Road Rage?

[Number-Six]

Hi, I am looking for some opinions, if anyone is willing to read on.

I've had a couple of altercations while driving in the past month that are making me wonder if I have anger issues or something.

First time:

• I am turning left, following a long line of cars. In the middle lane, a car wants to cut through but no one can/wants to let him through. He speeds up quite a bit and cuts 2 cars ahead, almost hitting a couple of pedestrians in the process while turning left (at this point in the far right lane of 3).
  
  He bolts again, changing lanes left going all the way in the first lane and again almost hitting someone (this time the car in front of me). I'm in the middle lane at this point and the light at the next intersection is red so i stop and just happen to stop beside the guy. I yell at him "what the f... man, who the h... do you think you are?!" and he started saying he just had to turn there, the light turned green and I just moved on. My girlfriend was not happy with me (I usually never say anything).

Second time:

• Road work means that the usual 2 lane/1 bicycle path street i take back from work is now a one lane street.
  
  Bikes are not detoured so we have to share the lane. Every car hugs the left so that bikes can pass on the right (in traffic, of course the bikes progress faster). The idiot behind me hugs the right, so bikes either have to wait behind him or go left around him. Some of the bikes pass on the right anyway.
  
  At one point, that seems to piss him off because he hugs the right even more, causing a cyclist to fall on the sidewalk. Not even a minute later, a woman who had passed him on the left and was now wanting to go back right nearly got pinned between my car and the other guys car. I am not exactly sure what happened next, but my car definitely got pushed - either by the woman on the bike or the guy in the car.
  
  The woman said it was the guy who bumped me as she passed. I got out of the car, checked my bumper (no damage) and said to the guy:
  Me: don't you see that everyone is on the left, why are you blocking cyclists?
  Him: why should I? no one is respecting me
  Me: but you're almost causing accidents, she (the cyclist) said you bumped me
  Him: of course she'd say that ...
  
  and he continued on rambling about respect while getting really offensive. At this point I took two steps forward and was going to punch him, I'm really not proud to say. As soon as my fist came up, I saw two things in his face: OhS**t! immediately followed by dollar signs.
  
  I knew it would be trouble right then, so I turned around, got back in my car and left. When the road work area ended and he was able to get beside me on a red light, he said something to the effect of "so you're all talk huh?" but he was so close I couldn't open my door without hitting his car. It pretty much confirmed to me he was doing all that in order to play the victim of something.

Now no matter how much of an idiot that guy could be, I'm still pretty upset about my behavior.

I could say that I've not had more than 4-5 nights of comfortable sleep in the past 6 weeks (it is so hot here and can only use portable AC in my apartment which is not cutting it when it's near 105 during the day and over 85 in the night, and so humid).

I could also say that I really need vacations (which are coming up, finally, in two weeks).

But does it excuse my behavior?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Hi, I am looking for some opinions, if anyone is willing to read on.

I've had a couple of altercations while driving in the past month that are making me wonder if I have anger issues or something.

First time:

• I am turning left, following a long line of cars. In the middle lane, a car wants to cut through but no one can/wants to let him through. He speeds up quite a bit and cuts 2 cars ahead, almost hitting a couple of pedestrians in the process while turning left (at this point in the far right lane of 3).
  
  He bolts again, changing lanes left going all the way in the first lane and again almost hitting someone (this time the car in front of me). I'm in the middle lane at this point and the light at the next intersection is red so i stop and just happen to stop beside the guy. I yell at him "what the f... man, who the h... do you think you are?!" and he started saying he just had to turn there, the light turned green and I just moved on. My girlfriend was not happy with me (I usually never say anything).

Second time:

• Road work means that the usual 2 lane/1 bicycle path street i take back from work is now a one lane street.
  
  Bikes are not detoured so we have to share the lane. Every car hugs the left so that bikes can pass on the right (in traffic, of course the bikes progress faster). The idiot behind me hugs the right, so bikes either have to wait behind him or go left around him. Some of the bikes pass on the right anyway.
  
  At one point, that seems to piss him off because he hugs the right even more, causing a cyclist to fall on the sidewalk. Not even a minute later, a woman who had passed him on the left and was now wanting to go back right nearly got pinned between my car and the other guys car. I am not exactly sure what happened next, but my car definitely got pushed - either by the woman on the bike or the guy in the car.
  
  The woman said it was the guy who bumped me as she passed. I got out of the car, checked my bumper (no damage) and said to the guy:
  Me: don't you see that everyone is on the left, why are you blocking cyclists?
  Him: why should I? no one is respecting me
  Me: but you're almost causing accidents, she (the cyclist) said you bumped me
  Him: of course she'd say that ...
  
  and he continued on rambling about respect while getting really offensive. At this point I took two steps forward and was going to punch him, I'm really not proud to say. As soon as my fist came up, I saw two things in his face: OhS**t! immediately followed by dollar signs.
  
  I knew it would be trouble right then, so I turned around, got back in my car and left. When the road work area ended and he was able to get beside me on a red light, he said something to the effect of "so you're all talk huh?" but he was so close I couldn't open my door without hitting his car. It pretty much confirmed to me he was doing all that in order to play the victim of something.

Now no matter how much of an idiot that guy could be, I'm still pretty upset about my behavior.

I could say that I've not had more than 4-5 nights of comfortable sleep in the past 6 weeks (it is so hot here and can only use portable AC in my apartment which is not cutting it when it's near 105 during the day and over 85 in the night, and so humid).

I could also say that I really need vacations (which are coming up, finally, in two weeks).

But does it excuse my behavior?

In a word, no, probably not.

 

[Gutwrench]

If those are examples of you having anger issues then I’m Genghis Khan.

 

[Huntn]

Hi, I am looking for some opinions, if anyone is willing to read on.

I've had a couple of altercations while driving in the past month that are making me wonder if I have anger issues or something.

First time:

• I am turning left, following a long line of cars. In the middle lane, a car wants to cut through but no one can/wants to let him through. He speeds up quite a bit and cuts 2 cars ahead, almost hitting a couple of pedestrians in the process while turning left (at this point in the far right lane of 3).
  
  He bolts again, changing lanes left going all the way in the first lane and again almost hitting someone (this time the car in front of me). I'm in the middle lane at this point and the light at the next intersection is red so i stop and just happen to stop beside the guy. I yell at him "what the f... man, who the h... do you think you are?!" and he started saying he just had to turn there, the light turned green and I just moved on. My girlfriend was not happy with me (I usually never say anything).

Second time:

• Road work means that the usual 2 lane/1 bicycle path street i take back from work is now a one lane street.
  
  Bikes are not detoured so we have to share the lane. Every car hugs the left so that bikes can pass on the right (in traffic, of course the bikes progress faster). The idiot behind me hugs the right, so bikes either have to wait behind him or go left around him. Some of the bikes pass on the right anyway.
  
  At one point, that seems to piss him off because he hugs the right even more, causing a cyclist to fall on the sidewalk. Not even a minute later, a woman who had passed him on the left and was now wanting to go back right nearly got pinned between my car and the other guys car. I am not exactly sure what happened next, but my car definitely got pushed - either by the woman on the bike or the guy in the car.
  
  The woman said it was the guy who bumped me as she passed. I got out of the car, checked my bumper (no damage) and said to the guy:
  Me: don't you see that everyone is on the left, why are you blocking cyclists?
  Him: why should I? no one is respecting me
  Me: but you're almost causing accidents, she (the cyclist) said you bumped me
  Him: of course she'd say that ...
  
  and he continued on rambling about respect while getting really offensive. At this point I took two steps forward and was going to punch him, I'm really not proud to say. As soon as my fist came up, I saw two things in his face: OhS**t! immediately followed by dollar signs.
  
  I knew it would be trouble right then, so I turned around, got back in my car and left. When the road work area ended and he was able to get beside me on a red light, he said something to the effect of "so you're all talk huh?" but he was so close I couldn't open my door without hitting his car. It pretty much confirmed to me he was doing all that in order to play the victim of something.

Now no matter how much of an idiot that guy could be, I'm still pretty upset about my behavior.

I could say that I've not had more than 4-5 nights of comfortable sleep in the past 6 weeks (it is so hot here and can only use portable AC in my apartment which is not cutting it when it's near 105 during the day and over 85 in the night, and so humid).

I could also say that I really need vacations (which are coming up, finally, in two weeks).

But does it excuse my behavior?

People can be quite selfish, not you by your description. We were traveling back from West Texas (a while back) on the Interstate with a lot of large trucks and cars were lined up in the left lanes to pass the slower trucks on the right and this guy comes zooming up in the right lane and expects people to let him in. But not that day, and he had to wait, several times to get around a truck. I finally let him in early, and when he got next to the truck he was passing he slowed down to the speed of the truck, so this long line of cars could not pass for about 5 miles. When he finally got tired of his game, and speed up, well this is Texas and he had several pickup trucks go after, and harass him. Not helping was that he was black.

 

[Number-Six]

People can be quite selfish, not you by your description. We were traveling back from West Texas (a while back) on the Interstate with a lot of large trucks and cars were lined up in the left lanes to pass the slower trucks on the right and this guy comes zooming up in the right lane and expects people to let him in. But not that day, and he had to wait, several times to get around a truck. I finally let him in early, and when he got next to the truck he was passing he slowed down to the speed of the truck, so this long line of cars could not pass for about 5 miles. When he finally got tired of his game, and speed up, we’ll this is Texas and he had several pickup trucks go after, and harass him. Not helping was that he was black.

I see more and more people who just expect that others will let them pass.

And then clearly get angry when they have to wait.

 

[eyoungren]

Hi, I am looking for some opinions, if anyone is willing to read on.

I've had a couple of altercations while driving in the past month that are making me wonder if I have anger issues or something.

First time:

• I am turning left, following a long line of cars. In the middle lane, a car wants to cut through but no one can/wants to let him through. He speeds up quite a bit and cuts 2 cars ahead, almost hitting a couple of pedestrians in the process while turning left (at this point in the far right lane of 3).
  
  He bolts again, changing lanes left going all the way in the first lane and again almost hitting someone (this time the car in front of me). I'm in the middle lane at this point and the light at the next intersection is red so i stop and just happen to stop beside the guy. I yell at him "what the f... man, who the h... do you think you are?!" and he started saying he just had to turn there, the light turned green and I just moved on. My girlfriend was not happy with me (I usually never say anything).

Second time:

• Road work means that the usual 2 lane/1 bicycle path street i take back from work is now a one lane street.
  
  Bikes are not detoured so we have to share the lane. Every car hugs the left so that bikes can pass on the right (in traffic, of course the bikes progress faster). The idiot behind me hugs the right, so bikes either have to wait behind him or go left around him. Some of the bikes pass on the right anyway.
  
  At one point, that seems to piss him off because he hugs the right even more, causing a cyclist to fall on the sidewalk. Not even a minute later, a woman who had passed him on the left and was now wanting to go back right nearly got pinned between my car and the other guys car. I am not exactly sure what happened next, but my car definitely got pushed - either by the woman on the bike or the guy in the car.
  
  The woman said it was the guy who bumped me as she passed. I got out of the car, checked my bumper (no damage) and said to the guy:
  Me: don't you see that everyone is on the left, why are you blocking cyclists?
  Him: why should I? no one is respecting me
  Me: but you're almost causing accidents, she (the cyclist) said you bumped me
  Him: of course she'd say that ...
  
  and he continued on rambling about respect while getting really offensive. At this point I took two steps forward and was going to punch him, I'm really not proud to say. As soon as my fist came up, I saw two things in his face: OhS**t! immediately followed by dollar signs.
  
  I knew it would be trouble right then, so I turned around, got back in my car and left. When the road work area ended and he was able to get beside me on a red light, he said something to the effect of "so you're all talk huh?" but he was so close I couldn't open my door without hitting his car. It pretty much confirmed to me he was doing all that in order to play the victim of something.

Now no matter how much of an idiot that guy could be, I'm still pretty upset about my behavior.

I could say that I've not had more than 4-5 nights of comfortable sleep in the past 6 weeks (it is so hot here and can only use portable AC in my apartment which is not cutting it when it's near 105 during the day and over 85 in the night, and so humid).

I could also say that I really need vacations (which are coming up, finally, in two weeks).

But does it excuse my behavior?

I would say your thought processes are normal. The actual confrontation part though you probably want to avoid engaging in.

I have a 40 minute commute both ways every weekday. Always turns in to an hour because of traffic. But traffic always tends to be the way it is because people don't know how to merge.

Guaranted, there will always be at least one issue that has me ranting in my head. From people who take their time off the line (lights) to people who brake for absolutely no reason.

Recently, I've heard it said that driving is an insurance game. Why else would the bar to get a license be so low in all 50 states?

I find though that there is far more selfishness in driving now then there used to be. People think they are more special than everyone else and should be treated with priority.

I try to drive as to control (as much as I can) the space around my vehicle though. Truckers have a way of driving where they drive just a little slower than others. It means they don't have to brake as often or as hard and can maintain speed. It means they hang back farther to do that. I adopted that practice (in traffic) when I first learned to drive. It allows the 'me first' people to get in front of me and go. I don't have a problem with that because these idiots who wait until the last second to merge are the one causing the traffic jams. With them out of the way the traffic behind them moves easier.

At the same time I can control the speed of the guy behind me because sooner or later they figure out that we're moving and not braking - even if it's a bit slower. And since I am stopping easier they are much less likely to hit me from behind.

 

[quagmire]

I don't have a problem with that because these idiots who wait until the last second to merge are the one causing the traffic jams. With them out of the way the traffic behind them moves easier.

In gridlock, that is actually the best way to merge is to zipper in as the lane ends. One car in the lane ending, merges, car in remaining lane goes, car in lane ending, merges behind that car, etc. Of course issue is, you still get the selfish jerks who won't let the car zipper in, people will often use the exit/entrance lanes as a way to move up so they will change lanes and then need to be let back into traffic, etc.

But when traffic is flowing at speed, you now have the issue of people not knowing right of way, and then want to accelerate slowly to maximize fuel economy or just scarred of driving in general so they enter the highway going 30-40 MPH and then expect the flow of traffic going 55-70 MPH to slow down to let them in. When it is the people already on the highway's right of way, not the merging traffic.

Then you have people not caring about left lane rules so you get rolling road blocks, etc.

I can write a book about my complaints of bad drivers.

 

[Gutwrench]

Commuting would be so much easier and less stressful if everyone would just calm down and realize we are all trying to get somewhere too....but that I’m just in a bigger hurry than everyone else.