageous position fuck it.lol Of course I was alone...no kids with me..had there been, I don't know that I woulda did the same.

[blk99xtreme]

good stuff man, way to keep composure!

[Blown_SC]

Good man. I'm still in my late 20's, but have also 'matured' a lot in that regard over the last year or so. It's just not worth the frustration, or headache....... most days .

[b52]

It really is not worth to get in a fight nowadays. I've been in a decent amount in recent years but people will kill your ass nowadays for no reason. My friend's nephew shot a kid and killed him because he took a beer from him. Another one of my buddies, got his throat cut at a bar. He survived only because he's such a big kid, that the knife missed his blood vessel by a cm, otherwise he would have bled to death. And most recently another kid got attacked with a machete at a bar right up the street from me. They tried to decapitate him in the parking lot but ended up cutting his hand off, and sliced his stomach open. So fighting is for idiots IMO nowadays. Well atleast on the street. You just don't know who you are gunna run into, so it's better to just keep to yourself.