Go to Work, Not to Jail - Preventing Rode Rage

One hundred and twenty eight million Americans commute to work every day. One-third of those commuters have reported instances of road rage, and two and a half million of those incidents results in damage, injury, or worse. Clearly, it's a problem. Are you doomed to lose your cool, your license, or your freedom over a crappy commute? Not if you learn how to avoid these incidents.

It's a Daily Commute, Not the Front Stretch at Daytona 

Apparently, Americans are starved for healthy ways to compete, so they try to outdo everyone else on the roadway. Nobody gets a trophy for beating the other guy to the end of the lane, and there aren't any big checks waiting for the dude who cut off 16 people to get to the exit ramp. Stop competing in traffic and find a healthy alternative, like crushing your 5-year-old at a game of H-O-R-S-E or seeing if you can mow your lawn faster than the fat neighbor with the bad knee.

Um, Could You Possibly be Wrong?

Do you find that you're regularly getting white-hot peeved at the same place every day? Perhaps you are the one who doesn't understand the flow of traffic in the area. Since traffic engineers really have no business other than creating unusually perverse ways to frustrate drivers, some drivers have developed creative alternatives for navigating these engineering disasters. Talk to other drivers in the area and see if there's a reason that people collectively lose their ability to process rational thought at a particular intersection. Once you understand where they are coming from, you might be able to tolerate the situation with head-shaking pity instead of fanaticizing about their immediate and gruesome demise. Learn some defensive driving techniques so you can avoid a collision when other drivers are doing it the wrong way.

Are You Boom-Boom-Booming Yourself Into a Frenzy?

According to Edmunds.com, your aggressive, bass-heavy music may be fueling your road rage. Lay off the death metal and switch to classic hits or something. Listen to anything that doesn't make you want to shred semi-trucks into tiny bits and light them on fire. By the way, if you switch to talk radio, make sure it's a host you agree with. Political anger isn't any more relaxing than head banging to Metallica.

No, Really, It Isn't You

Do you honestly think the driver in the next lane gives one flying fart about you? Not usually. Most people are just like you -- trying to get where they need to go as quickly as possible. Quit taking everything so personally! The lady with the big hair has no vested interest in whether or not you squeeze behind her in traffic, and the bald guy isn't getting paid to keep you from making your left-hand turn. Occasionally, you'll find a fudgehead who does deliberately try to mess you up in traffic. Laugh the joker off -- you're better than that. As long as you’re chalked up on your defensive driving skills, there’s no reason to think twice about him – unless he’s drifting into your lane. Then it’s time to give that motherglubber the horn.

Get Your Zzzzz's, Pleeze!

The National Sleep Foundation blames a lot of the rage on exhausted drivers. Just think, are you more likely to rip your kid a new one for spilling his Cheerios when you're well rested, or when you've been up past midnight and awake by dawn for six weeks straight? The same goes for driving -- you're a lot more likely to flip your lid when you're tired than if you've had a good night's sleep.

The Freeway is NOT Where You Make Up for Hitting the Snooze Button

Do you try to make up for all those minutes you lost in the morning with the gas pedal on the way to work? If so, start giving yourself more time to get ready in the morning and leave a few minutes earlier so you aren't tempted to make up for lost time on the road. If you aren't racing to beat the boss to the office, you're less likely to lose your cool over the putz who slammed on his brakes for no reason whatsoever.

Some drivers carry a "Sorry" sign to apologize to other drivers when things get out of hand. Make a big, friendly-looking sign, and drivers are more likely to laugh you off and wave than run your car in a ditch and beat you senseless. It's really a win-win for people trying to avoid jail time.

Bio:

Texas has an alternative to boring, never-ending defensive driving schools. Comedy Defensive Driving gives you everything you need to know in a fun, fast one-day session with a professional comedian. Choose between classroom or online courses. The judge won't add points to your license just because you had a great time!

Sources:

1. http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-tips-to-prevent-road-rage.html

2. http://www.awesomelibrary.org/road-rage.html