Use common sense, courtesy on the road
Road rage as defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is a motorist’s uncontrolled anger that’s usually incited by an irritating act of another motorist and is expressed in an aggressive or violent behavior.
It essentially means that getting behind the wheel of a vehicle is driving many Americans mad.
My son was a victim of a person whose temper got the best of him. My son was coming home on 32nd Avenue, and a truck appeared out of the blue and ran him off the road. The driver physically attacked my son, trying to pull him out of his car. My son managed to fend off the attacker and proceeded to escape.
The driver followed him home, attacked my son again, beating him up and yanking his keys and car alarm remote out of his hand. My son managed to get into the house all bloody and bruised. He ended up in a hospital emergency room, and he filled out a police report. The guy was arrested that evening and tossed in jail.
Road rage can manifest in a number of ways and in locations other than on the road. For instance driving in and through parking lots can frighten the heebie-jeebies out of anybody. You never know which direction a car, truck or even a motor home is coming from until they’re almost on top of you.
Looking for a parking space is something else, especially at Wal-Mart; heaven help you if you’re waiting for someone to pull out of a space. Some people intentionally take their time backing out of a parking space just to incite the driver who is waiting to pull into that parking space. In the meantime, other waiting drivers are becoming more agitated; it’s like a no-win situation because you’re stuck in the middle. If that scenario isn’t frustrating enough, what about the inconsiderate driver who steals the parking spot?
Major road rage is experienced on our streets and highways. Driving aggressively can be assessed as following too closely, speeding, unsafe lane changes, failing to signal and other forms of negligent or inconsiderate driving. Not only does traffic congestion and one’s schedule contribute to driving aggressively, but coping with inattentive cell phones users adds to the stress.
How many of you have tried to enter the freeway only to be confronted with some idiot who purposely refuses to move over to the passing lane allowing you to enter the freeway? Is it ignorance or someone trying to egg you on?
I will never understand how few drivers use their signals to indicate changing lanes or turning off the road. Don’t these jokers know that it’s so easy, and it makes a world of difference between safe and unsafe driving conditions? These drivers wouldn’t have survived years ago, when you had to use your hand to signal your intentions.
Basically it boils down to common sense, common courtesy and most importantly following the rules of the road.
Some people, though, are like a stick of dynamite ready to explode. Their disposition behind the wheel is a culmination from other stressful pressures of the day: a bad day at work, kids on their nerves, unfinished housework. In any event once behind the wheel, the pressure explodes like a steam cooker and pity the poor soul near them — someone like my son.
Incidents like this are only supposed to happen to others. Anybody can become an innocent victim of road rage. It can occur anytime, anywhere and for any reason.