Road Rage in Training!
So Road Rage is a rare occurrence, right?
Errrrrmm…NO!
If you think that Road Rage is considered to be anything from tailgating to finger-wagging, to THE finger, to purposely acting like a CHOP to the aggravation of a fellow road users, to full-on blows with a blunt object…or worse, discharging a firearm, then no – it happens all day long somewhere in our country to varied extents, frequency and severity.
That it does happen is a fact and so is the fact that the only person that have control over your attitude, is YOU, and it helps to work on that self-control.
Yes, I know that the Taxi Driver stops at a whim or presses in front of you without indication or permission; Yes, I know “the idiot” in front of you seems to be looking for parking while you’re doing 80km/h; Yes, I know that the Chop hogging “the fast lane” seems spiteful; Yes, I know that 4 x 4 is right up your arse and he typifies the stereotype in your mind; Yes, I know you think people over 60 are old and they should hand in their licenses; Yes, I know it seems that you are the only one left on the planet that is trying to follow the rules; Yes, I know… so many, many things, OR so I’ve been hearing from shocked, angry, disgusted, disillusioned and horrified Learner Drivers. One even had a classic habit of Passenger Road Rage when driving with his parents, can you believe it!
Many things will influence you and how you learn to drive. The secret is to stay in the moment and assess what others are doing as an observation only whilst keeping a sharp focus on yourself. Other driver behaviour IS NOT meant to spark off a post mortem or critical thinking skills on your part. You See, You Assess, You Plan, and You Execute. Simple.
To do a re-take on that Taxi Driver…
You don’t have a clear view of at least four to five cars in front of you but you notice that there’s some erratic braking going on with the car in front of you. You don’t panic, strip your nut or lose you sense of humour with this person since something you can’t see is causing his braking behaviour, right?
- You increase your following distance – NOT the other way around
- You increase your Hazard Awareness
- You STAY in the middle of you lane!
- The first person that hoots in your vicinity is the additional guy to watch – he may be the first to, impatiently, do something stupid
- Whomever overtakes you to jump the queue from behind is the first guy you let into the gap in front of you
- You maintain your increased following distance, NO MATTER WHAT or HOW MANY people cut in front of you
- You DO NOT let your mind start drifting in the slow moving traffic
- These are just some of the things you should be doing – focussing on YOU and your safety…
That said, I must admit that it may take just about all of your blood pressure and the last nerve you have left.
But you know what?
You are preparing to get your license and since any sort of influence you allow other drivers to assert over you WILL spark an emotional response of one sort or the other with you, it’s best to practice the rules, stick to them, and pass your test knowing that you’re a better driver than many out there.
Thing is, you’ll encounter all types of drivers out there and learning a set of good Driving Values will always stand you in good stead.
You were raised well – LET IT SHOW!!!
Some, however, won’t quite make your grade.
Can you, for one second imagine what kind of driver THIS “Road Rage-in-Training-Kid” in the video will be one day? Terribly sad to expose you to this, I know, but can you now see that some of the drivers you meet on the road these days possibly started off just like this kid?
Your comments will really be appreciated on this one, please. C’mon, I know you have a strong opinion on the matter.
