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Original poster

Increased aggression in (male) drivers

63 replies

LikeTheFruit · 14/02/2023 10:26

I live in a major city with lots of roadworks going on at the moment. So there's lots of changes to lanes unexpectedly and temporary traffic lights popping up everywhere. I've learnt to expect the unexpected at times including people changing lanes last minute, doesn't stress me out at all.

In the last few weeks/months I've noticed a huge increase in aggression from other driver (virtually all male) and wondered if this was a nationwide thing or perhaps just related to the (very annoying) roadworks in our city centre currently.

A couple of example from the last week or so. This morning driving across at a junction, box junction. I slowed as I crossed as queue of traffic close to the lights on the other side. There was a man waiting to turn right coming towards me and when I started to slow starting shouting, swearing, gesticulating wildly at me. Last week, I was the last person through a set of lights (were still green when I went through) so was at the back of a queue of cars. A man turning right to join onto our road starting shouting, waving wildly, shaking his head at me and continued to do so for the next 5 mins or so he followed me. Now I can only think that he assumed I jumped a red light as I was the last cat but I'm honestly perplexed as to what I was supposed to have done wrong.

I've several other example of similar, high levels of aggression - red faced, clearly shouting, hand gestures etc over what se to be extremely minor things (not just to me, but to pedestrians and other drivers). Has anyone else noticed this?

Just to also say I'm a very self critical person but do think I'm a good driver before someone says I've been in the wrong. I've ruminated on each episode (a lot 😂) as that's my personality and honestly don't think I had done anything wrong on these occasions. I'm generally very calm and courteous but do get annoyed at times in car but don't shout at/gesture wildly at others.

OP posts:
Original poster
LikeTheFruit · 14/02/2023 21:17

Just me then 😂

OP posts:
jlpartnerrs · 14/02/2023 21:28

I'm a cautious cyclist and I have noticed that people are getting much more impatient on the roads, for me it's quite frighting sometimes

jlpartnerrs · 14/02/2023 21:29

frighting wtf? Frightening

PhillySub · 14/02/2023 21:29

You have no control over the antics of intolerant drivers, don't respond in kind, just ignore it.

fissty · 14/02/2023 21:32

Oh I had some utter gannon screaming and gesturing at me for a good mile the other day. Red faced, sweaty, making wanker signs out of the window

Pulled up at the lights next to each other and I put the window down, waited until he’d called me a cunt again and then reminded him he was in a company vehicle….his face was a picture

Email sent to the company the same night

Sunshineandrainbow · 14/02/2023 21:33

Very impatient drivers near me. I have worked in community for 22 years and noticibly much worse now. People going in right hand lane at roundabouts but then go straight on so they just do it to skip traffic!

Original poster
LikeTheFruit · 14/02/2023 21:49

fissty · 14/02/2023 21:32

Oh I had some utter gannon screaming and gesturing at me for a good mile the other day. Red faced, sweaty, making wanker signs out of the window

Pulled up at the lights next to each other and I put the window down, waited until he’d called me a cunt again and then reminded him he was in a company vehicle….his face was a picture

Email sent to the company the same night

Good for you. You've described what I've experienced very well. The red, sweating anger - out of no where!

OP posts:
Original poster
LikeTheFruit · 14/02/2023 21:52

PhillySub · 14/02/2023 21:29

You have no control over the antics of intolerant drivers, don't respond in kind, just ignore it.

I do generally ignore it, in that I don't gesture back, though might blow them a kiss if we end up next to each other at some traffic lights just cause it really winds them up more.
Had real concern the guy last week was going to have a coronary the way he as going on, can't be healthy driving round with that much anger.

OP posts:
Original poster
LikeTheFruit · 14/02/2023 21:54

jlpartnerrs · 14/02/2023 21:28

I'm a cautious cyclist and I have noticed that people are getting much more impatient on the roads, for me it's quite frighting sometimes

Lots of cyclists here and I've noticed the aggression towards them increase. Perhaps in part that a lot of the road works are to increase cycle lanes? Makes man in car so angry to have to share "his" road with a bike

OP posts:
VeniVidiWeeWee · 14/02/2023 21:59

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Tapenade · 14/02/2023 22:04

I’ve noticed this as well. Roundabouts are a particular issue here, for some reason.

Unexpecteddrivinginstructor · 14/02/2023 22:12

Makes me concerned for any partners at home if that is how they behave around strangers. Tempted to get some leaflets on accessing anger management classes. It cannot be good for their blood pressure. Fortunately only once or twice a year and generally because I am driving at the speed limit, an appropriate speed for the road, and they want me off the road so they can get to the traffic lights 5 seconds faster.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 14/02/2023 22:19

LikeTheFruit · 14/02/2023 21:52

I do generally ignore it, in that I don't gesture back, though might blow them a kiss if we end up next to each other at some traffic lights just cause it really winds them up more.
Had real concern the guy last week was going to have a coronary the way he as going on, can't be healthy driving round with that much anger.

Show quote history

Do you seriously think winding up someone is a good idea?

Stephen Cameron was killed over a "road rage" incident.

Original poster
LikeTheFruit · 14/02/2023 22:22

You've probably got a good point there @VeniVidiWeeWee

Only fine it a couple of times when they'd been heading in opposite direction to me. You've made me think again for future though

OP posts:
jlpartnerrs · 14/02/2023 22:28

As a cyclist I do everything in my power not to wind up drivers. Just existing on the same stretch of tarmac is enough

OldPodge · 14/02/2023 22:29

I’m quite relieved to see it’s not just me then! I’ve just turned 60 and am a confident driver. Just recently I seem to have been tailgated or bullied by blokes in van or cars driving unsafely. When it was really icy a couple of months ago I reported some knobhead to operation Crackdown. I’m wandering if it’s people who drink loads of energy drinks to cope with working stupid hours. Think there’s a fair bit of drug driving goes on too.

EarringsandLipstick · 14/02/2023 22:37

I agree OP. I had this just tonight. For no reason at all, a male driver behind me sat right on my ass, really intimidating, flashing lights etc

I wasn't doing anything wrong. It was slow-moving traffic due to ongoing roadworks that reduces the lanes, so I was proceeding in line with the other cars.

I really worried that he'd go into the back of me if I had to brake at any point.

It's horrible. I see crap drivers of both sexes. But I only see rude intimidating behaviour from men.

elephantmarchingin · 14/02/2023 22:39

We had an incident with a van the other day.

Driving along a motorway and the car in front slammed their breaks on suddenly not sure why maybe something ran out. In turn we slammed ours on as couldn't move lanes the van behind had to do the same but we're very close to our bumper.

Car in front recovers and continues on and suddenly the van is flashing their lights and honking the horn at us. We move out to overtake and the van follows then undertakes and screamed out the window at us.

HundredMilesAnHour · 14/02/2023 22:41

I see crap drivers of both sexes. But I only see rude intimidating behaviour from men.

Absolutely this!!

frozendaisy · 14/02/2023 22:42

People/men, who are confident in their personal and working lives don't have to prove to the world they are king of the road.

Red faced tosser gammons I just assume they have shit jobs, boring sex (if any), no love at home or interest past their football team winning a game perhaps, never read anything interesting or try to grow as a decent human. Have to feel pity really that they use their one life to get cross over things that everyone deals with.

Just dull humans. Who cares what they think.

Ho hum.

Twilight7777 · 14/02/2023 22:45

I’ve not noticed males in particular but in general drivers have definitely got much less patience at the moment, and I’ve found that no one will let me out at junctions anymore, they’ll just keep going and I’ll end up sitting there for ages before I can move! Whereas before I found I would be let in, and there would be a degree of patience from other drivers. Not anymore!

JustMaggie · 14/02/2023 22:45

Just ignore them OP. No one should be shouting or wildly gesticulating while driving. It's lacking in manners and very uncouth.

Twilight7777 · 14/02/2023 22:47

fissty · 14/02/2023 21:32

Oh I had some utter gannon screaming and gesturing at me for a good mile the other day. Red faced, sweaty, making wanker signs out of the window

Pulled up at the lights next to each other and I put the window down, waited until he’d called me a cunt again and then reminded him he was in a company vehicle….his face was a picture

Email sent to the company the same night

Nice one! Hope he gets a warning at the least!

drunkornot · 14/02/2023 22:49

i also live in a major city with roadworks everywhere. I have noticed this too. I’m not sure if it’s women-specific rage though, as even when I get taxis there’s other drivers getting aggressive with my taxi driver. I think these sort of road rage losers get angry with anyone they think is an easy target.

Lightninginabox · 14/02/2023 22:51

I have really, really noticed this recently and been talking to family about it. Some crazy incidents recently. Tons of crazy tailgating, over and undertaking (not because I'm hogging the road, stuff like getting furious when I have to turn right from the rh lane!). Very dangerous and aggressive. All men.

I am a really experienced and normal driver - not too fast, not too slow, tons of experience driving all over country roads, motorways, urban commuting etc, UK and Ireland and it is really freaking me out.

Theories we have been discussing here are: something to do with post lockdown, some mental reaction society hasn't worked out yet, or something to do with how financially stressed everyone is.