Has anyone else noticed the sheer amount of road rage about recently?

[dinoma]

I do live in a city and one of the biggest issues is cars park on both sides meaning there’s only room for single traffic meaning a lot of cars meeting and reversing.

I have noticed the anger and rage, mouthing obscenities and hand gestures because someone else happens to be there.

I get the inconvenience of having to pull in or reverse back but I would never feel the need to aggressively stick my fingers up (or worse) or mouth something at another driver for simply using the same road.

I’m sure these people aren’t like this in their homes or businesses.

Some people (especially men) turn into the devil incarnate when they get behind the wheel. I have a friend who is normally the most calm,relaxed and laid back person you could imagine. But when he gets in his car, OMFG. It's like he's had a personality transplant. Cursing, and swearing, gesticulating at other drivers,honking the horn. I'm always totally amazed at it, even though witnessed it numerous tim s.

@Flyingintotheunknown I keep to speed limits and sometimes below them if road conditions merit it. I bet the kid who was hit by an older couple driving "ridiculously slowly' right outside my door was pleased they were doing 25 not 30..his head broke their windscreen but he survived. It will make fractionally little difference to your day if you follow someone at a few mph slower than the limit but it can make a huge, life changing difference to someone else.

Excuse my typos in previous post. Edit button wouldn't let me edit. Has anyone else had this,you click on the button to open the editing option and it either doesn't respond or,it does take you into the editing option,but as soon as you click on edit,it just clicks back to your post. Is it only me?!

I get your point but those being slow are also the ones causing accidents on the roads too. I’ve given many examples on here. Those who just saunter along the road, then slowly decide to turn into road without indicating, speeding up and slowing down. So yes, your example is valid, but it also causes other accidents.

Doing 25 in a 30 isn't "ridiculously slow", it's well within reasonable bounds. Thinking it's acceptable doesn't come into it - it's acceptable in law and in actuality.

When you drive on the road, it doesn't matter if you're driving for leisure or an emergency, you still have to anticipate that there will be heavy or slow traffic, obstacles, diversions and so forth. This is all a normal part of driving.

The requirement for drivers is to keep to the law and the conditions of the road. It is not a requirement to go as fast as legally possible, regardless of whatever else is going on, just in case you might hold someone else up.

Doing 25 in a 30 only causes accidents if impatient idiots try to go round them. Someone upthread said it was annoying if someone was doing 40 in a 60 as there was no overtaking opportunity. Well that means the road is twisty and narrow and therefore 60 wouldn't be safe, especially if the driver is unfamiliar with it. Yes some people drive badly, don't indicate etc but if you practise defensive driving, leaving space and not speeding yourself, their impact is minimal.

I’m doing 25 in a 30, and a bloke’s up my arse. The road widens at the lights. He pulls up beside me and yells “Get a move on, you dozy cunt!” and shoots away at about forty.

This is why it’s a good thing we don’t have guns. Because I’d’ve shot him.

I've noticed that people don't wait if they have to move out to pass a parked vehicle if something is coming the other way. They often just barge through, even if it means the driver with right of way has to stop or swerve

That may be so. But when you can clearly see you’re holding up a long line of drivers then the issue is with you, not other drivers. Most people may actually want to drive at 30 or whatever the speed limit is! The thread is about drivers being angry and full of rage and this is just one of the reasons why other drivers get pissed off. It is completely unnecessary to go way under the speed limit when there is absolutely nothing to obstruct you no matter how you like to dress it up.

How do you know it's "completely unnecessary"? How do you know what's happening in that car?

If you're getting angry behind the wheel, the problem is with you and not the other road users.

No it doesn’t mean the road is twisty and narrow at all. There is a road where I live that I use almost daily. It’s a single carriage way that goes from a 40 limit to NSL before reaching a roundabout about 1.5 miles later. Up until the roundabout where the road then splits into 2 lanes, you are not able to overtake. For no reason whatsoever many people will carry on trundling along that road doing 40 (after doing 30 in the 40 limit section of the road) when there are plenty of signs stating what the speed limits are. Just no excuse. I’ve already made my point about narrow country roads and I have already stated that they are a different entity and it isn’t even possible for people to get up to 60mph on those sort of roads, despite there being NSL limit signs stating you can go 60 which again is extremely dangerous and NSL signs should not be put on long, windy, bendy country roads as it gives drivers a false sense of thinking they can go faster than they can.

Not really, but I’ve noticed the roads are the same size and cars are too big. I’ve noticed (and I know I’ll be flamed🔥and I don’t care as it’s been my experience numerous times) is female driver/ massive- no wait, humongous 4x4 type vehicle that they cannot handle. So they’ll push through at a fair speed, slam on the breaks and then gesture for me in my little VW Golf to either reverse back- or slip into a parking space, or manoeuvre around them~ basically because they’re now stuck. I’ve actually wound down my window and had a (polite) conversation with two of them. Where they’ve said they have misjudged/going to fast and don’t want to damage their car. Slow down then! I’ll let you pass, you can go first I’ll give way, relax but don’t expect me to try and manoeuvre around you because you’ve had to gain an inch of road space.

Sorry but 40 in 60 is not ok unless the road is empty. The disruption to flow if the road is busy is understandably angering.
Again, if one has no cars in front of them, but 20 behind, they are generally a problem.

The country is a shithole and in many places very much like a third world country. The majority of people are struggling financially, frightened of what the future will bring and terrified of the awful politicians who give zero shits about them. People feel powerless and are rightfully afraid for their future. This is just one of the many ways it''s manifesting. Hold on to your hat, there's far, far worse to come.

Oh you’re just being ridiculous now for argument’s sake. How do I know it’s unnecessary? Because I’m driving right behind them and the road in front of them is completely clear! Maybe you’d like to apply the same logic of ‘how do you know it’s unnecessary with speeding drivers and how do you know what’s happening in that car’ too lol

Speeding is illegal. Going just under the speed limit isn't.

Maybe the road in front of them is clear. But maybe they're taking their car to a garage because it's got issues and they can't go very fast. Maybe they're new parents taking their baby home from hospital. Maybe the passenger has just had an operation and the driver is deliberately driving gently so as not to jolt them.

There are many legitimate reasons why someone may do 25 in a 30.

If you are behind them, then you need to keep calm, keep your distance, and wait. Anger has no place behind the wheel of a car. As a driver you will come across numerous obstacles and delays and you have to deal with them like a mature and competent licence holder.

In a particular case yesterday they were going to a shopping centre, not the garage lol and I had to follow them all the way there doing 30 in a 40 zone and 40 in a NSL zone! Just absolutely no reason and completely unnecessary. Meanwhile I was also trying to get to the train station at that particular shopping centre.

The only thing I can suggest you do is campaign for a minimum speed limit as well as maximum one. You won't get far, but it might keep you happy.

Until then, remember that your priority on the road is driving safely and in accordance with the law. If that means you have to go slowly for a while then tough, frankly. Calm down, keep to a safe stopping distance, pass when it's clear and safe to do so. If it's not, then you have to wait.

Anger has no place behind the wheel of a car.

Nor does incompetence but here we are

Agreed, but doing 25 in a 30 isn't incompetence.

Yeah probably not really. 20 would absolutely be.

People should match the flow of traffic.

What makes you think I don’t drive safely? I need to drive safely and keep my distance from unpredictable drivers, mostly the slow ones who just seem to do random unpredictable things on the road. I have my kids with me most of the time so I’m not going to risk their lives by being angry and speeding about like a lunatic. What I’m saying is it irritates the shit out of me when I’ve already set off very early to accommodate for extra traffic on the road, only to then be expected to set off even earlier to accommodate for slow unnecessary drivers who like to take their sweet time doing 30mph everywhere despite the speed limit being much higher. Or doing 40 in a 60 limit when there is absolutely no reason to do so.

My road is like the one you mention OP and I've heard raging arguments going on outside with people blocking each other and refusing to reverse or wait. I saw (from my window!) someone get out of a van and kick someone else's wing mirror off a few years ago.
It seems such a waste of emotional energy and unnecessary blood pressure spike. I've lived on the road for 17 years and barely had a problem, I just give way to people. I'll probably have a big barney with someone tonight, now I've said that.

Depends completely on the road circumstances. If it's foggy, icy, if there's a wet road surface, if there's debris, pot holes, speed bumps etc etc then 20 may be suitable.

Just "keeping up with the car in front" isn't good road craft...

What makes you think I don’t drive safely?

it irritates the shit out of me

slow unnecessary drivers who like to take their sweet time

absolutely no reason

You clearly are getting wound up by other road users. That is not safe driving.