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.

Dennis Hopper?
Is it Dennis Hopper?
It's so going on my list if so!

that film is not on iTunes

before I ordera dvd from Amazon does it have any horrible eye scenes?

Can I get a "notice " for the back of my ca!r: Keep your distance, for example. OR : Are you suffering from SMALL-PENIS-SYNDROME or SMALL-TITS-SyDROME? e.g. Can you just have some common sense and not behave like an arse ...? It will all fall on deaf ears of course, and the governmetn will do nothing, which only leaves Duel (Spielberg).....

Alameda, its a good film. So long ago for me. Very 70s, very raw, but good. Report back!

'If you can read this then back the fuck off'?

I want one of these, programmed with "Back the fuck off penis features!"

If only Last Tango. A few flowers, draped over my little car. And a big Fuck Off somewhere. As long as its legal, I'm all in favour, of a few additions.

a sign is no good

it would be better to have some sort of autocannon emerge from the boot, that would put the wind up them

maybe bit smaller than this but that sort of thing?

Haha oh yes!

One thing not to do is shout 'oh you funking bastard cunt driver' and then remember that you have all three DC's sitting quietly in the back of the car. I strongly suggest you don't do that.

What do you call those strip sign things that you get in A&E that display the waiting times? James May had one in his car in an episode of Top Gear. Id love one of those! Id programme it to say "BACK OFF LIMP DICK"!
Someone had an iphone app that worked the same way, at the olympic closing ceremony. I want that app!

Fart spray out the window?
Or a really fucked up exhaust pipe? (fight fire with fire, and all...)

"If you can read this you've got a limp/small/sad/pathetic dick" but I still want to um get out of the car and fuck them over.

I'd kill 'em and I'm ony a woman . I would still like the Police and the Insurance Companies and the Law on my side though but they're all Men aren't they? Wouldn't stop me though, Bastards

AHAHA! After much grasping around for the correct word, I have found the app! It's called TickerTalk! I'm going to have such fun!

Can lissy and the others who have mentioned it, tell me where they read / found out / were told that putting on your hazard lights is a solution for tailgating please

I very much doubt hazard lights are a recommended solution for tailgators, in many cases it's liable to just inflame the situation. Same with flashing the brake lights. I don't engage with them at all, I just continue driving as normal. However, if it's on a quiet A-road and there's a safe place for them to pass, I slow down to allow them to do so. On the motorway or dual carriageway I'll go back into the inside lane as soon as I safely can, even if it means coming straight back out again, as I'd much rather they'd go away and drive dangerously somewhere else than stay behind me. In my much younger, pre-children days, to my shame, I did all sorts of twattish things from slamming the brakes on to allowing them to pass and then chasing them.

I'm with Emma, I try not to engage, just let them get on with it, and try not to let it wind me up (easier said than done of course). Sometimes I talk out loud as if to tell them what they're doing wrong, but without swearing or shouting

I HATE people who on the motorway will not move over to the left hand lane after over taking. I swear it sends me so mad its unbelieveable! should be a £80 fine!

on m25 you get people just trundaling along in 3rd lane, no one in 1st or 2nd lane. They are just so bloody ignorant! there has been years of bloody road works to make it 4 lanes and because of a few dopey twats everyone is having to overtake in the 4th lane!!!!!

also people joining the motorway at 40mph?! following my mother somewhere and she did this, almost got us killed!

I'm with Emma

In my pre-DC days I would have let it get to me.

Now I don't engage, ignore and allow the twattish drivers to get on their way without interrupting me and my journey. I rely on the universe to set things straight. Usually like others I find Mr bigcar at the lights just in front of me. Occasionally a game of "If I was supreme ruler of the universe... " helps.

What does drive me bonkers though is on large roundabouts it's quite clear to spot Mr or Mrs Lost. Can't understand why people don't back off and let them find the right lane.

I am learning to drive and regularly get tailgating, honking, dangerous overtaking and aggressive shouted comments. I'm not a terrible driver, I may occasionally be a bit slow or hesitant to pull out at a junction or something, but that's because I'm a learner - as clearly indicated by the L-plates and the great big driving school sign on the roof!

I continue as normal and don't engage, this is the best strategy according to my instructor.

Yes I agree that advanced motoring advice is to not engage with tailgaters. That's why I'm curious as to where lissy et al get this advice to use their hazards

I try really hard not to engage, but if someone is persistent, I do sometimes slow down a bit.

Last week, driving on the M60, it was pouring with rain, 7 month old DS was having a hysterical overtired screaming fit in the back, and it was really overcast and getting dark. Motorway not very busy, and on doing a bit less than 60 in the inside lane (find it hard to concentrate with the screaming, nearly home so no point in pulling over), some utter cunt of a lorry driver tailgates me all the way to my exit. There we're three other nearly empty lanes. It was terrifying, he was about a foot behind me. I hope a pigeon shits in his mouth. I was sobbing and shaking by the time I got off the motorway. I hope he's proud of himself.

I tap the brakes.

On an aside I often utilise bus lanes. Here most of them are only in use.for a few hours morning and evening. If I'm on the road when they aren't in use I use them. It's perfectly legal abd sensible. Why sit in a long line of cars? I do get a lot of people making rude gestures.

I hate bad drivers. The older I get, the more fuelled with somewhat impotent rage I become

I also abhor rudeness. You know the kind where people don't thank you for quite obviously waiting for tem/letting them pass? I have resorted to pulling ridiculous faces and brandishing my thank you hand in what I hope is a really sarcastic manner and mouthing "say fucking thank you you cunts" as they drive past.