Road Rage. Avoid it or fall for it?
The purpose of any trip into the abyss of the Peak Hour traffic is to in fact arrive, hopefully safely and with a little more to give over the next 12 hours of your day, than a sad regurgitation of your trip around the water cooler.
So why do so many of us arrive so angry?
Is it that we just can’t rise early enough to arrive on time? Are we so highly strung that we lose the plot when we are armed with a vicious 2.0ltr engine? (most general, nothing personal)
Since when do we get to our destination any earlier that we can’t give way to another vehicle trying to merge correctly; or when a person needs to merge off a side road into main road traffic (does anyone know it is actually illegal to stop in traffic across ANY intersection – not just those marked!!). Why do we have to speed up ‘just in case’ the little old lady might overtake you??
I do believe the problem is in the old saying “There is nothing common about Common Courtesy.” I have been watching the ways of traffic these past few days and have truly seen some remarkable states of self- induced rage. I am the first one to admitting my favourite car comment is, “the speed limit would be nice,” and my son’s favourite, “engage the traffic,” but to hang out the window screaming and honking the horn- please spare me!
The sad fact is, due to the uprise in all of this I have recently been overwhelmed by the lack of engagement of others when respectfully giving way or allowing traffic to merge. People are so used to NOT being able to merge – they don’t.
Take a day’s experiment and reap the rewards of your humanity.
Try making it to work by letting someone in (even if they are no ‘entitled’ to it), merge with the ‘side street lady’, and let those pushing the speed limit – do it. Then, here’s the kicker; wave with a smile, make a kind hand gesture (remember when we used to wave to say ‘thanks’), keep left, turn your favourite music up and arrive not only safely but happy in yourself, and in the knowledge that the ‘side street lady’s’ day has improved as well.
Don’t be the jerk that beeps and curses, runs up behind everyone and yells out the window. It is not your problem.
So, even when faced with the psycho ‘Gen Y’ racing up behind you in their P plated silver Corolla that Dad bought, tooting and swearing while you are slowing down to, God forbid, park, as they scream up to a red light only 10 meters in front of them– smile, laugh and think ‘have a nice day’. You’ll feel so much better!
Level 2, 9 Help Street