Am I Being over Dramatic or Should I Be Concerned?

Road rage is a serious matter. Yes, you should be concerned, it's not worth it. Next time you drive.

When anyone is really pissed off, it's not generally useful to argue with them. (Especially if the angry person is a child or a husband, in my experience.) Heaping more anger onto that situation can only make it burn hotter.

I'm not saying you don't have perfectly legitimate grounds for being angry and upset. But I think your instincts were right during the incident – it sounds like you did what you could to pull the fuse. Good for you for practicing that much self-restraint while you were upset, angry and afraid.

So, what to do afterward? Talk to your husband about what YOU experienced. Describe the fear you felt for your child, for yourself, and for your husband. If you were puzzled by or angry at that other driver, feel free to say so. Be empathetic about how upsetting the situation was for all of you.

But if you want your husband to hear you and take your needs seriously, keep your part of the conversation about YOU, YOUR needs, YOUR feelings. Don't tell him what HE should (or should not) have felt, said, or done. His ego is too hooked, and (this is hard for any wife to admit), what he does is really not your business, it's his. Aaargh – don't you just hate that? But it's true.

Take care of YOUR business; your need as a mother to protect your daughter and set a good example. Your need as a co-passenger to be safe. Your need as a wife to have confidence that your husband will be safe, and not end up in trouble with the law. Speak in terms of "I" need, "I" wish for, "I" felt, etc. Avoid "you did that" or "you need to" or "you should" like poison, because if you are blaming or demanding, that's how he's likely to experience it. Doesn't make for a useful discussion.

Good luck. I had many experiences like what you have described with my first husband.

I cannot believe some of the posters said to let it go. Your husband acted like a complete maniac. And for him to say "I have a gun too & I would have killed him", OMG that is amazing. I understand that every couple has to choose their battles however this one takes the cake, this is counselor worthy. If he acts this way when you & your dghtr are in the car I would hate to see how he acts when your not in the car. For your sake & most importantly your daughters I hope you dont let this go.

Road rage can get you (and passengers and bystanders) killed and it's not worth dying over. What your husband needs is an anger management class.

okay, i have read your question and i have read your "so what happened", but i haven't read the other replies, and here's my honest opinion. i have one of those idiot husbands too! i actually applaud you for staying calm. i feel like you did all you could in a bad situation. i would have reamed him once we got home and your daughter was out of earshot. it is absolutely unacceptable behavior with a child in the car. but as far as in the heat of the moment, good job keeping your head and not making things worse. your hubby sounds a lot like mine, and it's not ideal, but we gotta work with what we have right? i'm sure he has a lot of other good qualities which make you love him. sorry you had to go through that.

I would be totally P.O.'d!!!! #1, not just yours, but HIS kid is in the car. #2, he opened YOUR window to scream at the guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
say he did have a weapon, who would have gotten the brunt of it?!?
when you have kids, one of the first things you have to learn real fast is to keep your temper under control. you and he are the #1 example for your daughter, and if she sees him or you screaming like a crazy person (no matter her age) guess what she's going to do when she gets upset - scream like a crazy person!
but, her and your safety should be above anything else on his mind, especially in a situation like that!
even though you're upset and want to yell at him - be an example and in a calm way, explain to him how that situation made you feel and how you feared for your family's safety in that moment. if someone is yelling, the person they are yelling at automatically puts up a wall.
good luck!

D. I would be angry also and have been upset with my husband before for being cranky at another driver. Unfortunately people these days are very stupid and react inappropriately and I just let crazy drivers go about their business. Am I angry sometime oh yes but is it worth being shot at or hit by their car no not at all and especially with a child in the car. I always say do what you want when it is just you in the car but when you have your family you have a responsibility to keep them safe!

Just my two cents!

Let it go. Your husband should've been more careful w/ your daughter in the car, but what's the point in you being mad a whole day later? Unless you want to fight and be mad all weekend, just drop it.

It was a silly thing to do but I can see your husbands side of it , sometimes people can make you so mad that you just want to yell at them , at the time he was probably so wound up that he just didn't think before he stuck his foot down. I think you should let it go , you have said your peice about daughter being in the car , could have been killed etc , just let him know that it was not acceptable , he is never to do anything like that again or there will be consequences and move on.

You are in the right. Your husband no matter how mad he was should of definately never put your daughter or even you in harms way.. This is why people act the way they do because they get arise out of the other person.. He should of never stooped to that other person's level of immaturity... Congrats for standing up for you & your daughter.. Your right you never know whom has a gun anymore...