Are you still fuming about the Carolina Panthers loss in Super Bowl 50? If so, getting behind the wheel and enduring Raleigh traffic probably isn’t helping. Don’t stress, though – we’re here to help you relax behind the wheel.
What is road rage?
If you’re a human with a driver’s license, you already know. For the rest of you, road rage is a person’s expression of frustration about any driving-related issue. It can arise from a wide range of driving situations, but typically it has nothing to do with driving.
Why does it happen?
We think road rage stems from a genuine urge to be out of the car. It’s been a long day, and now you’re sitting in traffic trying to make it home. You’ve got bills to pay, dinner to cook, kids to pick up from after-school care, and your favorite TV show on later tonight. All you want, is to be home.
Instead, you’re bumper to bumper with a group of people all trying to do the same, and if you don’t keep your cool, this can quickly transform into an every-car-for-itself fiasco. Don’t be a part of that headache.
How to avoid that headache: patience and logic.
No amount of frustration you express in the solitude of your vehicle is going to change your circumstance. Whether you’re sitting in traffic, or just nearly lost your front bumper to some bozo on the highway, yelling at the windshield is a waste of energy.
The simple truth is, most people are not excellent drivers, and no one is a perfect driver – not even you. Mistakes will be made, so you’ve got to temper your expectations when behind the wheel. If you do, then the crazy things people do probably won’t be so surprising; you might even find the whole ordeal hilarious.
More importantly, what’s your rush? Life is short, so there’s no sense in trying to speed it up. If someone cuts you off, why worry? They’re just one car ahead of you – whoop-de-doo. You have to remember that getting frustrated is only wasting your time, energy, and headspace. Should that person be a more courteous driver? Yes, but it’s not your job to tell them that.
If that won’t work, try distraction
Remember that you cannot control the world, but you can decide how you react to it. If there’s a specific time you tend to road rage (like 5:00 traffic), try listening to a great podcast, car-dancing to your favorite tunes, or learning a new language! Break the cycle of road-rage and drive in peace.