Road Rage! now they have a smart phone application out for it… but the problems is that to use the app, you have to type the license of the offending driver into the smart phone (not an easy task even when you are not driving!). So if you take the risk of typing a “hard to type” license plate, aren’t you basically being an irresponsible driver too? So wouldn’t that make you a hypocrite?
I have a friend that once he finds out about this smart phone app, I’m sure he’s going to purchase it, but should he?
Whenever my friend drives, he looks for things to complain about on the road… He’ll say “That lady is going to slow (usually by 3 mph) in the slow lane, so he’ll speed up like a maniac till he’s almost hitting her back-end, then he’ll swerve into the other lane, floor it, and then cut in front of her by the thinnest of margins. I’m sure the target of his anger has to put on their brakes commonly out of fear. This trend happens every time…
My friend has an economic 4 cylinder small car (kudos to him for being green!) and it’s a bit nerve-racking to be a passenger when he swerves in from of a semi-truck with a trailer! But that’s exactly what he does! Nobody likes to have him drive when we all go to lunch!
So my friend calls almost everybody else an A-hole on the roads, but in reality, he’s the worse offender of all on the pavement!
Oh sure, he gets mad and I suggest that it wouldn’t bother me and I repeat that everybody is like that or that’s probably happened because that person is so young… But these comments I make just slip off of him like burnt eggs in a teflon pan…
So I ask, no I beg everyone, when you are on the road please don’t get unreasonably angry! It doesn’t do any good, and the person that you are directing your anger at isn’t going to change!
Do you have friends like mine, or is he just an extreme case?
-MR
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I have some similar experiences, it seems. One of my friends of quite a few years is a very aggressive driver. The most aggressive I know. Yet he always gets upset at other drivers, despite his ways. Over the years, I’ve only infrequently called him out, but for whatever reason – I have no problem doing so now. Maybe at a certain age we get more direct?
Yes, I think you are right. I know that in some ways I feel like I need to try to enlighten my friend, he’s a bit better.
I think sometimes such drivers don’t realize that they are part of the problem… They aren’t bad people, just overly aggressive on the road.
Where is the app located? Just can’t find the website anywhere… can you post a link?
I believe it’s “bump . com”. The only way the person see it is if they are also using the app though, so it’s mostly a venting mechanism.
The thing with road rage is it becomes a habit. I have a friend who can’t drive without finding fault with someone everytime he drives!
Your friend sounds like my friend 🙂
Every single time I drive with him anyway, he’s always critical of someone. IMHO, he’s getting stressed for no reason.
Your friend sounds like a terrible driver! If I were you, I don’t think I’d ever get in a car with him. Road rage is a serious issue, but I often wonder if the person has other,deeper issues but just vents it while driving.
You know, I’ve seen him blow up over small trivial things, so perhaps you are correct. Luckily, I don’t get to drive with him as much as I use too.
All I can say it this, I was in Boston last week on business, and I’m glad I WAS NOT DRIVING. People were honking and giving the “bad finger” left and right. Life’s too short and precious! Tell your friend to take a deep breath and cool off!
Yeah, bit congested city driving is an entirely different world from where I live… I wqas in New York once and it was just plain crazy!!!
Boston is a nightmare for driving that is for sure!
I am glad I don’t ever ride along with anyone like your friend. That guy needs to grow up!
First, I don’t have friends like that! If you are asking if I know people who complain and blame other people for their problems. The answer is yes! Driving can bring out the worse in people. Your friend is more dangerous than a speeder because he is less predictable.
I agree, especially when I’m in the car with him!
I think his wife has been beating him up about it lately, I’m sure when he drives on vacation, she complains. In fact, he told me that she drives a good portion of a vacation trip.
I’ve known and know people like your friend. They suffer from an excessive myopia that paints everyone else as a fool when in reality they’re the ones causing trouble on the road!
Not that I’ve never been guilty of such things myself, but these days I try to take it easy when I drive. I believe in assertive driving but not needless aggressive driving. Nothing good comes out of causing trouble or “teaching lessons”.
Hmm, excessive myopia sounds like what my friend has! Other than me and another guy, he is constantly telling me how stupid everybody is.
Good call, I’ll look into that disorder!
My boyfriend is like that! Oh dear. He’s getting a bit better though, I try to calm him down when I’m sitting in the passenger seat.
The world would be a better place if people didn’t have such road rage 🙂
I personally USED to get all worked up, but then I try to look at it from the other driver’s perspective, like maybe they were in a big rush to get to work, or maybe they are nervous behind the wheel etc. Then I calm down internally and let it roll off my back. My mantra is that we can’t control what happens to us, but we can control our thoughts, and having negative thoughts isn’t really going to do anyone good.
I take the same approach as you do… now. When I was younger, I was aggressive too, but I think I learned it from family…
I think there is a big difference between city drivers and country drivers. I was just in the boston area this week and I wasn’t on the road 5 minutes before a guy started honking at me because I didn’t cut someone off to make a left hand turn…and then I remembered..it’s not me, it’s the city that makes people crazy.
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