How to Deal With Road Ragers

Violence on the roads has become a serious problem - more and more motorists are acting out their aggressions on the freeway. If you encounter road rage (or suffer from it yourself) keep the following in mind.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Books On Tape
• Portable CD Players
• Soothing Music
• Cellular Phones

1. Be aware that many drivers get angry if you follow them too closely. Allow at least a three-second time interval between your car and the car ahead.

2. Don't slam on the brakes if someone's tailgating you. Instead, signal and pull over to let them pass.

3. Clarify your intentions by using your turn signals and brake lights. If someone cuts you off, slow down and give the car plenty of room to merge into your lane.

4. Don't offend other drivers. Make sure you have plenty of room when you want to merge.

5. If you are in the left lane and someone wants to pass, move over to the right and let him or her by. Remember, you may be "right" because you're traveling at the speed limit, but you can also be putting yourself in danger by enraging someone behind you.

6. Keep as much distance as possible between yourself and another driver who wants to pick a fight. Motorists you might have offended can "snap" at any time, and it's better to be a live chicken than a dead macho man.

7. Give the other motorist the benefit of the doubt. A driver who's speeding or constantly changing lanes may be a volunteer fireman responding to a call, a physician rushing to a hospital or an undercover cop.

8. Allow more time for your trip. Instead of trying to "make good time," try to "make time good." Listen to soothing music or a book on tape. Adjust your attitude and forget about winning. For too many motorists, driving becomes a contest.

9. Ask for help if you have a problem with aggressive drivers or if you yourself are getting angrier behind the wheel. Courses in anger management have been shown to reduce heart attacks.

Tips & Warnings

• "The best way to handle aggressive drivers is to not be an aggressive driver yourself," says California Highway Patrol spokesman Steve Kohler. "And the second thing is to avoid those who are behaving aggressively by not reacting to them."
• Although many drivers involved in road rage incidents are men between the ages of 18 and 26, anyone can get aggressive if they let their anger take control. Studies show that anyone can drive aggressively if they're in the wrong mood or circumstances.
• Get help if you think an aggressive driver is stalking you or trying to start a fight. If you have a cellular phone, call the police or drive to a safe, populated place, such as a police station, shopping center, or hospital parking lot. If you don't have a cell phone, use your horn to get the attention of a Good Samaritan who may help. Do not get out of your car, and do not go home.

[cayenneturbo]

on 8/22/2007 The only way to avoid a `road rager` is to travel fast enough, while not becoming a `road rager` yourself. Everyone should aim to be a respectable technical driver instead of being burnout jerks or sticky snails. I'd recommend people to read some driving tips on ehow or wikihow on how to drive the thing as it is meant to.

on 1/24/2006 How important is it to be 'right' compared to protecting your children? Someone cuts you off and it angers you. You could be obnoxious about it, blast your horn, tailgate, etc. Or you might consider that such actions could result in someone firing shots at your car or attacking you at the next streetlight. Accepting that choice for yourself is stupid enough. Exposing your spouse and/or children should be considered criminal negligence.

on 1/23/2006 People with road rage believe that you are in the wrong for some reason. When someone is mad at you, it means that you have violated their expectations. This is not to say that you are wrong at all, but simply that the angry driver needs to clearly and firmly understand what to expect from you.

The horn appears to be effective in establishing intent, while the four-way flashers appear to be effective in establishing warning.

Use the horn to signal your intent to merge or change lanes. The angry driver will become more aware and respectful of your driving, unless they are feeling intentionally disrespected. It draws attention to you, and to your situation. Angry drivers do not want other drivers to associate them with trouble, so they will back off, unless they are intentionally being provoked.

Use the four-way flashers with the horn for backing and for tailgaters (treat them like trailers and coast to a safe speed). Flashers communicate the need for them to be cautious around you and to move on. If you do not deliberately offend them, then they will see that you are 'having trouble' by your four-way flashers and they will take the frustrations elsewhere.

on 1/9/2006 When angry, don't follow the car in front of you closely. It not only isn't safe, but when the car in front is more capable, it may lead you into a turn way faster than you can take it. Just control your anger and pride, and drive to live another day.

on 11/22/2005 One or two cars (or even ten cars) getting in front of you is not going to make your trip longer by any noticeable amount. What about the times that you've found yourself boxed out at a toll booth or a merge when nobody would let you in. I think of those times and am happy to let people get in front. It makes me feel good. If I drive aggressively and don't let someone into line, I end up feeling tense and angry. If someone else is in a rush and wants to cut into a line, it really is no skin off of my back. I hope that someone will do me the favor when I need to hurry.