Road rage is something people deal with every day as a result of the stressors of driving. Being stuck in traffic when you have somewhere to be is more than frustrating, but planning ahead can help the situation. Learn how to calmly deal with other enraged drivers, and make sure you’re calm before you head into traffic; it’ll make your commute much easier.
Plan Your Trip Ahead of Time
Traffic can’t always be avoided, but you can research in advance what times are the busiest for your particular route. If meetings or appointments can be scheduled to avoid those times, it’ll save you a huge headache. If certain obligations, such as work, require a set start time, try using an app like Waze. It’ll show you alternate routes based on real users reporting traffic they encounter, so you can get to your destination in the fastest time possible.
Defuse Bad Situations
If someone behind you has a bad case of road rage, it’s best to try changing lanes and letting them pass. Never respond to someone who’s tailgating you or waving their hands in the air by making the situation worse. The person is probably already having a bad day, so let them get on with it and forget about you.
Don’t Make Eye Contact
If someone is really trying to get your attention by getting to the side of your car, don’t look at them. They want a reason to get angrier and might take any look you give them as an excuse to become infuriated. Keep your eyes on the road, and hopefully, they’ll lose interest. Some people are just angry at the terrible traffic in general and will forget about you shortly.
Listen to Music or Audiobooks
Music can be therapeutic, so if you’re prone to road rage, play music that you know will calm you down. If there’s a book you’ve been meaning to read, see if you can get it on audiobook. This will keep your mind engaged on something much more interesting than the tail lights ahead of you and all the honking around you.
Practice Kindness
Practice being calm while on the road. Slowly count to 10 to allow yourself to calm down while taking deep breaths. If you recognize that you’re not the only one who is frustrated in traffic, you might back off from that car in front of you. The last thing you want is to allow your anger to cause you to rear-end someone.
Dealing with road rage is part of life, but being prepared can save you a ton of stress. Try to deal peacefully with others who have road rage, and never make the situation worse. If you tend to succumb to road rage, mentally prepare yourself ahead of time and have something of interest like good music or your favorite audiobook on hand to distract you from getting angry at other drivers. Anything you can do to help your commute be less stressful will be worth the effort.
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