EDITORIAL - An example

It has happened yet again, another road rage incident.

No, it didn’t involve someone young, brash, and lacking in judgment. This time it was a 71-year-old man who, we assume by his age, should already have enough sense to discern right actions from wrong, or at least learned to pick his battles and walk away from fights that don’t have to happen.

According to police reports, this incident happened in Tanay, Rizal, last Sunday after the suspect’s vehicle and a pickup collided when the suspect tried to overtake.

The suspect got out, confronted the people in the pickup, got back into his car, got his .40 cal. handgun and fired repeatedly at the driver. Not content, he went over to the passenger side of the pickup and fired there too.

He fled but was arrested by policemen at a checkpoint. In his vehicle, police found the gun, two knives, and a blinker.

The suspect admitted to everything he did, saying he was just consumed by rage. That explains but doesn’t excuse his behavior. He now faces multiple charges; as of this writing the pickup driver was still in critical condition while his passenger, who was shot in the foot, has been discharged.

He could have just yelled at them, walked back to his car and driven off, but no, he had to go back into the vehicle to get his gun. He could have stopped at just threatening them with the gun, but no, he had to shoot. He could have stopped at just one shot, but no, he had to keep shooting again and again. He could have stopped at shooting the driver, but no, he had to go to the other side and shoot the passenger as well.

There were so many chances for him to stop escalating the incident and consider what his next actions could do, but he seems to have ignored all of them.

He is certainly no example for motorists and those younger than him. Also, what was he doing driving around with that gun, those knives, and that blinker?

Actually, yes, he can still serve as an example. An example of what not to do during a traffic altercation. An example of what can happen if emotions are left to run unchecked.