We’ve probably all had that moment out on the roads. We all try to avoid road rage, but sometimes its hard. You know, that moment when a spicy thought or phrase enters your head and, with any luck, leaves again with a deep breath.
Let’s face it, driving while under the influence of high emotion can put you and other peoples’ safety at risk.
Defensive driving is key
If you find yourself in heavy traffic, it’s important to make sure you don’t air your frustrations, behave aggressively or in a way that’s likely to incite other people and get you into trouble.
It’s a good idea to keep your speed low, leave plenty of room for lane changes, and have plenty of time to ensure you can change lanes without incident. An accident or serious injury simply isn’t worth it.
Although New Zealand is a relatively friendly country, we can all be prone to moments of high stress, and aggressive driving can sometimes be the result of this.
Lay off using that car horn!
Yes, we know it’s sitting right there. We understand the reasoning that it’s there to be used, but please be wary of using your car horn in traffic. It’s there for emergencies, and emergencies only.
Loud noises like honking the horn can really set other drivers off, and you may find yourself at the receiving end of an obscene gesture or worse.
It also doesn’t help the traffic ease up, so you’re far better to lay off the horn and do your ears a favour by listening to some calming music or a podcast.
Focus on the road ahead, not the driver next to you
There are bound to be other, more aggressive drivers out there than you. But be aware that it’s not a wise decision to start pushing these peoples’ buttons to make a point, to entertain yourself or otherwise. Be polite and respectful of others and you’ll go far (literally).
Many road rage incidents occur quickly and without warning. Avoid making eye contact with other people, just keep your eyes resting on the road ahead. Distraction isn’t your friend. Instead, use this time as a way to build and steady your focus. A bit of belly breathing is always in good order too.
Even if you’re not an aggressive driver yourself, learning these habits can inadvertently prevent road rage from occurring in others too. You don’t want to need to take a detour to the nearest police station. Having an angry driver get out of their car and in your face is not any kind of fun! Luckily, I don’t speak from experience.
Leave yourself plenty of time
If you know you’re going to hit traffic, leave yourself plenty of time to get to your destination. Sitting in a ball of rage while you inch towards where you’d rather be rarely helps get there faster, can lead to decisions that compromise safety. Give yourself an extra 10-15 minutes and you’ll calmly thank yourself on the other side.
Empathy is the enemy of road rage
We can each probably recall a moment where things weren’t just flowing like we wanted them to on the road. It can be hard, and we find that a bit of empathy goes a long way. After all, you’re all in it together, right?!
In addition to other triggering gestures we’ve mentioned, bad driving behaviour like tailgating, brake overuse and not indicating are all ways to show that you don’t have concern for others in traffic. Try spinning it around, look at yourself as a cool, calm and collected driver that understands it’s tough in traffic, and you might find you’ll start having some fun!