Road Rage?

Question

How do you handle road rage?
I sometimes get too personal, but I have to think of my 2 year old daughter because she is with me most of the time. I need some suggestions on how you handle your frustrations when people are 'pushing your buttons' (e.g. taligating you, flashing the brights to make you move to the fast lane 'cause they don't want to wait for whatever the reason) I get frustrated because I have a child on board.

Answer 1

I have problems with road rage, mainly because I'm anticipating someone to do something thoughtless or obnoxious, and then it happens like I predicted. With time, I've had to learn that people that piss me off on the road are often just clueless. They are not intentionally tailgating you, or what every it may be that they're doing, to piss you off. It's just their ignorance as a driver. So, knowing this, I try my very best to not take things people do on the road so personally. They do not do these stupid things to you directly. It is just their own ignorance the majority of the time. You also have to think, because they are not doing something stupid directly TO you, they probably do the same stupid thing to other people as well. So they are pissing off other driver's too doing the same ignorant crap. I've been trying to pay close attention to this and it's true. For example, I'm in the passing lane passing a car (not hogging the lane), and someone comes flying up behind me and gets right on my butt. Yes it's terribly unnerving, but I simply get out of their way when I'm able to do so safely and let them pass. Then I watch them to see if they do it to the next car in the passing lane, and they ALWAYS do! So this actually makes me feel a bit better knowing it's not so personal. They're just an idiot. Knowing this now, I secretly hope with each instance that happens to me that they'll do the same thing to someone else and the other victim driver with put the bad driver in their place, without resulting violence. This world is crazy enough. We don't need that crap too. I actually got into an accident once trying to be defiant to a very obnoxious tailgating driver. It was at night, the road was a curvy country road I had never driven on, and I was doing the speed limit. A truck came flying up behind me and rode my tail so close that I could not even see his headlights half the time. The other half of the time, his lights were no more than 5ft from my back bumper, shining in my mirror and making it very difficult for me to see. To make a long story short, I got arrested for reckless driving because I slammed my brakes on and he was arrested for assault because he attacked me. My point in telling the story is, DON'T let road rage get ahold of you. It may seem stupid and inconvenient to pull over and get out of the way of someone like that, but it's a hell of a lot better than getting injured, killed, or going to jail, like in my case. Don't be a victim to other people's cluelessness or arrogance. Be the bigger person and avoid them rather than confront. You know they're a moron, don't get yourself involved. Believe me, they'll get what's coming to them sooner or later. Karma is great!

Answer 2

I started driving a school bus at age 18 and I learned so much I wish everyone understood and practiced the "rules of the road" for the betterment of us all.
Anyway, don't let then push your buttons. Stay calm and alert, be courteous and let the idiots pass by. They will be at the same red light as you though they used more gas, wore their brakes more, got tickets and higher insurance premiums, and are more likely to be in an accident. They forget that driving is a privilege not a right. The power they believe they have control over lets them think they are more important and show it by being pushy and rude.
Just let them go and know that you and your child are safer with them off in the distance. Eventually you will see one of them pulled over and getting a ticket or worse is the slowing traffic because they lost control and had an accident.
Consider the story of the tortoise and the hare. Be the tortoise and win, just don't think of it as a race.
Now that I drive a tow truck I think " go ahead fool" because stupid drivers are money in my pocket. I could tell you stories even I wouldn't believe if I hadn't seen it myself.
Don't compete or trust your right of way and always consider how to handle the unexpected. If you feel yourself getting frustrated, pull over and do something different. Have an ice cream or check out a store or a park or whatever is there to give you a break, then continue on to your destination. It is better to arrive late and alive than to not arrive at all.

Answer 3

I won't let someone I don't know have that much control over my life. I just move out of their way and let them get on with their bad day. If my 19 month old grandson is in the car we get out of the way and then sing "Do Your Ears Hang Low" or something just as silly, really loud and laugh and giggle. Actually, I am an anger management counselor and realize that my grandson will learn how to react to things by my examlpe. We use the saying "life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of what you do about it." Don't buy into others bad behavior, they actually want you to so they can have a fight, with someone, anyone. Usually people who drive like that are actually mad at themselves because they are late to something, and want to blame someone else, rather than take responsibility for their own actions.

Answer 4

Ya understand my admired? ok, so like utilising sixty 5 in a fifty 5 interior the country isn't quickly adequate for some idiots that they might want to tailgate me...Why would they not in simple terms bypass in the adventure that they are in a hurry you ask? because their heads are too a procedures up theirass! I rapidly get their interest by using swerving over to the shoulder and throwing a sprig of rocks throughout the front of their vehicle. do not fvck with me, on the line...I allow you to already know!

Answer 5

sometimes you need to remember the children are watching , but like for me I put in a nice big set of air horns so when those nise people make you angry blast them and if your child asks you what was that? just say someone you knew!!! and just drive for the safty of your passengers and yourself, they cant make you do anything that you dont want to do.

Answer 6

i see red and chase after them with my high beems on if its at night,i have really bad road rage , but just like any of my faults i realized it and stopped it

Answer 7

I'm a volunteer firefighter/EMT so I have blue lights and an air-horn/pa system in my car. I just flip them on and hit the 100 decibel horn, and the people think I'm a cop because the cops run red and blue lights around here. It stops them dead in their tracks. When they pull over, I just slowly drive by and wave. The look of horror and disbelief on their faces is priceless

Answer 8

OMG...I have Road Rage sooo bad....don't know what to tell you....I need help too!!

Answer 9

throw a few dirty diapers out your window. that will tell them to back off and probably put a smile on your face