Road Rage

Introduction

There was a heartbreaking story in the news today. A 4-year-old girl was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon during a road rage incident on Interstate 40, and police have no idea who the killer is.There is no way to "win" a traffic confrontation. There is only a range of greater or lesser negative consequences. We don’t have all the facts in yet, and it may very well be there was nothing the parents of that 4-year old girl could have done to prevent this situation. However, the best way to avoid situations like this is to attempt to deescalate the situation. Remember: the person you’re fighting with has just demonstrated an inability to control their emotions; and people like this are more inclined to physical violence. So what if you “win” the fight? The police aren’t going to care who “started” it, and you could possibly end up in jail yourself with nothing to show for it except thousands of dollars in fines and penalties. And in the worst case…somebody could end up dead.

Update: http://wnep.com/2015/10/21/details-revealed-after-4-year-old-girl-killed-in-road-rage-attack/

and

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2015/10/23/heartbreaking-details-emerge-from-road-rage-incident-that-led-to-dead-4-year/

It's interesting to note that the news articles reveal that the two cars kept trying to cut each other off. Also, take note of this quote from the 2nd article: Officer Simon Drobik said the best approach in a road rage situation is to avoid engaging with a problem driver, take down the license plate number of the other vehicle, and call police. "It takes two people," Drobik said of road rage. "You have to let it go."

I think this is pretty sensible advice. There are times in life when you'll run into bad people. There are times in life where you have to do something to defend yourself against bad people. However, on the road most of the time the most prudent action is to avoid confrontation and attempt to deescalate the problem. It's your responsibility to avoid increasing the risk of danger to yourself, the people in your car, and the other cars on the road around you.

• Move over if someone is tailgating you
• Use an “I’m sorry” gesture (e.g. wave) to attempt to defuse the situation
• Plan ahead; allow time for delays during your journey so you don’t frustrate yourself.
• Consider whether you’ve done something to annoy the other driver and adjust your driving accordingly.
• Listen to music you enjoy
• Use your horn sparingly
• Avoid eye contact with angry drivers and give them plenty of room
• Try to get plenty of sleep. Lack of sleep contributes to general crankiness and a lack of compassion.
• Your car is not a therapist. Don’t use it to blow off steam.
• Turn down aggressive music.
• Count to 10, Loosen up, and breathe.
• It's not about you. This is one of the most important things to consider. #1: The other driver may have simply made a mistake or did not know what he or she did. #2: Not everybody has the same level of emotional development. People get angry for stupid reasons. Try to take a more forgiving approach.
  
• Did you make the mistake?
• Hostility is toxic, contagious, and risky.
• People most prone to anger are almost three times more likely to have a heart attack than those with low anger, according to the American Psychological Association. Other health risks seen in those who display hostility include obesity, depression and stroke.

Other Helpful Tips

• I regularly exceed the speed limit in order to get to work on time.
• I tailgate other drivers, especially those who sit in the left lane.
• I flash my lights and honk my horn to let drivers know when they annoy me.
• I verbally abuse other drivers whether they can hear me or not.
• I frequently weave in and out of traffic to get ahead.
• I feel the need to set bad drivers straight.
• If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, your driving may qualify as aggressive.