Driving 101
There are many bad drivers out there, and a lot of them don't even know it. They have bad habits, are unaware of their obligations as drivers, or are just too distracted to drive properly. These are the drivers that provoke a negative reaction from those of us who make an effort to drive in a professional manner and follow the rules of the road (it's not folklore; there actually is a written set of rules for driving!), and these are the drivers most likely to incite Road Rage in others. There's nothing you can do if the driver next to you is ready to pop like a balloon (it's up to that person to seek the necessary psychological assistance), but there are ways to minimize the chance that your actions will offend, anger, or impede them. Here are some tips:
1 - If you're not in the process of passing someone, STAY OUT OF THE LEFT LANE!: Probably the single most annoying thing a driver can come across is the "Left Lane Squatter", that is, someone who constantly drives in the left lane despite the fact that the right lanes are unoccupied.
It's your right to drive at the speed you feel comfortable, but if you want to drive slowly, stay to the right. It's not only the law, but the fact that it is illegal to pass on the right prevents another driver from legally passing you if you are in the left lane, and therefore causes him to tailgate (also illegal) in order to signal you that he wants to pass. It doesn't matter if you're driving at the speed limit…it's not up to you to enforce the law. He may have a legitimate emergency that's causing him to want to get by you, and if not, the cop further down the road will take care of him. Think of it this way: If you were walking down the street, and someone tried to get by, would you intentionally block them? Move over, let them by, and they'll no longer be your concern.
2 - SIGNAL YOUR INTENTIONS!: We've all had this happen to us: you're driving down the road, and all of the sudden a car in the next lane pulls out in front of you, forcing you to brake to avoid hitting him.
If you want to change lanes, signal first, wait for either an opening or consent from the other driver (signalling does not give you priority…you have to wait for the opening), and then change lanes. The other driver is not psychic, and by changing lanes without signalling, you force the other driver to make an emergency avoidance manoeuvre, which is likely to spark anger and resentment. How would you feel if someone threw a baseball towards you, forcing you to duck to avoid getting your nose broken? Exactly.
3 - PUT DOWN THAT CELL PHONE!: I can't tell you how many times I've seen a car moving in an erratic manner (such as speeding up and slowing down for no apparent reason, or weaving side to side) and thought to myself "that's a drunk driver!", only to pull up beside the car and see the driver chatting away on a cell phone. When you drive, you should be concentrating on your driving and nothing else, with both hands on the wheel. Put down the phone, sandwich, lipstick, electric razor, or anything else that can distract you from operating a motor vehicle. Save the multitasking for the office, where no one's life is on the line.
4 - When the light turns green…GO!: Take your finger out of your nose, stop looking at that cloud, and go! You don't have to floor the accelerator and squeel your tires...just get going. Keep in mind that the driver in the first car at a traffic light has the responsibility to keep awake and react when the light turns green, as there are a line of cars behind him and they'd also like to make it through before it turns red. The only excuse for hesitation is if your view of the crossing traffic is obstructed, but most intersections are open enough that you can see if all the traffic has come to a stop before proceeding.
5 - When merging on to a highway...ACCELERATE!: People think that when entering a highway, the drivers on the highway have to move over to let them in…this is not the case. While it is courteous and recommended to do so, it is not mandatory, and, it is not always possible because there may be another vehicle in the next lane. This is why the responsibility falls on the driver entering the highway to merge safely by matching his speed to that of the traffic flow. If the traffic is going 100 kilometers per hour, and you're only going 70, you won't be able to find an opening.
I notice when a driver tries to enter a highway at a really slow rate, he often panics when noticing how much faster the traffic on the highway is, and slows down. That's the worst thing you could do, because all the other cars behind you bunch up, someone in the line tries to enter the highway anyway and causes a chain reaction when everyone has to brake to avoid hitting him. It gets even worse when there's a truck involved, because they can't stop or swerve a well as a car can. Sometimes, faster is better.
6 - Just because you are going up a hill, it doesn't mean you have to go slowly: When we walk, our pace uphill is naturally slower than our pace over level ground or downhill, because of the extra effort involved. That doesn't translate over to a motor vehicle though, because all you have to do is give a little more gas, and the car will accelerate normally. The extra physical effort is negligible.
7 - If someone is trying to pass you on the left, DON'T ACCELERATE!: It's illegal to do so, and the result is that the driver trying to pass you speeds up, and you both end up racing for a meaningless position on the road. You lose track of your speed, and risk an accident, and for what? Your ego? It's not worth it.
Let him go, and if he slows down when he gets in front of you, pass him back…just don't forget to signal and wait for an opening when you do!
Basically, the rule of thumb is this: If you make another driver have to brake, swerve, or in any way impede his progress, you risk an accident, and, their wrath…whether you deserve it or not.
Despite all this, even if you drive properly, are courteous and patient, you still can't please everyone. There are people who think that they are always right, and no matter how well you drive, they'll find some reason to single you out. If one of these zeroes gets angry and starts threatening you, don't play his game. The cop around the next corner might see your retaliation to his attack, and not what caused it, and think that you are the instigator. Just take down his plate number and report him. If he's a real road rager, it won't be the first time, and eventually, if enough people complain, he'll learn his lesson, or lose his licence.
Just remember to pull over and come to a complete stop before making the call.
