‘I had no way out’: Gran, 63, feared she’d be set alight in road rage attack

A Perth grandmother has recalled the terrifying moment she feared she would be set on fire after being threatened by another driver in a road rage attack.

Speaking to 9 News, the 63-year-old woman claimed the man – who was allegedly in a drug-fuelled rage at the time – doused her in alcohol and waved a broken bottle in front of her.

She was reportedly driving on the Mitchell Freeway recently when the man, described as having long grey hair and missing teeth, cut her off in traffic.

“I had no way out. I couldn’t move the vehicle and he was standing there with a broken bottle,” she told the news outlet.

She claimed the man reached through her window to cover her in the alcohol, leaving her worried he may have a lighter and could set her alight.

“It could have been anything, there could have been a lighter or anything so in that moment I was running through scenarios in my head,” she added. “I didn’t know how or what he was capable of.”

Read more: Calls for tougher road rage laws after frightening chainsaw attack

She alleged he also smashed the bottle down on her car before holding the broken remnant up and threatening her with it.

According to the news outlet, the man is described as tall, thin and aged in his fifties or sixties. He had a piercing and drives a dark-coloured sedan. He was reportedly last seen speeding down the emergency lane between Ocean Reef Road and Whitfords Avenue at about 6.45pm 12 days ago.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

It comes just months after a shocking video emerged of a driver accidentally running over a man’s foot when a road rage row got dramatically out of hand.

Read more: Drivers cry out in shock as man’s foot run over in wild road rage row

Footage, obtained by 9 News, showed an angry motorist appearing to confront a woman in a car in Melbourne after she allegedly refused to move. He immediately began banging on her window, despite her being stopped at the time.

As she slowly moved forward, he appeared to step in front of the bonnet with his foot in front of the wheel and continued arguing with her, in a video taken by another driver watching the scene unfold.

However, it soon turned to horror as the car inched forward and accidentally ran over the man’s foot – leading him to slam his hands down repeatedly on the bonnet in agony.

WATCH: The man desperately bangs on the windscreen while family members run to help. #9ACAhttps://t.co/9Wgn5oEDJT

— A Current Affair (@ACurrentAffair9) May 19, 2018

The woman taking the video could be heard shouting out in shock, crying “oh no” as the car remained still for several seconds before reversing back off the man’s foot again. The victim’s family could be seen running to try and help him, before one took over banging on the window to alert the driver.

According to 9 News, police said the 42-year-old man had demanded the 69-year-old woman move her car. He was reportedly taken to hospital after the incident, and suffered a broken foot.

The incident follows a horrific road rage attack on the Gold Coast in February that left a man fighting for his life, and raises the question: do we need to introduce tougher road rage laws?

Plenty of Aussies took to social media previously, calling for something to be done. 

One user wrote: “Weak laws Weak Country,” while another added: “Why does the judicial system keep giving criminals excuses and reasons not to change their behaviour!”

The Queensland Police Service previously told Starts at 60 if you ever feel threatened by the behaviour of another motorist, you should head for the nearest police station. “Distance yourself from the vehicle and drive to the nearest police station,” a QPS spokesman said. “You can also stop at a place that you feel safe, such as a well-lit area or an area with other people and keep yours doors locked and windows closed.”

Do you think more needs to be done to stop these road rage attacks?