The thing about road rage is

[HenryDorsetCase]

that usually the motorcyclist loses.

What I think causes it in the first place is that punters jump in their car and are thinking about other stuff: "When I get to X I will do Y", "After I go here I have to go here and here then pick up Tarquin from violin lessons..." "When I get back to town I hope I havent missed Shortoftalent Street".... like that.

Of course then they get stuck in traffic, and it ENRAGES them because they see it as a fetter on their human right to go wherever they want whenever they want. Plus they dont think about the time spent getting "There" as a worthwhile use of part of their day. So they get aggressive, and or homicidal. Not good.

I have been guilty of this in the car particularly when late for my violin lessons. I try and cultivate an air of Zen calm. Not always easy given my Celtic temperament. I find it useful to listen to calming music (Not Iron Maiden and AC/DC and such.... it tends to wind me up more...)

I was thinking about this riding back from Kaikoura in the pissing rain on sunday.... and seeing some dumb-ass moves pulled by car drivers, like the tool in the WRX who decided to tailgate at 130kph in the rain. Idiot. I let him go.... but I know his number, and should I see his car.........

[Trudes]

I agree. I think it also has a lot to do with ego issues, and what I like to refer to as the "fuck you" attitude. You know, the "you overtook me, even though I've been doing 80 til we got to this passing lane, how dare you, fuck you!"

[BarBender]

I have been guilty of this in the car particularly when late for my violin lessons. I try and cultivate an air of Zen calm. Not always easy given my Celtic temperament. I find it useful to listen to calming music (Not Iron Maiden and AC/DC and such.... it tends to wind me up more...).........

It dont work my violin playing brother...for me at least

I was singing along to "He is Lord" on my way to church before ending up in the slammer for a few hours after smashing some gumboot for spitting at my window because I was going to slow.

Cages are just that...cages.
Not good if you like to roam free...

[Bend-it]

I had 2 cars, a certain mitsubishi 2l turbo 4wd and a toyota corolla spacio, 1.6l auto that will NOT maintain 80km/h going up the ngauranga gorge... Sold the former for my bike...

Anyway... I found that I was always much more road-ragey in the mitzy than in the spacio! Dunno why... 'coz I could? Driving it just put me in a different frame of mind...

On the bike on the other hand, I've generally manoevured and accelerated out of the situation before I get pissed, so all good... More able to maintain my zen aura much better these days!

[bell]

The bottom line is that it's never worth it. Let it flow and let it go a wise man/woman once said. Well, I read that somewhere. Ages ago. Don't always practise it...but, for me the bottom line is still that road rage is just not worth it. Get their rego number and file a complaint if it's bad enough - now that is worth it.

[vamr]

I always thought it's to do with being forced out of their sphere of influence and actually co-exist with others.

The same reason, as I imagine, why there is so much conflict in places with the smallest stakes (work, school, etc.).

So yes, ego would be it. However, we are all guilty of it and it's rather senseless to Other/stereotype based on vehicle of choice (us and them).

[Trudes]

Oh for sure!! I'm a real agro bitch when driving a car, but normally I'm a sweety. (Nah, I'm a bitch always, just more likely to fly off the handle at other people's fuckhead driving).

[Clivoris]

It dont work my violin playing brother...for me at least

I was singing along to "He is Lord" on my way to church before ending up in the slammer for a few hours after smashing some gumboot for spitting at my window because I was going to slow.

Cages are just that...cages.
Not good if you like to roam free...

Back in the day a friend of mine spat on a cage window from the safety of his cb400. He was stunned when he was charged with something like "casting offensive matter" I think he would have preferred a kicking.

[BarBender]

Back in the day a friend of mine spat on a cage window from the safety of his cb400. He was stunned when he was charged with something like "casting offensive matter" I think he would have preferred a kicking.

Well obviously someone took the bait.

[Clivoris]

Mmmmm...bait.