Never understood angry drivers until now
Discussion
Up until a few days ago I had never owned a car and was the most passive passenger ever
If ever the driver got wound up I would say 'well nobody died so chill out etc'
That had always been my stance until I bought a car and an incident this morning
Driving to work is mainly country roads with a NSL, progress can be made very well at the speed limit without you needing to anchor on for the corners, usually, until this morning, I got stuck behind a lad about my age (24) in a new shape TDi Golf, I can't be sure of the engine size but he was doing around 20mph on the straights and braking in the corners, this for some reason made me livid, more livid than I have been in a long while.
There are not many passing places on this particular road but I did get past eventually.
Is getting annoyed easier just part of driving compared to being a passenger or am I just an angry person?
If ever the driver got wound up I would say 'well nobody died so chill out etc'
That had always been my stance until I bought a car and an incident this morning
Driving to work is mainly country roads with a NSL, progress can be made very well at the speed limit without you needing to anchor on for the corners, usually, until this morning, I got stuck behind a lad about my age (24) in a new shape TDi Golf, I can't be sure of the engine size but he was doing around 20mph on the straights and braking in the corners, this for some reason made me livid, more livid than I have been in a long while.
There are not many passing places on this particular road but I did get past eventually.
Is getting annoyed easier just part of driving compared to being a passenger or am I just an angry person?
If someone driving slowly makes you livid, just wait until someone pulls out in front of you, or deliberately prevents you changing lanes etc. You'll probably murder them.
Took me a good few years (probably about 15 actually!) to realise it's not worth getting wound up by other drivers. The stress wasn't doing me any good and passengers felt nervous when being driven by me.
Took me a good few years (probably about 15 actually!) to realise it's not worth getting wound up by other drivers. The stress wasn't doing me any good and passengers felt nervous when being driven by me.
I've calmed down a bit, but I've been at the wheel for nearly 27 years!
I also think the amount you drive has a bearing on this. In my early days I was doing 40,000+ miles per year, but these days it's just a fraction of that, so I guess the opportunities for "incidents" are less, rather than a daily occurrence. Having said that traffic is greater these days and I believe that driving standards are worse. I guess if you're doing mega-miles nowadays, you're going to get worked up quite regularly!
I also think the amount you drive has a bearing on this. In my early days I was doing 40,000+ miles per year, but these days it's just a fraction of that, so I guess the opportunities for "incidents" are less, rather than a daily occurrence. Having said that traffic is greater these days and I believe that driving standards are worse. I guess if you're doing mega-miles nowadays, you're going to get worked up quite regularly!
LotusOmega375D said:
I guess if you're doing mega-miles nowadays, you're going to get worked up quite regularly!
Weirdly I've found the opposite. I'm doing about 100 miles a day at the moment and I've never been so chilled out. I think it's that the part of my brain that was screaming 'that a
hole just tried to kill you!' has come to the realisation that it's nothing personal.hairykrishna said:
LotusOmega375D said:
I guess if you're doing mega-miles nowadays, you're going to get worked up quite regularly!
Weirdly I've found the opposite. I'm doing about 100 miles a day at the moment and I've never been so chilled out. I think it's that the part of my brain that was screaming 'that ahole just tried to kill you!' has come to the realisation that it's nothing personal.hairykrishna said:
Weirdly I've found the opposite. I'm doing about 100 miles a day at the moment and I've never been so chilled out. I think it's that the part of my brain that was screaming 'that ahole just tried to kill you!' has come to the realisation that it's nothing personal.
Same here, I spent 3 years doing 120 miles/day of M3 or A3 then M25, Hampshire to Kent and back. It caused me to be a much more relaxed driver because I realised there are so many idiots on the roads you can't be angry at them all, plus I noticed that I occasionally did silly things, so some of those morons might actually be perfectly good drivers who just made a small mistake.hole just tried to kill you!' has come to the realisation that it's nothing personal.As for the OP, member for 35 months and nearly 3000 posts before buying a car, that's some serious research
I have a little notebook in my glovebox with a tally chart.
Every time I react in anger to someone on the road and regret it afterward I add a line to the chart.
There are a lot of lines.
I'm finally starting to learn.
(One thing I've learned is that when I choose not to react, I get over the offence far far quicker.)
Every time I react in anger to someone on the road and regret it afterward I add a line to the chart.
There are a lot of lines.
I'm finally starting to learn.
(One thing I've learned is that when I choose not to react, I get over the offence far far quicker.)
these three tick me off the most
1. lorry overtaking lorry
2. someone sitting up your arse when there is clearly someone in front of you causing the hold up
3. similar to what OP experienced, someone sitting well under the speed limit on a NSL road
pulling out at a junction and not indicating just missed the cut!
1. lorry overtaking lorry
2. someone sitting up your arse when there is clearly someone in front of you causing the hold up
3. similar to what OP experienced, someone sitting well under the speed limit on a NSL road
pulling out at a junction and not indicating just missed the cut!
mnkiboy said:
If someone driving slowly makes you livid, just wait until someone pulls out in front of you, or deliberately prevents you changing lanes etc. You'll probably murder them.
Took me a good few years (probably about 15 actually!) to realise it's not worth getting wound up by other drivers. The stress wasn't doing me any good and passengers felt nervous when being driven by me.
Very true, you don't understand how it makes the others in the car feel when you are going off on one all the time. It's not good for anyone. Let it go, it's just not worth it Took me a good few years (probably about 15 actually!) to realise it's not worth getting wound up by other drivers. The stress wasn't doing me any good and passengers felt nervous when being driven by me.
framerateuk said:
You'll calm down eventually.
I think the first few years you'll be surprised at the level of stupidity displayed by some people.
Leave big enough gaps and assume everyone is an idiot. Make eye contact at junctions and you'll generally be a lot calmer. And safer.
Definitely this and it's only going to get worse! I think the first few years you'll be surprised at the level of stupidity displayed by some people.
Leave big enough gaps and assume everyone is an idiot. Make eye contact at junctions and you'll generally be a lot calmer. And safer.
I'm generally a very calm driver. In fact, I would go so far as saying that you need to be in Central London, otherwise you won't make it out alive.
The one and only thing that grinds my gears is people tailgating me on the motorway. It's entirely unnecessary, and demonstrates bad driving like nothing else.
The one and only thing that grinds my gears is people tailgating me on the motorway. It's entirely unnecessary, and demonstrates bad driving like nothing else.
been driving 15 years or so, I used to get wound up, now it is merely exasperation at the worst.
I think the vast majority of people get calmer because they come to realise that moronic behaviour (in general) but on the roads in particular is just a fact of life, and getting angry at it isn't going to help.
some people don't / can't ignore bad driving even after years of experience, Mrs C is one, and I feel for them because it makes driving so much more stressful.
I think the vast majority of people get calmer because they come to realise that moronic behaviour (in general) but on the roads in particular is just a fact of life, and getting angry at it isn't going to help.
some people don't / can't ignore bad driving even after years of experience, Mrs C is one, and I feel for them because it makes driving so much more stressful.
In my case in the first 1-2 years I was perhaps an over-exuberant driver on b-roads and it took a solo accident and change of car to chill out a bit.
Now, c.4 years in, perhaps the novelty has worn off a bit and you realise you can't be on the speed limit on every meter of road. Sometimes I even enjoy being behind slower traffic, it's an opportunity to just take a moment to wind down.
It's a great feeling being on the roads and it feeds that feeling when you find yourself faster than others all the time. It doesn't mean you're a great driver and they aren't - surely there's a reason they're all driving slowly?
You have a nice first car and while you're at the age where you're hardly going to be rolling Corsas into ditches, you're not outta tha woods. Chill
Now, c.4 years in, perhaps the novelty has worn off a bit and you realise you can't be on the speed limit on every meter of road. Sometimes I even enjoy being behind slower traffic, it's an opportunity to just take a moment to wind down.
It's a great feeling being on the roads and it feeds that feeling when you find yourself faster than others all the time. It doesn't mean you're a great driver and they aren't - surely there's a reason they're all driving slowly?
You have a nice first car and while you're at the age where you're hardly going to be rolling Corsas into ditches, you're not outta tha woods. Chill
Read Drive to Survive.
Made me a better driver. Not all of it will be applicable, but it does make some key points which you can always use.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0760305250/ref=mp_...
Made me a better driver. Not all of it will be applicable, but it does make some key points which you can always use.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0760305250/ref=mp_...
DannyScene said:
I think it probably is because it's my first car and I'm excited everytime I jump in it and want to go the speed limit all the time, as you all say I'm sure I'll calm down eventually
Watching the fuel needle drop is certainly going to play a part I reckon
One thing it also takes a while to learn is how to drive smoothly and sympathetically in regards to the car. I ate a head gasket in my first year of driving, not to mention the probably higher fuel and consumable consumptions.Watching the fuel needle drop is certainly going to play a part I reckon
The other thing you want to keep in mind is that, I believe, the statistic is something like 1/3 to 1/4 of new drivers have an accident or crash in their first two years. There's plenty that you can do to make sure that a) it doesn't happen, or b) you were free of culpability.
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