What’s with all the road rage lately?

[jae bear]

 Oh my goodness! What is going on with people on the road today? Twice in the span of two weeks I have had some crazy person throw a drink at my car! Granted I’m not very fast behind the wheel but I do keep to the slow lane in my little mini van and I don’t bother anyone, on the same stretch of road I had one crazy 20-year-old woman come up behind me at 90 miles an hour only to pull alongside, swear at me, flip me off and then throw her drink against the side of my minivan before she sped away! today two morons brought traffic to a standstill as they yelled and screamed at each other at 10 miles an hour for a good two minutes. Since I was behind the aggressor of the two I beeped at him, which then turned his attention to me and he threw a bottle of water at the windshield of my minivan, I can only think what a waste of water as I drink bottled water all the time. I guess the one thing that I’m very happy about is my lack of anger behind the wheel, this was not always true, as I once was very much like those maniacs yelling and screaming at each other. If HRT has done any one thing for me that is extremely positive it has been to reduce or eliminate the horrible temper that I once had, and I know I’m not alone as I’ve heard that from many others here too. I wonder if at some point we can get  some of these Road rage maniacs some estrogen? It might change their outlook entirely ...

 Hugs, 

Jackie

[SugarMagnolia]

Three words: Bay Area Traffic.

It drives people crazy. Estrogen might work, but I think a pass for public transit might be more effective. ?

[jae bear]

 Oh my gosh yes !  Put them on the bus for a while until they cool off, maybe it’s just the heat, or maybe it’s the ridiculous pace of Silicon Valley driving everyone nuts, but I’m just glad I’m not one of the nuts anymore!  Then again I suppose it just depends on who you ask and how well they know me as to whether or not I’m still a nut! HA!!!

 Hugs, 

 Jackie 

[Kirsten]

The issue is the slow drivers. If you can’t drive 5 mph over the speed limit, be prepared to have angry people yell at you. I drive a truck for work. A big awkward bucket truck. And people scream at me all day. But we have gps so I can’t go fast. In my personal truck it doesn’t happen. But I see it all day all the time. Slow drivers mess up everything for everyone else. They think they are doing nothing wrong. But in fact they are the ones causing 90% of the issues. Even my police details say that. So don’t drive slow! Lol 

 

[Willow]

Northern Virginia/Washington DC area is another really bad place for road rage.  I used to live there and worked in DC for a number of years.  I used to blow my horn and salute other drivers and the like.  i now attribute that in large part to my depression which manifested itself in anger issues.  I had enough and moved west away from the aggression and now I am retired and live in a quiet coastal area.  I was still depressed until this month when I went on an anti-depressant for my gender dysphoria.  turns out that when I was most aggressive was when I was feeling the greatest angst about wanting to be female and being ashamed.  Now that I am seeing a therapist and talking about it, and starting to do something about it, I feel a lot better.  I guess I can finally understand myself and begin my journey too.

 

Willow

[Jani]

1 hour ago, Willow said:

I had enough and moved west away from the aggression

I think there comes a time when you realize it doesn't matter.  Its a few minutes in a lifetime.  I'm retired also so maybe that enters into it.  My wife says I drive like an old lady now.  Ironic.

 

Jani

[Willow]

Me too, just like Jae bear. Right lane go my own way and usually do better than the constant lane changers.

[jae bear]

On 6/22/2018 at 10:41 AM, Willow said:

Me too, just like Jae bear. Right lane go my own way and usually do better than the constant lane changers.

HA,  I know right!? I don’t know maybe I’m just not in that much of a hurry, the road I was on originally where the girl threw a drink at me was only a 40 mile an hour road, and I had already reached the speed limit and probably was one or 2 miles an hour above it by the time she came up on me at 90, really just no reason for her to be driving like that. I do find on the freeway I don’t stick to the speed limit but I don’t go a little faster, are usually have around 70 maybe 75 but I don’t want to get a ticket so I keep an eye on the speed. Yesterday I went for a drive with our local Pontiac Fiero club,  I love my little Fiero it is so fun to drive, the little mid engine car goes around corners like It’s on rails. Driving with the group I typically follow and stay in line, but we go about 75 or 80 and the little Fieros sneak up there speed on you. Driving back I followed a small group and we were getting close to 90 once in a while, and I can always tell when I hit 90 because my headlight buckets pop up, ha ha, they are either like built in speed breaks or a quick indication that you’re going to fast. Typically on the way back we were traveling along at 80 but even then we weren’t in the fast lane most of the time as traffic was going by at 90+ and we didn’t want to be in the way. For whatever reason my minivan doesn’t seem to sneak up the speed on me, it’s comfortable to drive right in the speed limit zone which I’m thankful for as I just don’t want to get a ticket. Although I must admit on the freeway I’m always a few miles per hour over but not too much. I tend to pick the lane that isn’t terribly crowded but typically not the fast lane unless I’m willing to move along at a good clip, I like to have a reasonable amount of space in front of and behind me in case I need to stop for any emergencies, this has always served me well as I have managed to stay out of accidents except for the one motorcycle accident that nearly killed me!

 Hugs, 

Jackie

[Cyndee]

I've driven in the bay area a lot over the years, it's totally insane there, people have lost their minds basically it's so bad. I recall in 2014 approaching the bay bridge from the east at the approach to the toll plaza, everyone was cutting in line and tempers were flaring and horns honking, then right after I pay my toll and start to head to the bridge, a bus just careens a station wagon right in front of me, parts flying everywhere, I had to take evasive action at the moment. Everyone trying to get ahead of everyone else, I've never seen such desperation as there.

 

It's pretty bad here in the Seattle area but on a smaller scale. Stories of shootings on our roads are all too common these days.

 

Take care...

 

C -

[tracy_j]

It varies a bit here. I remember being on holiday on the west coast of the country (Lancashire) a couple of years ago. That place was scary as honking and shouting were commonplace with people cutting each other up. It happens here in the east but it is much quieter here although incidents happen. Road rage often seems to increases as the temperature rises. I do sometimes wonder why they are putting 50 limits on many roads as, when I drive at 50mph, a queue soon builds up behind me. Before the limit was there people would just pass without issue. The dangerous drivers still do anyway. When I was working in the job which took me around the county etc, I just drove to get there in reasonable time. I was not fussed by fast or slow drivers, just moved. Sometimes I used to get irritated but road rage is just bad and counter-productive.

 

Tracy