Driving can be a stressful situation, especially if you're someone prone to getting angry or frustrated. There are always going to be a lot of other drivers on the road and if you can't learn to handle your emotions, there can only be consequences. If you think you have road rage, you have to start learning how to calm yourself down. Here are 10 tips to help you improve.
1. Frequent Horn Honking
While the horn in cars is meant to be a safety measure, for a lot of road ragers, it's a way to express their frustration. If you often find yourself reaching over to honk the horn just because there's traffic or you're stuck behind someone slow, you definitely have road rage. You're letting your impatience and aggression get the better of you.
2. Tailgating
Drivers should always be practicing safety on the road not just for their own wellbeing, but for everyone else too. One rule that should always be followed is maintaining a safe distance between each car. You should never feel the need to tailgate someone and pressure them to speed up. It's incredibly dangerous and can cause unwanted accidents if you're persistent.
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3. Using Offensive Gestures
Road ragers often let their emotions take over, leading them to do regrettable actions like making rude gestures or signs at pedestrians and other drivers. It's disrespectful and can create potential conflicts if you upset the other party too.
4. Verbal Abuse
Have you ever found yourself yelling or screaming just because something didn't go your way while driving? Have you ever cursed or insulted another person while on the road? If you answered yes to either of those questions, you absolutely have road rage. Feeling the need to verbally express your anger is simply a sign that you've lost control of your emotions.
5. Aggressive Lane Changing
Feeling impatient and needing to constantly switch lanes, even when it's dangerous, is a clear sign of road rage. This aggressive behaviour puts everyone at risk, especially if you stop signalling properly. Do you really need to swerve in and out of lane just to get ahead by 20 seconds?
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6. Ignoring Traffic Signals
Thinking that you're better than traffic lights or stop signs is a dangerous mentality that some road ragers have. These safety measures are on the road for a reason! Completely disregarding the rules of the road just puts yourself and everyone else in danger, especially if no one else is being so selfish and arrogant.
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7. Speeding in Heavy Traffic
With cars lined up as far as you can see, where exactly do you think speeding will get you? Everyone is on the same boat, and thinking that you deserve to get ahead is simply the wrong way to approach being stuck in traffic. And with cars stopped so closely to one another, excessively speeding will only make things even more dangerous. Don't let your road rage take over in these situations.
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8. Blocking Cars Attempting to Pass
Having road rage doesn't just have to do with speeding; sometimes, road ragers will slow down and block others' paths just so they can be on top. It shows that they feel a need to dominate the road and that they're better than everyone else. Blocking lanes and speeding up just to do so is a very risky game to play with no reward.
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9. Exiting the Vehicle to Confront Another Driver
Road rage is at its worse when drivers feel a need to step out of their car to get into a physical fight. Letting emotions like anger and frustration take control, you're putting yourself at risk. This is definitely one of the more extreme signs of road rage that people need to learn to deal with.
10. Accelerating When Being Passed
For some reason, people with road rage are quite competitive and feel a need to "win" while driving. This is evident whenever they speed up just so another car can't pass them. They just want to be ahead of everyone else! But not only is this a dangerous maneuver, it can turn into a more concerning conflict if the other driver fights back too.
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1. Deep Breathing
If you start feeling like your negative emotions are taking over, do your best to stop them in their tracks. Focus on taking deep, slow breaths that can help calm your mind and refocus. By putting all your attention on your breathing, hopefully it'll take away from your frustration and the current situation.
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2. Listen to Calming Music
It's a known fact that music can do wonders for relaxation. If you think you're prone to getting road rage, try playing soft or calming music while you drive. Helping you feel less antsy and on edge while on the road, the hope is that these soothing sounds can help keep your emotions in check.
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3. Use Positive Affirmations
What's the best way to counteract negativity? With positivity of course! Push those bad emotions aside by reassuring yourself with positive affirmations. Tell yourself that you're okay, that you're feeling calm, and that you're in control of your emotions. This change in perspective might just be enough to overcome your anger.
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4. Plan Ahead
Sometimes delays and accidents can happen on the road, and if you typically get angry over them, try planning ahead next time. If you think that feeling rushed or being in a hurry exacerbates your frustration, take that element away and give yourself extra time so you don't feel the pressure or stress of being late.
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5. Keep a Comfortable Temperature
The little things matter, especially if you're trying to control your temper. It may not seem like much, but adjusting the car's temperature so that you're more comfortable can be surprisingly effective. No one feels great sitting in a car that's too hot or too cold, so make sure you keep an eye on the settings.
6. Practice Empathy
This may be challenging at first, but once you get a better hold of your emotions, try practicing empathy next. Understand that when things happen on the road, it's not because people are mad or trying to hurt you. Maybe other drivers are in a rush because of an emergency or are simply having a terrible day. Trying to be more forgiving can do wonders on your road rage.
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7. Pull Over Safely
If you feel yourself losing the battle to your anger and rage, pull over. Find a safe place when you can take a breather and get your mind back on track. This helps to de-escalate the situation so that you can once again put your wellbeing first when back on the road.
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8. Use Humor
Try to see the bright side of things by applying humour to the situation. Instead of getting mad, laughing about an annoying driving situation might help you reduce your anger before it gets bad.
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9. Limit Interaction
Some drivers might feel encouraged to be more aggressive if they're dealing with other road ragers. This can turn into a dangerous situation so it's important to learn how to calm down. Don't engage with them if they're trying to egg you on; learn to avoid eye contact or continue driving safely. Do your best to not let them get into your head - you're better than that!
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10. Reflect Post-Drive
It never hurts to take a moment after a scary road rage incident to reflect on your behaviour. Did you feel that was necessary? Was that really the safe thing to do? Learning about what triggers your anger and how to handle it is an important step in improving your attitude. Answering these questions you ask yourself can help you understand yourself better in the long run.
