A driver has just cut you off on the road, and your temper flares. You lay on the horn, roll down your window, and shout out a few choice words.
With our streets and highways getting more crowded and dangerous every day, and with public stress levels reaching an all time high, incidents of this sort of road rage are understandably on the rise. But by memorizing and making use of a few simple calming techniques, you can learn to control your anger and not let frustrating traffic incidents ruin your entire day, or worse yet, get you into serious trouble with another angry motorist.
Dr. Ephrem Fernanadez is a professor of psychology at Southern Methodist University's Dedman College in Dallas, Texas. He offers the following techniques for calming yourself when you're in your car and something or someone makes your road rage begin to boil over:
- Thought stopping. Dr. Fernandez recommends a technique called thought-stopping as the first line of defense against road rage. Simply put, thought-stopping is the repetition of phrases like "time out," "clam down," or "let it go" in order to interrupt a negative line of thinking and get onto a positive one.
- Re-interpret the event. Before you blow your stack when someone cuts you off or otherwise gets you mad, think about what actually happened. Was the act intentional or malicious on the other driver's part? Often times, the person who ignites your anger is totally unaware that he or she has done something to offend you, and therefore makes a very inappropriate target for rage.
- Anger stops. Everyone's heard of a pit stop or bathroom stop, so why not take an anger stop? The next time you're on the road and something makes you angry, just pull over as soon as it's safe to do so and take a break from driving. Go to a convenience store, get a soda or a snack, or just enjoy the calm feeling that comes from being out of traffic for a few minutes.
The next time you find yourself angry in your vehicle, try one or all of these three calming techniques. Dr. Fernandez is sure you'll be surprised by how easily your stress and frustration will drain out of your day.
For more information on road rage, check out the following organizations or websites:
The AAA Foundation—Controlling Road Rage
www.aaafoundation.org/resources/index.cfm?button=roadrage
WebMD—Getting a Grip on Roadway Anger
my.webmd.com/content/article/1728.56860
Report Road Rage
www.reportroadrage.co.uk
Articles on Road Rage and Aggressive Driving
www.aloha.net/~dyc/articles/testimony.htm
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