I was recently traveling when a ‘gentleman’ in a pickup assumed I cut him off when I was changing lanes. I had at least 2 car lengths before he immediately closed the gap. He changed lanes, passed me with a rude gesture, then proceeded to cut me off and slam repeatedly on his brakes, slow down to less than 10mph, signal turns then ‘change his mind’ and continue straight. I was trying to back off as quickly as I could, but that only aggravated him more. I was a bit scared as I did have my young kids in the car, but was relieved I was getting closer to a police station if needed. My question is, should I have called authorities with his license plate number, or just left it alone as he was just being a jerk, not actually threatening my safety (from what I could tell anyway—glad he wasn’t following me). Thanks for your advice if this situation or ones like it if they come up in the future. 
Answer: This is a good question on an excellent topic. To answer your question as if to “call the authorities or leave it alone,” is always a judgment call. From what you described I believe you made the right decision as to ignoring this other driver. In most cases involving another irritated driver or someone with a case of “road rage”, I feel ignoring them is the best policy. Some of the best advice if being confronted by an aggressive driver: 

– Get out of their way. 
– Stay calm — reaching your destination safely is your goal. 
– Do not challenge them. 
– Avoid eye contact. 
– Ignore gestures and don’t return them. 

You mentioned that you felt he wasn’t “actually threatening your safety”. But what if this person did threaten you (i.e. gun pointing, intentional car ramming, etc.)? Then I would still recommend the advice above, along with reporting the aggressive driving (vehicle description, license number, location). Call 911 and be able to provided good, accurate information to the authorities. If this other driver was to stop and try to flag you over, I would keep on driving around them. Finds a safe place to stop at, or not stop at all. If you were on your way home and this person was following you, go someplace else and call the authorities as soon as possible. Granted these incidents are few and far between, but they can and do happen. You mentioned having your young kids in the car. Your family’s safety is the most important thing. And how we handle dealing with other “rude” drivers sets the example for our future drivers. Always take the high road. 
If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota send your questions to Trp. Jesse Grabow – Minnesota State Patrol at 1000 Highway 10 West, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501-2205. (Or reach him at, jesse.grabow@state.mn.us<mailto:jesse.grabow@state.mn.us>) 
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Sgt. Jesse R. Grabow #392 
Public Information Trooper – Northwest Region 
Minnesota State Patrol 
218-847-1594 (office) 
218-847-1593 (fax) 
218-639-3168 (mobile)