Joined: Aug 02, 2006
Posts: 705
Location: McLean, VA, USA
Posted:
Sun Oct 29, 2006 2:58 pm
When I was younger, I often got very angry of other drivers, that did not do good to me (or I perceived so). Sometimes, a person cutting in front of me would make me almost lose my mind. Or some oldie sitting in the left lane below speed limit would drive me nuts.
Since I was driving good cars and bikes I was almost always able to take my turn and try and offend the other driver. If he cut in front of me, I would cut in front of him and brake, If he did not let me pass, I would position myself in front of him and gradually slow down way below his original speed. This let me feel much better about initial incident – I paid them off at the end, didn’t I?
Over time a couple of thoughts started to gradually sink into my mind - whoever cuts in front would be responsible for an accident, if it happened, and – if I delay the other guy, I delay myself, too. This made me somewhat uneasy about doing such things, and satisfaction I used to have diminished dramatically. I kept this practice however for quite a while, until another thought came to me: I don’t have to add to the insult I got from others. I do myself more harm than good if I take revenge, be it a higher risk of an accident I would be responsible for in cutting in front of other driver, or be it an extra delay on my way.
And when I fully digested this idea and let it join my ego, I stopped taking revenge. Those incidents still annoy me, and every now and then I go for revenge still. But it is nowhere near that intense and nowhere near that often it used to be. And I have to be already pretty irritated before the incident, for this to happen.
Last edited by Misha on Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:16 pm; edited 1 time in total
Joined: Aug 02, 2006
Posts: 705
Location: McLean, VA, USA
Posted:
Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:35 pm
And you know what is really interesting about this - those incidents' frequency is nowhere near what it used to be. This makes me thinking that I learned my lesson about revenge on the road, and the Universe does not push it on me anymore
Call it old age, good sense, or wussyness.. but I just don't care anymore. While in heavy traffic I always leave a lot of room between me and the car in front. 10 minutes later, I'm maybe 10 cars back from the car that was originally in front of me.
I get stuck in stop-and-go highway traffic a lot. My latest hobby has been trying to judge the overall speed of the traffic, set my speed at that, and completely neutralize the wave pattern by traveling at a constant speed. This, again, ends with me 10 cars back from the one I was originally tailing, but its a GREAT skill to have when I drive stick. (I'd reference the web page that gave me the idea, but I don't remember it)
Don't get me wrong. I also use my horn a lot, mainly in anger, when someone does something incredibly stupid that puts me at risk. I'd give my left nut for a push-button device that reaches through time and space to smack the offending driver upside the head.
Joined: Aug 02, 2006
Posts: 705
Location: McLean, VA, USA
Posted:
Sat Mar 03, 2007 1:34 am
I would have killed you when I was younger Not anymore, but sometimes such kind of behavior still pisses me off. Not often, though. And I never thought it is really possible to neutralize wave pattern, because it does not have fixed "wave length". But if you tried, you know better, and I might give it a try when in the mood.
Actually, I meant different type of "cutting in front" - when someone moving slower than you jumps into your lane suddenly in front of you, and you have to brake to avoid a collision...
When someone is rude, whether driving, and showing no respect to his fellow motorists, or doing something so stupid, like tailing too close, or forcing his way to get pass, or passing at a crazy speed, anger is a human reaction. His recklessness could cause an accident. Maybe I have seen too many movies, or have read too many news articles about road rage. Maybe I just want to get home safely, and don't have the time to spend with a fool. I might curse in the car, and call the other guy an idiot, but I keep it inside my car. If a fool is trying to pass me, I let him pass. I don't want to be near a fool when I'm driving, and I think, Good riddance, when he is gone.
I really have to concentrate on controlling my road rage. Deep breaths, turn up the music, whatever it takes to keep me from chucking a bird or honking the horn. I've learned to pull over for five minutes and let the offender get away from me. Like you all said - it really isn't worth it.
I'm typically the same kind of person as u. I do the same as u mentioned above and i have learned my lessons . geting angry while driving is not at all a good practice.
In the new millennium all caution should be taken with regards to anger. You never know who is in the other car. You never know their state psychologically. Their life might be much worse than yours and they have nothing to lose. They might identify your vehicle and cause a future threat to your family if the vehicle is shared. They may be extremely well armed. I find it much easier to avoid all conflicts. No one has ever caused another person to be angry. I do not have the power to make you angry only you have that power. I do not hand the power over my emotions over to another person. Hope this gives you something to consider in your future.
Bad drivers scare me more than they annoy me. I just want to avoid them and literally steer clear of them!
Now my husband, he's another extreme. Good at driving, but ZERO patience on the road! There isn't a swear word under the sky he won't mutter at every mistake some driver makes in front of him. He says, if it wasn't for me sitting by his side, he might have strangled someone by now. And I'm supposed to take that as a compliment!
In my defense, he WASN'T like that when we were dating...!
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Not anymore, but sometimes such kind of behavior still pisses me off. Not often, though. And I never thought it is really possible to neutralize wave pattern, because it does not have fixed "wave length". But if you tried, you know better, and I might give it a try when in the mood. 
