Anyone else notice increased road rage toward you?

Today this beat up red Buick comes flying up behind me. Tailgating, swerving, and tried cutting me off. Then he gets in back of me again and throws up a finger.

...Turns out he was cat/mousing with some other white POS behind him (think it was a non-civic Honda) and it wasn't directed at me.

People around here are nucking futs!!

-Emt1581

Tall Mike said:

I've seen all the lower 48 states and parts of Canada through the windshield of a Peterbilt.
I can assure you people drive like assholes everywhere...Some places are worse than others though..

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^This!^

I can assure you it has nothing to do with what you are driving. Sure you may have someone come up and try to challenge you from time to time but it is pretty simple to just ignore them and let them find someone else to get in trouble with.

However, I travel all over over the state for my job and in the past couple of years I have seen a serious increase of road rage especially on the interstates. When we are traveling we are in a full size pickup and many times hauling a trailer so we hang in the right lane right around the speed limit so we see our fair share of stupidity passing us along the way. There will be cars passing us going at least 20 over the limit with morons clinging to their bumpers trying to push them faster.

A couple of weeks ago I was coming home from Asheville and witnessed a woman in a Camry trying to get around a box truck in the left lane that was probably running around 75 to 80 MPH passing us as well as a truck in front of us. The stupid b**ch cut across right in front of us in the right lane nearly taking off our front bumper and hit the emergency lane passing a 18 wheeler on the right in front of us and then cutting back across in front of the tractor trailer to the left lane and slamming on the brakes in front of the box truck! The next thing I know everyone is hard on the brakes and the person beside us behind the box truck ended up almost running underneath it trying to slow down! It was a miracle no one ended up hurt! :frusty:

Sadly, this seems to be getting more and more the norm these days!

I think many other Americans are just self centered and selfish. On a two lane highway they will ride side by side and block traffic driving slow. You have to know that no one is in from of you and there are loads of people behind you. Another affirmation is that you can hear them gun their engines if for some reason they have to slow. I often wonder why people like to block traffic. Me and my friends call it a "Texas Hold'em" when it is done on the freeway. A straight line of cars all the way across with the entire freeway behind them and no one in front. I do know that makes people mad.

I don't really notice increased road rage, I bet that the people who feel like they notice are just more aware of the stupidity going on around them lol.

I'm not a perfect driver by any means. Occasionally I'm too aggressive or don't realize that my exit is coming up and have to quickly lane hop from the left to the right, but some of the shit I see blows my mind. Just the other day, I watched an Audi A6 doing at least 50 down the middle lane of a 25 mph 2 lane town. The very next day, I watched a new STi cut down the middle lane of a highway trying to pass people, unfortunately for him, a car was also in the middle lane trying to turn, as the lane was meant for. So what does he do? HE CUTS INTO THE OPPOSITE SIDE'S LANE TO PASS! :frusty:

Psychological Snowball

Basically people are emotional creatures and take their problems out on the road with them. The economy is not helping either so you add all these things up:

emotions, financial issues, work related issues, relationship issues, family problems plus their own psychological genetic makeup = psychological snowball.

Plus yes if they are just plain stupid = BIG TROUBLE. :(

Plus No Driving Skills and a total disregard for the law = BIGGER TROUBLE.

I would hazard to say the majority of road rage incidents are people attributing malice to behavior better explained by inattentiveness, carelessness or simple stupidity. In most cases that guy didn't cut you off because he doesn't like you or the car you drive, he cut you off because he didn't see you, or he was in a hurry, or he really needs to get off on the next exit and failed to plan ahead. IMHO, the "road rage" part starts with the second person (the person who was cut off) who narcissistically takes the affront as a personal insult and feels that they must defend their honor, or "teach that guy a lesson", as if a 5 minute encounter on the freeway is somehow going to change a personality that has been developing for decades.

The best solution to road rage....let it go.

Increased road rage...only once from some idiot in a 325i that almost merged into ME with no blinker, and then proceeded to stop in an intersection to yell at me through his closed window. Literally was merging between two lanes like he couldn't decide where to go. I pointed to my dash cam and he settled down real quick.

Besides that, I've only noticed that drivers are just more aggressive around me now, more weaving, more trying to not let me merge because I'm in a sports car and they're in an Elantra or something. More trying to stay on my tail, or not let me pass by speeding up even if they are going under the limit. And I'm much more tame driving this car than I was my old car.

Never had these issues with my Speed3 which was my road warrior for a good 4 years. Even though that had a louder, catless exhaust, and was tuned for E85 blend, running around 290WHP/320WTQ. But people never even seemed to take notice of it day to day.

Yes, it's real, and i hate it. Didn't take long to notice it either. People riding my ass (even though i'm at or above the speed limit) flailing their hands in the air and blowing their horn more times than i can count. Shit does NOT happen in my F150 at. all. Yeah, i drive a nice sports car - and i've busted my ass all my life in order to be able to. What really pisses me of is when they intentionally drift off the edge of the road to pepper my car with dirt and stones.

.

TomcatDriver said:

I would hazard to say the majority of road rage incidents are people attributing malice to behavior better explained by inattentiveness, carelessness or simple stupidity. In most cases that guy didn't cut you off because he doesn't like you or the car you drive, he cut you off because he didn't see you, or he was in a hurry, or he really needs to get off on the next exit and failed to plan ahead. IMHO, the "road rage" part starts with the second person (the person who was cut off) who narcissistically takes the affront as a personal insult and feels that they must defend their honor, or "teach that guy a lesson", as if a 5 minute encounter on the freeway is somehow going to change a personality that has been developing for decades.

The best solution to road rage....let it go.

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I completely agree with everything that was stated. Well said sir. Inattentiveness and carelessness are the biggies these days. With drunk drivers, texters, and people in emotional distress. By default, humans are emotional creatures. Sometimes we let our emotions get the best of us. And when we let our emotions control a 2 ton car, road rage does happen. Pretty much everyone was/is guilty of this at one point in their life.

I've noticed more people tend to cut me off or glare compared to the camaro I just traded in. I guess some people just hate for no reason I don't get it.

Yep. Seems everyone wants to pass a mustang. I also get lots of lifted pickups and old corvettes that want to try to race at the redlights.

I've noticed the same thing. People are always trying to test me, block me from changing lanes, or get in front of me and slow down more than when I'm driving normal cars...and it's always in a piece of garbage or generic car. I'm sure it's for all the reasons mentioned here. Just adding my comment to let you know it's not all in your head.

Not in England, Mustangs are still pretty uncommon so people love them

Most people who drive mustangs drive like a-holes. This is fact. Look at our insurance rates - it's in the absolute worst category for cars prone to accidents. These accidents aren't due to a flaw with this model car, but a flaw with the typical driver of said car.

I witness another Mustang do something stupid on a daily basis. From just revving their engine and obnoxious exhaust for no reason at stop lights, to cutting people off, etc.

Maybe you drive perfect and people just assume you are like the majority of other Mustang owners? Or maybe you drive like an a-hole too and just don't realize it? No one ever thinks they are wrong.

A good way to tame these heretics is to install front and rear cameras. You'll be amazed how much they change when they see your cameras which record everything!