Road rage; is it getting worse?
Discussion
Ruffy94 said:
I find my self getting more and more wound up every time im in the car. I can see why loose cannons could easily be set off, every time im in the car there seems to be 1-3 near misses (mostly people pulling out on me), people in the wrong lane, people not indicating, people tailgating etc etc etc.
I think the public as a group seem to be becoming more arrogant, unpleasant, rude and selfish as time progresses. They all seem to be developing this strange false sense of entitlement.
I'm not sure where in the country you are but here in West Yorkshire (specifically travelling through Bradford) you are 100% correct.... I don't really have to say anything more....I think the public as a group seem to be becoming more arrogant, unpleasant, rude and selfish as time progresses. They all seem to be developing this strange false sense of entitlement.
Timbola said:
Mandalore said:
Road Rage:
Road rage incidents start with one person doing something illegal/bad/anti-social/immoral, by mistake (and sometimes on purpose) and then not apologising for it to the people they have inconvenience/nearly killed or crashed into/caused to swerve or react defensively.
If people just held up their and and said 'sorry' instead of 'f
k you' then we wouldn't have 90% of the issues we have. People that do, probably lead rage-free lives.
Too often I see stories on social media about people being a 'victim of random road rage' but you never get told if it were they, or the other party that started the whole stupid incident.
Road rage is never random.
Road rage incidents start with one person doing something illegal/bad/anti-social/immoral, by mistake (and sometimes on purpose) and then not apologising for it to the people they have inconvenience/nearly killed or crashed into/caused to swerve or react defensively.
If people just held up their and and said 'sorry' instead of 'f
k you' then we wouldn't have 90% of the issues we have. People that do, probably lead rage-free lives.Too often I see stories on social media about people being a 'victim of random road rage' but you never get told if it were they, or the other party that started the whole stupid incident.
Road rage is never random.
Agree totally.
Firstly, not all people knowingly do things wrong - driving standards in this country are terrible and not all of the crazy things we see from day to day are knowingly done through arrogance, much of it is done through simple ignorance of the Highway Code. If they don't know they're doing anything wrong, then they're not going to apologise. Think of people who turn right at roundabouts without indicating - a quick office poll a few years ago revealed that most people have no idea at all how to indicate on roundabouts - and I don't mean pedantic details, they simply have no idea.
Secondly, not all road rage comes from the innocent party who's just been cut up or similar, some of it stems from the guilty party purely being aggressive. This can occur when that person thinks they're in the right doing something when in fact they're in the wrong.
Thirdly, ignorance of the Highway Code can cause the innocent party to get all upset with someone who they think should apologise, but actually has nothing to apologise for. For example, overtaking road rage, where the person being overtaking loses the plot and starts flashing and making signs out of the window, when in fact the person overtaking has done nothing wrong at all. This is a common theme for threads here on PH.
lord trumpton said:
The very worst, most dangerous place I find, is the very last place you would expect....The nursery car park.
Parents just speed in way too fast because they are rushing to drop off their child and carry on with their commute. They park as close to the nursery as possible, often not in a designated space and blocking someone or creating a blind spot.
Don't see why you are so surprised - THEIR kid is what is important. Screw the safety of all the other kids.Parents just speed in way too fast because they are rushing to drop off their child and carry on with their commute. They park as close to the nursery as possible, often not in a designated space and blocking someone or creating a blind spot.
A while ago, I cycled past of load of cars at a red light and stopped at the ASL, waiting it to turn green. Loads of cars past the lights (as there always is at 5:00pm). I heard a car beeping - then again.
The lights turned green, I went off, the car behind me shot forward.
Then stopped, as there were loads of cars waiting for the next lights.
I pulled up at the guy and asked if it was him who beeped. He said yes, as I had gone past him at the lights. I agreed, I HAD done that, I was then stopped in an ASL. He said I shouldn't have gone past him as he was in a hurry. I asked if he meant "in a hurry to go about 40 yards?" I laughed a little bit, then cycled off past him. Didn't see him keeping up with me all the way to the station.
I think driving is a bit poor at the moment but I drive a landrover defender, people seem to like them as they don't get beeped at! That said, I don't try to get in front of cars as it is a bit useless at keeping up the pace anyway. I do worry about learner drivers as the bonnet looks a bit scary so I tend to keep back quite far.
The lights turned green, I went off, the car behind me shot forward.
Then stopped, as there were loads of cars waiting for the next lights.
I pulled up at the guy and asked if it was him who beeped. He said yes, as I had gone past him at the lights. I agreed, I HAD done that, I was then stopped in an ASL. He said I shouldn't have gone past him as he was in a hurry. I asked if he meant "in a hurry to go about 40 yards?" I laughed a little bit, then cycled off past him. Didn't see him keeping up with me all the way to the station.
I think driving is a bit poor at the moment but I drive a landrover defender, people seem to like them as they don't get beeped at! That said, I don't try to get in front of cars as it is a bit useless at keeping up the pace anyway. I do worry about learner drivers as the bonnet looks a bit scary so I tend to keep back quite far.
Toltec said:
spaximus said:
I read a book once where a young chap picked up a Japanese business man. He tore down the roads and used back streets to deliver the man to his hotel. "we saved 10 minutes doing that" he proudly said. "what shall we now do with those minutes then" said the Japanese man.
Have a coffee and read an email or talk to someone, give CPR to a dying stranger, take an amazing photograph, be in time to see your child born, kiss a beautiful woman, hold someone you love, read a thought provoking forum post. OpulentBob said:
Toltec said:
spaximus said:
I read a book once where a young chap picked up a Japanese business man. He tore down the roads and used back streets to deliver the man to his hotel. "we saved 10 minutes doing that" he proudly said. "what shall we now do with those minutes then" said the Japanese man.
Have a coffee and read an email or talk to someone, give CPR to a dying stranger, take an amazing photograph, be in time to see your child born, kiss a beautiful woman, hold someone you love, read a thought provoking forum post. 
johnS2000 said:
I haven't read all posts but I too used to be a driving instructor albeit some years ago now as I'm now retired and can sympathise wit the OP.
I do drive an S2000 mostly now and don't really bother with the minor points of driving strictly to the highway code and can push the limits of "making progress" to the extreme shall we say .
However , my wife , due to the mileage she does in the course of her work ,has a diesel ,and ,When I drive it ,I do like to drive it as if I'm on a test !!
I.E. properly !
Not speeding (and I mean on the in car speedo so less than GPS speed ie properly ) Taking left and right turn's at a very appropriate speed ,stopping at amber lights ,negotiating roundabouts in the proper lane and using the proper signals etc etc really really winds people up !!!
And the worse part ???
I absolutely love it .
Worse than what?I do drive an S2000 mostly now and don't really bother with the minor points of driving strictly to the highway code and can push the limits of "making progress" to the extreme shall we say .
However , my wife , due to the mileage she does in the course of her work ,has a diesel ,and ,When I drive it ,I do like to drive it as if I'm on a test !!
I.E. properly !
Not speeding (and I mean on the in car speedo so less than GPS speed ie properly ) Taking left and right turn's at a very appropriate speed ,stopping at amber lights ,negotiating roundabouts in the proper lane and using the proper signals etc etc really really winds people up !!!
And the worse part ???
I absolutely love it .
silverfoxcc said:
..I only indicate when I wish to exit. No signal means I am proceeding around, left indicator means I am leaving at the next exit
Although correct, that in itself causes an issue because there are huge number of drivers that don't bother to indicate at all, so when faced with a car that isn't indicating, there is an assumption that some drivers make that instead of coming right round you're actually taking the exit, therefore you get someone pulling out in front of you.I did see a comment on here ages ago, someone moaning about drivers indicating right when they're going straight on or somesuch. Fact is, if you indicate right to go past the exit that someone is waiting at, you reduce the chances of them assuming you're taking their exit and them pulling out in front of you.
I don't do it all the time, only on roundabouts where the lanes or size/shape of the roundabout make it LOOK like you're going to be taking an exit that you're actually going to go past.
TL:DR; lack of indication on roundabouts leaves room for another driver to make an incorrect assumption.
There's currently a temporary 40mph limit on the section of road that links the A14 to the A1 from Huntingdon to Brampton. It's about a 2 mile stretch and I'm always the only person there doing 40mph. It's not entirely fun being tailgated, flashed and honked by lorries because I have the audacity, the bare-faced cheek, to obey the speed limit. It's bad enough in the car but when I'm on the bike it's just totally bonkers. I've even had a particularly angry man in an Insignia pass between me in lane one and another driver in lane two or the guy in the RS6 with the big PH sticker in the rear window who seemed in a huge hurry to join the growing queue.
The worst bit of it all is that they all know they'll be queuing for the traffic lights at the Brampton Hut roundabout but they all seem so keen on risking their licence and others' lives just to try and get to the queue first.
I don't understand it at all, aside from accepting that 99.999994% of people on the road just have no concept of what we all need to do to make traffic flow smoothly. If people could just grasp the concept of average speed being more important than top speed, the roads would be a nicer place but sadly it's all ME! ME! ME! and f*ck anyone else.
The worst bit of it all is that they all know they'll be queuing for the traffic lights at the Brampton Hut roundabout but they all seem so keen on risking their licence and others' lives just to try and get to the queue first.
I don't understand it at all, aside from accepting that 99.999994% of people on the road just have no concept of what we all need to do to make traffic flow smoothly. If people could just grasp the concept of average speed being more important than top speed, the roads would be a nicer place but sadly it's all ME! ME! ME! and f*ck anyone else.
ST270 said:
I'm not sure where in the country you are but here in West Yorkshire (specifically travelling through Bradford) you are 100% correct.... I don't really have to say anything more....
Well im down in Bedfordshire. Im pretty sure its a nationwide, probably worldwide problem. As mentioned by somebody earlier I find myself judging people far too quickly and assuming they're going to be just as bad as the last one, think I only like about 1% of the people I meet day to day at best.I think there was a program on channel 4 recently with kevin mcloud, escape to the wild? Sounds like a plan if things get worse....
Personally I thought better then to venture into this thread but I have been pleasantly surprised.
Road rage is something I am encountering more and more. Sometimes I try to reflect on my own sporty natured driving as the instigation, however the more I look at situations which resulted in drivers ranting at me its usually the same issues.
Driver 1. In the outside lane when the inside lane is completely clear. Doesn’t want to pull over to let me by. I must admit if after a couple of miles they don’t pull over I am undertaking. Queue ranting.
Driver 2. Doesn’t realise that roundabouts have more than one lane to go straight ahead and the exit also has multiple lanes. Last week a chap tries to drive across the lanes rather than keep to his. Also then takes exception to me getting past as my lane is clear. Queue trying to get his car as close as possible to the rear of mine.
Driver 3. The classic.. overtaking a dawdling driver. Single lane, broken white lines and clear road. You over take and the driver now behind is imploding with rage.
Driver 4. On an unfamiliar road. You have found yourself in the wrong lane. You now have to apologetically filter into the correct lane and no one wants to let you in. When you do get let in its like you have been caught clubbing baby seals! Queue fight club.
Sometimes I think it’s the fact I want to make progress that the cause of the issue or a simple mistake. Because if I were to just sit behind these numpties I wouldn’t get into this crap.
This is why I love motorcycles. You are virtually free of this crap.
Road rage is something I am encountering more and more. Sometimes I try to reflect on my own sporty natured driving as the instigation, however the more I look at situations which resulted in drivers ranting at me its usually the same issues.
Driver 1. In the outside lane when the inside lane is completely clear. Doesn’t want to pull over to let me by. I must admit if after a couple of miles they don’t pull over I am undertaking. Queue ranting.
Driver 2. Doesn’t realise that roundabouts have more than one lane to go straight ahead and the exit also has multiple lanes. Last week a chap tries to drive across the lanes rather than keep to his. Also then takes exception to me getting past as my lane is clear. Queue trying to get his car as close as possible to the rear of mine.
Driver 3. The classic.. overtaking a dawdling driver. Single lane, broken white lines and clear road. You over take and the driver now behind is imploding with rage.
Driver 4. On an unfamiliar road. You have found yourself in the wrong lane. You now have to apologetically filter into the correct lane and no one wants to let you in. When you do get let in its like you have been caught clubbing baby seals! Queue fight club.
Sometimes I think it’s the fact I want to make progress that the cause of the issue or a simple mistake. Because if I were to just sit behind these numpties I wouldn’t get into this crap.
This is why I love motorcycles. You are virtually free of this crap.
9mm said:
My own pet theory is that it's massively connected to self-esteem and in my non-scientific head this is born out by never having seen an attractive or good looking rager. They are always ugly, nondescript, overweight or generally pretty unpleasant or insignificant to look at.
I guess there are regional variations, and I don't see that much road rage here in Somerset, did not see that much in Aberdeen either, but driving for a short while in the south east I saw all sorts of fkwittery.
The roads are getting ridiculously overcrowded though and combine that with the sheer selfishness that many people display these days together with unpredictable delays and the fact that everyone seems to be in a desperate rush and I guess it explains the behaviour.
It's odd that, by obeying the speed limits I seem to get tailgated a lot around town and in areas with 20/30/40mph speed limits and yet on the open road there are loads of people bimbling around at 40/50mph, seemingly incapable of maintaining the speed limit.
My approach is just to drive sensibly, obey the lower limits and if people are going to tailgate me then fk them. Speeding up just rewards them for their stupidity and encourages them to keep tailgating...
kwittery.The roads are getting ridiculously overcrowded though and combine that with the sheer selfishness that many people display these days together with unpredictable delays and the fact that everyone seems to be in a desperate rush and I guess it explains the behaviour.
It's odd that, by obeying the speed limits I seem to get tailgated a lot around town and in areas with 20/30/40mph speed limits and yet on the open road there are loads of people bimbling around at 40/50mph, seemingly incapable of maintaining the speed limit.
My approach is just to drive sensibly, obey the lower limits and if people are going to tailgate me then f
k them. Speeding up just rewards them for their stupidity and encourages them to keep tailgating...I've only been driving 12 years but honestly the last 5 years or so it's becoming far far less enjoyable and I don't even have a commute! Seems when or where ever you travel a high chance of poor driving, road rage, congestion and poor road surfaces every trip. Really starting to look forward to autonomous cars now tbh. On current trend it's not going to get better any time soon.
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