I suppose this is the proper forum for this, but...

I live in Southern California, infamous traffic/driving hell zone, and I'm having a heckuva time dealing with my increasing feelings of road rage.

The shocking lack of courtesy, logic, and just plain common sense is staggering. Everyone seems to be constantly jockying for position and using their SUV or lifted truck as a way to take out their various frustrations with work, family life, whatever on random motorists. I especially hate those blasted resource sucking gluttonous wallet chain wearing pea brained black fly pseudo rocker punk a$$ truck boyos with something to prove.

Don't laugh, it's a big problem here. I dated a guy once who kept his tire iron at the ready for fighting purposes. It was used (to threaten, thankfully, not actually maim) more than once.

I haven't gotten there yet :( but sometimes it's bad. Usually it's just a freak out yelling, flipping off scene, which of course gets no one anywhere but riled. But, mainly, I'd rather not be such a hothead. I always feel extremely embarrassed after an outburst. I hate that lack of self-control and silly petty bs, but I can't seem to get a handle on it. Is there some kind of realistic, decent way to deal with this. I've tried a little therapeutic breathing, but it hasn't helped too much.

I think the best way to avoid getting angry is to allow yourself PLENTY of time to get where you want to go. :)

I especially hate those blasted resource sucking gluttonous wallet chain wearing pea brained black fly pseudo rocker punk a$$ truck boyos with something to prove.

Don't hold back... tell us how you really feel. :)

Sorry. Really, I sympathise. I used to keep a bottle of kava extract in my car for such moments... between that and counting to 10 and breathing and reminding myself that I am the only one that suffers when I get worked up, I manage to keep my anger at bay most of the time... not 100% though. :p

Lot of people get road rage I see people loosing thier temper in cars and that is dangerous.

One day when I have passed my driving test I will be lorry driver or taxi driver, people should take thier time on roads :)

I hope you feeling better now Quizeen :)

I dated a guy once who kept his tire iron at the ready for fighting purposes. It was used (to threaten, thankfully, not actually maim) more than once.


Eewwwww.........*bad boyfriend alert*

My former SO was the poster boy for road rage. There were many frightening moments! :worried:

Quizeen
I can completely relate, as I find myself in the same boat. I'm not in as "bad" of an area as you for driving, but I do live in a city of one million people after growing up rurally, so there is quite a significant difference in attitudes between one place and the other.
I'm reaching the breaking point. The lack of respect and general decency that people show--not only just on the road--is driving me crazy. I do handle it better than my SO. He has gotten so bad he'll fly into a rage over something so small I wouldn't even notice. Worsening the rage is the screwed up fact that our horn is located on the one side of the steering column, and not the middle, so often when I go to honk I miss it.
I know that it isn't good to have road rage, but it also isn't entirely fair to target the road raged people as the biggest problem. If people as a whole were more respectful and courteous, there would be no reason to become enraged! :D That's not to give an excuse, it's just I think the people who are being ignorant pricks and nearly causing accidents share at least half of the blame for road rage. Sure sure, no one can "make" you feel any particular way, but sometimes it is awfully hard not to when it happens over and over again. I've learned to deal with it a little better than when we first moved up here.

Whenever I have to drive to Toronto I always get stuck in traffic and people are honking their horns, screaming, etc... I know it sounds odd but I keep a CD with me off really angry, bad attitude music. I pop it into my CD player, crank it up and my road rage disappears. :shifty:

I once had my husband tell me I'd get us shot after I rolled the window down to tell someone how much of an idiot they were for cutting us off in quite colorful language. Another time I got so angry and was yelling at someone when something behind my right eye popped. That scared me. I thought I might be having an anyeurism (sp?) or something. I have to do a lot of merging (from exit-only lanes, etc.) and that is a major cause of stress. People will speed up or slow down to prevent me from getting over, even though I use a blinker and do not cut people off (unlike the majority). It makes me want to start cutting people off, since that seems the only way I can get to the lane I need. (And no, I don't travel in the wrong lane intentionally. It's when another highway comes into my current highway, then I have 3-4 more lanes to cross right before my exit.) What was my point? I need some Diet Coke.

Oh, yeah. After the eye popping thing, I really toned it down. I listen to the radio, or pop in a Roy D. Mercer or Tenacious D CD to amuse me and calm me down a bit so I don't fly off the handle. I have a license to carry a gun, but there were times in the past when it was probably a good thing I didn't have it with me.

I lived in Chicago for four years, I became the princess of road rage. I stopped flicking people off when some "thug" from the burbs followed me into a parking garage and threatend to kick my a$$. I was able to fend him off but, I decided from that point on, it was silly to get angry with people. Sooo instead of flicking the offending driver off, I stick my tongue out or wave and smile. It really throws people off, especially if they know they are pulling a bone headed driving maneuver. The act of sticking my tongue out is so silly I end up laughing and the anger I was feeling usually goes away. I also keep a mist bottle filled with lavender oil, it calms without making me drowsy.

My husband has the worst road rage. If somebody brake-checks him, he's ready to get out and fight. We once had someone swerve, as if to purposly hit us, and my husband pulled over and try getting the other guy to fight him. I made him get Bach Flower Rescue Remedy (it was either that or tranquilizers!) and he'll take it before driving and it's made such a difference. I also take it for my anxiety. It can be found at most hfs or herb stores.

Eww, Christy, I'll have to tell my husband what happened with your eye. He's got a thing about his eyes. He won't see an eye doctor. The next time he has road rage, I'll remind him of this, thanks!

I usually have my Glock .40 under my seat to "handle my bidness" if needed. :tame:

Christy13 please accept my personal, heartfelt apology for all the times I have squeezed forward because I really did not want someone squeezing in front of me. I did not want some (apparently not--) jerk jumping into "my" (there’s the real problem) barely one and a quarter car length safety zone in front of me. I try not to care and I try not to tailgate to prevent people (especially drivers of large rigs that I have a difficult time seeing around, I dread following a wall) from squeezing in. I know somewhere in my head that it is not something personal or insulting that my small safety zone is being filled so that others can get where they want to go.

I drive a small, quick, economical car. I can almost smell when someone is about to cut in front of me and I don't want to enrage anyone (why they don't pull behind me I don't know, why don't they just read my mind?)

Oddly, rage music calms me too. So do comedy CD's. However what is most calming is finding an alternate rout. I try to keep my hate of western Washington gridlock separate from how I feel about WW drivers.

Oh, I know what you mean! I'll be the last in a line of cars, with plenty of space behind me. For some reason, the person simply has to jump in front of me! And I know how you feel. Leave that safe space in front of you, and someone will surely jump into it.

I have had a lot of bad moments and I don't even live in a really populated area unless I venture to Richmond to purchase supplies. I do however work at a mall and the traffic can get bad. I have people pull out in me and they don't even look! It drives me crazy and I hate driving :P Although there are many bad drivers, many people are courteous to me as I am to them, and I appreciate them. Shannon

This is why I take the bus whenever possible.

All of this same crap happens to me all of the time, too. I've structured my life to be pretty easygoing so I rarely have to rush to get anywhere. But, the real problem is the crap like no one letting you merge, trucks with V-8s cutting me off in my little econo mobile and the like.

I was thinking about the Bach's Flower Remedies, but they always seemed so out there to me. Do they really work, punkmommy? Maybe that coupled with a little Ujjayi breathing might help. Thanks for the suggestions all.

Oh yeah, Christy13, I feel that license to carry a gun thing. It's probably a good thing that I leave my birthday SIG .45 at home. I'm no Tame afterall, I don't think I have any "bidness". :)

The first time I tried the Bach Flower Rescue Remedy, I was sure it wasn't going to work. I was pretty sceptical, but I figure I take herbs to help with things ( skullcap and burdock are both good for calming too ) so why not flowers? I'd give it a try, see how it works for you. Gives you less of a :gun: feeling!

I think I will give it a try. I've heard good things from people I trust. I guess it just seemed to simple. But if certain smells can trigger intense memories (and we all know they can), then I guess they could also mellow you out or rev you up.

Anything that supresses my urge to kill, kill, kill is a good thing. :)

meatless writes:
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I know that it isn't good to have road rage, but it also isn't entirely fair to target the road raged people as the biggest problem. If people as a whole were more respectful and courteous, there would be no reason to become enraged! That's not to give an excuse, it's just I think the people who are being ignorant pricks and nearly causing accidents share at least half of the blame for road rage.
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I firmly disagree. Responding angrily, to someone who is ignorant of rules of the road or general manners, is itself discourteous, lacking in manners. The actions of others are not a valid excuse for becoming enraged, where the rage does not solve anything. Saying that they are is like saying that someone's poor manners are a good reason to strike them and injure them. The only excuse for becoming enraged is that the rage is likely to effectively make everyone's day better. Since it rarely does, there is rarely an excuse to become enraged.

I firmly disagree. Responding angrily, to someone who is ignorant of rules of the road or general manners, is itself discourteous, lacking in manners. The actions of others are not a valid excuse for becoming enraged, where the rage does not solve anything. Saying that they are is like saying that someone's poor manners are a good reason to strike them and injure them. The only excuse for becoming enraged is that the rage is likely to effectively make everyone's day better. Since it rarely does, there is rarely an excuse to become enraged.

Somehow I knew you would.
I personally don't respond. But my blood boils. It isn't something I choose, it is something that happens.
I stand by the notion that exclusively blaming the person who has been pushed to the edge by ignorance and rudeness is not entirely fair. You can disagree, and that's fine, but I certainly don't have the time for a prolonged argument over it.

I sorry for my English but my father always says that two wrong people are not making one right person.

Please don't fight because I love you people and I dont want you disagree :)
Drivers bad, people have care around them and become new people and shout at others but if you see same person in pain or difficulties you help them yes?

We need to love each other more I think, everyone in rush and not caring about each other any more, life pace is too quick. :help:

I couldn't have said it better myself, cucumber nosher! Well-put! :up:

It's probably a good thing that I leave my birthday SIG .45 at home. I'm no Tame afterall, I don't think I have any "bidness". :)

Do you at least have "bizness"? :tame:

Fo sheezy.