Road Rage: Why We Lose It

livescience ^

[JoeProBono]

In a new survey on which of 25 major U.S. cities have the most aggressive drivers, Miami dropped from 1st to 7th, Reuters reports. The Top 3: 1. New York 2. Dallas/Fort Worth 3. Detroit Hey! My city should be No. 1. @#%$@#! Yes, and it's exactly that attitude that gives us road rage. While no statistics are kept specifically on road rage, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that aggressive driving causes about a third of all crashes and about two-thirds of automobile fatalities.

And studies show it's not just total jerks who become enraged. But why does getting behind the wheel transform the meek and mild into raving, dangerous idiots? What causes road rage? Simple: "Human beings are territorial ... The car is an extension of this territory," according to AAA. True that. Plus, as a 2008 study found, humans crave violence just like sex. Watch out particularly for wide-faced men, known to be more aggressive than others. There's another factor: Negative actions play out bigger than positive acts, University of Chicago researchers say. Feeling slighted can have a bigger effect on how a person responds than being the recipient of perceived generosity, the researchers found.

[VR-21]

"Road rage happens because [people] have NO SELF CONTROL!<

I agree with that 100%. Self-control and self-restraint are no longer virtues that modern Americans seem to value anymore.

[Colonial Warrior]

[JoeProBono]

[wintertime]

I’ve often thought that there should be a friendly “oops!” horn. It could also be used to remind the someone ahead who is daydreaming that the light has changed.

[LongElegantLegs]

Animated driving LED emoticon:

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/car/aa16/

[jwparkerjr]

I handle this with a couple of really short taps. Actually the horn on my Scion is such a pantywaist instrument that it's really hard for me to express much less than a weak “excuse me” effect. I hate it when the buy behind me lays on his big, ballsy horn and the driver in front of me assumes it's me that's making all the noise.

[Nea Wood]

I have long felt there needs to be a universal hand signal for “Oops!” or “My bad!”.

That's a good idea. I've also thought there needs to be a "polite horn," one that won't tick people off. A special sound that means, "Pardon me, friend, but I believe you failed to notice that the light has turned green." Of course, probably most people wouldn't use it.

[jwparkerjr]

I had an idea for something like this once. It would be a 16 or 32 or whatever character LED display for the back window that would let you put messages up for the cars behind you. Silly me, I figured people wouldn't want to take the time to type in messages a character at a time. Of course it would have a number of pre-programmed messages too, but the little keyboard would let you type in the message of your choice. I thought, who is going to spend time typing a message on a little bitty keyboard. Then I saw my grandson's cell phone bill for last month and realized that once again I had underestimated the American people!

[LongElegantLegs]

I think it would be useful, but it might actually increase road rage incidents...

[jwparkerjr]

I intend for it to be used properly. Surely, no one would take something I designed for good and use it for evil. </sarc>

[cydcharisse]

If somebody’s tailgating me or talking on his cell, I let him pass me as soon as I can. It doesn’t take any time, and I avoid having to deal with an idiot.

[Star Traveler]

Road Rage: Why We Lose It

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Ummmm..., probably because a lot of people don’t have God’s spirit residing in them and they don’t have the “fruits of the Spirit” when they drive around... LOL...

[Kickass Conservative]

A new Mercedes with an Obama sticker on it does it for me.

I much prefer to look in my rear view mirror at the person reading my “Anti-Obamunist on Board / One Big A$$ Mistake America” sticker or the soon to be displayed “Obamunism / The Fatal Cure for Bush Derangement Syndrome” sticker. I crack up looking at them trying to figure it all out.

They are both Bright Yellow with Red Lettering just to make sure nobody misses them.

You have to have fun wherever you can find it.

[hunter112]

I simply cannot believe all of the truly stupid drivers in the NYC metro area. I’ve not seen people more slow, timid, and just plain stupid. Add to that the clowns who feel the need to either look at their phone while it’s up to their ear, or even text on the damn thing, and it’s a miracle that there aren’t more accidents every day.

[JoeProBono]

[LetMarch]

That is basically how most of feel!!!!!

I feel there are only two kinds of drivers on our roads:

First, those that think no one else should be on the road but them;

And the other is the driver that does not know anyone else is on the road but him!

[Kickass Conservative]

I would have tears in my eyes from laughing so hard if I was behind that idiot. I would make a point of getting in front of him when we hit the next Red Light. LOL

I have a Prius driving, Bush hating, Obama loving Brother In Law, so nothing surprises me anymore.

[Kickass Conservative]

Dean Martin, A.K.A. Matt Helm, had something like that on his T Bird as I recall.

[CORedneck]

Living here in Colorado, we are bleesed to have a speed limit of 75 mph. However, a lot of people here don't know the left lane is suppose to be for passing, not to sit in.

A rhetorical question, a lot of people who dawdle in the left lane, I wonder what percentage are from California ? I was out in the bay area earlier this month and the people there drive the same way. You have to pass on the right to get arround these Luddites. But yet, I travel to Indiana/Ohio/Illinois even with the lower speed limits, drivers there practive a lot better lane discipline than here.

People sitting in the left lane is a big peeve of mine. BTW, June is Lane Courtesy Month.

[Caipirabob]

Having just moved to Arizona I’m impressed by how much better the drivers are here than in South Florida. I want to say THANK YOU every time I see them signal. I had always wondered what those lights in the back were for - they don’t use them in SoFlo...