PSY 409a, October 1, 2006

Types of Aggressive Drivers

By Melissa Mills

 

Instructions for this activity are found at:

www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/g25-oral1.htm 

Instructor: Dr. Leon James

 

Leon James and Diane Nahl (2000). Road Rage and Aggressive Driving: Steering Clear of Highway Warfare. (Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books). Reviewing pages 84to 108.

Leon James (2006). Lecture Notes on Driving Psychology for G25. www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/409a-g25-lecture-notes.htm

 

  1.  Jekyll-Hyde Syndrome: when a person switches their personality the moment they get into the drivers seat.

 

  1. Passive Aggressive Road Rage: a reactionary protest against feeling thwarted, coerced, mistreated, or repeatedly wronged, characterized by feeling of rancor and resentment against other drivers.
    1. A feeling that says, “You can’t push me any farther!”
    2. Ignoring others or refusing to respond appropriately.
    3. Intent: to be obstructionist and oppositional.
    4. Can be directed toward cyclists, pedestrians and passengers.
    5. One can often put on a bad mood to protest a passenger’s reaction.

 

  1. Left-Lane Bandit:  can be motivated by contrariness, stubbornness, and even the perverse enjoyment of dominating others by forcing them to line up behind. 
    1. Often think, “If I’m moving faster than the prevailing traffic, I’m neither legally nor morally required to move over. It’s that simple.”
    2. Passive aggressive way to hold others back.

 

  1. Verbal Road Rage: constantly complaining about the traffic, keeping up a stream of mental or spoken attacks against drivers, passengers, law enforcement officials, road workers, pedestrians, speed limits, and road signs. 
    1. Most common form of road rage
    2. Purpose is to denounce, ridicule, condemn or castigate a rule or another driver.
    3. form of short term relief for some frustrated drivers but hurts the self esteem of others

 

  1. Epic Road Rage: the habit of fantasizing comic book roles and extreme punitive measures against another driver.
    1. Fantasizing comic book roles like the Avenger and sometimes acting on those fantasies. 
    2. This aggression is confrontational, defiant, seeking revenge and punishment.

a.        Whether or not this is expressed depends on circumstances.

    1. Extreme speeding and racing gives a sense of accomplishment.

 

  1. Automotive Vigilante: aggresses against other motorists, with a constant stream of verbal abuse, offensive gestures and threatening maneuvers with the vehicle.  (Sometimes using physical violence)
    1. Often denies responsibility and counterattack when engaged in a dispute or confronted by the law. 
    2. Retaliation is common (self appointed cops)

 

  1. Rushing Maniac: a need to avoid slowing down and anger against anyone who causes a slow down.
    1. One of the most common driving obsessions
    2. Anxious on the road.  Obsessed about the time.
    3. Impulsive driving that is unpredictable and difficult to other drivers.
    4. “hurry sickness”: the cultural obsession with saving time and doing more things simultaneously.

 

  1. Aggressive Competitor:  need to be in the lead all the time and feel anxiety if another car passes them.

 

  1. Scofflaw: automatically disregard certain traffic laws, regulations, and signs.

 

My Homepage:

http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leon/409af2006/mills/mills-home.htm

Class web page:

http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy25/classhome-g25.htm