How to fight back to the car thieves (and other auto hams)
On September 21 the Moscow City Court stopped the activity of the social movement “StopHam” for the second time. However, StopHam members are not going to stop, considering their raids as necessary. The police can’t cope, so there is a lot of mayhem on the roads. Others fight autohams without any raids, on an individual basis. With different results.
One cannot give vent to one’s emotions while driving in order not to make a mess. But how can you restrain yourself when a lane-driver squeezes you, or a boor tries to cut in line at the gas station or drive on the sidewalk, scaring away old ladies and mothers with baby carriages? Our mind is boiling with indignation. The Internet is full of clips of traffic squabbles. And this is just a small part of these episodes, not all of them caught on camera. Most of the time, these brawls look ridiculous, pathetic and terribly stupid.
Big and small
Do you have to fight back against traffic boorish people? By mood, if you are the owner of a big black SUV, you have the dimensions 2×2 and great experience with a variety of jerks. At a sight of such dudes the auto boors, as a rule, abruptly lose their desire to appeal, and they quietly leave. They may also apologize for their behavior. More often, the hooligans try to keep away from such big ones as far as possible – they take their revenge on those who are smaller and simpler.
Baseball players on Russian roads hardly more than in the International Baseball Federation. Very few of them know the rules of the game. The rest have their own game.
Baseball players on Russian roads hardly more than in the International Baseball Federation. Very few of them know the rules of the game. The rest have their own game.
If you do not have superpowers – categorically not. You shouldn’t even start a dialogue. Otherwise, word for word … Perhaps in a fight you will be more dexterous and stronger and knock your opponent down. And if he’s more damaged than he should be? This is not far from a real sentence. The conflict occurred through your fault, the limits of necessary self-defense were exceeded – you will sit. And you will have to pay compensation to the injured person. There are a lot of similar stories.
CRIMINAL CODE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. Article 111. Wilful infliction of severe injury to health is punished by imprisonment for up to eight years.
There are also other stories of people who were killed or crippled in road accidents. And the reason is only in the out-of-control anger – because of the second episode.
By the way, if you leave your car in the middle of the road to have an argument with someone, you also become a violator. And by blocking traffic on the side of the road, you are violating the traffic code. Don’t be surprised if you get a fine. Unfairly, but legally. And, even by obstructing the side of the road, you are intentionally violating paragraph 1.5 of the Traffic Code, which begins with the sentence “Road users shall act in such a manner as not to endanger traffic or cause harm.”
Yes, sometimes it’s better to be a reasonable coward and give the road to a fool. Especially if you have elderly relatives and children in the car with you. They certainly do not need your showdown. A son, who takes an example from you, should not see how his father knocks out an impudent driver, much less how he himself falls in a puddle with a broken face. Life provides many other opportunities to show your backbone.
How to punish a boor?
According to Article 45 (2) of the Constitution of the Russian Federation everyone has the right to protect his/her rights and freedoms by any means not forbidden by the law. And the most legal way is to apply to law enforcement agencies. Almost everyone has cell phones now, you can stop and inform about the inadequate driver. Perhaps he is in a state of alcohol intoxication. Let them check. And try not to get emotional. Calls to the operational services are recorded.
Many people drive with video recorders. Theoretically, you can go to https://гибдд.рф/ and leave an appeal with an attached video file that illustrates traffic violations. The appeal should be registered in three days and will not take more than 30 days to process. However in this case you will get the following answer:
The photo or video materials attached to the appeal obtained with devices that are not special technical means are subject to consideration only in combination with other materials (testimonies, explanations of persons in respect of whom the check is conducted, etc.).
In other words, the recording from your video recorder is not enough. And the attached electronic statement, which you sent through the GIBDD website online service, is not a witness statement, as the website does not provide a digital signature. Therefore, in any case, in order for the case to proceed, you will have to personally visit the front office of the territorial division of the internal affairs.
There is an even easier and probably more effective way: to put the video on YouTube, so the country could admire the “hero”. It is desirable that the video is not the culmination of the conflict, but its beginning: the viewer must understand that it is boorishness, and not a forced retreat from the traffic rules or morality.
It has long been proven that even a gas or traumatic gun makes the owner less cautious. And people with mental disabilities who get their hands on a “gun” are specifically looking for adventure.
It has long been proven that even a gas or traumatic gun makes the owner less cautious. And people with mental disabilities who get their hands on a “gun” are specifically looking for adventure.
It’s not hard to predict the reaction: this is snitching; real men don’t do that! I wonder what real men do. Go out with a gun and without further ado shoot the offender in the kneecap? And a real man always has a suitcase of prison stuff by the door at home? And a tidy sum in a Swiss bank account for the family’s subsistence during the breadwinner’s forced “business trip”? And the kids are somehow accustomed to not missing their daddy. He’s a terminator. Stop crying. Brush your teeth and gun barrels.
Yeah, real men, what are you going to do about noisy neighbors who won’t be persuaded to be quiet? You’re gonna weld the front door shut? Do you kill them right away? Or do you call the police first? That’s a real bummer, by definition. What’s that got to do with it? Well, “snitch” is also thieves’ slang. It means “secret informer”. Secretly. And if we operate with concepts in a broad sense, then snitching can be called any complaint. To the management company. On negligent couriers. On the airline company, which delayed a flight.
You can’t get past something like that quietly – an aggressive man obviously needs to be stopped. But better only with words, while looking through the eyes of the police and dialing their number on the phone.
You can’t get past something like that quietly – an aggressive man obviously needs to be stopped. But better only with words, while looking through the eyes of the police and dialing their number on the phone.
Knocking and knocking all around…
The Germans are “knocking”. Or rather, they complain. Even on neighbors and acquaintances. And once they have complained to the police, they can go up to their “victim” and proudly report that they are doing their duty and maintaining public order. Yes, not everything is smooth from a moral point of view, but at least they have far fewer problems on the roads.
They “knock” in the U.S. and Canada, too. Someone will definitely call the police even if you just throw garbage out of the car. Also, the term “aggressive driving” is in use. For aggressive driving, you can not only get a fine, but also go to jail. The reasons are, among other, economic: every death there is rather expensive for the budget. They say, the prevalence of firearms among civilians restrains the road-rage. Not many people want to shoot on the streets.
We have not allowed free sale of weapons and will not allow it in the foreseeable future. But in the traffic rules already appeared the record of “dangerous driving” (paragraph 2.7), the penalty for the violation at the rate of 5000 rubles, but in the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation the corresponding article has not yet been made. As a result, the article cannot be legally applied yet. I emphasize the word “yet”. If it is improved, it will be implemented. This is a matter of time.
The English admit that they use foul language all the time in stressful situations on roads, as we do. But they don’t go any further than that.
The English admit that they use foul language all the time in stressful situations on roads, as we do. But they don’t go any further than that.
The British do vent their negativity with swearing. But only if they are driving without children. And, of course, they “snitch,” for which they are handsomely rewarded by the government. It’s called public or neighborhood control.
Practically in all European countries for gross violations of traffic rules, for threatening the health or life of other drivers, passengers or pedestrians, one can get not only a huge fine, but also a prison sentence. And if the offender flaunts his importance, boasts of his wealth or connections, the punishment will be even harsher – he will remember forever.
But we, as usual, go our own way. We are discussing what is better to keep in the car – a bat, wrench, bomber, pepper spray, taser or assault rifle. Something at the level of school arguments “who is cooler, a boxer or a karate fighter”. We’re creating stopchamps. Cultivating strength. At the same time we indignantly comment on the videos of high jockeys spitting on traffic rules and police. And we ourselves break the rules – in a small way, without risk. Although in society there should be zero tolerance for offenses.
And, of course, the traffic police should return to its direct responsibility – to ensure road safety, and not engage in it on the leftover principle. Respond to appeals, not fend them off. Work closely with public organizations, which even today are concerned about public order, and not only their own pocket and self-propaganda (also pocket, in the end).
How to teach a competent instructor of auto-humans how to park properly!
Good day to all, dear subscribers and readers! I read a post today about how one neighbor had a problem with dravovchanin in the yard, who rudely opens the doors of his car, causing damage to other parked cars, scratching them, and I remembered a similar incident that once happened to me. I remembered and decided to write and, perhaps, that will give someone useful advice, how to teach such people to park properly and respect the parking neighbor. I warn you, the story is long, but interesting. For many, perhaps, will be very useful. I am sure someone will pick it up and use it in a similar situation.
So, let’s go. In the now distant 2006, my wife and I rented an apartment. At that time I had “Twelve”, Lada 21124, my first car. Whether it is necessary to speak, with what trembling and love I concerned it then? I literally dusted it. And needless to say, that when I first discovered in the morning on the bumper scuffs left by another car, I was out of my mind! No, not so, I was just furious! Somebody had scuffed up my car! Some crooked little creature had ruined my bumper and got away without retaliation on my part. That morning I was late for work, because in the heat of passion, while the blood in my veins was boiling, I went around the yard and examined every car for the characteristic traces of the culprit. On my bumper there was a trace of red paint, and I looked for a red car. But I couldn’t find one. It had been two days since those terrible events. I could barely get over the fact that I now had a bumper with scratches, as on the third morning I found another mark, only already on the rear bumper.
The world shuddered, my mind blurred, and an angry growl spread across the yard, backed up by some foul language! At that time I still believed that the traffic cops would come, investigate and question the tenants, find a witness and identify the culprit. How wrong I was. I even called my boss and took the day off and waited for them to come. They came (cops, traffic cops said it was not their issue), 4 hours after the call. They came, examined the car with a sour look, fixed the scratches and handed me the papers to sign. – And what next? – I asked. – How what? You wait! – replied the astonished policeman. – Wait for what? The policeman just grinned and got into the car and drove away. I was shocked. I immediately realized that they weren’t going to question anyone, weren’t going to look for anyone. They didn’t give a damn, such cases are not solved, simply because they don’t try to solve them. The call was made, they came, they made the report, and then it wasn’t their concern, the case would sink into a sea of similarly worthless cases. Realizing the hopelessness of my situation, I decided to find it myself, that red car. And I found it the same evening. That evening, my wife and I went to the evening movie and when we came home late, I saw a red crossover, KIA Sorento, in the yard. After looking around the car I found numerous scuffs on its bumpers, and in different colors. I had the impression that the owner of this crossover is just a maniac, a god of boorish parking.
I kicked the wheels, trying to call the owner at the sound of the alarm, but either there was no alarm at all or it was not sensitive. I caught up with the owner early in the morning. Usually I left for work at 9:00, respectively came out to the car at 8-20, KIA Sorento at this time was no longer, so I started herding the owner at 7:00. At half past eight I herded him, or rather HER, it turned out to be a young woman. It’s a pity, and I was in the mood for a fight. Well, never mind, went up to her, explained the essence of the claim with an indication of the battle wounds on my car, caused by her “majesty. To which I was sent to a known address. I was even taken aback. This seemingly civilized and pretty madam, turned out to be a classic loudmouth bully. We had a long “fight” with her, but it had no result. She didn’t want to hear about anything, saying that the numerous marks on her bumpers left by the same freaks, which I thought she was. Like it’s not her cars, parking, and someone is always lapping her. No matter how much we argued, she stood her ground.
Our scolding attracted the neighbors, who came out to their cars, and people began to gather. The girl said she was late for work, got in her car and left, whistling her tires. While talking to my neighbors it became clear that what happened to me was not unique, but rather commonplace in this yard. All suffered from it, all argued with her, but could not do anything and have simply hammered, took it as a given. Welcome to our bumper-to-bumper club! – said a neighbor, a guy my age, named Victor (normally I probably wouldn’t even know his name, but here we met). Forget it, it’s useless to argue with her. The cops don’t give a shit, I’ve never seen a divisional officer. But I wasn’t going to put up with this state of affairs. All day I thought about how to teach the boorish auto lady, I thought and thought and came up with an idea. That same evening the idea found its practical embodiment. Waiting until darkness, I went to her car and lowered all the wheels, unscrewing the spools. Remember how they used to put metal caps on the nipples with special dents on the top so you could unscrew the spool? I had one of those and used it.
The madam was shocked in the morning! She was no fool, she did not believe that all four wheels could accidentally go down, and called the cops. It was her turn to assess the indifference of our law enforcement officers. Naturally, she signed the paperwork and the cops left (a familiar situation). She came back to me with her accusations that I had exacted revenge on her. I sent her in the same direction, where not so long ago she sent me and went to work. I liked the result. The next night, under the cover of darkness of an unlit yard, I repeated the execution on her wheels, and was caught by my neighbor Victor. – What are you doing? – he asked me, stealthily coming up behind me. – Shit, you scared me! – I shuddered! Can’t you see I am teaching the assholes to be polite to their parking neighbors! – Risky! – Victor shook his head. But his approving glance, I realized that the very idea he likes. – Nothing like that! All within the administrative code, no criminal. If I pierced the tires, it’s an article of the Criminal Code, and I do not damage the property, so this act, if caught, would be regarded as disorderly conduct, for which there is a small fine. And then, let them catch him first, I saw how the cops were rushing to solve these offenses! Victor scratched his head, looked around. – How many have you let go? – Two. – Give me that thing, and I’ll do the other two, I’d really like to take part, to avenge my bumper. – I approve! – I said, handed him the cap. – I must dig in my grandfather’s garage, to find myself the same! – Victor grinned, unscrewing the spool. There was a hiss, air rushed out. – Ah, it went well, – Victor was glad to see the result of his labor, – even relieved! – Shall we do it again tomorrow? – I asked, feeling my heart fill with happiness. With the like-minded man and helper, a pleasant pastime, which was already merry, acquired a new, almost sacred, meaning. It was as if we were saving the world at that moment. A kind of Batman and Robin! With every last exhalation of a flat tire, realizing that we were doing a great thing!
Not even a week later, the scratched bumper incidents completely stopped in our yard. The girl, you have to hand it to her, after the second stupid call to the cops, gave up this stupid activity and took the initiative to catch the culprit in her own hands. She guarded her car until one in the morning, then went to bed, and at half past two either I or Victor (we set up a duty schedule) came out and did their job. The girl was bawling at me every morning, but I didn’t care, I smiled and said that I didn’t know what she was talking about. Then she decided to sic her boyfriend on me. The boyfriend, who looked like “yesterday’s brother”, came to see me, and tried to get a rise out of me, but he missed. I’m no dandy, I lived through the wild 90s. To his attacks on me about hooliganism I replied simply: “I don’t know anything, it’s the first I’ve heard, I didn’t do it. The brat, brought up in the concepts, had no evidence to show for it. Of course he threatened to break all my limbs if he did it again, but needless to say, his threats were like a mosquito’s squeak to me – I just let it go and forgot about it.
That same night I got all four tires flat and went to bed. In the morning, the boorish madam, according to tradition, took out a compressor and, with the skill of an old tire fitter, proceeded to inflate the flat tires. To my surprise, this time she did everything silently, did not yell at me, did not threaten me. She came to her senses and, I think, realized that she had to start with herself. The cases of scratches on cars parked in the yard stopped, as if they never happened. The car owners breathed a sigh of relief, and Victor and I immediately stopped our nightly forays.
Some of you may not agree with me, with my actions, but the rudeness and disrespect for others must be stopped, not this way, but that way. Sometimes, or even often, the rude person must be taught the hard way, before the brain turns on and thinks, “Am I doing it right? Am I doing the right thing, in relation to my fellow citizens? Sometimes you have to punch a bull on the road who thinks he has the right to stop you and teach you how to drive (with his fists, of course). You have to be more tolerant in such situations. Life is complicated, anything can happen, you need to be sympathetic to the inexperienced driver behind the wheel of a car with an exclamation point sign, and not jump out every time with the intention of beating him for the fact that he accidentally (accidentally, not deliberately due to disrespect, cut you off). In my case, there was blatant boorishness and spitting. Madame did not see and did not understand the banks (sorry for the slang), did not consider it necessary to reckon with others, for which she paid the price. And only by her own methods, we were able to teach her respect for other people and their property.
That’s it for me. Someone will laugh, someone will condemn me, and someone will take this method to arms, because there are so many rude and boorish in our country. Goodbye, everyone! Be mutually respectful!
