Have you ever noticed that, with roadway anger, it鈥檚 always the other guy鈥檚 fault? And, it very well could be. The thing is, you can鈥檛 control how other people drive. But, you can control how you respond to situations on the road that come across as inconsiderate or even hostile 鈥� yes, even when someone cuts you off.
With school getting back in session, the roads are especially crowded this time of year, and that can easily lead to a short fuse, a close call with an aggressive driver or worse. To help you avoid the frustration and danger of road rage 鈥� your own or others鈥� 鈥� follow these five dos and don鈥檛s:
- Don鈥檛 take it personally. When you take the viewpoint that another driver鈥檚 actions are a personal insult to you, of course you鈥檙e going to get angry. So, take your personal feelings out of the equation. Continue driving as safely and considerately as you can until you can part ways with that rude person who鈥檚 tailgating you. Don鈥檛 slam on your brakes to teach him a lesson. That鈥檚 a good way to make things worse or cause an accident.
- Don鈥檛 have expectations of others. It鈥檚 natural to expect others to behave the way you behave, writes Beverly D. Flaxington of Suffolk University in an August 2012 blog post on PsychologyToday.com. 鈥淭hey should be as careful, considerate and smart behind the wheel as we are,鈥� she writes. However, when you expect a certain behavior on the road and encounter something else, your road rage tendencies can emerge. Lose the expectations and lose the rage, she suggests.
- Do practice safe and considerate driving, no matter what others are doing. Always drive with safety in mind, and avoid behaviors and maneuvers that you find annoying when someone else does them. These can include:
- Tailgating, or braking suddenly to get a tailgater to back off.
- Using rude hand gestures.
- Excessive speeding.
- Weaving in and out of traffic.
- Passing someone and then slowing down in front of them to let them know you鈥檙e annoyed.
- Cutting in line.
- Not using turn signals.
- Don鈥檛 provoke angry drivers. An offended driver can turn dangerous very quickly, so if you see someone 鈥渄riving angry,鈥� move away as soon as possible 鈥� especially if you鈥檙e the one who made them angry (even unintentionally). Remember, there鈥檚 no fight if you refuse to join in.
- Do take measures to protect yourself. Have an angry driver following your every move? Don鈥檛 head home, and don鈥檛 get out of your vehicle. The driver may be looking for a fight. Instead, head to a well-populated and safe place where you know you鈥檒l receive help, such as a police or fire station. If no such place is nearby, call the police if you feel the situation has escalated to a dangerous point.
While changing the way you think and react behind the wheel isn鈥檛 going to make the roads instantly friendlier 鈥� those inconsiderate drivers will still be out there 鈥� it can help you enjoy a calmer and safer driving experience. And, if you find you just can鈥檛 let go of your roadway anger, talk about it in a constructive manner with your spouse, a friend or even in anger management therapy. You might just be surprised by what you find out about yourself 鈥� and by how much better you feel, whether you鈥檙e behind the wheel or not.