Road rage is out there, experts say ‘don’t be a part of it’: Rock Hill/Charlotte commute
Road rage is not a formal criminal charge in South Carolina. But for commuters in the Rock Hill region, road rage is real.
There is a confluence of commuters in the Rock Hill region.
They travel back and forth, north-south, between Charlotte and Rock Hill. They also travel east-west in a network of roads that traverse North and South Carolina. The roads cut a swath that spans Union, Gaston and Mecklenburg counties in North Carolina and Lancaster, York and Chester counties in South Carolina.
Those roads include I-77, U.S. 521, S.C. 160 and a host of other rural roads as people navigate between south Charlotte, Waxhaw, Indian Land, Pineville, Ballantyne, the Steele Creek area, Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Lakey Wylie, Clover and, of course, Rock Hill.
The driver who cuts you off on Interstate 77 because traffic is busy between Rock Hill and Charlotte and that driver behaves as though he’s the only one on the road.
The upset person who believes he was just cut off.
The middle finger salute that escalates into cursing and potential violence. Sometimes a gun is pulled, or somebody is hurt or killed.
Experts who teach driving, and deal with the effects of road rage in the court system, say the best way to handle road rage is to never participate.
Rock Hill defense lawyer Montrio Belton, a former school administrator and military veteran who has handled road rage cases in court, puts it plainly.
“There is nowhere any of us has to go that is so important that it costs someone their life, or can affect the rest of someone’s life,” Belton said. “A split-second decision can affect you, or others, forever. A conviction can get someone a record, even a felony record. For the rest of your life. It is much better to never have the interaction than to try and navigate that interaction once it is done.”
What is road rage?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines road rage as when a driver “commits moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property; an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger of one motor vehicle on the operator or passengers of another motor vehicle,” according to the Web site safemotorist.com.
Yet there is no criminal offense in South Carolina called road rage. Because of that, there are no statistics to show exactly how many incidents happen each day, week or month.
There are charges such as discharging a firearm into a vehicle, pointing and presenting a weapon, or other offenses, that can come from a road rage incident.
But any commuter who has spent time driving in York and Mecklenburg counties, between Rock Hill and Charlotte, knows road rage. As the cliche’ goes: ‘You know it when you see it.’
Swerving drivers trying to get ahead in traffic on I-77. Cars passing each other during heavy volume. Angry words, threats. Shots fired from car to car.
AAA says examples of road rage can be: Cursing and rude or obscene gestures, throwing objects, ramming or sideswiping, and forcing a driver off the road.
Real road rage can carry real consequences
In just the past few years, The Herald has covered cases that show the serious effects of road rage.
At least one was deadly.
In 2021, a Lancaster, South Carolina man went to prison for six years for manslaughter after he claimed a motorcycle driver, who later died, gave him the middle finger in a 2019 incident on I-77 in York County.
The motorcyclist died in a crash that prosecutors said in court was a case of the defendant’s road rage. The man who went to prison claimed to have been flipped off before the incident.
That claim was made, but prosecutors said in court that law enforcement found witnesses who were ready to testify that the suspect passed the motorcyclist and braked, then the motorcyclist crashed and died.
The defendant pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter after initially being charged with murder, court records show.
That case was covered by The Herald, then picked was up worldwide by the Associated Press and even made People magazine’s Web site and other publications worldwide.
In an I-77 incident from 2016, a man was sentenced to prison in 2020 after he was convicted of a felony charge for shooting at a woman during a miles-long incident prosecutors called in court a case of road rage. The man who was convicted claimed a melon was thrown at him before shots were fired at victim, prosecutors said.
In another case a Charlotte woman was sent to prison in 2021 after a 2020 road rage incident at I-77 and S.C. 160 in Fort Mill. The woman later pleaded guilty to firing shots at another occupied car, court records show.
Other cases of alleged road rage, including one 2021 case from I-77 where a victim was shot in the face, remain pending, court records show.
In a 2021 case, an off-duty York County Sheriff’s Office deputy was the alleged victim of a road rage where a driver was accused of pointing a gun at the deputy who was in a civilian vehicle, deputies said.
Consequences are real
Belton said he talks to people about consequences for their road rage actions.
“Don’t make poor decisions that will hurt others...,” Belton said.
York County’s huge population growth has been both a blessing and a curse for commuters driving daily around Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Rock Hill, or to and from Charlotte, Belton said.
“We have more economic development, more social opportunities,” Belton said. “That’s a blessing. But we do not have the infrastructure that has kept up with the growth. That’s the curse. We all have to share the roads we have.”
Avoiding road rage is the best strategy
Matthew Shelton, a senior York County prosecutor with the 16th Circuit Solicitor’s Office who handles many of the county’s serious driving cases, said road rage is a cultural expression. But some cases are best explained as road rage so the public understands what was going on, Shelton said.
“Road rage is an expression, and to some degree, most of us have experienced it in some form or fashion,” Shelton said. “Road rage can be as simple as someone cutting another person off and slamming on brakes. It doesn’t have to involve a weapon.”
In recent years, it seems that there have been more instances of road rage locally, Shelton said. The reasons are not clear although population growth in York County has increased commuter traffic, Shelton said.
The solution is easier to pin down.
“Avoid the problem and any temptation to lash back out if there is an issue on the road,” Shelton said. “Avoid the conflict. De-escalate the situation. If someone cuts you off, back off and think about safety.”
Shelton said incidents on the road can have serious criminal consequences for drivers at fault, depending on the facts and circumstances.
“Don’t lose your cool, because being angry and doing something to make the situation escalate could cause something far worse,” Shelton said.
Pay attention to safety
Jeff Vissage, a York County driving instructor and South Carolina law enforcement officer, said he teaches drivers to be aware of what is around them.
“Be aware of your surroundings on the road,” Vissage said. “Drivers need to be aware as they are driving of what’s going on around them, and be prepared to mitigate any problems.”
Drivers who are going too slow, or too fast, or driving distracted, all have the potential for road rage incidents, Vissage said.
“We all know someone who does the commute,” Vissage said. “The commute to and from Charlotte is busy.”
The reality for commuters is all drivers will at times be in heavy traffic, Vissage said.
“Don’t make the problem worse,” Vissage said. “The road is not a place for aggressive behavior. We all have to share the road.”
Anyone who believes that have been a victim of road rage should contact law enforcement as quickly as is prudent for safety, Vissage said.
AAA offers tips to avoid, handle road rage
AAA Carolinas offers tips about avoiding being involved with road rage, or dealing with it if you are a victim.
Always leave enough space between your vehicles and others to avoid possible tense driving situations.
Do not make eye contact with an aggressive driver ; move away if possible.
Never engage with an aggressive driver.
If a driver follows your vehicle, do not drive home. Drive to a well lit, occupied area such as a police or fire station, or hospital.
If you feel threatened by an aggressive driver, call 911 and proceed to the nearest police station.
AAA tips to not be the aggressor
AAA also urges drivers to not be part of the problem.
Avoid driving when you are overly emotional.
Leave with plenty of time to arrive at your destination to avoid the tension of running late.
Remember that other drivers are also trying to get somewhere safely.
Use your horn only when necessary to alert others on the roadway, not as a way to express anger.
Have someone else drive you.
The end game for road rage, the experts say, can seem simple. Be a courteous and safe driver and don’t make any high-traffic problem worse.
Somebody allegedly gives you a one finger salute in traffic?
As Shelton the prosecutor said, “So what?”
Back off and be safe, Shelton said.
This story was originally published February 13, 2023 at 10:13 AM.
