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I don't know if my anecdote constitutes data, but the first time I went to the US in 1999 I landed at JFK, hired a car, was driving along slowly looking for an

I don't know if my anecdote constitutes data, but the first time I went to the US in 1999 I landed at JFK, hired a car, was driving along slowly looking for an entrance to a freeway to Brooklyn. A guy in a convertible pulled out in front of me so close that I had to swerve into the left lane to avoid him, once I passed him I changed back into the right lane so I could use the upcoming freeway entrance, the guy roared past me, swerved back in front of me and jammed his brakes so quickly I barely was able to stop without hitting him. He then sat there in front of me yelling something for about 30 seconds whilst waving a gun in the air. He then took off and I never saw him again. I'm not sure what that means exactly but I think it indicates a culture of aggression, bullying, anger, self importance, and when coupled with loose gun laws it means lots of guns get fired.

gregrata 12y ago
I've lived in the US for over 40 years and never had anything like that happen (and yeah, I've been in NY a few times). 'course, also anecdotal :)
- gregrata 12y ago
  Oh WAIT! It might be because I always have a RPG strapped to my back... ?
- adamconroy 12y ago
  Well to be fair the rest of my trip was much less eventful, but there were two other incidents of note. In Manhattan, whilst watching the cockroaches in my hotel room and perusing the brown paper bag full of porn mags I found behind the bed, I heard someone rattling my door quite loudly so I yelled out 'hey', and he replied 'sorry man, i thought it was my room'. In Virginia I was driving on a side road that I thought should lead back to the 'blue ridge parkway'. I pulled over to take a piss in the bushes, and whilst pissing I noticed a dead deer with a bullet hole in its neck.
  - gregrata 12y ago
    So I've had #1 happen before (the rattling - I have never found a paper bag of p0rn!!!) It was legit - the hotel gave the wrong room number - but in my case, the guys key worked. Startled both of us :)

gregrata 12y ago

I've lived in the US for over 40 years and never had anything like that happen (and yeah, I've been in NY a few times). 'course, also anecdotal :)

gregrata 12y ago
Oh WAIT! It might be because I always have a RPG strapped to my back... ?
adamconroy 12y ago
Well to be fair the rest of my trip was much less eventful, but there were two other incidents of note. In Manhattan, whilst watching the cockroaches in my hotel room and perusing the brown paper bag full of porn mags I found behind the bed, I heard someone rattling my door quite loudly so I yelled out 'hey', and he replied 'sorry man, i thought it was my room'. In Virginia I was driving on a side road that I thought should lead back to the 'blue ridge parkway'. I pulled over to take a piss in the bushes, and whilst pissing I noticed a dead deer with a bullet hole in its neck.
- gregrata 12y ago
  So I've had #1 happen before (the rattling - I have never found a paper bag of p0rn!!!) It was legit - the hotel gave the wrong room number - but in my case, the guys key worked. Startled both of us :)