Silly car question #47: what are the warning signs of road rage?

Thursday, 20 December 2018

Driving angry is an age-old issue … road rage, though, is something fairly new.

It's not a good idea to get angry behind the wheel. Here's how to keep a cool head.

We can safely assume that, pretty much ever since the dawn of motoring, we've had aggressive drivers.

Those who are prone to follow too closely or to hit the brake when someone else does that to them, to throw unfriendly gestures and to offer less than friendly advice at the top of their voices.

Is that road rage? By definition, no. The term wasn't even created until the late 1980s and came out of America, having been coined by seeking to distinguish occasions when irate driving boiled over into something far hotter. Extending beyond mere obnoxious driving into actual assault, either by vehicle or weapon.

It's important to recognise when road rage is brewing inside yourself. But also keeping safe from the same in others.

* Modern Etiquette: How do I stay safe in a car with a driver I think is being careless?

* Kiwi drivers need more emphasis on driving etiquette, AA says**

Run-of-the-mill aggressive driving, fuelled by impatience, is dangerous. Road rage - when a driver is so overcome by anger all rational thought and control go out the window – well, obviously it's way worse. It typically goes to the point of taking things to an extreme level, resulting in bodily harm, even death.

In the holidays, some drivers get out of control just to grab a parking spot. Don't get angry... and keep clear.

Every driver has times when they lose their temper behind the wheel, but at what point does that anger turn into something more serious? Could you find yourself so worked up?

It's a problem on the rise and experts are always pondering why that is so.

An app in development could help diffuse anger on the road.

Could it be because traffic density has increased? New Zealand's car-per-head-of-population ratio is quite high. It is related to life being more stressful today? It definitely has a lot to do with human behaviour.

What about sexuality? Studies seem to say that men are more likely to engage in road rage behaviours than women, but many concur that it's not so pronounced to be considered a 'man thing'. Women, you're also in the spotlight.

People under 24 are twice as likely to be involved in road rage than other age groups. The most shocking and startling finding is that drivers with children in the car are more likely to react with aggression than those running on their own, or with other adults.

One of the best ways to identify whether or not you might have road rage is to know and understand your own driving habits.

For instance, do you often tailgate to pressure slow drivers to speed up? Do you catch yourself yelling at other drivers as if they can hear you? Do you exhibit physical signs of high stress and anger while driving, such as shaking, accelerated heartbeat, and rapid breathing?

Professional opinion is that while not all of these behaviours indicate a tendency to road rage, the physical symptoms combined with rude, risky driving habits indicate you may be at high risk of crossing the line from aggressive driving to road rage.

What to do if you find yourself prone to overreacting while driving? There are some things you can do to keep yourself from going over the edge.

The best way is to avoid the types of driving situations that lead to frustration.

For instance, avoid driving if you are upset or running behind. If you are already in a potentially angry state of mind, getting behind the wheel can become risky.

Make sure to always give yourself enough time to get from one place to another, so even if there is a hold-up along the way, you won't feel panic or stress about potentially being late. It also helps to stay away from rush hour, if possible. If you can't avoid high-traffic times, seek alternate routes that are less travelled.

Some say it's good to turn your car into a sanctuary. Listen to music that always puts you in a good mood. Use a car deodoriser with scents that have a calming effect.

Okay, so that's you sorted. How do you recognise road rage being exhibited by another driver?

If you notice a driver weaving in and out of traffic, glaring at other drivers, or intentionally cutting people off, tailgating, braking and/or accelerating suddenly, using their vehicle as a barrier, chasing drivers and getting out of their vehicle to threaten …. well, they might be on the verge of road rage, if not experiencing a full-blown episode.

Another thing to watch out for is repeated beeping at drivers who don't appear to be violating any rules of the road.

If you identify a driver who may be experiencing road rage, it's important to know what to do to keep yourself safe. You don't want to do anything that may make the situation worse.

That's harder than it sounds: A survey of national driving habits undertaken in the UK reckoned half of motorists respond to aggressive driving and behaviour with aggression themselves.

Even so, it's honestly better to keep a calm head. If you lose your temper as well, the situation will only escalate. Never react to a driver who is acting in a threatening manner; don't respond to rude gestures or yelling. If you need to, slow down and let them pass.

If that doesn't work, then phone a friend: Star 555. Keeping the roads safe is every driver's responsibility, and alerting the police to a reckless driver is the responsible thing to do.