You Never Know What the Road Has in Store
We’ve all heard about road rage, and heaven knows we’ve seen someone blow through a red light, but it’s different to actually deal with aggressive drivers. While some encounters might end with a cross word, others are a greater cause for concern, and we’re here to help you deal with scary situations.
1. Constant Honking
Aggressive drivers often display terrible behaviors on the road—and constant honking is just one example. Between blasting their horn at you or blaring it in traffic, you’ll always spot which driver’s in a bad mood.
2. Weaving Through Traffic
It’s one thing to switch lanes but it’s another entirely to weave through traffic. That kind of dangerous behavior is most common on highways, though it can happen anywhere, and it’s even more jarring when the driver is visibly upset.
3. Speeding
Road rage is more than just flipped birds and cruel comments—it’s about hazardous behavior that puts others at risk. Though we’ve all driven over the speed limit before, aggressive motorists fly well above the posted listings and don’t care who’s in their way.
4. Rude Gestures
Alright, we’ll admit it: we’ve shot someone a dirty look before. However, road rage takes it a step well above that. Aggressive motorists may shout obscenities, roll down their windows to yell at fellow drivers, and even try to flag down cars.
5. Passing Where Prohibited
Terrible drivers hardly care about the rules, which means illegal passing, cruising through stop signs, and running red lights. Behaviors like that are not only dangerous, but they’re telltale signs you’re on the road with an aggressive motorist.
6. Driving Into Other Vehicles
In truly extreme cases, motorists may try to run down other cars. Whether it’s someone trying to ram another driver off the road or intentionally crashing into another vehicle, some road ragers cross the line into serious criminal activity.
7. Throwing Items at Cars
You’d like to hope that a simple middle finger is the end of it, but that’s not always the case. Aggressive drivers may throw items at your car to get your attention or instigate a further blowout.
8. Confronting Other Drivers
Some road ragers aren’t satisfied until they confront other motorists. They might pull in front of you to block you. They may catch you in traffic or at a red light. Either way, some drivers are itching for further confrontation.
9. Purposefully Cutting Off Other Drivers
Angry drivers don’t just weave between lanes or speed past the limit—they might impede other motorists’ pathways. Sometimes it’s to start a fight. Other times it’s simply to try and rule the road. Whatever the reason, it’s a dangerous move that puts everyone at risk.
Evgeny Tchebotarev on Unsplash
10. Tailgating Other Cars
If you’ve ever had the misfortune of angering another driver, you may have experienced tailgating. It’s a scary situation, especially since it’s harder to see and makes the likelihood of accidents that much higher. It also prevents you from catching plate numbers and can encourage dangerous behaviors simply to placate the person behind you.
No one wants to deal with road rage, but now that we’ve gone through some classic indicators, let’s dive into the best ways you can handle unruly motorists.
1. Don’t Respond to Them
In milder cases—like crude comments or inappropriate gestures—it’s best to ignore an angry driver. You never know what could set them into a further rage and sometimes the easiest way to deal with it is by turning the other cheek.
2. Move Out of Their Way
If you spot an aggressive driver, it’s wise to move out of their way. The last thing you want is to get caught between their lane weaving or trapped in front of flashing high beams. It also ensures a safer distance between you and them should the worst happen.
3. Find a Safe Place to Stop
Whenever you feel unsafe on the road, especially at the hands of another driver, you should try to find a safe place to stop. The odds of an aggressive driver following you to a police station or parking lot are much slimmer—and you’ll also have more witnesses when they act out of pocket.
4. Don’t Go Home
Some angry drivers like to tailgate, which is why it’s best not to lead them home. Pull over to a safe location or call the police if they continue to threaten you. You never want a dangerous person to know where you live.
5. Stay Calm if Confronted
Aggressive drivers can get pretty scary but try to keep calm. Matching their anger or getting defensive only fuels the fire, and you don’t want to poke the bear. Lock your doors and don’t get out to meet them. You should also leave enough space when you park to safely pull out.
6. Avoid Eye Contact
Oh boy—you ticked someone off and now they’re right next to you. As tempting as it is to look over, avoid making eye contact. You don’t want to set them off further, and even if they’re not that angry, you’ll at least spare yourself a dirty look.
7. Try to Get Their Vehicle Information
It’s not always easy to grab vehicle information, but it’s worth jotting down if you can do it safely. Anything from make and model to their plate number is good information for police officers, assuming you need to call them.
8. Use Your Horn to Gain Attention
Should anything escalate between you and another driver, use your horn to attract attention from passersby. Flagging down other people can easily encourage the other person to rein it in—but if they don’t, you’ll now have more witnesses to phone the police or snap pictures.
Swansway Motor Group on Unsplash
9. Don’t Take it Personally
It’s hard not to take aggressive behavior personally, especially when it’s directed at you, but road rage is hardly ever about you. Shake it off and keep your eyes on the road; staying upset will only pull your focus and weigh heavy on your mind.
10. Call the Police
There’s no shame in calling the police for truly dangerous activity. No driver should have to tolerate excessive tailgating or someone pounding on their windshield. Make the call whenever you or another motorist is threatened.
