[Cyclist] Hey, piece of [bleep]!
- What? - You passed me within a foot!
No, I'm not, [bleep]
[bleep] you! You are both [bleep] up!
[Cyclist] Are you hitting me? Are you hitting me?
[both shouting]
[bleep]!
[Kid] Oh my god.
[Passenger] Holy [bleep].
We need to get the [bleep] out of here.
Go, go, go, go, go.
[Narrator] In the last few years,
the number of Americans on the road has skyrocketed.
- And that means more traffic... - [horn honking]
...more accidents...
- [crashing] - [horn honks]
...and also more rage.
You got a problem, step out your car!
[Narrator] With violent road rage up nearly 500%.
[man laughs]
[screaming]
- [horn honks] - [driver laughs]
This is where the rubber...
meets the road.
[Narrator] Refusing to let other drivers merge...
[Narrator] ...even when it's necessary,
like when entering a packed parking venue...
[Narrator] ...is a common power play among drivers.
Psychologists have suggested this could be rooted
in a phenomenon known as territoriality,
an innate urge to defend one's turf,
which might make sense at home...
but can be frighteningly misdirected
in a shared space like a public road.
And these clashes are not only out of place...
they can quickly get out of hand...
for even the slightest of perceived offenses.
In California...
a column of smoke on the horizon
appears to have caused a major slowdown on the interstate.
A motorcyclist begins tracking with a semi in the left lane.
But when he sees the truck's blinker on,
he realizes they'll need to merge right
to avoid whatever is ahead.
The biker cuts over...
and motions for a red car behind him to give the semi some room.
But when the driver pulls past him...
[Narrator] ...a battle of wills ignites.
[Narrator] The biker wisely keeps his response brief...
until the driver...
doubles down with a rude gesture.
- It's just you. - [Driver] [bleep] you.
[Narrator] An unwise escalation by the driver
prompts an even bigger response
that shatters the driver's mirror...
and leaves him stranded in the jam.
The motorcyclist easily cruises past waiting traffic
and up to the source of the slowdown...
finding the aftermath of a car fire
that has now been put out.
It's unknown if authorities ever got involved
in this contentious confrontation.
[Narrator] But it demonstrates a simple truth--
being territorial on the road
isn't worth the effort or the anger.
[Narrator] And it definitely...
[bleep] you.
[Narrator] ...isn't worth the fight.
[engine revving]
[Narrator] When a motorist is endangered by another,
there's an instinct to teach that person a lesson.
[Biker] Hey, mate, mate. Mate.
I'm not gonna tell you off or anything, right?
You're obviously a new driver, but you're gonna kill a biker.
Just be careful when you're coming on a slip road, boys.
[Narrator] But there's more than one way
to make a lasting impression.
Just to prove there's no hard feelings.
Drive safe, mate.
[Narrator] In fact...
Shut the [bleep] up.
Let him take his time. He's a new driver.
[Narrator] ...instead of adversary,
this biker turns ally.
Don't rush, mate. Don't rush.
He's a new driver!
Take his time, yeah?
Drive safe, mate.
[Narrator] A positive encounter
this young motorist won't soon forget.
He's a new driver. Leave him alone.
[Narrator] Unfortunately, many aggrieved road users...
[bleep] some people.
[Narrator] ...prefer the school of hard knocks.
In Minnesota.
A cyclist's helmet cam records as he and another biker
share the road with busy afternoon traffic
when from behind them...
a car cuts around
and appears to pass by closely.
The trailing cyclist rushes ahead of his cohort...
whose own helmet cam now records the first cyclist
taking the lead
as they both rapidly catch up to the driver,
where the lead cyclist is met with
what looks like a rude gesture.
A testy exchange...
which he appears to have with both bikers...
setting the stage for an even more confrontational encounter.
[Cyclist 2]
[Cyclist] What's that?
Ah, thank you.
Hey, piece of [bleep]!
[Cyclist] You passed me within a foot!
- What? - You passed me within a foot!
You almost killed me.
I didn't almost kill you! I could pass you within a foot!
No, I'm not.
- [Driver] Let's look it up. - All right, [bleep]!
You [bleep] swing on me?
I gave you more room than I give a car.
Then you should probably give cars more room.
You're required by law to give cars...
You were a foot from this [bleep]--the first lane.
Why are you even on the left side?
Go on the [bleep] right.
The [bleep] lane's too narrow for you to legally pass me
inside the same lane, you piece of [bleep].
[Narrator] Though the cyclist believes he knows the statutes,
his argument...
I thought you cared what the law said, [bleep].
You a man of your word?
Are you gonna follow the law when I show you what it says?
[Narrator] ...is rebuffed.
The law is that you guys--
- Don't [bleep] do that. - You almost killed me!
I didn't almost kill you.
[Cyclist] Are you so upset that I'm so upset at you
for almost killing me?
All the laws you need to know.
- [bleep] you! - Are you hitting me?
Are you hitting me? Are you assaulting me?
- You assaulted me. - I did not touch you.
- You hit me when you passed me. - I didn't touch you.
- Yes, you did. - No, I did not.
I put my middle finger up and you hit my hand.
Why did you put your middle finger up?
Because you--
[Narrator] In Minnesota,
a perceived close call by a passing car...
prompts a response from two cyclists...
that triggers a contentious debate...
You passed me within a foot.
[Narrator] ...where any hope of a reasonable discussion...
All the laws you need to know.
[Narrator] ...is quickly kicked to the curb.
- [bleep] you! - Are you hitting me?
Are you hitting me? Are you assaulting me?
You assaulted me. I did not touch you.
[Narrator] The driver allegedly rips the cyclist's camera
off his helmet...
[Narrator] ...and appears to pocket the prize.
[Narrator] The cyclist's friend steps in.
[Narrator] The contentious back-and-forth
shows no sign of cooling off.
[Narrator] And though the driver
seems to return the contraband...
a witness feels compelled to intervene.
[Narrator] Both parties opt to wait
for authorities to arrive on the scene...
[Narrator] ...and give their side of the story.
While it's unknown if any citations are given,
one thing should be abundantly clear.
Whenever an apparent slight is met with aggression...
the chances of coming to a peaceful understanding...
[Driver] What's your problem?
[Cyclist] We're allowed in the [bleep] road, [bleep].
[Narrator] ...are almost guaranteed to be a bust.
[bleep]
[Narrator] Sometimes hooking up and hauling a trailer...
is not as straightforward as it looks.
[Woman gasps]
[Man]
[Woman]
[Narrator] The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
estimates around 66,000 accidents
involving a trailing unit occur each year...
[Woman]
[Narrator] ...often caused by an improperly attached
or overloaded equipment...
[Woman]
[Narrator] ...or a combination of both.
Like with this man who has secured an SUV to his flatbed
with what appears to be a single winch cable.
And when the mounted winch rips off,
it's a race to avoid a catastrophe...
followed by another.
Fortunately, this botched haul job
doesn't result in major damages.
But the outcome can be much different
when the equipment being hauled...
is literally designed to crush anything in its path.
On a back road in Alabama...
a pickup hauls a piece of farm gear called a land roller,
a steel drum that's approximately 10,000 pounds
which, with a car approaching in the opposite lane,
is a massive liability.
[Kid] Oh my god!
[Narrator] In Alabama...
a youngster with his grandpa records
a pickup hauling a land roller on a country road
when a car coming in the opposite lane...
- [Kid] Oh! - [Narrator] ...bears the brunt.
[Kid] Oh my god. I just got that on camera.
[Narrator] As the car approaches in the distance,
the multi-ton drum designed to crush and compress farm soil
breaks free from the truck, banks off a guardrail,
and veers into the oncoming lane...
[Kid] Oh my god.
[Narrator] ...stopping the car dead in its tracks.
[Kid] I just got that on camera. Go, go, go. Come on. Come on.
Holy crap. I just got that on camera.
[Narrator] The kid and his grandpa check on the victim.
[Kid] Yo. Hey, you good?
[Grandpa] Are you okay?
[Woman]
[Grandpa] Hold on, ma'am. I'm gonna call 9-1-1, okay?
[Narrator] It seems the airbags saved
the driver from further catastrophe.
[Kid] What in the frick? Oh my god. I'm shaking.
[Narrator] It's unknown why the roller came loose,
but the lack of serious injuries is a lucky break...
[Kid] Oh my god.
[Narrator] ...for everyone involved.
[Kid] I just got that on camera.
[Narrator] According to a study of U.S. residential areas,
approximately half of all addresses in the lower 48 states
and the roads that service them
face at least some degree of risk...
from wildfires.
And any driver near these areas...
[Male Driver] Oh my gosh. Are you sure this is cool?
[Narrator] ...should follow official
ready-set-go evacuation orders
to steer well clear of trouble...
[Male Driver] Oh my god.
[Narrator] ...because though some motorists like these
live to tell the tale...
[Male Driver]
[Narrator] ...even professionals can get caught
in a deadly situation.
It's 1 a.m. in Siskiyou County, California.
[Firefighter 1] I mean, this was all fine
when we were driving down here two hours ago.
[Narrator] Two firefighters are in trouble...
[Firefighter 1]
[Narrator] ...as a massive 145,000-acre fire
spanning three different national forests has sent them
and a line of other firefighters into retreat.
[Man On Radio]
[Firefighter 1] Yeah, it's bumping the road now.
[Narrator] As units ahead warn
that their route might be cut off...
[Firefighter 1] You think we can catch it?
[Narrator] ...the two men try to keep in good humor.
[Firefighter 1] We got 400 gallons. We're good to go.
[Firefighter 2]
[Narrator] But as they catch up to the other fleeing units,
they quickly realize...
[Man On Radio]
[Firefighter 1] Yeah.
[Narrator] ...just how dire things are.
[Firefighter 1] Yeah, we need to go.
We need to get the [bleep] out of here.
That's hot.
Drive, bro. Holy [bleep].
[Man On Radio]
[Firefighter 1] Go, dude.
[Man On Radio]
[Firefighter 1] Oh, [bleep].
[Narrator] And suddenly...
[man 2 on radio]
[Narrator] ...their worst fears are realized.
[Man On Radio]
[Narrator] And they believe the only way to deal with it...
[Firefighter 1]
[Firefighter 2]
[Narrator] ...is to plow headlong...
[Firefighter 1] Go, go, go, go, go.
[bleep] this. Go, go, go.
[Narrator] ...into the flames.
[Firefighter 1] I mean, this was all fine
when we were driving down here two hours ago.
[Narrator] In Northern California...
[Firefighter 2] That's hot.
[Man On Radio]
[Narrator] ...a line of firefighters tries to escape
a massive 145,000-acre forest fire...
[Man On Radio]
[Firefighter 1] Yeah, it's bumping the road now.
[Narrator] ...as it threatens to "burn over,"
a phenomenon where the road becomes engulfed,
cutting off their escape.
[Firefighter 1] Yeah, we need to go.
We need to get the [bleep] out of here. Holy [bleep].
[Narrator] But as they catch up to a logjam
of other fleeing firefighter vehicles...
[Firefighter 1] Go, dude.
[Narrator] ...they suddenly realize...
[Man On Radio]
[Firefighter 1] Ah, [bleep].
[Narrator] ...they may already be too late.
[man 2 on radio]
[Man On Radio]
[Firefighter 1]
[Firefighter 2]
[Narrator] Deeming the route behind them
even more dangerous...
[Firefighter 1] Go, go, go, go, go. [bleep] this. Go, go, go.
[Narrator] ...they opt to surge ahead along the wall of fire.
[Firefighter 1] Yeah, yeah, yeah. [bleep]
[Firefighter 2] Oh, [bleep]!
[Narrator] But as other vehicles join them...
[Firefighter 1] Go, go, go, go, go.
[Narrator] ...the tight traffic forces them off the road...
[Firefighter 1] Holy [bleep].
[Narrator] ...and into the thick brush,
kindling for the advancing flames.
[Firefighter 1] Oh, man.
[Firefighter 2] Holy [bleep].
[Narrator] They quickly reroute.
[Man On Radio] You guys good? Pull back.
- [Firefighter 1] Road? Road? Yep. Get on the road.
Oh, [bleep]. Come on.
[Firefighter 1] Get on that road.
[Firefighter 2] I'm trying.
[Firefighter 1] Get on that road.
Get the [bleep] outta here.
Oh my [bleep] god.
[Narrator] They see an open path out of the fire.
But any possible sense of relief...
[Firefighter 1] Holy [bleep].
[Narrator] ...is quickly tempered by a grim reality.
[Firefighter 2]
[Firefighter 1] Oh, [bleep], dude.
[Firefighter 2]
[Firefighter 1] Holy [bleep].
Go, go, go, go, go.
Go. Holy [bleep].
- [Firefighter 2] Thank God. - Holy [bleep], dude.
[Narrator] Finally, they're in the clear,
and later they get word...
[Firefighter 1] Oh my [bleep] god.
[Narrator] ...that everyone else fortunately survived as well.
[Firefighter 1] Oh my god, dude.
[Narrator] The devastating blaze destroys 20 structures
and takes more than a month for crews to fully contain.
[Firefighter 1] Turning around is not an option.
[Firefighter 2] Yeah, what the [bleep].
[Narrator] A terrifying display
of the overwhelming force of a wildfire...
[Firefighter 1] Go, go, go, go, go. [bleep] this. Go, go, go.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[Narrator] ...that no driver should ever challenge.
[Firefighter 1] Oh my [bleep] god.
Holy [bleep].