Do you get provoked easily on the road?

[gd1418]

Many years back when I used drove a M800, M1000 & an Esteem, used to get frustrated as cabbies, mini-buses frequently cut-off from the left etc.

After getting the Safari the scene changed. I had the right of the way. Now with the Scorpio in the stable pesky drivers don't bother.

But yes, I nowadays get provoked & am on a short fuse, but don't react immediately. Allow myself to settle down. But when I can't then I try to bully them off the road. I know it is wrong and could prove detrimental as they say - "ser ko sava ser mila".

But after scoring half-century in life I don't think I can change...

[nnandi]

Well, I think most of us get provoked, when we find one of those indicabs honking incessantly behind you inspite of you driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic and somehow he wants to fly away! But yes, maturity is, not to react to him and keep driving safely/relaxed (using some of your choicest adjectives for him silently in your mind.)
So, Yes I do get provoked, but matured enough not to land up fighting with every other guy on the road!

[watashi75]

I voted "yes" but now I have to say "no" since the poll question itself got modified. Is it possible to change my vote?

[ashish22]

well yes i do get provoked but most of the times i let my car do the talking(which again is wrong, i admit). What can i do?? i'm an egoistic driver

[Roy.S]

Funny thing happened today. Swerved to avoid a car and came uncomfortably close to a bike. Usually I am easily provoked but this time instead of flipping the car guy and abusing him, decided to stop and apologize to the rider.
Riding slowly, he pulls up beside me and I start to say sorry in my heavily accented Kannada.
He just stares.
Repeat the whole thing making a special effort to lose the accent.
Still staring.
Then, the wind changed direction and I smelt the booze on his breath. He was so hammered that he had not even seen me swerve and had no idea that anything had gone wrong.
'So, may I leave?' I asked.
'Why not? I never even asked you to stop', he slurred back.
Asked him to take it easy, and drove off.

[mvns84]

I do get flustered by 3 things.

The first, people who stop everyone trying to make a u-turn on a busy road. They start turning from the left, go horizontal and then stop, cause the opposite lane is full with traffic.

Secondly, people driving in the middle lane at 20. Primarily these are autos ( usually empty) and drivers of the feminine gender ( no offense).

Lastly, are the people who drive with a don't care attitude/showing off.

I thought about adding people who are searching for a particular building on a road, moving at 5 km/h weaving left to right while moving their heads in the same direction.( usually bikes), but that would be unfair.

My response is usually a prolonged honk to warn them/wake them. If there is no response, the window is rolled down and some mature expressions are used. I try to calm down, but sometimes you can't just leave, the situation demands some sort of expression.

[sridharganesan]

I used to get provoked but have stopped reacting to the maniacs on the road. I used to be on a short fuse and never shied away from using my choiciest expletives on the crazy lunatics before me. But realization came, when one day, I had to brake hard because a biker tried to suddently do a jig in front of my car and all of a sudden my little son, who was 5 years old then (couple of years back) started abusing him with some of abusive words from my repository!! I was blown and felt ashamed on passing on such values to my son and decided to stop then and there itself.

Nowadays, he is 7 years old and whenever I brake hard or honks or swervs in front of such maniacs, he says to me "Appa...now don't you start yelling" and I calm down with a smile!!

[Thad E Ginathom]

I provoked somebody the other day.

Finding a narrow road blocked by a large car, I started honking and shouting.

Did I wait patiently for even two minutes before embarking on this verbal road rage? Did I stop to consider that he must have a good reason to stop there and might move very soon?

No.

Did I get the guy really pissed off with me? Well, yes, and, frankly, I'm relieved he didn't thump me!

Quite how, after a pleasant and successful day out, I managed to explode like this I really don't know.

I can only say that I owe somebody an apology --- so if anyone ever tells that they met with this idiot, arrogant foreigner in a Swift, tell him "sorry" from me.

I'm just embarrassed...

[marlinspike]

When someone especially cab drivers honks @ the stop light cause you were half a second slower to move that really pisses me off. I sometimes just stop till the light turns red again especially when he's too close to go around and the traffic is packed, yeah I'm pissing some people who may think 'gawd these rookie drivers', most of the time the cab guy gets the point. No point honking.

[abhayshanu]

no i dont get provoked, i am a very calm and relaxed driver. I am not saying that i drive slow, i am saying that i am calm and relaxed, i do drive fast and only a little rashly, but here in bombay you have to be a little harsh on those pesky autos.
I do get pissed off a drunk, brats with more dough than brains, driving their dad's lancers, NHCs, civics, octys, swift, etc,(i also drive my mom's or my dad's car, but with either of them sitting with me as i am still not 18). They think that they are sitting in a extremely awesome car that is much better than many cars performance wise, which they are, but the person driving it isnt. So i just show them that having a great car doesnt make you a great driver, mostly i drive from my resort, to my home, where nearly 25 km is on the WE highway, here i find many of these fools, so i just choose the worst from the lot, by looking at them, if they are going to harm anyone, if i see a guy like this, i really rev the engine to the redline, at a signal,(this is going to be typical for most) he sees me, then he laughs, he then tells his friends, then they laugh, i turn my wagon r to petrol, get ready for a launch, the signal is green and by the time he sees it green, i am off, once i get ahead i dont let him pass, mostly these guys are going to bandra, so i am the one who leaves the highway, so i keep on going, passing many more cars, it is my usual route, so i know every pot hole and also the 'fast' lanes, i just take them and by the time i am at the hub flyover, i start to slow down, convert it to CNG, when they come to pass me, i just give them a look like - i told you so, it isnt the car, it is the driver that matters, MOSTLY these guys then slow down, only once i saw one of the guy speed off, showing the finger and to his bad luck he tailended a police balero.

I am not saying that what i do is correct, i am only saying that i will not handle anyone getting hurt by these fools, by doing this, i make them concentrate on just keeping up on me and keep them following my trail.
Anyways, it is sometimes fun to race with a GOOD driver, who can handle bad situations.

[Roy.S]

More then once I have caused a small scene and made a bit of an donkey of myself. At the end of the day I have always wondered why I made such a fuss over a knock which would have cost next to nothing to rub out with some turtle wax. Usually my anger is catalyzed by the perpetrator's 'move on dude! its not that big a scratch' attitude. That really gets me. Am actively working on not flying off the handle no matter what the provocation. Aim to eventually become a 'road Buddha'.
I have also had my 'never mind. no one was injured and thats what matters' moments. These usually end with a lot of handshaking and smiling.

Originally Posted by abhayshanu

i also drive my mom's or my dad's car, but with either of them sitting with me as i am still not 18).

Is this a good idea? Better wait a bit.

[straightdrive]

Originally Posted by Roy.S

More then once I have caused a small scene...........................Am actively working on not flying off the handle no matter what the provocation...........

Can understand that. I have a tendency to get more hot and bothered about jerks driving stupidly than they deserve - it affects my concentration and that's not worth it.

Originally Posted by abhayshanu

....i do drive fast and only a little rashly,....i am still not 18..........if i see a guy like this, i really rev the engine to the redline, at a signal,...........I am not saying that what i do is correct,.....by doing this, i make them concentrate on just keeping up on me and keep them following my trail...............

Abhayshanu, a bit of gratuitous advice from someone who remembers what it was like to be "still not 18". You have just admitted to 1) instigating others to race on the road, 2) driving without a license and 3) driving without being qualified to have a license. If I understood you right, you try to make rash drivers concentrate only on keeping up with you and you feel that will reduce the chances of them "hurting" anyone else. I doubt it - people who are willing to get pulled into these sort of races don't always bother too much about safe driving. Think about it.

Hope your driving skills are as high as your self-confidence

[Aditya]

No. I don't get provoked easily. I do get irritated at times with people driving too slowly in the overtaking lane of the highway or excessive honkers, but, I curse them in my mind and let them be.
Most of the time, the sheer size of the Contessa is enough to deter people from acting silly. Also, the Drive Safe sticker on my car keeps reminding me that I am carrying the reputation of an entire community on my shoulders.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I provoked somebody the other day.

Finding a narrow road blocked by a large car, I started honking and shouting.

I'm just embarrassed...

Strictly my policy too, when the other driver is inconsiderate. Good job, Thad. Do the provoking. Never get provoked. Lean on the horn, yell at the top of your voice, BUT don't let your blood pressure rise, or break into a sweat.

Please don't be embarrassed. And no apologies either.

I don't get provoked. I provoke...

[theMAG]

I used to get provoked very easily in the past. Then I figured that between the two parties, its me that has to contend with my elevated blood pressure and deteriorated quality of life after such incidents. So now, I am cool as cucumber (!). Also, having developed the fine art of anticipating an idiot's next move on the road and taking preventive measures before-hand has helped greatly towards my lowered BP.