And now: Pump rage
Rage at a driver who cut in front of him in a gas line has led to the arrest of a California doctor accused of brandishing a tire iron.
Dr. Antonio Reyes, 58, of La Palma, Calif., faces misdemeanor charges of suspicion of displaying a deadly weapon in a rude, angry or threatening manner, Sgt. Tom Bruce of the Cypress Police Department said.
Reyes was waiting Monday night with other motorists at Costco pumps when another vehicle cut in front of him. Witnesses said Reyes took a tire iron from his vehicle and allegedly confronted the driver…
They were fighting over $4.30/gallon gas:
Reyes, who has three children and a family medical practice in La Palma, was waiting in line at the members-only store for gas that is generally offered at lower prices than in surrounding gas stations, Morales said.
“I believe it was $4.30″ a gallon, Morales said.
The woman in front of Reyes left the line, and the victim, described as a 47-year-old Cypress man, moved in front of Reyes, Morales said.
Reyes shouted at the victim, who remained in his vehicle, ignoring Reyes, Morales said.
As the two pulled up to the pump, both men got out of their vehicles and “the victim sees the suspect coming toward him,” Morales said.
“He does nothing,” Morales said.
“The suspect retrieves a crowbar from his vehicle and pulls on the door handles of the victim’s car, holding the crowbar up in a threatening manner,” Morales said.
The man in the car called 911, Morales said, adding that despite cutting into the line, the victim did not break the law.
“A cooler head should have prevailed,” Morales said of the doctor’s actions.
Commenter SPCOlympics shrugs: “This is California where rudeness is normal behavior and Costco gas lines have always been long even when gas was less than $2/gallon.”
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Actually, I have been semi-concerned that one day when I’m fueling up my Jeep Cherokee in Seattle that some enviro-fanatic is going to take out their angst on me (or my Jeep) for the $4.35/gallon prices up here.
Is it self-defense if I have to issue a royal, right-wing beatdown on somebody who dares to harm my car?
I’d rather have a Doc come after me with a tire iron than with a rubber glove on.
Not sure why this is a story worth noting. It’s not like we have lines due to rationing or shortages (yet).
This is California where rudeness is normal behavior and Costco gas lines have always been long even when gas was less than $2/gallon.
of what?
Clearly they’re in need of some sort of lightworker to help them through their problems.
FoxNews.com is reporting that Republicans are leading the charge for off shore drilling:
Just wait until the Commiecrats get their way in the House and Senate. You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
Here we come 1978!
#4
Stupidity. Wait until the DNC does get its hands on the oil companies, stuff like this will become common.
Yeah I don’t see this as related to gas prices.
Now I worry that if I turn around to wash my windshield or something, someone will take the pump out of my car and start pumping (on my credit card) gas into a can or some such nonesense. And if you leave the pump inside the car after it’s clicked off, they can remove it and “top off” a great amount into a can, all the while charging to your credit card.
A little off-topic here for anyone that can remember the even-odd days gas rationing in the 70’s.
So back then, what did you if you were travelling out of town and needed gas on your off day? Could you still get gas or were you SOL and had to wait a day?
That’s funny. Plus how much does anyone want to bet these guys involved will be voting for the Dems this November? The same ones that don’t want us to ever put up any oil refining plants or drill in our country for oil, thus reducing supply raising prices to these highs.
That is a good sign, TrueSoldier. Maybe Republicans are finally returning to conservative values. Conservative prospects are looking better and better.
California, the breakfast cereal state, the land of fruits, nuts and the home self entitled line cutters.
The rage is appropriate, its just the “typical liberal” issue of bad target recognition that keeps them from threatening liberal lawmakers for the purposeful lack of supply that needs to change.
Missing from this account of the incident.
victim?
Is this guy here legally?
Cue the BDS sufferers who frequent this site to drop in and blame this on President Bush and the war in five, four, three, two… .
I agree, this guy perpetrated the incident. Calling him the victim is typical Liberal BS.
I think it’s a bit of a stretch to say they were fighting over gas or that this would be inevitable because of gas prices. This is no different than someone being pissed about being cutoff in traffic or a parking space and acting on that rage.
…meanwhile, during the altercation, the price at the pump jumped up another 5 cents…
This happens even with cash all of the stations in this area are pre-pay so what they do is wait until you go inside to pay and have it approved then they take your pump and start pumping your gas in their car.
We have caught 7 people doing this in recent months. I confronted one of these idiots, he and his 3 buddies were setting at the pump for an unusual amount of time they were just sitting their looking around and as soon as a car drove up and the woman went into pay he got out of the car looking suspicious, I told my wife not to approve it until I got out by the pumps. I walked out and acted like I was walking toward the side walk thru the pump area and as soon as she approved it this guy went after the pump, I was only about 5 ft. away so I ran over and snatched from his hand, he said give me the pump back, I said no, if you want gas you need to go pay for it with your own money, his buddies all stepped out of the car and I simply pointed the pump in their direction, got my lighter out of my pocket and told them all to get back in the car before I lit them all up like a roman candle, they could’nt get in the car fast enough. While this was going on my wife had called the police and they came before they could leave the lot, every time since they have been caught by the police and arrested.
This is how the Republicans will get the White House and Congress back. The price of gas will probably be the best thing that ever happened to them, if they play their cards right.
My orange-tanned governor is all for it, invoking Alaska, Montana, and other states and the need for domestic output, but when pressed on drilling off the Florida coast, he opposes it, and began spouting off the need for alternative energy sources, blah blah blah. But he’s all for oil it if comes from Alaska.
This is just an example of people who let their tempers get the best of them. It seems almost commonplace now, and is reflective of our society at large.
Am I supposed to feel sorry for the line jumper? This jerk is the offender, not the victim.
Hmmm…..
Since I’m disabled I may have to become more aware of the fact that situations like this can happen and take steps so that I have options. I’ve already supplied myself with locking gas caps to foil the amateurs.
Fortunately, people seem to be more polite and patient in my neck of the woods.
#19
That’s awesome!
I have no pity for the a55hat cutting in. He should be arrested for inciting the pump rage. heh.
This is paranoia. You mean you can’s see the back of your car from the front? You need a smaller car!
I don’t think Reyes can be held responsible here, but instead the makers and sellers of tire irons are at fault. I demand that Arnie, in the next 48 hours, pass some emergency legislation to ban all tire irons or at the very least, require a 150 registration fee to own and possess one.
How can my wife and children and their future children feel safe with so many tire irons running around. In addition, California should demand that all auto makers have tire iron locks and a detection device that alerts authorities when they are removed.
Tire Irons are becoming a serious issue in America and I hope that McCain can beat Obama to the punch here and win over some Californians.
God help us all if these tire irons get out into the streets and into schools. I am going to go down to the station right now and turn all of mine in and I hope you all will do the same!
I’m glad I live where people are sane and I can pay at the pump.
I dunno. This sounds more like another variation on road rage. It doesn’t really draw a clear correlation between the current price of fuel and how this…errrr…”victim”…cut line in front of this other guy. It sounds like it could have happened at almost any time, even prior to the inflated fuel prices we are paying now.
As I will be happy to attest, the good doctor was merely threatening the idiot’s vehicle - not the idiot inside it.
But next time doc, conscript some help from those behind you who ought to be as outraged as you were and let all the air out of all four of the miscreant’s tires.
No harm to the tires if he just stays put waiting for help, and waiting, and waiting …
SPCOlympics,
Back during odd and even you could try to get gas but they wouldn’t give it to you, no if ands or buts. I once waited four hours for gas if someone had showed up with the wrong tags people were watching they would have had more to worry about than one guy with a crowbar.
Hey Donut44…
You forgot about the 3 day waiting period to buy one….
Plus no tire iron stores within 5 miles of a school - yep, that will solve everything!
I’m willing to bet the actions of the good Dr. were not fueled by one incident when he was cut off. More so all the frustration built up over the last few yrs, brought on by leftist fascism and environmentalists damaging tactics to America and our lack of energy independence and mortgage bailouts and illegal immigration and on and on and on. Keep your powder dry.
Now watch, CBS will have a Special Segment on this new “rage” epidemic. Oh, and its all BusHitlers fault.
, now that’s funny, tks i needed that laugh.
Not to worry, McSwish sees the development of nuclear power plants as a method of overcoming our reliance on oil and gas. He still has to work out constructing these plants under the hood of an SUV but as a campaign promise it works for him. The high cost of gas is not the result of the supply and demand for oil. The problem is the supply of creative, innovative, public servants who are willing to drill for new oil in our vast reserves and not developing Fisher-Tropfsch refineries to product gas and jet fuel from our world class coal resources. Right now we are the third largest oil producer and by drilling in Anwar, the gulf, and Bakken Formation not to mention other sites, America could be the worlds largest oil producer. But what do we get instead. Expect to price of oil to remain outrageously high. In the world of your either with us or your against us, the American people remain the enemy, we have seen the enemy and they are us.
only $4.30? where?!
Correction: Expect
tothe price of oil to remain outrageously high.Line jumper? Must have the same genes as the illegal aliens and their nutty supporters who think illegals shouldn’t have to wait in line for a visa to enter the USA.
Is exactly right…3rd largest oil producer in the world, as we sit on 3 times the reserves of Saudi Arabia, 3 times! But the environmentilists(demopraps and RINO’s) want us to go back to the 19th or 18th century…and shovel our energy waste.
Well, let’s hope this doesn’t happen as it will cause me a hardship wrt my elderly mother. She lives in southern California and I in the north. I can’t get to her house on one tank.
I don’t see how levying windfall profits and the resulting shortages will help anyone other than Washington’s coffers.
Truesoldier
sounds like a good start on the surface … but why 50 miles? … what good is that limit when Cuba and China are already drilling in the gulf less than 50 miles off the Florida coastline? … so we get to go 50 miles offshore and pass all their oil rigs on the way? … the 50 miles thing is just some more “appeasement” to the libs … at 50 miles it’s “out of sight out of mind” …
The line jumper was an a-hole. Acquit the doc.
what good is that limit when Cuba and China are already drilling in the gulf less than 50 miles off the Florida coastline?
That’s correct SPCOlympics it wont help at all but you could get gas more than once in a day only the correct tag was necessary. You could stop halfway and top it off, I don’t know where you are located but picking the right time to travel it should take about ten hours from San Diego to San Francisco so if we were to see that nightmare again you should be ok getting to your mother. I was lucky I had a friend that managed a 76 station. I could fill my bike for a little over 2 bucks, and that was with super. If you got caught in the wrong place without gas you had to wait to get it where you could.
Comrade Obama says pump prices aren’t too high, it’s just that they have gone up too much. Economics mental midget we have here with Comrade Obama, spent to much time learning how to talk without learning facts or thinking.
Man, I think they have the victim mixed up with the bad guy. Line jumpers are a pox on all of us. Tire iron sounds like a good vaccination to me.
tgusa,
I have to drive from SF to SD and back. Actually the larger problem is not which day I have to fill up but the long wait in line. I have a 4 and 2 year old so it can be a big problem. Hopefully the lines in the San Joaquin Valley, where populations are sparse, aren’t so bad.
Maybe I should get a big American truck with a king cab and extra tanks.
So how was a windfall profits tax supposed to encourage us to save gas?
#19
Sorry, I must condemn your actions. How could you even suggest that you would torch some lowlifes without taping and posting it for the enjoyment of all?
If the account of the incident related in #13 is true, then the “victim” should also have charges filed against him for Assault and Battery.
The initial act of confrontation was committed by Reyes, but absent of proof to the contrary, the ‘victim’ escalated the confrontation by words and deeds.
The disturbing the peace law in California defines words ‘uttered’ as any communication that would cause an “immediate and violent reaction.” This encompasses the “f” word, and “flipping the bird.” This was not a mutual combat situation!
Both should be charged.
Donut44
Here you go … from 2006 agreement … will try to find something more current … plus they are going to “slant” drill … so the oil they get will actually be even closer to the US shores than the location of the actual oil rigs …
China - Cuba Oil Agreement
AS mentioned in the article the other problem is they are not going to meet all the enviro-nut restrictions put on US companies …
Since when is being “rude” or “angry” worth a misdeameanor charge? It’s my right to be both any time I feel like it
& I don’t care what the PC monkeys say about it. That tire iron might have been a little over the top tho’…
The line jumper is the self-centered moron here. It sounds like he would have done the same thing whether gas was $4.30 or $2.69. America has become a society of “me first” and rude people. It’s depressing.
Donut44
India, Canada and Spain also involved in drilling off Cuba …
Gateway Pundit posted this on May 14
Oil Drilling off Florida Coast
Oh, I really like that last one, that is good.
Desert, I really appreciate it. I read the slant drilling and got a basic idea, but I think I will do some more research on that as well.
Thanks for some extra leg work, I am a “link junkie”.
Maybe, except that McCain is repeating to folks in his town hall meeting today that he would no more drill in ANWR than the Grand Canyon.
Donut44
Here are a couple of links that explain the different types of “slant drilling” … glad to help out …
Link 1 - Wikipedia
Link 2 - Natural Gas.Org
When you say California you have said it all. Governator, Governor Moonbeam, Feinstein, Boxer and Pelosi, Charles Manson and Babs. There is Mayor Villaraigosa, the dancing queen of San Francisco, Sean Penn and his evil twin Paris Hilton. Point? Only weird news comes out of California. Cut off their gasoline for thirty days and tell them to play nice and chant stupid chants. California has some of the weirdest energy laws and restrictions on refining and drilling in the country. Let them go without, at least the Democrats, and contemplate their navel oranges.
they can have my tire iron when they pry it out of my cold dead fingers..
or
That still leaves me my 4 iron..
Donut44 and Desert Lover..
so.. Slant Drilling.. is that the same as ‘I drink your milkshake’?
What has Arizona given the rest of the country besides being a doormat for illegal aliens?
A place for californians to sociall pollute?
socially…..mea culpa
They do they quite well on their own Tom
Can we give 30 days warning to california conservatives and then erect an invisible force field around that nutty state?
Typical California wimp. Cuts the line but won’t defend himself. Poor, poor victim.
What he really needed was to be pulled out thru the window and given a good a$$ whoopin’. No crow bar, no police.
Come on! Get some backbone!
Why is Reyes in such a rush to pay in excess of four dollars for a gallon of gas? Stupid as stupid does.
Probably, he has a medical practice.
Judging from the photo, the doctor may be Filipino, although I will say I have seen some people with South Mexican/North American Indian ancestry who do have ‘Asian’ features.
In Texas more than one man would have gotten out of the car to confront the line jumper, although I can’t recall the last time I waited for more than one car ahead of me to fill up.