Just the other day, I was a passenger riding in the car with my friend Rodney. Rodney is a nice, successful guy with a Type A, go-getter personality. We were driving along, having a normal conversation, when all of the sudden, a car cut in front of us. I thought to myself, “What a jerk” as I watched the car speed away. But my friend Rodney had a reaction you could say was less than pleasant. He totally freaked out, screamed every curse word in the book, and then took off in wild pursuit of the guy who cut us off. I was downright frightened. Rodney followed this other driver for 2 miles taunting, screaming, and honking like a madman. When he finally settled down, I felt like I’d gotten stuck on a roller coast loop which kept going ‘round and ‘round and ‘round…such was the intensity of Rodney’s anger.
Maybe you know someone who is similarly set off by the actions of other drivers. Here are 3 ways to get a handle on Road Rage and avoid its unfortunate and sometimes dangerous consequences:
1. LEAVE ROOM FOR ERROR
“Patience is passion tamed.” --Lyman Abbot
A Road Rager aggressively tailgating another driver leaves little room for error. One mistake and the tailgaiter crashes into the back of the other vehicle. The idea being that no matter how on top of things one might be, life doesn’t always go as planned. God forbid something happens, it need not be such a big deal. You shouldn’t have to “slam on the brakes” and explode into the red-lining emotions typical of a Road Rager. Just as you learn in driving school to leave a little “space cushion” between yourself and another driver, consider leaving a little space for life’s mishaps, obstacles, and bad days to unfold without causing a freak out.
2. UNDERSTAND ANGER
“Lust, anger, and greed. Those are the 3 soul-destroying gates of he-l.” Bhagavad Gita
Every single human being on the face of this earth is vulnerable to the life-changing effects of either lust, anger, or greed. So if anger is your Kryptonite, be careful, be aware, be proactive. In much the way that a tiny match can ignite a vast forest in flames, a little disruption can ignite a wonderful yet anger-prone human being into a hellraising demon on wheels (aka Road Rage). Understand what sparks your anger, know when you are particularly vulnerable (ie: tired, hungry, hungover), and at least “TRY” to be aware that an Incredible Hulk is lurking in your depths. "In a controversy, the instant we feel anger, we have already ceased striving for truth, and have begun striving for ourselves." (Abraham Heschel)
3. LET 'ER RIP...
“A riot is the language of the unheard.” Martin Luther King
An angry Road Rager has most likely grown accustomed to bottling up certain emotions.The result: something’s gotta be released often in very inconvenient circumstances. The cure: allow time and space to liberate pent-up emotion. Whether it’s a good workout, therapy, or the occasional cry-your-heart out moment, as David Borenstein said, “Dangerous is the man who has rationalized (and bottled) his emotions.”
by Yeah Dave (David Romanelli)
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