To honestly ask how you cope with angry and aggressive drivers? Warning: slight rant

[janelikesjam]

I like driving. I am a good driver I think and considerate to other drivers. However, all the meany, angry, reckless, speeding drivers are spoiling my day regularly .... they're nearly all men , is it about that I wonder ...

Example tonight. I am driving along the road, doing the actual speed limit. I can't go any faster because the car in front is also doing the actual speed limit too (outrage). And anyway that suits the driving conditions, its dark, its quite busy. p.s. a pedantic point, one of the reasons we have "instructions" about speed limits every minute on the road now is that no-one can be trusted to use their common sense e.g. windy roads, busy built-up areas; anyway I digress.

I feel this impatient jerk (6th sense) behind me in some kind of black sports car number, driving too close to me, but try to ignore. Then all of a sudden he speeds up to me, overtakes on the left, and tries to tear ahead only to be prevented by traffic lights . Idiot. But can anyone tell me what his actual problem is, assuming he is not mentally ill or driving to a hospital emergency? Does such a person think by virtue of being in such a sports car or BMW or mercedes or whatever that speed limits do not apply to him and all the little people should just plain get out of his way.

Anyway, rant over, I suppose....

But honestly, I ask you, how do you deal with this? I have singularly failed to find a zen-like calm on this issue, and I need help.

Still to find the zen, but sometimes manage to laugh at them.

You have to feel sorry for these men as they have SPS, it is a horrendous condition that will blight them for the whole of their lives. Only by driving in such a way, or by having flashy cars on hire purchase can they cope.

SPS is SmallPenisSyndrome by the way

It annoys me that some people feel their time is so much more important than mine so they have to drive dangerously to get in front.

If someone gets up my arse then I slow down - although not to a silly speed, just slightly below the limit.

Someone dangerously rushed passed me on a lane the other day and sped off. Two minutes later he was sat directly in front of me at the traffic lights. I gave him a little wave and smiled!

It makes me go slower when people tailgate me.

I get all annoyed and want to honk and yell at them but I don't.
I remind myself they are a a wonderful child of god, disguised as a total idiot, big fat jerk, whatever I feel like calling them and it makes me laugh a little.

I did wonder, funnily enough, after I'd posted - I mean about SPS. But I'm on my second glass and perhaps my brain's now in gear (geddit!)

I put Hazard lights on when someone drives too close. And slow down bit by bit and increase the gap between my car and car in front. All advanced driving tips. Means if you are hit by idiot behind less likely to hit a car in front. And hazard lights often makes them back off.

Ps I drive a lot

I call them names in my head. It usually involves some swearing. I never swear in real life. Very satisfying.

is that right about the hazards? i really hate being tail-gated...

Is hazard lights advised on advanced driving courses? If so, I'll try it!

I was advised on a speeding fine avoidance course to spray the windscreen washer at tailgaters...it works.

I swear and rant and make rude gestures....and then remember I have the DSs in the car.

"Mummy, where's the stupid duck? Is it in that field there?"

If alone I swear at them. If DS is in the car I amuse myself with the thought of how small their penis must be.

I feel a bit sad for people like this - they must make themselves very stressed and angry by driving like this and being so impatient. It reminds me of a lady I used to work with who had been a nurse for a long time before that - she said people think all this stuff kills you, like fry-ups and fags, but in reality what kills people is stress. She always said stress was the biggest killer and I think of that when people are driving up my arse - they will be dead & buried before they know it!

What were you doing that allowed him to overtake on the left? If you were hogging the right hand lane, then you were in the wrong.

Well I live in London and tend to dish out the middle finger regularly .

Last big run in was with a white van man. I came up the bus lane, by passing a huge queue of traffic, which you are allowed to do certain hours of the day but not many do because the timings can be confusing, and pulled in front of him. He didn't like it and pulled alongside me to say "learn how to drive you stupid fcking slag!". My response was to laugh and say "lovely, have you even GOT a wife or girlfriend with those manners and being such an ugly batard?" Then I sped away across the roundabout without giving it a second thought.

That's how I deal with aggressive drivers but I imagine it's not for everyone.

Dear Redbindy, it was a street in a city, not two lanes, but thanks for pointing out the potential conflict of interest.

If the children are in the car I silently seethe and panic about an accident, if I'm on my own or just with dh I yell into the rearview mirror for them to fuck the fuck off the stupid cunts or I'll slam my brakes on to shit them up (I wouldn't actually as ouch for me but tell them I would

I have been known to gently push down on the brake with my left foot at the same time I am maintaining my speed. A gentle nudge is enough to make my brake lights come on and the idiot tailgater usually backs off.

If someone's tailgating I touch the brakes, not enough to slow me, but enough to put on my rear brake lights. Generally they get the message and back off. I do leave a bigger gap between me and the car in front as well.
It does scare me when they push pat and sometimes I find myself holding my breath, especially if I can see something. Owning the other way.
Doesn't stress me out though.

I used to swear and rant but it only took one afternoon where I shouted "go on then" and DD3 shouted "fook you" as he zoomed past that I decided it best not to rant out loud anymore.

Feel sorry for them? Something bad must have happened for them to be so stressed.

Feel a sense of immense joy that you're not married to them? My first husband was aggressive behind the wheel. I never have to suffer that again.

I have a sense of humour failure about SPS. I know a few female aggressive drivers, who are presumably suffering from Small Tits Syndrome

Emma, I'm kinda with you on that haha, though I am not convinced it does my blood pressure any good either, hence my sincere request for help! I am definitely more impolite than my sisters here, whether my son is in the car or not. By the way, it certainly doesn't bother the male drivers who have called me a f...g B..ch. etc whilst obviously aware of his presence [angry .

DS1 now shouts "you're WELCOME" at drivers in the lanes round us who don't say thankyou when I reverse for them.

Sometimes he also shouts "RUUUUDE".

you don't want to know

for some reason I have no fear when I'm behind the wheel and will actually do an emergency stop if tailgating is driving me crazy - or I used to let them overtake and then tailgate them aggressively

and worse

but not if I take my medication regularly

SPS, STS, hahahha. But yeah, I do wonder as I see the woman sitting next to the a*hole as you say ...