I used to have severe anger issues.

Your son will forget this much sooner than you will, try harder to distract him with a game or story (good for you too).

Did the old guy live there or just transient? Let it go, blowing up his mailbox is a federal offense anyway.

HappyAndy wrote: The world is full of stupid, crazy, broken, hateful, confused, angry, lazy, corrupt, wicked, self destructive, insensible, insensitive, dumb, ignorant and just plain wierd people.

Hey, you just described me!

But seriously, haven't we all been stupid, crazy, broken, hateful, confused, angry, lazy, corrupt, self destructive, insensible, insensitive, dumb, ignorant, or just plain weird at some point?

Nick,

Your son was for all intensive purposes assaulted and causing him to crash his bike by the actions of that person. That is assault of a child. I would file a report with the police. If for nothing else if there are mental health issues making it a point of record may actually get this person the help they need as they are a danger to society and un-fortunately you child was on the receiving end of it. FILE A REPORT WITH THE POLICE. Assault on a child is a very serious thing and that person needs to be looked in on by a LEO.

On another note please tell your son (or let him read this) that I think his dad is a great person and that what he did today was absolutely phenomenal. It takes all the control in the world to do what you did and your son should know that he has a great dad! In short to put it in words your son may better understand. He has a "Super Dad"!!!!

You exhibited a good deal of restraint. I had/have anger issues as well. I'm surprised I never spent time in jail for the things I did in my past. It sounds like the guy has issues, and you showed that you don't. I would make a report of it. The main reason is to get it on record. If someone else has an issue and reports it, he's that much closer to getting help.
Reading that did trigger me though. I wanted to know where he lived so I could retaliate. I say that only so you know you are in like company. Use this an an opportunity to teach your son a lesson. Because if you'd have throttled him, he would have learned a lesson too, just not the right one.
Oh, and HappyAndy hit the nail on the head.

I was the same way before my twins were born, rough childhood made me thrive on anger. I used to seek fights anytime i left home.

Like you i never wanted my kids to see it. They did what 7 years of anger management couldnt do. Ive learned to just walk away.

In your situation im not sure i could walk away. You can say whatever you want to me but my wife and children are off limits. The last time i got angry was my wedding reception.a member of my wifes family made her cry, if her dad wouldnt have made him leave it would have ended badly for both of us.

I don't think a police report will do anything at this point. I seriously doubt I would recognize him if I saw him again. I've never seen him before. He looked like a guy just out for a walk. There were lot's of people out walking and riding bikes. It was a nice morning.

Mess with me, and choice words will be said. Mess with family (blood or otherwise) and all bets are off.

The old guy is probably bat-E36 M3 crazy, senile, or both.

Growing up we had a next door neighbor that liked to get on his CB radio and cuss out truckers. We could sometimes hear him on my granddad's old AM radio tuned to the upper end of the spectrum. One day he got drunk enough to give one his address and say "come on by if you're man enough". About 10 minutes later, a tractor pulls up in front of his house and the idiot sagely pretended to not be home. I'm just glad he got the address right, but really wanted to see him get taught a lesson about cheesing off the wrong person.

If my memory is right, that guy got drunk and drove off a mountain, killing just himself. Ah, karma.

Kids these days? Old people these days.

wbjones wrote: having started to calm down now, have you any idea at all what the ass hole was going on about ?

He had probably pulled out in front of a cyclist who he didn't see, or even look for. Said cyclist probably gave him a piece of his mind (verbally and/or physically) or ran into his car. Since it couldn't possibly have been the shiny happy person's fault, Mr. Shiny Happy Person now thinks all cyclists are idiots.

But that's just a guess.

Nick (Not-Stig) Comstock wrote: And it been a very long time since I've felt that little burning ball of hate, deep down in the pit of my stomach, grow into an raging inferno that fills me with an all consuming desire to destroy another human beings will to live. A half hour ago I was there, I'm still beyond pissed, but the urge to go back out and find the worthless piece of E36 M3 and break every berkeleying bone in his worthless berkeleying body had mostly passed. I used to live off of this feeling. I used to invite in with open arms. I don't like it anymore. I don't want to feel it anymore. I don't want my son to be exposed to it. It's been so long since I've been so angry. I'm coming down now.

Man, I could have written that myself, word for word. I KNOW what you're feeling. I also got rid of my anger several years ago. But I have to remember that everyone has the capacity to get angry. I do avoid conflict as much as possible these days, because even though I don't lose my temper as easily, I still get that feeling in my gut that I have to fend off. I'd rather not have to do that, so I just don't let myself get into those situations.

In reply to bravenrace:

I don't either. But, sometimes those situations have a way of finding you. Know what I mean? Like yesterday, I still have a hard time believing that really happened.

In reply to Nick (Not-Stig) Comstock:

Oh yeah, they do find you. My two sisters are like I used to be, and are always looking for an argument. It's really hard to keep myself out of those, considering that we are all involved in the care of my elderly mother.

Right? I don't have to go looking for trouble. Trouble finds me.

What did you do to get over your anger issues? Not counting this past experience—that would make anyone’s blood boil.

Good call on not whipping his ass. That is exactly the kind of situation that ends up being the "one in a million" punch that kills the old bastard. Even just giving him a good shove could have ended with him falling and cracking his skull. Involuntary manslaughter is no way to start the day.

mtn wrote: What did you do to get over your anger issues? Not counting this past experience—that would make anyone’s blood boil.

Well, I guess I kinda just grew up a lot when I met my wife. She made me realize that there was a hole lot of joy and happiness to be had in life and worrying about the small stuff is not conducive to a happy life. Nowadays hardly anything gets to me, I can let most stuff roll off my back.

About two hours ago, I was at Cleveland Clinic waiting to pick up my wife after a colonoscopy. A bit tensed up. As I was pulling into the pick up area, a group of three were walking, SLOWLY, in the direction I wanted to go. For whatever reason, BIG DADDY got offended that I wanted to enter there and made a rude gesture in my direction. In years past, that would have resulted in unpleasantness. But now, at 70yo, my good sense kicked in. Besides, he was 20 years younger and 50# bigger. Still made me angry. Come on, I want to pick up my wife, not wait for your dance move!! Arrgghh. In years past, I have been guilty of "inappropriate" actions when faced with that.

You, sir, showed a good example of anger management to your son.

I have, and still occasionally have, anger issues. They have gotten my ass kicked, and got me in jail. Much less since I quit drinking. I still struggle though. Except around my daughter. She is definitely calming.

Now, I will say if anyone hurts her, you can send my magazines without staples to the prison.

I was raised by a man with a horrendous temper. I got mine honestly, just like he got his. Im trying to break the cycle with the next generation of Crawford.