There is rage on our roads. (warning this is graphic)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhmOzhPRxQs]
People are pissed.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRduBE8OoE0]
I'm not sure about what. But they are mad. I live in Los Angeles and I'm surrounded by acts of angry drivers almost daily. This video is pretty funny about how intense it is trying to park at a Whole Foods in LA. Ever parked at Santa Monica and Fairfax? Uh-huh.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UFc1pr2yUU]
Road rage, according to Wikipedia, is defined as : an aggressive or angry behaviour by a driver of an automobile or other motor vehicle. Such behaviour might include rude gestures, verbal insults, deliberately driving in an unsafe or threatening manner, or making threats. Road rage can lead to altercations, assaults, and collisions which result in injuries and even deaths. It can be thought of as an extreme case of aggressive driving.
And guess what the term was coined here in LA! Due to a rash of people shooting each other in their cars in the late 80's. So LA.
Here are a list of actions that fall under the category of road rage:
The following are common manifestations of road rage, via Wikipedia:
- Generally aggressive driving, including sudden acceleration, braking, and close tailgating.
- Cutting others off in a lane, or deliberately preventing someone from merging.
- Chasing other motorists
- Flashing lights and/or sounding the horn excessively.
- Yelling or exhibiting disruptive behavior at roadside establishments.
- Driving at high speeds in the median of a highway to terrify drivers in both lanes.
- Rude gestures (such as "the finger").
- Shouting verbal abuses or threats.
- Intentionally causing a collision between vehicles.
- Hitting other vehicles.
- Assaulting other motorists, their passengers, cyclists or pedestrians
- Exiting the car to attempt to start confrontations, including striking other vehicles with an object.
- Threatening to use or using a firearm or other deadly weapon.
- Throwing projectiles from a moving vehicle with the intent of damaging other vehicles.
I am tailgated nearly every single time I hit the freeways.
Why are we doing this? Where is this rage coming from? I'm going to give you my opinion based on my 35 years of living.
1. They feel rushed.
2. They are having a bad day.
3. They are a serial killer.
4. They think everyone else driving is an asshole.
Now I have to say that 3 is highly unlikely but 1, 2 & 4 sound pretty feesible. I think that with all of the advancements we have made, technologically speaking, over the past 100 years, our primal little selves have not caught up. We are freaking out. That's why so many of us are on anti-this or thats. A lot of us have long commutes. Our lifestlyes are cram packed with a lot to do.
So two ideas:
1. Plan less things into your day
2. Leave earlier
Humans are not perfect. We make errors.
We will make errors with our cars. We need to be more forgiving and understanding on the roads.
Every day in LA I see acts of kindness, mostly out of my car. It is only once people slide behind the mask of their thousands of pounds cars that they seem to make so many unkind actions. I think that is why this rage is so pervasive. That and the fact that cars represent freedom. And if there is traffic, where is the freedom? How can you escape?
Here is a clip to the doctor who intentionally sped ahead of two bikers in LA, who were not going fast enough for his liking, he then braked and they crashed into his car. Seriously injuring them both. I wonder how much time he has pissed away by that horrible, barbaric act. He was sentenced to five years in jail. As he was sentenced he said:
"I would like to apologize again, deeply and profoundly from the bottom of my heart," said Thompson.
"The physical and mental scars are my fault. I think Mr. Watson said I've not been remorseful or accepted responsibility, I do," he said, telling them that he has recurring nightmares about one of the cyclists crashing through the windshield of his car.
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=7208332
Have you ever driven with rage?
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