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Thread: ROAD RAGE

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    ROAD RAGE

    Hav U been involved or a victim of ROAD RAGE (frustration on the roads - showing anger to other road users)?

    ............or were you a victim of road rage. swearing /racing / not given way / followed by someone who was angry with you.

    Some people are over posessed with their new vehicles - they expect top respect.
    I overtook a guy in a new Audi in a parking lot. He was cruzing and unaware of the exit signs......but looking for the way out. So i only overtook and innocently drove off to the exit.

    Half a minute later he follows me with high speed and cuts rights in front on a traffic circle.

    .......do we feel some evil strenth behind a steering wheel.....because some of us WILL NEVER DARE behave that agressivily when outside our vehicles.
    I also find people who own these large expensive vehicles feel that they deserve more respect than other road users - stop or park where they feel like.

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    I'm sorry to say that I have done similar things to other road users. Why? Because I couldn't deal with stress in my own life. Nothing that happens on the road (or anywhere else) should influence your ability to distinguish between right and wrong. If it does, you should asses your state of mind or have it assessed like I did.

    It's not easy to admit that you have serious issues, but I do believe it's the first step to a better life. It took me a long time to realize just how serious my issues had become. Fortunately I was able to regain control over my temper and other aspects of my life by going to counseling. Life has been remarkably easier since then. I can honestly say, not even taxis upset me that much anymore.

    Road rage is an act of desperation. The act of trying to gain control over a situation. Sometimes it's just a glare or the finger. Sometimes it ends in killing someone. Never indulge someone by returning their anger, you will only make the situation much much worse!

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    All's very well and I understand where you're coming from - but PLEASE tell me how to remain calm and collected when a taxi is soooooo close to you, trying to squeeze you out the way, that the driver is able to SLAP YOUR CAR'S ROOF to intimidate you???????

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    Unfortunately there is no perfect recipe for staying calm. You have to find the source of the problem first. I don't know you, and even if I did I wouldn't comment on it. I can only tell you what was causing my bursts and how I sorted it out.

    The first thing we came across was my being scared of accidents. This started when I got read-ended a few years ago. Since then the fear of being hit by another car gradually increased till it cause quite a bit of panic. I would nearly pop a vein when someone came too close to me. After some therapy I've been able to calm down considerably. The crash is now a distant memory...like it should be.

    This may be your issue, or it might not be. Like I said, I don't want to comment on it. All I intend to do with this post is make you see that it's not always just a case of right or wrong. There might be other factors involved.

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    Gold Member Dave S's Avatar
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    Road Rage... how Savage.

    When we're on the roads we all need to bear in mind that we are human, that means that we ALL make mistakes.

    About a year back I was driving to work at 5:00 in the morning and I stopped at a 3-phase light. i was looking to my right and noticed the light turn green, no sooner had I pulled away that I realized my error. So I pulled over as far to the left as i could to allow a car that was approaching enough room to get past, the road is fairly wide and at 5am there wasn't much traffic so it shouldn't have been a problem. But, low and behold, the guy in the Subaru WRX was not going to just pass and be on his way, nope, he was going to teach me a very severe lesson. He came past me and slammed on brakes and this allowed me 1/2 a second to react, ok, lesson learned, now just get going. Oh no, not that easy, he now decides he is going to stay in front and literally creep at less than 2 Km/hr, whenever I try to overtake, he will just accelerate, when I pull in behind him, he will slow down again, oh man he really is such a hero to the people!

    After attempting to pass him numerous times with the same result, I had to open my glovebox and take out a BB gun replica of an Uzzi only then did he accelerate away. I'm not saying I had the best solution here either, but hell, this guy with the small winky, no brain, and a fast car was going to have me behind him all day. He would probably feel a right twat if he had to read this and realize the Uzzi was a fake. Besides, i'm quite sure he has never, ever made an error on the road...

    Generally I would not even get involved with an enraged driver, their thought patterns will be way too irrational to understand, but on this occasion, i had to chase him away.

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    Where can I get my grubby paws on one of them fake Uzzi's??

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    I wonder how much road rage is connected to a person's general level of stress?

    And when we talk about road rage, I'm trying to figure whether "competitive" driving fits into this - the truck that pulls into the fast lane, the drivers (not just taxis seeing as I'm currently in Gauteng) who weave through traffic just to get one car further ahead? Is it just an ego problem there?

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    i have lots of stories but wont bore you all with the details only one as a motorcyclist...on fields hills a couple weeks ago i had a biker come up behind me so i just stayed in the lane and moved over slightly to give him enough space to pass me but instead he started flashing lights at me blowing the hooter then gave me the finger...well that just popped my fuse and i showed him how fast a new car with disc brakes and abs braking can stop nowadays...i moved over so he could slide next to me...if he is reading this...assh*le you give bikers a bad name...and turn your bright lights off ...you can see a bike with normal lights on.

    sometimes it is better especially if you ride fast on a bike not to ride with the lights on because you come up behind cars at a speed they get a fright and try to swerve to move out the way creating a more dangerous situation...and something else traffic police can see you for miles when riding with lights on so if you decide to break the speed limit switch off your lights...it makes it more difficult for them to see you coming...and watch out for officer peters he has threatened to shoot me dead for not stopping...you go boy...i hope he doesnt miss because your family could be travelling in the car when this cowboy decides to start shooting again...i dont know what more dangerous travelling at high speed on a motorcycle designed to travel at that speed or a trigger happy traffic officer.

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Here's one from East London:
    “I went to do some shopping at Retail Park and had my two-year-old son in the car with me,” said De Smidt.

    “I was waiting in line with several other vehicles when I inadvertently blocked (his assailant) from getting out of a parking space.”

    The irate motorist then started verbally abusing De Smidt and an argument between the two men ensued.

    “He told me to pull over and he’d sort me out, which I did,” said De Smidt. “I walked towards him and got within three metres of his vehicle.”

    By this stage the driver had already reversed his car from the parking space and was now facing De Smidt.

    “I made a move forward and the next thing he floored the car and came at me like a bullet,” said De Smidt.

    Desperately trying to get out of the way, De Smidt was caught on the side of the vehicle, flipped over the bonnet and crashed down, smacking his head on the tar. Dazed and suffering concussion, De Smidt struggled to his knees.

    “By now (he) had stopped his car and returned to where I was in the parking lot. He came up to me and said ‘this is what happens when you f*** with me’.”

    The assailant then climbed back into his car and fled.
    full story from Daily Dispatch here
    Fled?

    Forget my question about competitive drivers (the ones who will not let you in/weave to gain a one car length advantage) - they're just impatient.

    This guy seriously needs a shrink!

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    A good number of years ago, I was stuck behind one of these "big wheeler trucks" at a traffic light. The light went green and big wheeler stayed put. The driver a seriously tattooed guy with a ponytail down to his original button levi's and hippy boots preening himself in the rear view mirror. Being very patient by nature I waited and the lights turned red again. This did upset me somewhat, but I had a really cool vehicle to be sussing out, so no problems.

    Light changes to green - still no movement. This time I politely alert the driver of big wheeler, by hooting, a LOT. He looks in mirror and does nothing. Patience now no longer in serious abundance, I hoot again and might have done that!

    BIG HIPPY at least 7 foot tall gets out of big wheeler making it look like an Opel Corsa, walks over to my door and says "Hey Lady - can you not SEE that the car in front of me is broken down?"

    Guess who felt really stupid! He had in fact been looking in his rear view mirror waiting for me to twig so that he could reverse!
    Regards

    Debbie
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