From another perspective

Have you ever noticed how most drivers are always in a hurry to get to their destination?

I drove home to visit my family in Marietta, Ga. this past weekend and came into contact with a few cases of ‘road rage.’

According a study done by the Automobile Association, Group Public Policy Road Safety Unit, ‘Road Rage’ is any display of aggression by a driver. However, the term is often used to refer to the more extreme acts of aggression, such as a physical assault that occurs as a direct result of a disagreement between drivers.”

There are several causes for ‘road rage.’ In some situations, it is caused by a simple disagreement between both drivers. In my past experiences, most ‘road rage’ is caused when one takes too long in the other driver’s opinion to make a left turn. I am a cautious driver, and for the benefit of everyone, I wait until I feel comfortable before I make a left turn. My patience and attentiveness to the activity around me has gone unappreciated by many cars that have sat behind me waiting for me to turn. They are preoccupied with their own lives and in a hurry, so they abruptly reply with a honk of their horn. Each of those drivers needed to take the time to realize that had I rushed and turned earlier, they would have been stuck behind a three-to five-car accident.

Some drivers carry their problems from home or work onto the road. Therefore, the driver’s mind is on his day-to-day tragedies rather than focusing on the road. This causes unclear judgment and less regard for other drivers. All of our lives are equally important, and all of us deal with similar problems in one way or another. Drivers shouldn’t allow other things to distract them from the road and the traffic around them.

According to that same study, “as individuals, humans have a personal space, or territory, which evolved essentially as a defense mechanism, and anyone who invades this territory is potentially an aggressor, and the time it takes the aggressor to cross this territory enables the defender to prepare to fend off or avoid the attack. The car is an extension of this territory.” This is why drivers become angered when one follows too closely. This occurrence developed the expression, ‘Get off my tail.’ Rather one should make sure at least one car can fit in between your car and the one in front of you. Following closely also causes the likelihood of your car accidentally colliding into the car in front of you to increase.

‘Road Rage’ can be expressed in a variety of ways. Most drivers just honk the horn at another telling them ‘to get out of my way.’ There are also several hand gestures. I’m sure you know these; however, the road doesn’t belong to just one person, it is a vehicle of transportation that our ancestors invented for all of us to use to get to our destination faster than walking. Therefore be courteous to other drivers and for the sake of your life and theirs, have some patience.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 25 2002. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry