Road Rage? Can they go to jail?

Question

Can someone go to jail for pulling beside you yelling obsenities and flicking you off?

Answer 1

I am not sure,, but I think they should be able to go to jail for it.

Answer 2

Yes, verbal assault and obscene gestures.

Answer 3

If the manner in which they do that constitutes some traffic crime, such as wreckless driving, then yes.  Otherwise, there is no criminal penalty for expressing one's opinion.

Answer 4

Road rage is a term made up by idiots who aren't driving properly, to place blame on those who have identified them as idiots. I'd be willing to bet that 80%+ of the time someone is on the receiving end of so-called "road rage," that person has done something idiotic to deserve it.

No, they can't go to jail unless they actually break a law.  It's amazing to me in the wide open country we have, we place so much importance on ridiculously low speed limits, yet we don't seem to mind people driving like absolute morons, so long as they aren't speeding.  We need to take a cue from Germany where their drivers actually know how to drive properly and therefore they aren't afraid of speeds in excess of a snail's pace.  How many times have you seen law enforcement vehicles in the U.S. turning without a signal in a non-emergency situation or coming to a rolling stop?  What kind of signals do we think that sends to the citizenry?

Answer 5

Absolutely.

It's called 'disorderly conduct'... both the gesture and the obscene words are a violation.

Answer 6

It would depend on the Country and State...

In Germany, ANY gesture like that IS a criminal offense on the autobahn and will get you a HEFTY fine (source- History Channel show on the Autobahn.)

In California, YES it's a possible 6 month sentence from just the DMV.

"Court-Ordered Suspension: Road Rage

13210.  In addition to the penalties set forth in subdivision (a) of Section 245 of the Penal Code, the court may order the suspension of the driving privilege of any operator of a motor vehicle who commits an assault as described in subdivision (a) of Section 245 of the Penal Code on an operator or passenger of another motor vehicle, an operator of a bicycle, or a pedestrian and the offense occurs on a highway. The suspension period authorized under this section for an assault commonly known as "road rage," shall be six months for a first offense and one year for a second or subsequent offense to commence, at the discretion of the court, either on the date of the person's conviction, or upon the person's release from confinement or imprisonment. The court may, in lieu of or in addition to the suspension of the driving privilege, order a person convicted under this section to complete a court-approved anger management or "road rage" course, subsequent to the date of the current violation."

Just FYI, Section 245 is Assault.  " An assault is an unlawful attempt, coupled with a present ability, to commit a violent injury on the person of another."

AND if you're driving a vehicle, they can push for Assault with a Deadly weapon:

"245.  (a) (1) Any person who commits an assault upon the person of

another with a deadly weapon or instrument other than a firearm or by

any means of force likely to produce great bodily injury shall be

punished by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four

years, or in a county jail for not exceeding one year, or by a fine

not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both the fine and

imprisonment."

SO, in theory, you're looking at a POSSIBLE 4 and a half years.

Answer 7

In my state, there is a road rage law.  If an officer saw it that person would be fined and ticketed.

Answer 8

Nope. You always have the right to pull back into the street and drive away while they are yelling. Usually when a person is pulled over , it's because they do have a chewing out coming for driving like an idiot.