AGGRESSIVE
DRIVING
Road rage is a term
that has become popular to describe angry, hostile
reactions when driving that are directed toward other
drivers. Ranging from true violence and insulting other
drivers to aggressive tailgating and rude gesturing, road
rage is a dangerous habit.
Traffic and crowding
of roads and highways is one reason people resort to road
rage. The construction of new roads has not kept pace
with car production, leaving drivers feeling stressed and
cramped. The territorial nature of humans is to react
defensively when we feel that our space has been invaded
also plays a role. Finally, the security of having a
strong car between us and the outside world can produce a
false sense of security, and extra strength.
Both victims and
agressors of road rage are most likely to be young males,
but road rage occurs across all ages. It is most common
in urban areas where overcrowding of the roads is
greatest. Most people report having been the victim of an
aggressive act by another driver, and over half admit to
having acted aggressively. If you are overcome with anger
while driving, try to remain tranquil, calm and regain
control over your emotions. Recognize that an aggressive
driver is just unleashing his or her anger on the rest of
the world and not at you specifically, so dont
personalize the incident, and try to accept the fact that
mistakes occur. We all make them, and maybe what you
perceived as an aggressive act was a simple mistake. An
angry or stressed-out driver is a potentially dangerous
driver. Why let another driver ruin your day and mood,
probably someone you do not know and will probably never
see again. If you feel out of control, find a safe place
to pull over, stop, calm down and unwind. Keep in mind
that, unless you are a police officer, it is not your job
to punish others for poor driving, and remember that
safety is your number one concern. To control an angry,
response, focus on your breathing, breath with your
diaphragm, pay attention to each breath as it goes in and
out and maintain a normal breathing rhythm.
You can protect
yourself from potencial driver violence by following some
basic tips:
