Over a million extra people are expected to flood into the GTA over the next two weeks: traffic will be a mess, stress will surge, and some, if not many, will be pushed to the edge of their patience. The HOV lanes are one solution, but they continue to abrade the ire of drivers and stroke the entitlement of Toronto's former mayor. As we drive the highways during these Pan Am Games, we will need to exercise greater patience than ever. Knowing the triggers of road rage and avoiding them is one way to be safer and more prepared as you travel.
1. Cutting Off: This is one of the primary causes of road rage among males, having the potential to set off explosive behaviour and even pursuits. Remember to first check your blindspot before signalling, and check again before moving into the lane.
2. Blocking the Passing Lane: If you're in the left lane and going considerably slower than the pack ahead of you, yield to those faster drivers coming up in your rearview mirror--just for courtesy. Once they've passed, and you insist on driving in the left lane, simply move back in. You may feel you're justified to drive in that lane at the maximum speed limit of 100 km/hr, but the left lane has it's own unspoken rules and courtesies--crossing them can lead to problems.
3. Tailgating: This is another major trigger that can set people off. If you're stuck in traffic, tailgating the guy in front of you whose stuck behind 100 other cars is not going to make any difference, but could certainly create an altercation. Take a deep breath and back off. If you're being tailgated, and you want to communicate with the person, rather than hit your brakes and threaten a collision, simply flicker your hazards for a moment to remind the person that it's not safe.
4. Hand Gestures: I got into a situation once where I gestured to someone as if to say "What's the matter with you!" and he snapped and started chasing me down the highway. Hand gestures leave too much for interpretation--and when people are already heated up, a gesture can really set them off. And never flip people the bird--there are incidents in which people have been stabbed or shot for doing so. One hand gesture that can cool flames is genuinely waving to thank someone for letting you in front of them in a lane. This is very effective, if you are not bullying your way in the first place.
5. Horn Honking: I was in a hospital emergency parking lot, and backing along the side of the entrance, when a man pulling in honked at me--it really bothered me (ok, so I honked back--violating this rule). In Alberta, it's an unspoken rule that you don't honk at people for doing things that upset you--quite nice. Only honk if you need to, and don't do it to somehow retaliate at the person who honked first. The whole ridiculous thing can spiral and lead to a possible road rage incident.
6. Mobile Phones: This is another major trigger of road rage: texting and driving. Funny: so many of us do it, and yet completely freak out if we see someone else doing it.
7. Headlights: Highbeaming the car ahead of you can really upset its driver, not to mention startle them, thus possibly causing an accident. If you're driving with your high beams on a two-lane highway that is without street lights, remember to switch them off for oncoming vehicles.
8. Eye Contact: How many times do you get upset at the person in the car ahead--say, for going too slow in the fast lane--and you roll up on them and shoot them cold stare? Best to avoid this altogether. Easier said than done, but it is another major trigger of road rage, and can set off a course of action that you will regret.
9. Running the HOV Lanes: If you're under the minimum occupancy to drive along the HOV lanes, don't use them to cut in and out of traffic. Motorists who are making a legal decision to follow the rules of the law are in just as much a hurry as you, and are just as entitled as you. Running the HOV Lanes will only make people upset, and will lead to altercations.
It's best to avoid conflict at all costs. In the heat of the moment, when your blood's boiling, just ask yourself this simple question: "What's your plan?" If it's driving up the other car's tail pipe and attacking the driver, then you have other issues. If it's just to get back at the 'offender', then you need to take a deep breath, relax, avoid the conflict, and move on. The highway, especially, can seem like a race, but it's really not. The most important thing is getting to your destination safely.
We'll all need to get along over the course of the Pan Am Games, and in the future as our cities grow, and highways become more restricted in their often lethargic attempts to facilitate the constant influx of drivers and vehicles. Knowing these 8 things, and avoiding them at all cost, will help keep you, your passengers, and those around you, safe.
No comments:
Post a Comment