Could it be the narrow streets, the rush hour tailbacks or the hordes of pedestrians waiting to cross the roads? Whatever the cause, London was recently revealed as the worst place in Britain for road rage.
More than half of all the capital’s drivers questioned in a survey said they get angry with other road users when they make mistakes, while Northern Ireland, the West Midlands and the South East were also singled out as road rage hotspots in the research, published by road safety charity IAM Roadsmart.
And while every motorist is responsible for keeping cool and driving courteously and safely on the roads, the reality is that doesn’t always happen. Road rage is a needless problem that affects our already over-crowded roads. It’s unpleasant, distracting and dangerous – losing control behind the wheel has led to injury and even death in the past, when it could so easily have been avoided.
There is no such offence as ‘road rage’ but there are plenty of actions that you might consider in the heat of a road-related incident which could get you into big trouble.
Serious consequences
Dangerous or careless driving, for example, is looked upon dimly by the police, as are verbal abuse, threats, criminal damage or any sort of physical violence. In the heat of battle, drivers lose their cool and resort to all sorts of anti-social behaviours which can have serious consequences down the line.
“While feeling angry may be a totally natural response to another road user acting recklessly or dangerously, everyone is responsible for maintaining their composure so that the situation isn’t made any worse,” says Neil Greig, of IAM RoadSmart. “So, for the benefit of yourself and others, take a mindfulness moment, keep calm and motor on!”
Avoiding confrontation
So how should you avoid a road rage incident in the first place? What can you do to make sure you’re not drawn into an altercation with another diver and what should you do behind the wheel if you feel yourself getting upset and angry?
Here are our top tips to avoid road rage:
- Don’t compete with others. Help them by making space or letting them through. There are no winners or losers on the road so it doesn’t matter if someone has got in ahead of you.
- Forget work or home issues. Concentrate on your driving and try to enjoy it. If you feel stressed, take a few minutes to calm down before even starting your engine.
- Plan your journey so you know what you’re doing and were you’re going. Allowing plenty of time to reach your destination will help reduce stress.
- Put the radio or your favourite music on. Numerous trials have shown that your favourite music can keep you calmer and less stressful while driving.
- Don’t think you can teach other drivers or change their attitudes or behaviours. The only person you can change is you.
- Don’t turn your commute or journey into a race. Your family vehicle is not an F1 car and other road users don’t want to see you racing another vehicle to be first to a roundabout.
- Count from 1 to 10. It’s one of the oldest solutions in the book, but it works.
- Don’t retaliate by using your car’s horn, giving hand gestures, raising fingers, flashing your lights or shouting out of the window. If you’re looking for trouble, these are the ways you’re going to find it.
- Don’t try to block other drivers from getting in front of you. You’ll probably never see them again so it doesn’t really matter. Don’t tailgate anyone: it’s dangerous at any speed.
- Keep your doors locked and don’t leave the car if confronted. Things could only go from bad to worse.
- If you think someone is actually following you, keep your doors locked and drive to a police station.
- Live and let live. If someone is driving slowly, they might be lost. If they’re driving badly, change lanes and give them space. Don’t get drawn in to their poorly-driven world. It’s not worth it.
