|
Navigation Helper -Road Rage- Where am I? |
|
|
||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
The new buzz word in the transportation industry is "Road Rage". What is road rage? The term, road rage, invokes images from the 1980's "Mad Max" movie series. Rouque men and women driving tricked up cars and trucks with switches on them for incredible bursts of speed. These same vehicles had specialized weapons that looked like they came from the ice age. The timing of the movie was set in a time far off in the future after some type of nuclear holocaust. Road rage. Is it this serious? Have we become sub-human? Odds are pretty good that each of us will become a perpetrator or victim of road rage. Most of us have had a bad day or two. Many of us have had a hundred things to do with little time to finish it. We have to run a child to hockey practice or pickup someone at the airport. During these stressful times we have probably tried to beat a red light, or drive too fast while getting angry at the person driving slow ahead of us. Are the severe events wherein we literally crash into someone out of rage just the event that describes road rage? No, not really. Road rage is really something less subtle. Well, how do we attack the problem of aggressive driving? First, we need a definition. For sake of argument, let's say that aggressive driving is any driving in which you break a law and that driving is offensive to another driver or makes another driver fearful of your actions. Following too close, intentionally swerving into a lane just after you complete a pass, honking your horn and flashing your lights to get a slower driver out of the way may be examples. One of the most common complaints is someone who was following too close a vehicle that was passing another on the freeway. Then, as the lead car finished the pass and moved into the right lane, the offending driver quickly passed then moved into the right lane, just missing the front end of the lead car. Passing on the shoulder, slamming on the brakes suddenly, waiving gestures to other motorists are just some of the examples of aggressive driving that people complain about. Our driving has become more aggressive over time. But what caused this? Didn't we have road rage 15 years ago? 30 years ago? Is road rage confined to the large cities? The answer may never be known. Road rage is a media term used by the papers, radio and television to create some urgency. The situation is urgent, however, the driving conduct is really more about aggressive driving than road rage. True, in the serious events, it's road rage, but in the everyday world of constant events, the driving is generally aggressive. We as a society need to take steps to correct this. The road rage phenomenon is something that is deeply seeded in the root of our society. What can we do about it? We each need to make a conscious effort to be kind to each other. If you cannot stomach the idea of being "kinder", just think of it in terms of personal space. Each of us have the basically the same level of privilege to be on the roadways. Just honor the other driver's personal space. Does tailgating the car ahead of you really make the trip go faster? Does cutting the lead car off, mising the front end by inches really make you feel that much better. Will it teach the other driver a lesson? Does trying to "one-up" the jerk that just cut you off make the incident equal? Many of us have this feeling of anonymity when we get into our cars. We become something or someone that we aren't under normal circumstances. But let's be honest, almost every one of us has a cell phone and the rate of calls received on bad driver's would astound you. The license plate identifies us. We have read about and heard about aggressive drivers being caught and prosecuted as a result of their actions. The next time you are stuck at a meter, or a backed up freeway coming home from work, look around, how many potential witnesses do you see? Odd's are pretty good that at least one, if not, more, of these people will call in a complaint your driving conduct at the drop of a hat. With all that you have going for you, is it really worth it? The Minnesota State Patrol Trooper's Association strongly discourages aggressive driving. We as State Trooper's are taking a firm stance against aggressive driving. If you can take an objective look at yourself and describe yourself as an aggressive driver, be forewarned, we as a collective group, are doing all we can do to change your driving conduct. Unfortunately we as State Trooper's cannot do it alone. We need the help of Police and Sheriff's departments. More importantly, we need your help! Not so much as another set of eyes and a cell phone to report something, but more in the sense that change starts with you. Make a conscious effort to slow down and let the other guy in. Be aware that as you may be late, the person next to you is also. Don't let aggressive driving hurt you or someonelse!
Home | Airwing | Crash Recon | State Patrol Website | Traffic Law | FAQ's
|
|
||||
|
|
||||||
