Are drivers getting angrier ?
Discussion
I've had the benefit of living in Germany, Canada and America also. The problem is predominantly one associated with the Uk and especially in the South East.
That whole country is up to tipping point. With HUGE government, high taxes, mostly stealth, no parking ever unless you pay a fee, houses prices which are still high compared to average income and chav scum and crime, it's no wonder these things have their bearing on peoples frayed nerves and short tempers. All of which are manifesting themselves during driving
That whole country is up to tipping point. With HUGE government, high taxes, mostly stealth, no parking ever unless you pay a fee, houses prices which are still high compared to average income and chav scum and crime, it's no wonder these things have their bearing on peoples frayed nerves and short tempers. All of which are manifesting themselves during driving
Marquis Rex said:
I've had the benefit of living in Germany, Canada and America also. The problem is predominantly one associated with the Uk and especially in the South East.
That whole country is up to tipping point. With HUGE government, high taxes, mostly stealth, no parking ever unless you pay a fee, houses prices which are still high compared to average income and chav scum and crime, it's no wonder these things have their bearing on peoples frayed nerves and short tempers. All of which are manifesting themselves during driving
It's a bit like chickens in a hen house, pack them in and they start pecking each other .That whole country is up to tipping point. With HUGE government, high taxes, mostly stealth, no parking ever unless you pay a fee, houses prices which are still high compared to average income and chav scum and crime, it's no wonder these things have their bearing on peoples frayed nerves and short tempers. All of which are manifesting themselves during driving
Jaged said:
If I may propose a theory?
Two types of driver.
1/ Football supporter
2/ Rugby Supporter
Type 1. Cheats, pushes, shoves, kicks, swears, spits and then screams when gets the same.
NO respect for authority and if they can get away with any of above and the Ref don't see, they get cheered for it!
Tyoe 2. Plays hard and fast but follows the rules to the letter.
Respects authority even if the Ref is half their size, and will severly repremand own team member if they do anything of type 1.
Just my observations of the two sports
What a complete crock of sTwo types of driver.
1/ Football supporter
2/ Rugby Supporter
Type 1. Cheats, pushes, shoves, kicks, swears, spits and then screams when gets the same.
NO respect for authority and if they can get away with any of above and the Ref don't see, they get cheered for it!
Tyoe 2. Plays hard and fast but follows the rules to the letter.
Respects authority even if the Ref is half their size, and will severly repremand own team member if they do anything of type 1.
Just my observations of the two sports
t, still never let stereotyping get in the way of bullst.Tell me the last time you heard of a football team using blood capsules to try and gain a few extra minutes in a game?
I find myself getting quite angry when I'm in my own vehicles and it's caused by other people's lack of awareness/courtesy usually. Things like people not waving a thanks when you let them out of a junction or through a narrow gap, they either completely ignore you or look at you like a piece of st. And SARPs really piss me off - you know, the ones who sit in the outside lane doing 70mph and won't move over to let you past because "70 is the speed limit, you shouldn't be travelling any faster", or in fact anyone that sits in the outside lane holding me up when they could easily move over a lane and let me past. I just don't bother waiting for them now and just undertake them if there's nothing in front of them and space to do so. If they can't be arsed following the Highway Code then neither can I, bks to them.
Strangely enough when I'm driving the truck I could not be more relaxed and unstressed. I'll just set the cc at 50 and trundle along quite happily in no rush, but maybe that's because I'm getting paid to do it, I dunno.
t. And SARPs really piss me off - you know, the ones who sit in the outside lane doing 70mph and won't move over to let you past because "70 is the speed limit, you shouldn't be travelling any faster", or in fact anyone that sits in the outside lane holding me up when they could easily move over a lane and let me past. I just don't bother waiting for them now and just undertake them if there's nothing in front of them and space to do so. If they can't be arsed following the Highway Code then neither can I, bks to them.Strangely enough when I'm driving the truck I could not be more relaxed and unstressed. I'll just set the cc at 50 and trundle along quite happily in no rush, but maybe that's because I'm getting paid to do it, I dunno.
I dont see any problem with the standards of driving nowadays. I dont feel the need to compete on the road. If I miss my flight due to some wonderful chap in the outside lane doing 60mph when the inside is clear, hey, I have no problem, just catch the next one.
If I'm joining a conjested dual carriageway and no one wants to let me off the slip road, hey its ok, I dont mind getting hit from behind, I get a new spray job out of it.
If someone drives at 40mph through Tesco car park to get in front of me to take a space inadvertently knocking over a young child or old person well, hey its ok, my day is going fine.
So no. I dont get angry at the incredibly poor driving standards on the road nowadays. Its all good.
If I'm joining a conjested dual carriageway and no one wants to let me off the slip road, hey its ok, I dont mind getting hit from behind, I get a new spray job out of it.
If someone drives at 40mph through Tesco car park to get in front of me to take a space inadvertently knocking over a young child or old person well, hey its ok, my day is going fine.
So no. I dont get angry at the incredibly poor driving standards on the road nowadays. Its all good.
I have just learned to relax and let it wash over me. I drive 30k+ miles a year and see a lot of stupid/bad driving and usually the people doing it are the angry ones. Just ignore them and get on with life.
Perfect example this morning, travelling down the M40, dawn is just about to break - so its still dark, unlit motorway, everyone has headlights on. I come up to the back of a lorry, check mirrors - nothing there. Indicate, check again, still nothing to be seen. Pull out and someone is quite close and flashing me (when I say close I mean maybe 4 or 5 car lengths). Its a bloke in a black astra with no lights on, completely invisible in the dark !
This guy then sits a few car lengths behind me (so he slows down a bit) but wont overtake even though outside lane is empty. When I pull back in he slowly goes past (maybe 2-3mph overtake) while looking at me and saying what I presume are naughty words while shaking his fist.
He then continued off into the distance at the same 2-3mph faster than me in the middle lane on an empty motorway.
Perfect example this morning, travelling down the M40, dawn is just about to break - so its still dark, unlit motorway, everyone has headlights on. I come up to the back of a lorry, check mirrors - nothing there. Indicate, check again, still nothing to be seen. Pull out and someone is quite close and flashing me (when I say close I mean maybe 4 or 5 car lengths). Its a bloke in a black astra with no lights on, completely invisible in the dark !
This guy then sits a few car lengths behind me (so he slows down a bit) but wont overtake even though outside lane is empty. When I pull back in he slowly goes past (maybe 2-3mph overtake) while looking at me and saying what I presume are naughty words while shaking his fist.
He then continued off into the distance at the same 2-3mph faster than me in the middle lane on an empty motorway.
spogxy said:
I have to agree with the OP.
But sometimes it is possible to diffuse the rage by being silly; I find going cross-eyed and gesturing picking my nose soon disarms the angry "rage-head" (well it goes one of two ways).
or or 
or 
(make that three)
I think there is a definite need for more lighthearted road based tom-foolery, people are way, way too serious.
The problem is that we have so many ways of insulting each other but no real "Oops Sorry, my bad" hand signal apart from a weak wave of the hand, which really just looks sarcastic.
(I once got shouted at by a lady driver for doing the "you've left your lights on" squeezy hand signal as she thought I meant something else
)
I find that blowing kisses usually helps. They either drive off thinking "what a weirdo" or go absolutely mental. But sometimes it is possible to diffuse the rage by being silly; I find going cross-eyed and gesturing picking my nose soon disarms the angry "rage-head" (well it goes one of two ways).
or or or (make that three)I think there is a definite need for more lighthearted road based tom-foolery, people are way, way too serious.
The problem is that we have so many ways of insulting each other but no real "Oops Sorry, my bad" hand signal apart from a weak wave of the hand, which really just looks sarcastic.
(I once got shouted at by a lady driver for doing the "you've left your lights on" squeezy hand signal as she thought I meant something else
)Or you could just furiously start licking the inside of your window - not tried that one myself though.
VinceFox said:
I'll tell you what i have noticed, female drivers have become disproportionately agressive in the last ten years in particular, especially younger ones.
Yep. The "speed up after overtaken on motorways" brigade are the best. Especially as they usually lose focus after a while. I agree that part of the problem is that the increasing number of drivers coupled with the petering out of the road programme means that the roads are going to keep getting busier.
In addition we seem to be in a society where aggression (or its socially acceptable form "assertiveness") is seen to be rewarded, and politeness is seen as old-fashioned.
I would also say that car makers seem to be trying to sell us aggressive looking cars. Or are they merely following the market?
Plus, Joe Average now drives a car with much better brakes and safety systems and a lot more instant torque on tap. It was hard to be as aggressive in a Morris Minor as it is now in a TDi Passat.
Finally (as PH tends to show) there appears to be increasing animosity between different types of road users, even to the extent of different types of car hating each other. Cyclists hate drivers who hate lorries who hate megamilers doing 50 in L1 etc. It (tin foil hate time) sometimes seems like official policy to foster this dislike by playing divide and rule, for example giving buses separate lanes/priority at lights, and banning certain vehicles from certain roads.
Is this to keep us hating each other instead of uniting & hating those in charge?
I had one the other day. I slowed down on the busy (but flowing quite well) A1 to let him merge from a slip road. Only he was a bit slow on finding the space and realising I was letting him out. As a result I was quite close when he finally joined the motorway, despite me slowing even more.
So he gave me the finger and brake tested me ?!
Just ignored it and carried on with my journey.
So he gave me the finger and brake tested me ?!
Just ignored it and carried on with my journey.
XDA said:
I find that blowing kisses usually helps. They either drive off thinking "what a weirdo" or go absolutely mental.
Or you could just furiously start licking the inside of your window - not tried that one myself though.
Blowing kisses works really well - I was cut up by a lorry driver on the North Circular and hit the horn just really to let him know I was there. He leant out of the cab (without a shirt on, I mean really what sort of person drives or walks around without a top on, unless they are at a beach) and proceeded to get very angry, I responded by winking and blowing some kisses. He went absolutely apoplectic with rage, red faced, shaking his fist etc. Highly amusing!Or you could just furiously start licking the inside of your window - not tried that one myself though.
I also did it to a van driver last year in the summer. He came speeding down a narrow road (cars parked on both sides) I had right of way but thought I would help him out by reversing into a space to let him pass. I might have taken a bit too long about it as he get very angry, gesticulating and blowing his horn. As he drew level I blew a kiss and again it seemed to drive him crazy with rage.
Some people really do just need to calm down a bit, can’t be good for the blood pressure...
But interestingly, if a set of busy traffic lights fails during rush hour, it's amazing how freely the traffic flows, and how well and fairly traffic/drivers regulate themselves. It often means freer-flowing traffic.
I suspect this would break down quite quickly as soon as those drivers with the "selfish gene" started to exploit the situation though.
I suspect this would break down quite quickly as soon as those drivers with the "selfish gene" started to exploit the situation though.
jdw100 said:
XDA said:
I find that blowing kisses usually helps. They either drive off thinking "what a weirdo" or go absolutely mental.
Or you could just furiously start licking the inside of your window - not tried that one myself though.
Blowing kisses works really well - I was cut up by a lorry driver on the North Circular and hit the horn just really to let him know I was there. He leant out of the cab (without a shirt on, I mean really what sort of person drives or walks around without a top on, unless they are at a beach) and proceeded to get very angry, I responded by winking and blowing some kisses. He went absolutely apoplectic with rage, red faced, shaking his fist etc. Highly amusing!Or you could just furiously start licking the inside of your window - not tried that one myself though.
I also did it to a van driver last year in the summer. He came speeding down a narrow road (cars parked on both sides) I had right of way but thought I would help him out by reversing into a space to let him pass. I might have taken a bit too long about it as he get very angry, gesticulating and blowing his horn. As he drew level I blew a kiss and again it seemed to drive him crazy with rage.
Some people really do just need to calm down a bit, can’t be good for the blood pressure...
Ride home from work on the Fazer from Cambridge to Peterborough (along the legendary A14) is normally "fun".
Actually, the A14 is normally alright in terms of road rage - i think because regular users of it have almost been beaten into submission by it. There is no choice but to sit at 55-60 and hope nobody touches their brakes.
As soon as it starts getting closer to the A1(M) though, it gets very aggressive. I guess it's because people are eager to get to the 4 lanes, which feels like heaven after being restricted on the A14.
Then the sliproads onto the A1(M) are like WAR! Everyone wanting to get their boot down. The bike will out-gun anything, but it's too risky to play along because people leap across to the 3rd and 4th lanes. Lifesavers are my friend on that stretch...
Actually, the A14 is normally alright in terms of road rage - i think because regular users of it have almost been beaten into submission by it. There is no choice but to sit at 55-60 and hope nobody touches their brakes.
As soon as it starts getting closer to the A1(M) though, it gets very aggressive. I guess it's because people are eager to get to the 4 lanes, which feels like heaven after being restricted on the A14.
Then the sliproads onto the A1(M) are like WAR! Everyone wanting to get their boot down. The bike will out-gun anything, but it's too risky to play along because people leap across to the 3rd and 4th lanes. Lifesavers are my friend on that stretch...
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