Road Rage – The Curse of Modern Motoring
ROAD RAGE
Trying to intimidate other drivers
The news last week that Police believe the fatal stabbing of a man in a built-up area of the Wirral was the catastrophic result of a simple ‘traffic altercation’, acts as a salutary reminder that the problem of “road rage” has never gone away.
First coined as a snappy ‘buzz-phrase’ in America during the late 80′s to describe an apparent rise in physical confrontations between motorists, the term only truly entered the British consciousness when notorious gangland boss Kenneth Noye was convicted of stabbing to death a 21-year-old off an M25 slip road in 1996. From that moment on, Noye became known as the “road rage killer”.
Later the French started using the term “rage au volant” (translated: rage behind the wheel). At the same time, many other European countries began using similar phrases, with the Turkish referring to the expression as “your demon behind the wheel”. We’ve seen many celebrities ranging from Mike Tyson to Russell Crowe charged with ‘rage road’ incidents while British alternative rock act Catatonia even garnered a top five single on the subject. In short it has become a global phenomenon!
So what tends to cause ‘road rage’? Well, extensive research by the RAC on the subject unearthed some interesting results, with tailgating and sudden breaking being the biggest root cause. The research also found that the morning rush hour appeared to be the most common time for a ‘road rage’ incident, with attackers most likely to be in their 20′s or 30′s. Hardly surprising you might say, but the most common aggressors tended to be drivers of sports utility vehicles or ‘white van man’.
So, how can we combat it? Well, whether you are a would-be aggressor, or a likely victim…follow these five tips and you won’t go far wrong;
1. Reduce stress by allowing more than enough time for your journey – listen to traffic reports, be aware of possible delays. When time isn’t your enemy, it’s unlikely other drivers will be either!
2. Remember, you cannot control other drivers around you, but you can control how they effect your well-being. Stay calm, and drive carefully.
3. Never take the other drivers personally. If annoyed by their driving, ask yourself, has he/she just made a mistake? If confronted or gestured at, remember he/she is only reacting at a driving incident, not you personally. Don’t retaliate, it’s not worth it!
Getting stressed whilst driving
4. Try to avoid eye contact with an angry driver – one ‘wrong’ look is all it requires for the level of anger to escalate and the situation to worsen. Slow down, let him/her pass and, if necessary pull over and regain your composure.
5. Do not endanger yourself by attempting to evade a ‘road rager’ – remain within the speed limit at all times. If you are genuinely worried that you are being followed, do not drive home – drive straight to the nearest police station!
