Road rage

By: Mark Pepper
Date: 1997-06-09

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Nighttime. The world around you swirls in a mixture of shadows and rows of streetlamps that line the side of the highway. The meetings with clients, the crashing of your computer (again), and the knowledge that you have to go back to it all again tomorrow, has taken its toll on you.

But at least the traffic is moving well. You glance to the side before pulling out to pass the car in front. All's clear so you slide gently into the next lane and begin to accelerate.

As you pass the other car, the other driver banks sharply into you, sending a spray of sparks dancing off your door. Glancing to your right, you see a hostile glare and the mouthings of obscenities in your direction. Quickly you accelerate to escape but the chase is on. Welcome to "road rage."

Chances are you'll never be in a situation like this, but incidents of violent driving have been on the rise for several years. According to the American Automobile Association, they've been increasing by 7% per year since 1990. An Australian study estimates that about half of all traffic accidents in Australia may be due to road rage. A study by Lex Research in the U.K. indicates that, of Britain's some 2.8 million company car drivers, about 83% have been victims of some form of road rage during their working life. About 21% reported having been run off the road and 18% have been physically threatened by another driver.

Some attribute the rise in rage incidents to the recession and social and economic frustration. Gary Fite, Public Relations Manager for the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland, reckons that, in many cases, the cause of the anger that touches off rage incidents is bad driving.

With an estimated total of 1,800 reported incidents of violent road behavior in the U.S. in 1996, it's a situation to be taken seriously. The incidents that trigger a Mad Max syndrome in the average driver are usually simple matters of discourtesy-for example, loud music, over-use of the horn, tailgating and changing lanes without signaling. These, of course, are usually just the trigger points. The actual causes can be traced back to all forms of stress, from being called into the boss's office for a friendly 'chat', to having just been dumped by your girlfriend. Pretty much, road warriors are the result of a flashpoint of all the accumulated stresses in one's life. As for avoiding the Mad Max syndrome, here are a few tips from Dr Ricardo Martinez, Administrator of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to help you through your journey:

• don't take traffic problems personally
• avoid eye contact with an aggressive driver
• don't make obscene gestures ("that makes you a player and suddenly it begins to escalate")
• don't tailgate
• use your horn sparingly (the polite honk can be misinterpreted)
• don't block the passing lane (some drivers think you're doing something to them when you do this)
• don't block the right hand turn lane

Some other tips:

• As stress expert Dr. John Larson points out, drivers tend to put themselves in a stress bind by constantly trying to beat the clock on their trips rather than enjoying the journey. When we do this, Larson says, everything that interferes with our self-imposed time goals becomes an object of frustration, and potentially rage. So, allow adequate time for your trip.
• Create a relaxing and comfortable environment in your car. Play relaxing music (with a beat slower than your heartbeat, one music aficionado suggested).
• Traffic is a cooperative activity. When you behave cooperatively, you get repaid in kind. If you're aggressive, you trigger in others a natural instinct to fight back and drivers will often try to thwart your progress (not let you into a line of traffic, for example). If you're diplomatic, you will be able to move through traffic with amazing ease. Sometimes drivers will go out of their way to help you. Driving in congested traffic is really a challenge to your diplomatic skills, and your ability to communicate effectively with others
• If you do happen to catch sight of aggressive driving, stay away and contact the authorities when you get the chance. Even if you're not being chased down the highway by a sideswiping maniac, you could be saving a life other than your own.

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