Concerns about road rage are rising after two separate incidents over the weekend, one involving gunfire.
The incidents are prompting questions about driver behavior during this busy season. A driver in Port Charlotte, who wishes to remain anonymous, shared a video with WINK News showing a black truck following closely behind him on Rampart Boulevard. The truck then swung around to get in front of his car.
“Eventually he flew in front of me, illegally passing me on the left side, and he was flicking his blinker on, trying to get turning his turn signal on, trying to get me to pull over and fight him pointing over to the side of the road,” the driver said. “Throwing me the middle finger and whatnot.”
The driver said his main concern was finding a safe place to stop.
“We were pretty close to the fire department, so I was planning on going there if anything escalated, but it’s a pretty scary situation,” he said. On the same day, deputies responded to a road rage incident on Pondella Road in North Fort Myers.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office reported that it began with a crash and ended with one driver firing shots at another. Fortunately, no one was injured, and deputies confirmed there was no threat to the public.
Diane Clark, a North Fort Myers resident, shared her experience with road rage.
“They don’t care if they’re gonna knock you off the road,” Clark said.
“I think it’s crazy. You have to control yourself.” John McDonald, who delivers food with his wife, also expressed concerns about aggressive driving.
Drivers emphasized the importance of slowing down to keep everyone safe.