Road rage is an issue that MOST people have either seen, been apart of, or heard about. It affects millions of people on a daily basis, whether it’s driving the kids to school, making the long commute to work on the freeway, or driving down the street to get some ice cream. It happens.

Though road rage makes the news occasionally, it is happening all the time. Only the worst of the worst tend to make the evening news coverage. To get the special “news” treatment, typically, this involves killing another person over a vehicle related incident.

Irregardless of the news factor, road rage endangers the lives of drivers, families, and innocent civilians every single day.

Think before you act

From a logical standpoint, the majority of ALL road range incidents can be resolved very quickly, all with some thought.

Whether you are on the offensive or defensive, here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. Is the incident WORTH getting THAT upset over?
2. What did the person do that was SO bad that you are now enraged?
3. Is it worth your time to try and elevate the situation?
4. Will making a thoughtless decision/reaction harm anyone in your car or on the road?

The AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety has a particular guideline that can help protect the safety of yourself and others around you

DON’T ENGAGE - One angry driver can’t start a fight unless another driver is willing to join in. You can protect yourself against aggressive drivers by refusing to become angry at them. Orator Robert Ingersoll said, “Anger blows out the lamp of the mind.” A person who is angry can do a thing they may later regret and that includes you. If you’re tempted to retaliate against another driver, think: “Would I want to fly in an airplane whose pilot was acting like this?” Think about what kind of crash your angry actions could cause. Then cool down and continue your trip.

That quote is VERY true. Most incidents that end in injury or death are because 2 individuals decided to engage in a situation. If one of them would have backed down and/or not engaged at all, both parties would walk away with an incident. Often times, people are willing to put their pride first rather then the truth. A driver may KNOW he/she is wrong, but doesn’t want to admit that, so they stand their ground irregardless.

You have to realize

You have to realize that some things in this life are not worth getting upset over. They’re are times when I cuss in my car because someone did something (cut me off, looked at me weird, etc…), but I cuss in my own car and choose not to tail gate, flick off, chase down, or fight the individual who did it too me.

Sometimes, I even think, “Is it possible they are driving fast FOR A REASON?” Maybe there was an accident at home, maybe their wife is giving birth, etc…

Then again, some people are just jerks and drive with stupidity because, well, they’re stupid. Often times, you cannot change these type of people.

Take the higher road

You have to be the better person and take the higher road, so to speak. Make the logical decision that ultimately will be the best decision, not the one you FEEL like making because of emotion.

Too many crazy people in this world carry weapons and are not afraid to use them in a moment’s notice. Too many motorists are killed each year from someone being threatened due to Road Rage.

Unfortunately, you are not the only person on the road, so you have to face reality and realize driving conditions are not always perfect. There will be traffic jams, slow drivers, poor drivers, and bad weather. Many factors can hamper a good driving experience.

Traffic Jams

What bother’s me the most about some Road Ragers are those that get upset in traffic jams. Sure, everyone gets heated when stuck in a traffic jam. What becomes frustrating is when people in the middle or back of the traffic jam begin honking constantly, like honking will actually make the lane move faster. 9 times out of 10, this does no good except frustrate the driver in front of you.

Turn on the radio, sit back, and try and breathe calmly. It’s not worth stressing over if you can literally do NOTHING about the traffic jam. I realize this is a tough thing to do if the weather is steamy and you have no air conditioning, but getting stressed out by yelling and honking will also not do you any favors.

Carry a “Sorry” sign

Yes, this sounds weird, but it can actually help you in a road rage situation.

Awesome Library has some tips on Road Rage as well as making a Sorry Sign.

In a nutshell,

A road rager can become upset because you accidentally cut in front of him or her, or other reasons that were not intentional. A key factor in reversing the process is an apology. Over 85 percent of road ragers said that they would drop the matter if the other “careless” driver simply apologized. Instead, road ragers claim, the “careless” driver seems to be unconcerned about what they just did and, therefore, needs to be taught a lesson.

In a car, only one method is effective in conveying an apology: A sign. We have found that it is very effective in warding off anger. In fact, many drivers actually smile when we raise a “SORRY” sign to them after we have accidentally done something wrong. We keep a “SORRY” sign in the map holder on the driver’s door and the passenger’s door. It could also be kept under the sun visor if it is fastened with a clip or rubber band so that it doesn’t hit you in the face when the visor comes down.

I personally think a Sorry Sign is a great idea. Using one might seem weird, but it’s better to shut down a possible argument than escalate it with the middle finger.

In fact, I have made a downloadable “Sorry Sign” for you. It fits on an 8.5″ x 11″ piece of print paper.

Download Now [pdf]

Let it go

I realize the theme of my posting is about chilling and relaxing in driving situations, but it’s true, just let it go. 9 times out of 10, I can promise you, getting into an argument or a defensive driving situation is not worth it and should be avoided for the sake of everyone involved.

Don’t honk your horn, don’t flash your lights, don’t tail gate, and don’t raise your middle finger. You can cuss to yourself all you want, but TRY, please TRY to not take your anger out on the other person, EVEN IF they deserve it. Sooner or later, it’s going to come back and bite you in the ass, VERY hard and you will probably regret your actions.