How to avoid road rage

[mooza]

Let me share this incident.

A couple of years ago, while overtaking an autorickshaw on MG Road here, my car clipped his rear bumper. I was already late for work, so I just looked behind and from what I saw, there was not much damage, so I continued to drive. Not stopping my vehicle was a mistake on my part.

What followed next was a sight to see. The rickshaw driver zoomed up as I was nearing the next junction, cut me off, and got down menacingly, to approach me. He started yelling about his damage. I calmly got down, all the time avoiding eye contact completely, went across to his rear bumper, and saw that it had come unhooked. I took out my elaborate tool kit from my car (which I carry till this day in my Scorpio), and lifted his rear bumper back and tightened it in place, with his help. All in a span of two minutes.

The rickshaw driver was speechless. He just thanked me, and in fact we saluted each other with vigourous hand waving, and left on our ways !

In hindsight, I feel it was the respect that I gave towards his vehicle, and avoiding needless arguments, which prevented the road rage scene from going out of hand

[nitinbose]

Hi Team

I just came across a bhpian with a Maruti SX4, light-grey metallic color, number 3631.
This was along the outer ring road, HSR layout today morning, towards Sarjapur junction.

All I could hear was constrant honking and somebody aggressively trying to overtake me, and then driving off in great hurry.

What I have to say to such drivers is; please do not be in such a hurry. Indeed you may be in some tension, to meet deadlines etc. However, please be sure the road is not the place to release this.

You had spent a considerable amount of time, effort and money to buy that beautiful car, so why risk and cause an accident? You may also risk the lives of others and damage others vehicles. Vehicle damages may be repaired, but human lives cannot.

So, please relax and drive slowly and peacefully.

Just imagine your child(ren) come home in the evening only to realize they no longer have a father!

[aargee]

Narrating an incident that occurred last Saturday. We were driving down towards Chennai central to drop our co-brother & sis-in-law & this incident happened at Padi bus stop. The vaccum headed govt bus drivers stops the bus at middle of the road for the passengers to board; I see a Tata Ace coming from left & found enough gap for ACE to pass & hence I overtake the bus & out of no where (probably hidden behind the ACE when I noticed) a man & a pillion lady on a motorcycle appear in front of me & when I see them, this guy is looking completely towards right; I honk & steer towards the bus & he notices my car at nick of time & both of us escape.

Now after about few seconds this guy with the lady pillion chases our car & tries to stop; they bang the car & hear quite of few faint abuses through the closed windows. I don't stop & was determined to drive even if he blocks the car completely as I was in no mood to yell back or provoke them. They give up after few seconds & they turn back & go their way & I drove our way towards station.

It fault on both our sides & is still a nightmare & cannot imagine what would've happened if I'd knocked down this guy. What I could carry as a positive note is that, my Wife & her sister were yelling at them from inside & my co-brother was like "just stop & I'll take care of the situation", while I simply focussed on the road & was in senses. I'd remained calm that day & I would thank the member who shared the Delhi airport incident where a Honda city guy was beaten due to road rage.

[pramodkumar]

Originally Posted by aargee

Narrating an incident that occurred last Saturday. We were driving down towards Chennai central to drop our co-brother & sis-in-law & this incident happened at Padi bus stop. The vaccum headed govt bus drivers stops the bus at middle of the road for the passengers to board; I see a Tata Ace coming from left & found enough gap for ACE to pass & hence I overtake the bus & out of no where (probably hidden behind the ACE when I noticed) a man & a pillion lady on a motorcycle appear in front of me & when I see them, this guy is looking completely towards right; I honk & steer towards the bus & he notices my car at nick of time & both of us escape.

Now after about few seconds this guy with the lady pillion chases our car & tries to stop; they bang the car & hear quite of few faint abuses through the closed windows. I don't stop & was determined to drive even if he blocks the car completely as I was in no mood to yell back or provoke them. They give up after few seconds & they turn back & go their way & I drove our way towards station.

It fault on both our sides & is still a nightmare & cannot imagine what would've happened if I'd knocked down this guy. What I could carry as a positive note is that, my Wife & her sister were yelling at them from inside & my co-brother was like "just stop & I'll take care of the situation", while I simply focussed on the road & was in senses. I'd remained calm that day & I would thank the member who shared the Delhi airport incident where a Honda city guy was beaten due to road rage.
Attachment 327357

Great response, , if this is how we all behave on roads there will be no problem, There had been days when i have a bad start of day and even a small ant bite is enough to make me go nuts, but i alwas think on consequesce of an action and not on reaction. Last day i remember me getting out of my car at a bylane near my house, two guys were on a bike and were looking else where, all of a sudden they see me and my car, I looked properly before getting out and there was enough space that a truck can pass through the right side of my car. what do they do? like uncivilised people they start murmering. I felt like giving them one, but consequence could be, rest of the day in Police station trying to sort out things, i just decide to ignore them. When ever someone is near their house they usually end up getting more agressive, since they know the sorroundings and people, and there is a false sence of security that nothing can happen there. I would say always try to avoid situations which can be avoided, if you get into a situation try to find the shortest escape route.

Pramod

Pramod

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

When ever someone is near their house they usually end up getting more agressive, since they know the sorroundings and people, and there is a false sence of security that nothing can happen there. I would say always try to avoid situations which can be avoided, if you get into a situation try to find the shortest escape route.

Correct, the behaviour is similar to curs marking territory on the streets! Treat them with contempt and keep your cool.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

When ever someone is near their house they usually end up getting more agressive

Very very true & to be honest I fall in this category too.

Now days I'm beginning to think, what would happen to my reputation if I happen to make such a scene? I hope someday my mind changes completely & my aggressiveness will change no matter its home or elsewhere.

[MX6]

Guess the honda guy beaten to death was in Mumbai airport. And those two wheeler people had the audacity to chase and bang your car? Sad. Even women folk resorting to abusive language is not something that augurs well.

[pramodkumar]

Originally Posted by aargee

Very very true & to be honest I fall in this category too.

Now days I'm beginning to think, what would happen to my reputation if I happen to make such a scene? I hope someday my mind changes completely & my aggressiveness will change no matter its home or elsewhere.

That day after those bikers abused me, i cant imagine what all went through my mind, i even felt like Rajni kant where he just starts his car, corners tham takes out a gun and make those morons crap their pants , But finally i sat down and thought, what am i trying to prove, its those guys culture and upbringing that they abused a random guy on the street, its my culture and upbringing that ignored it. Reminds me of a buddhist story, there was a day when buddha and one of his deciples were begging from door to door for food, One lady comes out and abuses boh of them in the choicest of words, The deciple gets furious and is ready to teach the lady a lesson, to this buddha asks his deciple to walk away. Later he hands over his "kamandal" to deciple and in the evening he asks "who does the kamandal belong to", the deciple says "you gurudev", then buddha says "but i gifted it to you, so tell me who does it belong to?" Now the deciple says "to me gurudev", So buddha says "why did you say earlier that it didnt belong to you", so the deciple said "i didnt know you gifted this to me", So buddha says "it was with you all the time but still you decided not to call it yours because you have not accepted it. In the same manner i have not accepted what the lady said".

Pramod

[aargee]

Originally Posted by MX6

Guess the honda guy beaten to death was in Mumbai airport. And those two wheeler people had the audacity to chase and bang your car? Sad. Even women folk resorting to abusive language is not something that augurs well.

OK, but MX6, whereever that incident happened, I've that in mind always & WILL never step down out of car for road rages. To me, ladies are most dangerous when it comes to post accident scene. The way they behave makes me nervous; you can never fight with them because the entire crowd & cops will support them, you can never afford to keep quiet because the entire crowd & cops will think she's right.

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

That day after those bikers abused me, i cant imagine what all went through my mind, i even felt like Rajni kant where he just starts his car, corners tham takes out a gun and make those morons crap their pants , But finally i sat down and thought, what am i trying to prove, its those guys culture and upbringing that they abused a random guy on the street, its my culture and upbringing that ignored it.

OK, so I'm not the only person to sit & think like this huh?? I often feel like carrying a baseball bat or a chain ball (roadrash) & smash the front of the vehicle who comes in the opposite direction & does not leave any room/pushes the bikers out of the road. Man, I've to stop thinking all these!!!

[s3va]

Originally Posted by mooza

I took out my elaborate tool kit from my car (which I carry till this day in my Scorpio), and lifted his rear bumper back and tightened it in place, with his help. All in a span of two minutes.

The rickshaw driver was speechless. He just thanked me, and in fact we saluted each other with vigourous hand waving, and left on our ways !

That was a sweet act ! But for one moment, the auto guy might have felt bricks falling underneath when you reached out for the tool kit ! He would have even suspected that you were about to reach out for a club or a fully loaded machine gun to smother down the auto guy !

[sbraj]

Originally Posted by mooza

... all the time avoiding eye contact completely ...

One of the mechanisms through with rage spreads.

Originally Posted by s3va

But for one moment, the auto guy might have felt bricks falling underneath when you reached out for the tool kit ! He would have even suspected that you were about to reach out for a club or a fully loaded machine gun to smother down the auto guy !

In fact, I felt the same while going through the post.

mooza, what you did was basically to address the root cause. Instead of talking much, better to act positively.

This would have saved few hundred bucks exchanging hands. The auto guy would have been worried of the damage expenses.

[dr.faramroze]

Oh my..I was on my way to Gujarat after a full sleepless 24 hours at the hospital and we were near Aarey Goregaon and evening peak hour b2b traffic. I saw a loud grunted black beast aka a santro scraping all vehicles behind me and slowly approaching next to me parallel. When I noticed the five of them of their calibur, I stopped looking at them even though I was knowing they will scrap mine too. As it is I was tired and could have been provoked very easily, but I had to do great things in life so pretended I am blind. They dint scrape.

[pramodkumar]

Originally Posted by aargee

OK, so I'm not the only person to sit & think like this huh?? I often feel like carrying a baseball bat or a chain ball (roadrash) & smash the front of the vehicle who comes in the opposite direction & does not leave any room/pushes the bikers out of the road. Man, I've to stop thinking all these!!!

I will tell you something little funny, I always had a very bad mood while driving in cities, where we would have bumper to bumper traffic and all, i used to keep on murmering like a mad man, my wife used to always complain and tell me if i dont control my anger i will have health issues later. So i started thinking that i get too hyper. so we had a tbhp meet last year when i first met some fellas, and i decided to show them what my 3rd gear is capable of doing till redline. so all of us (we were 5) driving on a highway with no place to streach the cars legs, soon i noticed that each one started murmering the way i used to do, they hated every other vehicle, and were complaining about autos, bikes buses, and what not.

Conclusion: We men are alike in most of the aspects . So remember the other person might also be in the same state of mind. Better, Avoid. I used to keep my jack rod under my seatin my old car (my solonoid switch required some hitting at times), People who knew me used to think i am a cranky guy.

Pramod

[MX6]

Originally Posted by pramodkumar

Conclusion: We men are alike in most of the aspects . So remember the other person might also be in the same state of mind.

Well true that the other person might also be in the same state of mind!
I test drove bbkp's car on saturday night. The comment he came up with was hilarious.
bbkp: I'm not a methodical driver like you man. sometimes I drive like an "empty region right in between the gluteous maximus".
The double quoted words are to save myself from infractions!

Unless I'm almost killed, I don't let road rage hit me. If there's a life threatening incident on road for no fault of mine, then I weigh the scenario and let loose all the fury. Has happened very rarely in my 15 years of driving, but, it's happened nevertheless.

[aargee]

I guess all of us here hate the city traffic. Right now my strongest belief is, if you let other people go or leave way for others, that's the beginning. I ride an RX, most of the time, guys running on FZ, Pulsar, R15, ZMA, sometimes Spledour, Discover 135 & once TVS 50 try to do street racing with me. So now days what I do is, when I see them in RVM, I find a nearest possible way to move towards left & take away my right hand from throttle & also sign them to pass me. To my surprise very very few people continue to ride like morons after that & most often I see they calming down & I would be able to over take them after few minutes (remember, I still ride the same way as I do) & they don't chase me at all.