Road Rage by Bond Mejeh

Road rage can be described in many different ways, but the most general definition for this phenomenon can be described as an abnormal case of very aggressive driving. This usually occurs when someone causes a collision or accident because of the aggressive behavior of the driver.

Road rage can become most apparent when another driver influences sending a negative message to another driver. This can be done so by either speeding past them, or riding too close to the back of their car. This is also known as "riding someone's tail". This road rage affects the driver by making them so angry that they cannot focus on their driving or others around them. When this happens, the driver is not only a danger to himself, but to others as well.

There are many antics by those with road rage, from sudden acceleration, to shouting obscenities, to actually getting out of the car and threatening the other driver. Although threatening a driver is an extreme case of road rage, it does happen. Any stress or leading frustration can be the stimulus to road rage. Some doctors say that road rage can be a form of some sort of medical condition, but many are still debating this and have not come to a scientific conclusion.

There are many ways to avoid road rage:

1. Don't take the problems on the road personally, they happen all the time and there is nothing you can do about it.

2. Don't use your horn unless it is necessary to avoid any confusion that may cause an accident. If the horn is used at a traffic light because the driver in front of you is not paying attention, the driver may take it as a deliberate attack, and become very angered. 3. Get plenty of sleep; otherwise you are more vulnerable to become more agitated for your morning drive.

4. Don't make it an issue if somebody speeds past you. To assure your own safety on the road, never get into any races. This is NOT Nascar.

5. Don't make obscene gestures, or mouth vulgar words. This is just going to fuel the fire and cause the road rage to escalate.

6. Don't tailgate, or "ride someone's tail". This may cause the driver in front of you to become angry and spark road rage. A simple way to prevent this from happening is by keeping a safe distance from the car in front of you.

Road rage is a serious problem and has been rising 7% every year. It can lead to terrible things such as legal problems and even death in some instances to where your life will never be the same. High gas prices do not help the situation either. We all need a little self control so we can continue to drive safely. The more we are able to do to improve positivity in our lives the better we'll be able to deal with road rage in ourselves and others.