Understanding the Dangers of Road Rage
Road rage is certainly nothing new. Ever since the automobile entered our culture, somebody somewhere has undoubtedly been slighted by the actions of a fellow motorist. Nevertheless, it’s safe to say that in earlier times, the worst-case scenario likely involved some gesturing with fists or middle fingers, a few colorful exchanges of words, or at most; an old-fashioned scuffle.
In this day and age, however, it has sadly become commonplace to hear news stories involving someone who goes berserk and opens fire on innocent victims. Whether in a place of business or a school, this is quite disturbing. One has to wonder what has happened in the past few decades to trigger such random and senseless violence. Those of us who are older can remember a time when such mayhem was virtually unheard of. It’s as if something in the very air that wasn’t present 30 or 40 years ago has sparked some individuals to literally be transformed into insane psychopaths. It may only manifest itself for a few minutes, but unfortunately, this is all it takes to have a toll of dead and/or seriously injured people whose loved ones musk ask, “Why?“
Unfortunately, since such savage, barbaric acts have risen sharply, road rage also has the potential to escalate into such a bloodbath.
As drivers, we all believe that we ourselves are the best. Furthermore, we look out for Number One. Anyone who delays our progress in any manner becomes a jerk. Self-centered? Irrational? Perhaps, but this is how we think. It’s human nature. However, the difference in a normal, stable individual and someone who figuratively goes off the deep end is significant. Fortunately, most of us will fall into the former category, for while our anger temporarily interferes with logic, we still possess the compassion and foresight to calm down and ultimately forget about something as relatively unimportant as some idiot whose driving we don’t approve of. Conversely, there are a few remorseless, unstable individuals who will take away a life simply because they didn’t like the way we looked at them! This is when a case of road rage can become extremely dangerous.
Whether our driving triggers someone else’s anger or vice-versa, there is simply no way to distinguish between a rational driver and one that may try to run you off the road or blast you full of holes with an assault weapon. Therefore, the only tactic we as sane drivers have at our disposal is to take a deep breath when that other driver cuts us off, drives too slow, or does anything else we don’t like. On the other hand, if we do something to anger another driver and he or she lets us know about it, the best strategy is to get some distance between you and the individual that yelled, cursed, called you a name, shook their fists, or made an obscene gesture.
The worst position to find yourself in after such an incident is when the two of you get stopped by a red light and you are either side-by-side or directly in front or behind one another. Avoid eye contact at all costs, lock all of your doors, and roll the windows up. People have been known to get out of their vehicles and physically attack other drivers while sitting in traffic.
As mentioned, most of us are more or less stable and rational people, and hence the odds of a violent exchange in such a situation are slim. But at the same time, you just never know. Nobody in those schools, restaurants, or workplaces anticipated getting shot by some psycho, either. Life is too short to live in constant fear, but we can and should take precautions whenever possible; particularly when we are situated behind the wheel.
