S Cal 968: I did not miss the point. Read the original post by rhudeboy and you will understand what I am talking about.
The road is no place to prove machismo, show others that they have made a mistake, put someone in his/her place or otherwise. Reacting aggressively in many of the ways posted in this thread escalates the issue and does not educate the other driver nor improve driving in our community, state or country.
What will make all of us better people and drivers is patience. Expect others to make mistakes or do things purposely, avoid them and go on your way. You never know when another driver will have a gun and choose to act on their anger with finality.
There are statistics out there from several state departments of motor vehicles that aggressive driving is as dangerous as drunken driving.
Think about this:
If someone were to cut in front of you in line at the grocery store, post office or airport, would you push past them because you are bigger? Would you shout an obscenity at them? Would you make a gesture to them? Unlikely. Most of us would politely ask them to move to the back of the line, or ignore the behavior. Why then do some of us act differently in our vehicles? It's the illusion of privacy and security that our vehicles offer. It doesn't make the aggressive reactions on the road justified or safe.
Cutting another person off on the road and some of the behavior described in this thread are aggressive reactions to other drivers' mistakes or poor driving habits. In nearly all road rage incidents, escalation of the events began with one driver becoming upset or angry about another driver's mistake or habit. This violence is senseless, unnecessary and illegal.
My comment was intended to educate others about the dangers of speed and aggressive driving, the legality of specific driving habits in CA and to encourage everyone to let calmer heads prevail. We all deserve the next opportunity to take to the road, hit the autocross, spend time with loved ones, etc. Too many people, my mother included, have lost their lives on our roadways and all I am encouraging us to do is use common sense about following distances, speed and scanning intersections while simultaneously expecting others to make mistakes (eg. not recognizing our presence, driving slowly in the fast lane, running red lights, etc.) and remaining calm about those mistakes.
True, we have all made these mistakes in the past but I am not being a hypocrite. I am actively involved in becoming a better partner on the road and a safer driver. I encourage everyone else to do so as well. I try to refrain from gesturing to other drivers, honking when slowing my car will suffice, passing others aggressively on the right (though this is legal in CA as long as there are two lanes and you do not drive off the paved part of the road or the white line), tailgating, cutting another driver off, etc. By driving courteously, it is my hope that others will too and this type of driving will proliferate (pay it forward). When I am passed aggressively and gestured at, I simply smile and continue driving. I giver others plenty of space when they signal and I stop for pedestrians waiting at crosswalks. Civility and friendliness can go a long way toward improving the driving environment. I hope we can all find it in us to pick a poor driving habit or reaction of ours and try to change it. Try to react in a friendly way when someone makes a mistake. Just the other day I was cut off, and when I stopped next to the other driver I looked over casually to see them apologize and I just said that it was ok, no worries. This is the type of place I want to drive, not the aggressive, me first roads that exist everywhere.
This is not meant to come from a "holier than thou" standpoint. This is just a topic that strikes a chord with me based on my past and one that I truly hope will change.
