Outline of My Third Oral Presentation

The Sadness of Road Rage

This is a presentation of “The Phenomenon of Road Rage: Complexities, Discrepancies and Opportunities for CR Analysis”; By K. Michelle Scott; Reference 10; Web Link: www.trinstitute.org/ojpcr/3_3scott.htm; 02MAY2005(M)

By: Constance J.K. DeCaires

 

Instructions for this oral presentation are found at:

www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy22/g22-oral.htm

 

I. Stories of Road Rage

            A. London carwash (Sunday Telegraph, 02 July, 2000).

            B. Jerusalem 28 y.o.a. vs. 46 y.o.a. (The Jerusalem Post, 21 June 2000).

            C. Atlanta, Georgia toddler (The Atlanta Journal & Constitution, 30 June 2000).

            D. Cincinnati, Ohio 29 y.o.a. vs. 24 y.o.a. pregnant (Newsweek, 02 June 1997).

            E. My opinion

 

II. Definitions of Road Rage

            A. In Ontario, Canada road rage is defined as “random acts of violence or aggressive behavior carried out by frustrated or over-stressed drivers.”

            B. In California psychologist Dr. Arnold Nerenberg defines road rage as, "When one driver lets another driver know that he or she is angry because of something the other driver did. In expressing that anger, the driver might make obscene gestures, scream, honk, put on the brakes, cut in front or brandish a weapon. Or even use the weapon"

            C. A study funded by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety defined road rage as "an angry or impatient motorist or passenger intentionally injures or kills another motorist, passenger, or pedestrian, or attempts or threatens to injure or kill another motorist, passenger or pedestrian", "distinguished from other traffic incidents by their willful and criminal nature".

            D. My reaction

 

III. Identifying the Causes for Road Rage

            A. Some suggested probable causes:

                        -Listening to loud, thumping music on the car radio while driving

                        -An overriding cultural focus on "time" as a limited resource, including concerns                          about "saving time," "using time wisely," "being on time," and "time being                                  money"

                        -The summer heat

                        -Increased immigration trends leading to a mixture of different driving styles

                        -Decreased drivers education in schools

                        -Dehumanization of the other

                        -An attempt to attain power in an otherwise powerless existence

            B. My thoughts

 

Helpful Links:

http://drdriving.org/

http://www.bullyonline.org/related/rage.htm

www.IHateYourDriving.com

 

Home page:

www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/409af2004/decaires/home.htm