When is it justified?  No doubt for retaliation but first strike?  How often do you deploy this weapon?

Not often for me.  I would say 99% of the times I used it as an adult was in the confines of a motor vehicle.

I am asking myself why do I find it exhilarating flipping off an anonymous jackass.  

Maybe 2-3 times in my entire life.  I much prefer to use more colorful language to express myself.

As embarrassing as it is nostalgic, one day I was driving for the lunch pick-up.  My female colleague was as wholesome Mormon as it gets.  And I got cut-off by a woman driver.  I spontaneously blurted out "you FUCKING cunt".....

usually in driving situations

Well I’m a big scaredy cat, so only in the confines of my car where I can escape lol.

In all seriousness, if I can actually read the situation I usually just confront them - and they know they are wrong and back-off because public. In a car, it’s kinda only thing you can do to an asshole. 

It used to be a much more common occurrence while driving, but I've calmed down over the years. Outside of joking around with my wife, that's really the only other place I'll let if fly.

posted by Laley23

In a car, it’s kinda only thing you can do to an asshole. 

This. And rarely, for me. Now my wife, on the other hand (no pun intended), is a big car rider flipper offer. 

I never really have, not even in harmless joking.

I’ll say it though 20x a day to myself

I used to be an impatient driver with bouts of road rage.  There was an occasional middle finger.  But that died out with age.  I honestly don’t remember the last time I gave the bird.

Honestly, with all the road rage today I'd be afraid of giving someone the finger.

Plus, if someone is driving like a maniac I usually try to get out of the way and then give them some distance.

I enjoyed giving the steady finger to the cops (in a nearby town) that "take your picture" and mail you a ticket. Same spot, same time, every day.

I don't like lazy policing.

*They don't do it anymore, their scam was shut down.