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michael rosenbaum
michael rosenbaum's picture
True Story

The other day I was at a red light waiting for it to turn green when from behind, I heard this loud honking.  Looking in my rearview mirror I saw a young man about 20-25 shaking his fist, cursing and shooting me the universal finger. He was wanting me to turn, but I couldn't because of the heavy traffic. So, I made sure my doors were locked and kept an eye on him all the while making sure there was an avenue of escape. Growing more and more frustrated and madder by the second, the young man finally drove onto the emergence lane, went around me (giving me the finger again) and re-entered the road while the traffic camera caught it all on film. Hence he got a traffic ticket for not be patient and to top it all off the light turned green two seconds after he passed me.  After the light turned, I drove off only to come up behind the young man stopped at another light.  This time I was behind him and as I waited for the light to turn I noticed on the back of his car a green peace sticker, a co-exist sticker, a peace sign and a make war no more sticker.  It just goes to show that a pacifist will kill you every time...surprise

Zach Zinn
Zach Zinn's picture

Good one.

Once had a guy with multiple bumper stickers proclaiming his religiosity want to fight me because of my bad driving... yelled at me to pull over and fight him with my two year old daughter in the car. Surreal.

Road rage is a weird thing, I know I've personally acted in a way I never would outside a car (much to my shame), it seems to be the same everywhere, people get crazy when they have a huge hunk of metal insulating them.

Katz's picture

Maybe it was his girlfriend's car ? :D

I know I've been subject to road rage, much to my shame as well... Trying to become a better person in general (due in no small part to my getting more aware of self-defense and to martial arts), I'm now much more relaxed when I drive... Actually driving slower (under the speed limit, can you believe that? :D) is great for relaxing.

It's funny though, but when you're in a car, as Zach mentioned above, insulated by a huge chunk of metal, the monkey brain gets free reins on things... There's a whole lot of territory and social status fighting between drivers... Being aware of this is great for not falling into it, and it makes driving in heavy traffic much more entertaining, too: It's like a trip to the zoo! :P

miket's picture

LOL, I am not being preachy and have had my share of pro (and con) experiences on the road... ironically, something I read in CW Nicole's book as a young man has always stuck with me and helps **ME** 'coexist':  "If a dog barks at you, do you wnat to kill it?"  I think (from memory), that it is his wife who says that to him at one point.

Of course, I have shared that with people who have answered "yes", so maybe it is not that helpful.  smiley

My best road rage story was a guy who I admit to (accidentally) pulling out in front of on a snowy day as I exited the freeway.  He angrily sped up and jerked his car around in front of me, missing a collision by literally inches...and... only to spin out across three lanes of oncoming traffic to end up off the road in a snow bank... "Woof".  I made it to where I was going.

Road rage, t's not just the metal, I don't think...  Personally, I truly believe that a lot of people are fundamentally ANGRY (I mean at an almost chromosomatic level), and I honestly believe this is (especially in men) mostly the result of a cultural suppression of our innate biological urges toward 'warriorhood' (or whatever other psychological buzzword you want to label the male purpose with these days)... Bottom line, at the genetic level, we were never hard-wired for the docile, 9-5 polite lives that most of us are destined to live. 

Anyway, I'm sorry to cut this soliloquy short, but I need to go thaw some red meat, and anyway, its time for my primal shout therapy.  smiley