A Review of
Dr.
Leon James and Dr. Diane Nahl’s
Prometheus
Books 2000
By:
Fro,
Posted December 8, 2002
|
1. The
Book’s Overall Content |
6 Major topics found
in book:
1. Chapter 4: The Road Rage Spectrum
This chapter points out the three types of road rage commonly found today. The first type is passive aggressive road rage (pg. 85- 88). This is the action or non-action of drivers to oppose other drivers on the road without physical force. This behavior is intended to obstruct other drivers and act oblivious to the environment. An example of this is called the left-lane bandit. This person purposely drives in a way, particularly a speed that forces other cars to line up behind them. The bandit’s mentality is said to be inconsiderate.
The next type of road rage is verbal road rage (pg. 89-91). This is defined as spoken complaints about traffic and other driving situations. This is the most common form of road rage. It is said to be habitual in most cases and ironically people are unaware of the occurrences. Verbal road rage doesn’t help in acquiring whatever the goal of the driver may be but hinders the success.
The third type of road rage is called epic road rage (pg. 91-97). This rage is a form of reckless driving compared to scenes from violent cartoons and comic books. This is an observational learned form of driving in which drivers take fantasy and act it out in real life. This type of rage is imitated from violent media and allows people to act out their dreams of adventure. Drivers become transformed into an out of control “manic” based on a made up fantasy.
2. Chapter 5: Emotional Intelligence for Drivers
This chapter contains a section called overcoming emotional hijacking (pg. 112-116). Also known as “neural hijacking”, this biological effect on emotion is an emotional explosion which can be very difficult to control. Road rage alters one’s emotion and it has the power to change the normal thinking and judgment of an individual. In this irrational state, it is possible to have emotional intelligence which gives the person tools to more effectively understand, control, and handle the rage.
These practical and useful skills of how to reappraise a situation, how to self regulate negative mood shifts, and how to empathize with “the other side” should be necessary implementations to driver education. With this type of knowledge drivers will be much better equip to deal with the aversive situations found on our roads today. In examples where these techniques have been used, there is great and positive improvement in the participants’ ways of dealing with anger. The ability for one to have self-awareness and self-management of our emotions will have a positive influence on reducing road rage incidents.
3. Chapter 6: Three-Step Driver Self-Improvement Program
This chapter explains three steps to becoming a better driver. The first step is called acknowledge (pg. 135-137). This is simply defined as the realization that one needs to learn more about road rage. There is no room for the “know it all” attitude because road rage is much more complex than what is seen on the surface. Once one realizes their bad driving habits, the process can begin on becoming a better vehicle operator. This can be a difficult event because one has to admit that they are not perfect. By acknowledging the need for improvement and learning, it is then possible to begin successful self-directed changes.
The next step is called witness or known as witnessing behavior (pg. 137-142). This is a situation that involves self-observation or self-monitoring. Before one can change their behavior, it is mandatory that the behavior is measured in a systematic and organized way. This will allow one to witness and record so that an accurate fully disclosed picture is created of one’s behavior. By becoming more aware of specific behaviors, it will become possible to change them at will. With a continued self-witnessing effort, one will be able to compare changes over time and refine the persistent problems and works towards a better understanding of their driving behavior.
The last step is called modify (pg. 143-144). It is this step that works specifically on improving driving personalities by breaking down the steps in order to focus on one target behavior at a time. In order to modify our behaviors, includes systematically mapping one’s emotions, thoughts, and actions behind the wheel. Through self-assessment, one can acquire a better understanding of themselves and learn to deal with a variety of road conditions. One technique to change is to switch roles with other drivers and with this new perspective it may be possible to stop the negative behavior.
4. Chapter 7: Children and Road Rage
This chapter has an
important topic about road rage nurseries (pg. 151-153). There is a phenomenon that occurs on the
road with children and their surrounding environment. It is a fact that children absorb and witness road rage behavior
in everyday life. This is what creates
the road rage nursery environment.
Through this medium, road rage attitudes are passed on to new and young
generations. Children witness the bad
examples of driving from their parents and so their poor values are born.
Children are getting
“driving lessons” every time they are passengers in a car. When they become of age to drive legally,
some may think that it is the first time their child is learning how to drive
but emotionally the damage has already been done from the days of infancy. To avoid this problem, adults must take the
responsibility to teach their children about emotional intelligence and set
good driving examples at an early age.
By starting early, children are much better prepared to deal with the
dangerous chaos.
5. Chapter 8: Supportive Driving
This chapter details the
benefits of supportive driving (pg. 167-171).
The main definition of this concept has to do with recognizing and
accepting a diversity of drivers and drive in an accommodating style that fits
in with the multiple driving methods.
This style of driving allows for safe driving for everyone on the road
through efforts of facilitation of supportive drivers. These efforts will decrease the number of
accidents and provide an enhanced sense of safety.
Supportive driving is also
known as the “attitude of latitude” given towards other drivers. By adopting this method of actions stress is
reduced, community spirit is fostered, and one is better protected from
emotional pain and injury. Supportive
driving is the idea of giving other drivers the benefit of the doubt and allows
us to look at other drivers with more empathy and understanding. With this attitude, there is much less fuel
available for road rage.
6. Chapter 9: Lifelong Driver Education
This chapter includes a section that explains a concept of QDCs which stands for Quality Driving Circles (pg. 199-202). QDCs are based on the idea of lifelong education for drivers. QDCs are simply a group of volunteers that agree to periodically meet in groups of 2-10 and discuss self-improvement driving techniques. The purpose of QDCs is to provide a social support system to allow drivers to maintain a high level of driving excellence. By provide this social based system successful improvements will be much more frequent in the driving community.
QDCs will help to make sure that lifelong driver education is perpetuated. This program is not limited to just face to face situations but can be offered in other mediums such as on the Web and even on the telephone or computer netmeeting cameras. QDCs will promote supportive driving and help reduce the infamous aggressive driving. It will also be a valuable source to gather reliable and quality statistics of driving behaviors and help to determine future both positive and negative driving trends.
Comments:
There is definitely a progression visible in the organization of this book. In the main topics that I choose, I started with the road rage spectrum because I think that it is important to first understand the different types of road rage. I was completely in the dark about this specific topic. I thought that road rage was defined as any violent act on the road. I never thought about passive aggressive actions and how that could be considered road rage. By beginning with an explanation of the multiple faces of road rage, it provides a helpful background and helps clear up the common confusion.
The next section on emotional intelligence brings to the reader’s attention the very important emotional aspects needed to help fight and reduce road rage behavior. This topic is repeatedly referred to in other parts of the book whenever dealing with solutions to road rage. I think that it is a strategically placed section because it offers the foundation of the improvement of road rage and integrates with the following sections of the book. This topic is one that can be used in other aspects and situations of conflict to reduce tension and productively overcome the obstacle.
The rest of the sections I discuss continue to deal with the options and strategies to fight and defeat road rage. I have heard of the self-improvement techniques from other psychology classes but supportive driving was a new term for my vocabulary. This term should be more relevant. By that I mean, it should become more of a household term. Everyone has heard of defensive driving but as the book points out, it is supportive driving that provides real solutions to the epidemic. It is this idea that I believe has the real power to influence the behaviors and to permanently change the actions on the road.
This book is useful for all types of audiences. It has a main theme of road rage but offers valuable insight to managing one’s emotions. A very important audience that I would target, as the book explains, is the young drivers or to be drivers. It is this type of book and exposure to this type of knowledge that will help the readers at least be aware of a real positive and genuine message. The rest of battle is to get the readers to apply the techniques in everyday life. The irony is that once that occurs the knowledge will spread and the students will now become the teachers.
|
2.
The Book’s Importance |
This book provides everything one would want to know about road rage. Road rage is a growing epidemic in our society and this book is a wonderful effort in working towards reduction and eventually a cure. This book takes the confusing and mysterious topic of road rage and provides real descriptions, solutions and answers.
One specific topic discussed as I mentioned earlier is the problem of children being exposed to road rage. This is a serious problem which is located at the source. The truth that children, who are to become future drivers, are being taught that road rage is a norm must be addressed. The book offers solutions which include an organization called Children Against Road Rage (CARR). This group is dedicated to providing curriculum to reduce and reverse the road rage epidemic. It is an attempt to be pro-active and not reactive to the problems of road rage. In other words, it makes sense to educate a generation before they before road ragers.
We must not ignore aggressive driving. The book deals specifically with fine details of this situation but there is a bigger picture too. As psychologists, we try to determine behaviors, look for trends in behaviors, and ultimately try to understand and explain human actions. This is not an easy task but one must never forget that life is full of experiments everyday which can open entirely new doors of learning. One of these doors is in the hallway of road rage. There is a lot that, us as a society can observe from violent acts on the road. It is from these observations emotional progress can be made.
This book shows two plans of attack for the problem of aggressive driving: preventing young drivers to be aggressive drivers and providing help to those already victims. This book deservers credit for providing answers to both concerns. Both are not easy tasks to accomplish but never through guarantees but by a variety of useful and effective devices, the concerns are answered. The book can only provide a recommended path but it is only the decisions of those wanting to end the rage and follow the advice that can make a difference.
This book is a good resource to see psychology in the field. It provides personal accounts of emotional and physical experiences. There is a link between the emotional intelligence of an individual and their driving personalities and philosophy. It is part of the job descriptions of psychologists to recognize the connection, attempt to understand it, and most of all be educated by it. Once the connection has been made, the knowledge must be used to make our roads safer, people better divers, and eventually lead to better lives.
|
3.
The Book’s Structure |
This book is full of checklists and exercises. They range from determining your road rage tendencies, identifying your irrational driving rules, and to supportive driving. One checklist that I used was to identify my irrational driving rules. This list of 10 statements is used to bring to conscious minds attention of any personal irrational driving rules one may possess. It is important to recognize these types of hidden beliefs of driving so that you are aware of your emotional state while driving.
After taking the test, I only checked a few of the statements. I assume it would be better if I didn’t have any of these rules but I had to be honest in my responses. It is not east admitting that I actually don’t signal when there are no cars around, which is an example from the list but it is the truth. Also I do speed up to go through an intersection as the light turns yellow but the rest of the 8 items were not in my driving rules.
I am not a perfect driver. I think that the point of this section is to show us that we need to be aware of the background assumptions going on while we drive so that we can learn to make better judgments on the road. These irrational driving rules can add to the stress of driving when there is absolutely no justification for them to exist. I believe that once this point is realized, people will change their irrational driving rules and become much more competent users of the road.
There are also a few tables that serve as a good quick reference. The tables provide a quick place to go to for information. A bibliography is provided in the notes section at the end of every chapter. The index is probably the most useful and handy tool of the entire book. It does a good job of categorizing all the topics and providing useful sub-sections. It is very east to use and done very well. It is always a nice treat when using a book for research and you find it contains a professional and extensive index.
The chapter titles are also well thought out. They do a good job of introducing each chapter. The layout is effective because throughout the entire book, the exercises and checklists are strategically placed at the end of each related section. This gives the readers a hands-on experience of what was just described in prose above. It is almost like a test to make sure that they have understood what they just read. The size of the print is fine but maybe some color might help to spice up the book a little.
|
4.
Critique of the Book |
This book showed me the complex world of road rage and aggressive driving. It also proved that by learning how to become a better driver that the knowledge is not just limited to the highways but can help us lead better and happier lives. It is this approach that puts this book in a league of its own. The information provided in this book serves as a vehicle to not only make us better drivers but better people. The authors used this unique angle of how understanding road rage can actually help us understand ourselves. This is really an effective way of spreading an important ideal and shows the strengths of the book.
Here’s a passage from the book:
“This is what we’ve lost since aggressive driving practices have become predominant on the roads. And yet there is not merely hope for a better day but even an opportunity to use this downturn as an occasion to create a renewed sense of highway community. We have the means to turn ourselves toward the philosophy of supportive driving, but it requires both intellectual and emotional effort. It is crucial to teach ourselves how to analyze driving incidents in a rational way, following emotionally intelligent principles.”
Why does this have to only be confined to the roads? I enjoyed this passage because it talks about taking a negative situation and trying to find a way to make it something positive. Although this is not an exact science and some magical equation exists that if followed guarantees success, it is not out of our reach. I learned from this book that we must learn how to make the rage work for us. It will take effort as it says above but the rewards and results will be more than worth it.
Here are some links to other review found on the web:
http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/409as2002/cupp/bookreview.htm
http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/409as2002/namihira/bookreview.html
|
5.
Additional Observations |
Honestly I really did not know what to expect from this book. At first I thought why would someone write an entire book about road rage? Later I realized, it was just my ignorance that kept me from realizing how intricate and complex this epidemic is. My eyes were really opened to the world of aggressive driving and strongly believe that the knowledge needs to be spread. The book really presents logical and rational approaches to this problem and now the techniques need to implemented in the appropriate areas of the driving community.