Talk to a traffic engineer about how roads and speed limits are (or should be) designed so that motorists instinctively do the right things. However, using social engineering ("speed kills", "slow down", "just relax") to undermine traffic engineering causes the road rage problems arise.

Example: A system built on fund raising from single minded enforcement of unjustifiably low speed limits, with the neglect of enforcing lane discipline laws, use of turn signals, etc. A little proper enforcement would do a world of good at smoothing out our traffic and tempers.

Not many freeway shootings in Montana or Germany, are there? -- Ben Lang1otz National Motorists Association, Oregon Chapter Coordinator

Leon James (aka Dr. Driving)

> > > It would also have the advantage that persistent transgressors who > > > tend also to be the most aggressive drivers, would get weeded-out > > > and (via the points system) ultimately forced off the roads, leading > > > eventually to safer roads. > > > I can't believe some people actually believe that :-( > > Why not? Don't you believe that drivers respond to enforcement > conditions?

No, I can't believe you think that all fast drivers are agressive. I'm not an agressive driver but do drive quickly. I know very few people (actually nobody) who drives within the speed limit all the time. Most have clean licences and are not agressive. This is just a stereotype.

From: "Dr. Driving" 
                      Subject: Re: Speed Cameras and the tickets?!
                      Newsgroups: uk.transport
                      Message-Id: <871887851.29913@dejanews.com>

It means doing one or more of these things: 1) greater than average number of lane changes 2) following closer than the driver ahead is comfortable being followed 3) forcing your car into spaces smaller than the person behind feels safe 4) speeding up to stop signs and lights, even with pedestrians in view 5) screeching the tires (turns, parking garages, street lights) 6) not making full stops as required by law even when others are around 7) yelling at your passengers or treating them bad in some way 8) swearing at other drivers, even with children present 9) contributing to an environment of stress, intolerance, dangerousness 10) etc. you can add your own here....

The point then is this: aggressive driving is a whole spectrum of things, referring to a style and attitude. Can you relate to that??

Leon James

Subject: Re: WEW 7057 - The Cause Of Road Rage From: "Dr. Driving" Date: 1997/08/06 Message-Id: <870916665.5252@dejanews.com> Newsgroups: soc.culture.malaysia [More Headers]

> On Sun, 03 Aug 1997 18:22:32 -0700, The Tan Sri > wrote: > >Isk isk isk... do not succumb to the Dark Side.... > >There are other ways to get even.... sand in his fuel tank > >for example.. :) +++++++

I've studied this problem for years. Two steps are required: First, acknowledge and accept that this is a moral issue, a spiritual issue, a civic issue, a human rights issue -- on account of the fact that expressions of road rage and aggressive driving is a violation of a human rights, is it not?? Just as that driver who took your parking space was being unfair, so we can be unfair by fantasizing all sorts of violent and demeaning acts against him.

Second: lets help one another acquire the emotional skills or intelligence, to handle routine driving exchanges such as getting cut off or blocked or provoked, etc. Various exercises we can do to gain tolerance and forgiving.

Leon James (aka Dr. Driving)

From: "Dr. Driving" Subject: Re: WEW 7057 - The Cause Of Road Rage Newsgroups: soc.culture.malaysia,dc.driving,rec.autos,driving Message-Id: <871888618.30404@dejanews.com>

Second, jesting about road rage weakens our moral conscience. Violence becomes more acceptable to contemplate. It corrupts spiritually because we're not shocked by the idea of torturing another human being.

It's best to discuss this seriously -- how we train ourselves to re-gain control over our emotions behind the wheel. It's not easy....

Leon James (aka Dr. Driving)

From bgoodric@filebank.com Wed Sep 10 12:37:03 1997
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 1997 11:31:28 -1000
From: "W.E. 'Bill' Goodrich, PhD" 
To: DrDriving@aloha.net
Subject: Paparazzi rage and road rage

Dr. James, 

While I am primarily a psychotherapist (rather than a researcher), 
I was part of a team which analysed a privately commissioned study 
of "road rage" related issues a few years ago. 

After reading your "Paparazzi rage" articles in sci.psychology.misc,
I have just looked at your web site and some of the included 
references. I have been struck by two apparent omissions: 

1) historical correlations, and 

2) analysis of the non-overtly aggressive drivers (the "other" 
   driver in many of your anecdotes). 

And in particular, any analysis of the way the two combine to "set 
the stage" for the situations you describe. 

Historically, the shift seems to relate to four trends: an ongoing 
increase in traffic density (which you do address), The Oil-embargo 
inspired campaign to reduce national traffic speeds (accompanied, 
significantly, with "slow it down" propaganda campaigns associating 
slower driving with patriotism), the (in some cases related) 
reduction of priority on enforcing prohibitions on traffic obstruction
(going slower than other traffic in other than the right-hand lane, 
cutting off lane changes, failure to pull over and let "backed up" 
traffic pass on one-lane roads, etc.), and the (early '80s "me 
generation") shift of the primary national paradigm from the 
post-WWII one of cooperation to one of competition. While the speed 
campaign has shifted from an energy/resource issue to a "safety" 
issue, the "national interest" angle has remained. 

In light of those trends, it was hardly surprising when we found a 
significant increase in behaviors aimed at preserving and improving 
a driver's competitive advantage (relative position in the traffic 
flow), and in self-righteous (recognize THAT term?) attempts to 
enforce "safe" (in the driver's opinion) driving speeds, etc. on 
other drivers. 

In your court-case example, DID the VW deliberately cut off the 
Grand Am...and if so, why? 

Like you, our study employed several data-gathering techniques, 
including recorded self-report and stationary and mobile observers. 
Apparently unlike you, we used those techniques to study both the 
"aggressive" drivers you identify and the "obstructive" drivers you 
seem to brush off as "other" drivers. Our subjects (for the 
recording) were volunteers chosen from among the employees of the 
Corporate sponsors of the study and (unknown to them) classified 
according to observed driving patterns. In particular, this 
combination of outside observation and self-report allowed us to 
correlate external behaviors with internal states. 

We found the same range of emotional response and self-justification/ 
self-righteousness among both groups of drivers. In particular, we 
found approxiamtely the same level of aggression among both groups. 
We also found both groups expressing imagined motivations for other 
drivers' actions in condemnatory terms at about equal rates. 

While I do not condemn your attempts to improve the situation by 
educating the group you have targeted as aggressive drivers - indeed, 
I applaud it - I do object to your attempts to influence national 
policies based on your one-sided (and therefore somewhat misleading) 
analysis. In particular, I object to the way that you are helping 
shift focus from a major causitive factor and to reinforce some of 
the very policies and perceptions that have created the problem in 
the first place. If I were free to use those study results in an 
advocacy manner (which I am not - the sponsors have their own uses 
in mind), I would recommend:

1) A brief (2-3 year) national "crackdown" on obstructive driving, 
   followed by a balance of enforcement between speed and obstruction, 

2) A national campaign on a theme of "we're all in this [traffic] 
   together" stressing cooperation in traffic and positive awareness 
   of the drivers around and behind you,

3) A separate national campaign stressing the dangers of obstructive 
   driving behaviors, their contribution to "road rage', their 
   incompatibility with National Interest,  and emotionally-charged 
   positive (possible) reasons for the "other guy's" actions - such 
   as medical emergencies (like the time I drove my profusely 
   bleeding daughter to the emergency room), and 

4) A change in driver education programs to stress cooperation, more 
   awareness of drivers behind you, driving stress management, and 
   the potentially dangerous effects that both aggressive and 
   obstructive driving styles have on other drivers. 

... among other things. 

I would invite you to turn your own analytic eye and resources toward 
those obstructive drivers, and to integrate your findings with those 
of your "aggressive driver" analyses. 

W.E. (Bill) Goodrich, PhD

Date: Wed, 10 Sep 1997 12:35:34 -1000
From: Leon James 
To: "W.E. 'Bill' Goodrich, PhD" 
Cc: DrDriving@aloha.net
Subject: Re: Paparazzi rage and road rage

Hi, Bill, I'm so glad you chose to write.  I agree with all that you have
said.  I think your suggestions for a national campaign and program are
well justified and I would support their implementation.  At the same
time, I would emphasize cultural re-training of drivers' attitudes and
philosophy in sociodynamic settings (e.g., grassroots Quality Driving
Circles in all neighborhoods).  I think shared self-report exercises
within a group context is the best longterm solution to re-training
driving patterns and expectations.

I agree I should bring in the historical correlation or setting.  I like
your use of the expression "obstructive driving" which overlaps with what
I call "passive-aggressive road rage" and "quiet road rage" in my
forthcoming book.  I like your method of obtaining self-reports and
third-party observations simultaneously.  I agree that obstructive drivers
are even a greater problem than some "aggressive drivers"--the term
"vigilante drivers" is sometimes used.  I've been flamed in the Newsgroups
by failing to distinguish between "aggressive driving" and "assertive
driving" and for failing to sufficiently focus on what you call
obstructive driving.

I'd be very interested in seeing a copy of your report if it's possible.
Thanks again for writing and I'd be happy to hear your additional ideas on
this issue which has been your focus of research.

Leon

Letters from Readers About My Congressional Testimony on
Aggressive Driving and Road Rage -- Part 4

Part 1  |  Part 2  |  Part 3  |  Part 4  |  Part 5 | Text of Congressional Testimony  |  Back to Controversial Issues |  Back to DrDriving Home

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