Remain Calm when Drivers are Inconsiderate
April 23, 2011 | in Rules of the Road: Driving TipsIt’s inevitable that once you spend enough time behind the wheel you’ll have an instance where you feel another driver has been inconsiderate. Things like being cut off by another driver or being stuck behind a car that isn’t going the as fast as the flow of traffic can be understandably frustrating. That being said, a frustrated driver is not a safe driver, which is why it’s important that you don’t take things personally when driving.
You’ve likely caught yourself yelling or even cursing at a fellow driver for something they’ve done. It can certainly be cathartic but when you think about it, this isn’t the kind of reaction you’d have if you felt someone had done something equally offensive where they might be able to hear you. Imagine swearing at someone who seems to steal your spot in line at the grocery store. That would lead to a situation that would be embarrassing or even worse. So why is it that we feel these reactions are justified when we’re in our cars?
Once you’re able to let go of that anger and frustration when driving, you’ll be achieving a level of defensive driving that will lead to safer roadways for everyone. You need to accept that there will be mistakes made by other drivers and they may even be wrong in many cases but it does you no good to honk, make obscene gestures or even get upset. Remaining calm is the best option in a situation like this and will help you avoid further problems as a result of another driver’s lack of respect.
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