This is Part4

kelamuch 03/04/00 4:18 PM
RC # 7

I agree that sometimes driving behind people can feel like you're not moving at all and when you change lanes and increase your speed, even if only by a few miles per hour, sometimes it seems to make a huge difference. I try to avoid changing in and out of lanes unless I absolutely can't take it. But I seem to be able to relate to your emotional state when you can't change lanes. I feel like that quite often while driving, but about different things. I usually get more annoyed with people turning in front of me or blocking the intersections as opposed to driving behind a slow mover. At least we're taking this class and learning how to deal with our emotions!!! :o)

melo1 03/05/00 1:39 AM
RC #7

it's very difficult for me to stay behind a slow driver, not unless it's at nite and i'm in no rush. but besides those situations, i would usually overtake the person. i really don't see any harm in it, as long as i am cautious and aware of the other cars around me. and besides, slow drivers are also causes of accidents, not to mention traffic.

isabel 03/21/00 6:28 PM
(SWR #7) How to do a driving personality makeover

TEE card #15C2.

I think the three steps are very helpful and useful in changing one's driving habits. Since I don't drive, I can't really try them out. I do think that it is necessary to recognize one's errors before one can seek to correct them or else one will always think that one is right. This also applies to other areas of life too. Now, the next step is really trying to find out how bad one's driving behavior is or so called "witness your own errors and transgressions". I also think that many of one's driving habits are unconscious because they have been transmitted from previous generations and has become one's second nature. I suppose one probably has never been told that those habits are wrong because they are a cultural norm. I also think that the media portrayal of many things are not right such as the ideas of sex, beauty and of course driving. The media really isn't considering the best interest of the audience. All they are concerned about is how to make a profit. That really contributes to the many things we see happening in the society today such as bad driving. The last step is to modify one's behavior one step at a time and that is to be consciously aware of one's driving habits and behaviors. As with everything else in life, all these need practice, patience and the willingness to do them right.

allianic 03/01/00 3:55 PM
SWR #7 - G13

I am one of those people that think of themselves as an excellent driver. If something bad happens, it is always the other persons fault and not my own. I guess that I have never really looked at what my weaknesses are while driving, which is probably why I think of myself as an excellent driver. I think that if I really pay attention to what I do when I drive, I will find a few things that I need to improve on. There are some times when I realize that I am being aggressive or irrational when I drive. As soon as i realize what I am doing, I try to stop and to just relax and think about something else. The tee card says that we tend to drive like our parents. I disagree with that statement because I a make it a point to not drive like my parents. My mom drives too jerky and I always end up getting sick in the car and my dad drives too slow. I drive the complete opposite of my parents. I try to drive a ssmooth as possible without going too slow or too fast. I feel that as soon as I become aware of the bad habit that I have while driving, I will be able to modify them all. I don't think that it will be easy to modify those behaviors because I have been driving the same way for years. But I think that with a little patience and persistence, I can modify my bad habits and become a better driver.

allianic 03/01/00 4:05 PM
OC #7

I think that one of the hardest steps of a Driving Personality Makeover would be for people to actually acknowledge the way they drive. I know of a lot of people that would be really insulted if anyone even brought up the issue of their driving abilities. I think that all people do not want to be thought of as a bad driver. In fact, I think that people never really want to be thought of as bad in anything. So if someone accused them of being an aggressive driver, most people would probably not believe it. They'd probably just blame the other drivers and say that it is because other people don't know how to drive. Noone ever wants to take responsibility for their own actions. I think that if people can feel more comfortable analyzing themselves, doing a driving personality makeover would be much easier and more successful.

ShaunnaM 03/09/00 11:51 PM
RE: OC #7

I agree with this OC that says the worst step to driving personality make-overs is acknowledgement. I know that I would judge someone else as a bad driver fater than I would see myself. That is why I think the best step to becoming a better driver is to realize that they need to do just that. I beleive that most people feel that driving technique and ability come with years and experience. I think that a person can drive for 50 years and still be a bad driver, can still exhibit road rage, as well as many other driving behaviors that should be fixed. I think that this whole concept of driving psychology is just being born, and will be the beginning of something that can make the roads safer. I feel that driver's traing classes should teach the techniques that we are discussing in these classes. Just knowing about the three domains of driving psychology can help a person be aware of thier own driving behaviors which can lead to self-beterment.

faylogna 03/10/00 12:07 PM
OC#7

I agree with what you are saying. From what I have noticed through out the years, many people have the hardest time to actually admit their mistakes. Especially, they don't want anyone to point out what it is. They probably know it but are in denial to admit that there is a problem. The term "problem" alone poses a negative concept. Coud it be in our nature? I don't really know the answer. However, I think the greatest challenge is life is to accept that you are wrong and try to make up for it.

kelamuch 03/01/00 9:04 PM
SWR # 7

My driving makeover really began with SWR #4 in which another person rates your driving. I was pretty shocked to realize that I am verbally aggressive behind the wheel. This was my first realization that I had a problem. I have made a conscious effort to remain calm and more aware of the situation rather than just blow up. For me this seems to be the biggest problem. I think it puts me in a negative mood as well as my passengers. I have been trying to maintain an awareness of other drivers and the situation, but it’s a little difficult at times. The good thing is that I am trying. And my sister, the person who pointed out this bad behavior in SWR #4, noticed it yesterday while we were driving home. At an intersection a car made a right turn which situated him right in front of me. He then proceeded to slow down to approximately 14 miles an hour in a 35-MPH area. There were no cars behind me and I wondered why this person felt the need to enter my lane so immediately and then slow down. I simply stated, “Hmm…I wonder what this person is doing,” rather than my usual “What the #$%@ is this idiot doing?” It was at this point that my sister commented that she has noticed I seem to be trying to modify my driving behavior. I know that I am far from perfect but I am pretty proud of my start!

Marissa_ 03/03/00 9:41 PM
RE: SWR # 7 (OC)

Well done! I am glad to hear you are on your way to becoming a better driver. It helps to know what others think of the way we drive so we can try to change our bad habits. Miracles do not happen over night. Take it one step at a time.

shizue 03/04/00 10:46 AM
OC # 7

The great thing about your driving personality makeover is not only that you, yourself are a much safer driver and don't upset others on the road or your passengers, but also you are modeling great behavior for your sister. Hopefully, by seeing what a change your driving behavior has gone through and realizing that it is better to be more calm and in control, she too will want to take on those good driving traits. We sometimes don't realize what an influence our actions and behaviors have on others, especially those who look up to us and try to model our behaviors.

bliniking 03/04/00 4:41 PM
rc#7

It is very encouraging to hear that someone else is making gains in an area that I myself could use some help in. I tend to shovel out a few colorful metaphors at some drivers, and I do it to release some agression. I do realize that it is not really a comfortable situation for my passenger(s), so I try to keep the metaphors clean...if anything. In my humble opinion, if it helps to restrain and diminish your anger and hostile feelings, then do say what you want. It is better to be a calm driver than a pent up one.

jamesy69 03/04/00 4:58 PM
RE: SWR # 7 (RC)

I am very happy for your recent success and I hope you continue in your efforts in becoming a better driver. I know that changing a behavior is a hard thing to do because the behavior we want to change has become automatic in our everyday life. I think the key in changing our behavior is consistency. We can't just keep on changing our behavior on the way we feel that particular day but have to stick with a behavior that we want to portray everyday. I think this aspect is the hardest for me. Somedays I'll be really conscious of my driving and other days I could care less. I think once I develop a system where I will always be conscious of my behaviors while I'm driving will I see the greatest results. By doing this, not only do I create a safer environment for myself but for others as well.

LDwiggins 03/02/00 3:29 PM
Tee # 30C6

-- Larry Lemm honked at J.C. Edgar King's car because it was stopped
in the middle of 1300 West. That honk led to an altercation that has
left Lemm partly disabled and the elderly King with a criminal
conviction on his otherwise clean record. The altercation occurred
Labor Day weekend 1995, and Lemm is still fighting with King. ``You
wonder when he's going to take responsibility for it,'' said Lemm, who
has sued for damages in the incident, which left him with two injured
knees requiring surgery.

This scenario resulting from road rage demonstates once again the damage that can come from giving into our anger. This situation could have been avoided if Lemm did not honk his horn at King for being stopped. Lemm could have been practiced charitable thought with King's circumstance(s) that might have explained his being stopped. King could have let the honking go or at least tried to explain the situtation to Lemm instead of having an altercation. This report is an example of emotional high jacking where one heated event led to another heated event and ultimately to injury. This event took place back in 1995 and the two are still fighting. Lemm is suing King for the injury. I was surprised to read that Lemm wants King to take responsibility, however, he has failed to take responsibility of his action that inititated this situation. I am sure that Lemm feels his honking of the horn was minor compared to King's reaction, however it was this simple act (honking) that brought on this domino effect of emotion. This anger is still building and will continue to build until both persons stop "acting out" towards each other (Lemm's suing and wanting King to take responsibility).

This ties into the Goleman's Emotional Intelligence chapter on Passion's Slave (p 56-77) and on Transpersonal's practice of being in the moment. Everything we do in this moment gives rise to the next moment, therefore it is important that we are aware of our emotions in order to avoid the triggering of emotional intelligence.

Imagine Lemm's life would be without injury and medical bills if he hadn't honked his horn and given into the altercation with King. King's record would not be tarnished and he would not be sued if he had not let the horn honking erupt into the altercation.

Sandee 03/03/00 12:10 PM
SWR #5

After reviewing the Driver's three fold self, I would like to think of my self as fitting into Phase 2. Although, I must admit that I have my days as a Phase 1 driver. I find myself to be in a Phase 1 stage when I am emotionally frustrated at something. I guess you could say that I take out my frustration on my driving behavior. But compared to my teenage years, I feel that I have become a better driver. I feel that the experience that I gained from driving has made me into a wiser driver.

Marissa_ 03/03/00 8:17 PM
RE: SWR #5 (RC)

You are not alone. I do not think a person has never experienced being a Phase 1 driver. All drivers’ must have experienced that phase at least once in their life. When you take your frustration out on your driving what do you do? How are you emotionally frustrated? What is your pet peeve? In any case, I am glad you are on your way to becoming a better driver.

LDwiggins 03/03/00 9:43 PM
OC #7 - Road Rage Rampage

I heard the news last night about a road rage encounter that resulted in the a different type of altercation. One of the persons involved reached into the other driver's car, pulled his/her dog out and threw it into traffic. The dog was killed by oncoming cars. I tried to locate more information from KITV's webpage, but it was not available in their archive.

My opinion is one that is obvious. Road Rage is not only on an incline I feel it is out of control. I know many people who view do not view their pets as pets. Many feel that they are family members. I wonder how far people will go and how much longer our society will allow us to go in how we behave when we give into road rage. I looked at the ASPCA to see how they would handle this. They have a "Felony Animal Cruelty" for "aggravated cruelty", but it did not say what type of punishment(if any) doing this carries. The dog owner will probably resort to filing a lawsuit. In any case this is a sad situation and unfortunately I don't see relief coming anytime soon.

shanen 03/05/00 9:56 PM
RC #7: OC #7 - Road Rage Rampage

Wow, that is a very interesting story. I have a feeling that not much will happen to the offender. This type of crimes usually find their way through the cracks of the system and the offender usually gets off with less than a slap on the wrist. I myself see it as a murder. Pets aren't just pets to me. They are a part of my family. I worry about my dog being at home by herself and I can imagine that there are those who have stronger feelings that me. They are trully part of families. At times even treated like a human. I know that we as a species, separate ourselves from other species and sadly I don't think that will change in the near future. So the courts will not treat this as they would a murder or assault of a human. As for the offender in this case, they need serious help. I agree that this is a sad and even sick situation and it seems there will be o justice to this crime.

tanthony 03/06/00 1:07 PM
OC-7

That is a horrible story about the dog. I had not heard anything about that. It is just shocking to me that someone would do something like that. I would have felt awful being someone who hit the dog too. I always slow down for birds to get out of the way but I once hit one that flew right in front of my car and it ruined my day. People are out of control. What will someone do next, grab someone's baby out of a car and throw it into traffic? It is frightening that these kinds of situations exist and make me happy that I am not an angry, confrontational driver who could somehow provoke an occurence like this happening to me.

ABumanglag 03/06/00 4:29 PM
OC #7 - Re: Road Rage Rampage

Wow, this was the first time I heard of this happening!!! Frankly, I find it really ridiculous. It goes to show how really out of control road rage is. Regardless of the situation, my opinion is that road rage should never go this far. Do we have to get dogs involved too? I hope that guy gets some kind of penalty for what he did - after all, it is probably the most cruel thing I have ever heard of. Maybe next time, somebody should pull him from his car and toss him on the freeway.

Guerra 03/06/00 9:47 PM
Re: Road Rage Rampage (RC #7)

isabel 03/21/00 6:26 PM
(OC #8) Re: OC #7 Road Rage Rampage

This is something new to me. I don't think the dog should even be involved in someone else's road rage. Poor dog, another innocent victim. Fortunately it is not another human being instead. I think if someone can do this to a dog, s/he can do that to human beings too. Maybe the person does not have any feelings for the dog and does not see its importance. I think they should at least stop to think what if it is their own dog? They surely won't murder their own dogs? (Of course I once did learn of someone actually throwing a cat from a high rise building in Singapore but I was not sure if that was the person's dog or not) But, this person was a small child so I can understand. But an adult?? I would think this person have some kind of problems and need some help, you know. I think that behavior is really cruel. What have our society become? Have people all lost control of themselves? I think it is kind of serious and people should really think about it. Just my opinion.

Sandee 03/08/00 11:17 AM
RE: OC #7 - Road Rage Rampage (OC #7)

I was really shocked when I heard about about the dog being thrown out of the car to oncoming traffic. What's up with these people? I would be so devastated if this happened to me. My dog is pretty big soI wouldn't think anybody would want to even try to grab him. Like many of you, I feel as though my dog is part of our family. It would feel like some idiot grabbing my brother out of the car and throwing him into oncoming traffic. Do people think that pets don't have any feelings? Are people nowadays that incensitive? Just thinking about this news makes me so angry!

jamesy69 03/04/00 12:08 PM
OC #7 Buckle Up!

I just recently heard on the news of a new law proposal that would require passengers sitting in the back seat to buckle up. I thought this was a good idea but was surprised to see that other people seemed to dislike the idea. One individual that was interviewed stated that he was a mature young adult and did not have to buckle up. After hearing that statement I thought to myself, "what does maturity have to do with wearing a seat bealt?" Being mature has nothing to do with saving your life. If you're 1yrs old or 45yrs old, getting hit by another car without your seat belt is probably going to get you seriously injured or even killed. Why even put your life at risk when you can simply put on a seat belt that would reduce your chances of injury in a accident? Is it that much of a inconvience? It really does not make sense to me. I think this would be a good law because I really believe buckling up could save lives. What do you think?

kelamuch 03/04/00 4:03 PM
OC #7

Well I think that does sound like a good idea -- requiring all passengers to use seatbelts. People are always a bit resistant to being forced to do anything, even if it is beneficial. When the first seatbelt law went into effect I think many people were resistant to it too, but gradually it became second nature. When I get into a car now one of the first things I do is put my seatbelt on.

As for those people who are "too mature" to wear a seatbelt, there wouldn't really be any way for the authorities to determine whether or not you are wearing the lapbelt, so I guess you wouldn't have to. But wouldn't you rather trade that so-called maturity for your life?

melo1 03/05/00 1:47 AM
OC #7

i also agree with the notion of having all passengers use a seatbelt. it may seem restraning in the beginning, but like everything else, you get used to it. what is feeling restrained when it can save your life? accidents do not distinguish back passengers from front passengers - everyone is taking a chance when they get into a car. wouldn't you want to be on the safer side. and for the "mature" people who do not agree with this, all i can say is that they have just proven their immaturity and ignorance.

holma 03/05/00 11:48 AM
( OC #7) Buckle Up!

Of course we should have a law requiring the back seat passengers to wear seatbelts! In case of a collision, the people in the backseat will, if they're not wearing seat belts, get thrown forward with an enormous force, crushing the buckled up people in the front seat. We've had that law in Sweden for a long time and the advertisments supporting that law stated: "Don't drive around with elephants in your backseat!"

isabel 03/21/00 6:25 PM
(Extra OC #3) Re: OC #7 Buckle up!

I agree. I think that's great that there is a law requiring people in the back seats to buckle up. It lets people know how important one's life is. I also think that what does maturity has to do with buckling up or not. You will get killed no matter how matured you are if you get into an accident without a seat belt that could have prevented the accident. The law will only help to protect one's life. It's good to hear that the law makers are concerned about our safety and our lives and are doing something about it; there are some law makers out there who don't do their jobs.

blinking 03/04/00 4:16 PM
swr#7

holma 03/05/00 11:35 AM
(RC #7):RE: swr#7

That's great that you are making a conscious effort to not tailgate others! It is, as you say, very dangerous and stupid to drive too close to the car in front of you. Just the fact of bringing attention to that, will help you to quit doing it. A lot of the things we do are done unconsciously, so the only way to change them is to bring attention to them. It is also good that you slow down and let the tailgating car behind you, pass, instead of letting yourself getting annoyed or anxious about it.

Sandee 03/06/00 11:37 AM
RE: swr#7 (RC #7)

Evaluating your tendency to tailgate is a really great step that you took. (One that I should do too.) Tailgating is such a dangerous driving pattern but many of us tailgate at one time or another. Why, I really don't know. Tailgating does not make the situation better and it doesn't make me feel better but I catch myself doing from time to time. Being considerate of other driver's feelings is a very important thing that all drivers should think about. I just think that there are too many selfish drivers out on the road!

robsolmssen 03/14/00 1:27 PM
RE: swr#7

One way that helps me stay off the person in front of me is to think about who is at fault if I hit them. I just think about my driving record and how an accident will hurt my insurance. This usually does the trick

blinking 03/04/00 5:16 PM
oc#7

Does anyone think that there is a corelation b/w the type of car a person drives and their driving style. For example, does someone driving a 4x4 or sports car drive more aggressively, where as someone driving a coupe is more conservative. Does the driver's mentality reflect in the type of vehicle they drive, or does the type of car allow for the expression of their mentality?

jamesy69 03/04/00 5:23 PM
SWR#7 Keeping it Consistent

When I observed my driving this past week I found that it was easy to acknowledge my weaknesses and find a solution that would change my behavior. The hard part was keeping the modified behavior consistent with my everyday driving and not just the days that I'm consciously trying to be a good driver. I think everyone has the basic ideas of what good driving is, but do not always incorporate it in their driving. If people were more consistent in driving responsibly, more people in turn would be better drivers. Too many times have I fallen to my old habits of tailgating and speeding just because I let my mind become lazy and enjoyed the behaviors that were automatic and comfortable to me. Using good judgement and emotional intelligence is not easy and requires a lot of self control. I guess thats why it is so hard to be good driver. I know that I have to be constantly watching my behaviors when I drive in order to successfully achieve my goal of becoming a safer driver.

melo1 03/05/00 1:31 AM
SWR #7

Alright, I will have to admit that there are times I think that I am a good driver - that when things go wrong, my fingers point to the other driver. Gradually, I have learned otherwise. I have scrutinized my own driving philosophies and realize that there are changes that have to be made. One of these, would be my temper on the road. I find myself hot-headed, especially during traffic hours. I get really aggravated when someone cuts me off without giving me ample space, which leads to an abrupt break on my part. Also, another factor to my aggravation is having to be in back of a left lane bandit. I am aware that everybody does things differently and this is why I am gradually being more patient and tolerant on the road. Hopefully this gradual change in my driving philosphy will be a successful one.

shanen 03/05/00 10:28 PM
SWR #7

I thought that it would be the most beneficial to everyone else and myself if I did a "makeover" on my speeding behaviors. I was thinking back to one of my first posts in which I said that I didn't speed. Boy was I wrong. I usually go about 10-15 mph over the limit on the freeways. I found that I mostly speed when there is flowing traffic, and a decent amount of cars on the road. By this I mean that the freeways aren't bare like you would find at 1:00am. Usually a time for this typw of flowing traffic is about 8:00pm or 12:00 noon. I think the reason that I speed in these situations is bscause I'm glad that I'm not in stop and go traffic and I should take advantage of the flow to get to my destination early. That would make me feel good. I also feel that it would be harder for a cop who may be tagging speeders to focus on me. If it was at night with no one around the cop could spot me coming a mile away. Also I can use the cues of the cars in front to detect if a cop may be lurking around any corners. I guess one of my main concerns is getting a ticket. This is what seems to drive my behavior.

I tried to modify my behavior recently by being aware of my speeding and then by repeating to myself that I may someone. I also try to make myself realize that getting there early is not worth a ticket or injury. I'm trying anything and everything to be conscious of my speeding. I'll keep everyone posted on which works best for me.

tanthony 03/06/00 12:56 PM
RC-7

Good luck on your makeover and try not to feel guilty if you do not always succeed. As you probably know, your little speeding habit is not uncommon. At times I find myself doing the same thing too. For me, I think some of it has to do with having lived on the mainland for a little while and driving on freeways where the speed limit was 70 mph. Now I'm back and 50 is the top speed and it seems so slow. Just yesterday my boyfriend told me that as far as he is concerned, the speed limit is 10 to 15 mph above the posted speed limit. I didn't feel like arguing with him at the time but I think we all know this is certainly not true. So you are not alone out there. I think it just comes down to the way we think. We need to accept that the speed limit is there to be followed. There must be a good reason that they chose it, right? Well I hope so.

shanen 03/05/00 10:39 PM
OC #7

When I first read the "Hints on How to Manage Your Outbreak of Anger in Traffic" I noticed that I use some of the techniques that are listed already. However, I did not realize how often I use those techniques to try to stay calm in situations where I am very upset while driving. I would like to think of myself as a calm and non aggressive driver but I can't say that this is always true. I must admit there are times when my frustrations take over my emotions. And by then, I am too angry to even think about these techniques to try to calm me down. I should be more of a considerated driver. Perhaps other drivers may think of me as a jerk or an idiot driver too sometimes.

tanthony 03/06/00 12:41 PM
SWR-7

I do tend to think of myself as a good driver. Not necessarily because I don't make mistakes but because I try not to be a risk taker and I try to drive in a responsible way. I do acknowledge that I am not always the best driver in the world. I am pretty concious of the mistakes that I make and wonder why I did them. I have accidentally turned down a one way street going in the opposite direction. This could be construed as being pretty idiotic but I just made a mistake, I don't do it all the time. So I try to recognize that other people are just making mistakes too. I think I was pretty lucky that I had decent driving role models for parents. They might show mild irritation occasionally but were usually laid back. From their example I am a mild mannered driver and never choose to be confrontational. I think my flight instinct is much greater than my fight. I have never been in a hostile exchange with another driver.

ABumanglag 03/06/00 4:21 PM
RE: SWR-7: Very interesting....

Wow, it's really good to hear that there are some non-agressive drivers on the road. I guess you're one of the lucky ones who actually had "good" driving role models. As for myself, I find that I also learned my driving habits from my parents. However, I think my friends, and also co-workers at one point, might have also had an influence on my aggressive driving habits. The funny thing is, while growing up during my high school years, I always felt this strong sense of stereotypical male driving behavior. Somehow, it was ok for me to drive a little aggressive, because if not, I would have appeared like a pansy to my friends. This is probably why I have been driving aggressively for so long. I guess social factors really have a strong influence on driving styles.

ABumanglag 03/06/00 4:13 PM
SWR#7: 3 step program

Ok, as step 1 of Dr. Driving's 3 step program instructs, I admit that I am an aggressive driver. This does not occur all the time, but nevertheless, there are times when I admit that I am guilty of weaving in and out of traffic and tailgating drivers who cut me off. I have been driving like this for many years now, and this driving style was probably reinforced by me watching my friends and other family members drive (we're just all a bunch of aggressive drivers!)
Anyway, I understand that in order to change, I have to try and change one bad habit at a time. Right now, I'm having a hard time with this because there are times when I am not aware of my aggressive driving until its too late. However, good news is, I think I am beginning to make some improvements.

For example, on Sat., while I was driving on Moanalua Freeway, A van was going really fast and began to tailgate me. I was looking in my rear view mirror and was surprised to see him driving that close. Usually, I would have probably reacted by slowing down to piss him off, or perhaps even retaliating with a "friendly" hand gesture (not the shaka sign.) Anyway, I remained cool, and did nothing. Shortly after, he changed lane and was far away from me. I was happy to see that I reacted in what is perhaps the right thing to do in a situation like that. Nevertheless, I feel that I still need a lot of practice in controlling my emotions on the road.

Guerra 03/06/00 9:35 PM
RE: SWR#7: 3 step program (RC #7)

Sounds like your on your way to improving yourself as a driver. I actually feel the same way because I used to often yell at people or drive very aggressively. Nowdays, I just cruise it and don't cause trouble even when other drivers are trying to aggrevate me. I had a similar experience to yours when I was driving home from Hickam AFB this weekend. I was just leaving the base and some older caucasian woman was following me. I wasn't speeding because I always drive speed limit on base (strict rules!) Well anyways, she was tailing me and she could have easily changed lanes. My first reaction was "what the f*ck!," then I thought "who cares." I had just finished a long day and just wanted to get home okay. So i just let it go and she proceeded to pass me then cut in front of me. I found it funny because she seemed very hostile.

I feel as if I am a more emotionally intelligent driver nowdays. I don't worry about getting revenge anymore. My only problem is to not speed when I drive to work in rush hour. Besides driving to work I drive alot safer.

Guerra 03/06/00 9:58 PM
OC #7 speeding out of courtesy?

I was driving around town the other day and I was in no rush to get anywhere. So I naturally just drove slightly above the speed limit. The street I was on had only one lane. Then another car was approaching me from behind. I noticed that he wasn't speeding, but was going slightly faster than I was. He maintained a respectable distance from me but I could tell that he obviously wanted me to go faster. Just because I felt bad for slowing down the car behind me I speed up. I'm not exactly sure but I was probably going at least ten miles over the speed limit. I continued this speed until the road opened up into two lanes, then he proceeded to pass me.

My comment is that he did not tailgate me or yell at me or beep his horn at me. But since I was driving at a legal speed I felt bad for slowing him down. This caused me to speed. I feel like this form of speeding is not aggressive because I wasn't trying to cut anyone off or hang turns or run red lights. Am I still being an emotionally unintelligent driver?

I don't think so, but I was curious as to what others believe. I personally hate to be that one car which causes a line of cars to form behind them.

Guerra 03/06/00 10:12 PM
swr #7

I have acknowledged that I am part of the problem a long time before I read this tee card. I realized this from our other discussions on this board. I have to say though that prior to this class I did consider myself as almost excellent, not quite but almost. Kind of conceited, yes, but I have learned my mistake.

I think I have realized what my own errors and transgressions are. Hmm I might need help on this one, maybe I'll ask a friend or family member? But I did do a pretty good job this weekend of noting that errors that I could see. Such as speeding up to catch a yellow light, barely stopping at a stop light, and making a double lane switch (that is going two lanes over without stopping.)

I have already begun this modification phase of driving. I recently was tailed by an older lady, I was surprised that I didn't get upset. It didn't even bother me when she cut back in front of me just to annoy me. Hopefully this minor incident means that I am on the right track to improving myself. I sure hope so.

kuni99 03/06/00 11:18 PM
RC#7

I am glad to hear of the improvement and awareness in your driving...every person's improvement counts. I too feel that I thought that I was a "good" driver until taking this course and becoming more aware of my bad habits and emotional driving. I think that our roads and highways can become much safer if every driver was aware of their bad driving habits.

kuni99 03/06/00 11:08 PM
SWR#7

I think that everyone as human beings drive with feelings and emotions and habits. We are creatures of habit, but we also don't like to see our faults. I know that I have faults in my driving habits and only since taking this course have I become conscious or aware of really analyzing my drivng habits and trying to adjust it to more safe driving. So far, I have acknowledged the fact that I drive with too much emotion toward other "bad" drivers.

isabel 03/21/00 6:21 PM
(RC #8) RE: SWR#7

I agree with you that people are creatures of habits. We often have many bad habits relating to driving and other aspects that we may not be aware of. Those habits have stayed with us so long because we are never told that they are bad and need to be changed. I guess many drivers are not aware of their bad driving habits too and this class tells us that those are bad habits and makes us rethink about ourselves and what we have so long upheld as correct. I think there are definitely many bad drivers out there that need to take this class to be aware of their bad driving habits or their driving will never improve. Sometimes, other people may tell us that we have bad habits but we may or may not listen. This class gives us all the facts and statistics that alert us to the big issue of road rage and how our driving play a part in it. It would be strange if people still find it not convincing enough to start changing.

allianic 03/08/00 5:49 PM
RE: SWR#7 (My RC #8)

I agree that as human beings we all drive with feelings and emotions and habits. I guess that sometimes we don't realize that we are driving a certain way because it is a habit for us that we think is correct. Ans when we grow up believing that something is correct, it is hard for us to change out thinking. I think that all people, at least sometimes, drive with emotion. It's just that a lot of people don't know how to control their feelings which makes driving even more dangerous. But since I have been taking this driving class, I have to admit that I am more aware of myself when I am driving. I think that a class like this would be beneficial to anyone with an open mind about driving. It will just be hard to convince the people with closed minds that they could use some help with their driving habits.

kuni99 03/06/00 11:12 PM
OC#7

I feel that there should be programs like "driver awareness" so that everyone can become more conscious of the things that they do unconsciously while driving. People sometimes don't realize what they are doing when it is a habit. It tends to seem natural to that individual and all it takes is awareness of bad habits and the potential negative results to change or reform someone's driving habits.

isabel 03/21/00 6:23 PM
(Extra OC #4) Tailgating

Actually, tailgating on the road is quite a new thing for me. I never know that people would tailgate others as a form of road rage. But, it seems to be pretty common on the road. Maybe it has to do with the culture of driving here. I think different countries have different cultures of driving. Tailgating is probably not common in many Asian countries. (Not that I am aware of). Also, driving in Taiwan is a lot worse but I don't see road rage as an issue there. Maybe people are more tolerant and not as concerned etc. But, driving in Hawaii is definitely a whole lot better than driving in Taiwan. I have seen some drivers there who drove in opposite direction as the traffic flow even when they are not supposed to. Even if the traffic is that bad there, I don't think people commit murders out of road rage or killing another person's dog. (Or am I wrong?) So, why is the road rage issue so big here? I think it says something about our society.

Marissa_ 03/21/00 9:09 PM
RE: (Extra OC #4) Tailgating

What do you mean when you say,"I think different contries have different cultures of driving"? I don't see driving as a culture. It's more like there are a set of rules one must abide by in order to drive in various countries. Learing about what the rules are should be your responsibility when you move from one place to another. For example, one must learn that in Hawaii people do not drive on the same side of the road as people drive in Japan.

holma 03/07/00 7:56 PM
SWR #7

When I did my Driving Personality Makeover I realized a couple of thing that I was not aware of that I was doing.
1) I acknowledged some driving errors that I was doing, speeding up at yellow light and switching lanes when passing a crosswalk for example.
2) I witnessed my errors and I think I do them because I am being restless and because I am not paying attention.
3) I am now trying to be attentive and patient when I am driving, in order to eliminate these bad habits.
Hopefully my new correct driving behavior concerning these matters will remain even after taking this class.

Sandee 03/08/00 11:31 AM
SWR #7

At first, it was really difficult for me to acknowledg that I have a problem with my driving. I don't feel as though I am an excellent driver but I felt that I was an okay driver. Both of my parents are nonaggressive drivers so I really appreciate that they were very good role models as drivers. However, this does not mean that I don't get aggressive at all. I must admit there are days when I feel more aggressive and competitive. I think this is probably where I my driving makeover begins, admitting that I am not a perfect driver. I tried to notice mistakes of other drivers and I realize that I do the same mistakes also. By observing other drivers, I really feel that we can become better driver by keeping an open mind and drive with the intention of always trying to be a smart driver. Always choosing to be a peacemaker is also a very good point. It is our own choice to be a warrior or a peacemaker so make the right choice.

faylogna 03/09/00 11:09 AM
RE: SWR #7

I agree with you in the fact that by observing other drivers we can be come better driver. However, this method can only work IF we are intelligently aware what's right and wrong. For some, the things they observe may be right for them but are wrong if we were to carefully analyze it and so will pick up the habit. They will never learn until (hopefully) someone pin point that is wrong. Also, this method can be positive if the person do make an effect to try to change. There's a difference where a person can say it is wrong, leave it at that and does not make the effect to try to correct it and apply to one's self. This method will be at a greater value if a person become aware of their doing, accepts it, and then make an effect to change for better.

allianic 03/08/00 5:27 PM
SWR #8 - G13

I can't believe that hundreds of people die from shoot outs that happen because of driving mishaps. I think that it is really scary. I guess that since I don't know of it actually happening to anyone that I know makes, it even harder to believe. I would like to think that if I pulled over to talk to someone because we got into a little accident that we would both be mature enough to handle the situation without anyone getting hurt or too angry. I think that it is natural for both drivers to be a little upset at first, but I don't think that it tis natural to just shoot someone. Maybe it is just the men that let these situations get out of hand. Being a girl, I can't see myself getting into a situation like that. If I did pull over and the other driver was yelling at me I would probable be too scared to do anything except listen. And if I knew that the other driver was drunk, I would probably be even more careful about what I did. Getting angry will only cause both people to act irrationally. I would most likely try to explain, in a VERY calm voice, that I was very sorry and that we could try to work it out. I guess that men feel the need to show how tough they are by fighting back instead of just leaving the scene. It just really scares me that there are people in the world that let their emotions run so high that they end up killing someone. I understand that there are times when it is extremely hard to control your feelings. But I don't understand it when people let crazy things happen, like killing or hurting someone. I mean is their car THAT important that you need to kill someone because it got damaged? I just hope that someday people will learn that over reacting about auto accidents is more harmful than beneficial. Then maybe the roads will be a much safer place to drive for everyone.

faylogna 03/10/00 2:26 PM
RC#8

It is sad to say, but, in today's society many people are killing one another because of negative reasons. It could be because their belongings were damages (i.e car), their property were violated, their feelings were hurt or they were just labeled wrongly (i.e gay). Yes, these are stupid reasons because a person life shouldn't taken away when there are alternative ways in handling the situation. I think one of the best way to answer an issue is by talking it out: discussioning what's the problem, trying to find a solution and coming to an understanding. It can be very difficult to come to an understanding because each of us have different perspective, however, with an open mind a compromise can be made.

In addition, I'll share with you an accident that I was involved in. I was driving around to find a parking when suddenly a woman came out the parking stall and hit the side of my car. I don't think the lady was looking where she was backing into because if she did then she wouldn't have hit me in the side. Anyways, when I knew that the person was a big woman I decided just to stay in the car until the cop's arrive. I was intimidated by her size and appearance. I didn't want to be beaten up.

blinking 03/11/00 7:57 PM
OC #8

Something like this happened to me, too. I was driving down a row of parked cars, and this female shot out from a stall. I had to slam on my brakes and steer away from her to avoid hitting her. Because I was already past the front part of her car I proceeded forward. When I passed her, I looked over at her and noticed that she had an angry look on her face and mouthed what looked like "Hurry the F@#$ up." Naturally, I got mad and defensive and asked my passenger what I did wrong. Eventually, I got over it and just chalked it up to one of life's learning experience.

melo1 03/11/00 1:02 PM
RC #8

I don't think we can generalize and say that men are more inclined to be involved in road rage shoot out. Recently, a road rage shoot out occurred in the mainland involving two women. Apparently, one overtook the other which led to a high-speed chase, which eventually led to the tragic loss of one of the drivers. I think race, gender, or age is not factor when it comes to road rage. We are all at risk of encountering these kinds of people. Our only defense would be a rational, calm attitude, that will hopefully save our lives.

blinking 03/11/00 7:46 PM
RC #8

Sad and unfortunate as it is, these kinds of things happen everyday. I do think that part of the problem is that many do not take the time to consider the consequences of our actions...or at the extreme, they do not care. I also think that the media plays a large role in the way we think. Many times, I have heard that people try to mimic the way stunt drivers drive, because they feel confident that if the actors can do it, they can do it. What they fail to realize is that it takes many attempts to have the scene look perfect. A car is not a living thing...it can be replaced...people can't.

allianic 03/08/00 6:23 PM
OC #8

Looking at all the increased fatalites and violence. I think it comes down to one thing: R-E-S-P-E-C-T. When we drive, we don't see a human being that we are affecting. We only see a hunk of metal and rubber. Although we may "blame" the human driver for actions we don't care for, it is still just the car itself that we are focusing in on. Could this lack of respect and dehumanizing nature of many drivers also attribute to the great number of "bad drivers"? When we are driving, if we could all just feel that by hitting another car with ours we are actually hitting a person and not a bunch of metal.

LDwiggins 03/10/00 2:02 PM
RC #8

I agree that R E S P E C T is a factor in the increased violence. However, I think a lot of road related incidents result from our territorial attitudes. Why are we so territorial instead of sharing the road? Are we stressed out and therefore more easily irritated? My psychobiology instructor told the class that Stress is a good thing. He continued to explain that only when stress is prolonged can it be a bad thing. I feel that most of us in our busy lives loose sight of the fact that we (humans) are all on this earth TOGETHER and therefore should respect each other. I used to think there was no hope for road rage. However, I feel it starts with me. Maybe little by little we (Dr. Driving's students) can demonstrate the difference in driving with emotional intellegence. :)

ShaunnaM 03/21/00 2:11 PM
RC #8

I agree with both these postings that people do not give other driver the respect and coutesy they deserve. Actually, I feel that many people come up with false perceptions of the other drivers around them that can lead to assumptions (nagative) about their motives for driving the way they do. Probably 99% of the time they are wrong, but feel threatened, and want to retaliate or be unkind, by not letting them pass, or slowwing down intentionaly. I noticed this when I was doing my Being A Buddy/ Driving Personality Make-over, with a friend. She always judged the other drivers as "having something against her" or they drove that way to "piss her off". I think if people took the time to even listen to themselves to see how foolish and wrong they sound, the roads would be much more pleasant.

faylogna 03/09/00 10:47 AM
SWR#7: Three-step program

I've always though myself as a very very good driver. I've obey the law and tries to be a good driver towards fellow drivers. I didn't think that I had a problem. However, it is during these days when I am not driving that I have realize I do a problem. It is just now that I realize I am not that person I thought I was. I have not been behind the wheel for quite sometime now, because my car is in the shop. I had been asking others a ride and it was those times that made me aware of my driving.
I feel witnessing how others drive can have a profound positive effect on a person. Many lessons can be learned from such an experience. Take my experience for example. Every morning my oldest brother drives his family and I to town. We always take the zipper lane and H1 freeway. Usually, we get out of the house by 6:30 am so that we will be able to make it to town by 7:10. However, if we are 5 minutes late leaving the house then we will definitely arrive to town late and I know then that my brother will be weaving through the traffic. It just scares the hell out of me when my brother do weave through the traffic because of the way he moves in and out of the lane. There are times when I think he might hit someone. I know that my brother knows what he is doing because he works with car everyday and I do trust him. However, I feel that even though he may be a good and cautious driver, there will be a time where another drive who is careless and unaware will eventually hit us. I personally feel, we can never be too careful on the road. Everytime that he does this I fear for my three year old niece. Thank God nothing bad has happen to us yet while driving.
Witnessing my brother's aggressive driving and my friends' bad driving behavior are things that made me acknowledge that I am not an excellent or a very, very good driver. The mistakes they do on the road are things that I myself do on the road, which I have not been aware before. The negative feelings I gained from riding along with this people are things that had open my eyes about myself. Usually, I portray myself to be good, therefore, it is hard for me to accept bad criticism and acknowledge that the things I may think are correct are actually are not. However, I am now more aware and is in the process of making some changes in my life these days. Luckily, I was able to learn this lesson at this time and age and not when I actually in an accident.

ShaunnaM 03/10/00 12:08 AM
RC #7 to SWR #7

I think that it is good that this person realized that they are not the best driver after seeing others drive bad. I think a better thing that this person could do would be help the other bad drivers see what they are doing and how, even though they feel they may shave two minutes off the drive, they are not doing themselves any favors. This is important, especially on the the freeway during rush hour, when just about everyone else on the road feels they are just as late. Leaving two minutes earlier can make the ride a whole lot more enjoyable. I know I hate driving when I am late somewhere, it seems more people are drivng slow, all the lights decide to turn red, and everyone is out to slow you down. I think alot of people will agree with that.
I thought it was a little strange that the bad drivers were the ones who made this person see the were not a good driver. Usually it is the opposite with me, when I drive with a good driver, I notice, and then I think about the things I do differently, and realize I am not good at all. (Even though I continue to drive the same way after).

robsolmssen 03/16/00 11:51 AM
RE: SWR#7: Three-step program

I would recommend witnessing another driver, especially one that you are comfortable with. This exercise helps me control my emotions, and it also allows me to recognize the positive and negetive aspects of my driving styles. By riding along with someone that you can openly comment on spesific driving styles/techniques, one is able to engage in discussion or conversation. Thus, leading to further tests when you are driving by yourself. The more driving styles you witness the better you are. However, you must remember not to establish certain bias toward, or against specific drivers. Many of us tend to do this among friends and family.

faylogna 03/10/00 12:47 PM
OC#8: Did you know...

I've heard from KSSK on the radio this morning that there were 1200 accidents last year in Hawaii caused by speeding. My initial reaction was that how could that be. Why such a huge number? However, if you were to do the math and say that within the 364 days we have in a year (except leap year) it would involve at least 3 vehicles a day. However, I don't normally hear from the news that this happens in Hawaii everyday. Normally, when there is an accident, it usually involves 3 cars or more. Therefore, it is realistic that 1200 vehicles were involved. It doesn't need to be everyday an accident occurs but twice per week and involving more than 3 vehicles.

Also, I am not suprised that speeding is the cause of 1200 accidents because normally when I am on the road I see many drivers speeding in the sense that they are going 75-90 mph.

ShaunnaM 03/21/00 2:00 PM
RE: OC#8:

It's not that surprising to hear those figures one you break it down like that. It would be better if they gave a whole report as to how many involved alcohol/drugs, if they were on the freeway or on a small road, the age/sex. When you get a simple statistic like that, it really doesn't explain that much, it makes you think, but you don't know what's really going on, and how to work at solving it. It would be interesting to see those statistics as compared to other accident stats, and the breakdown, then see how surprising it is.

LDwiggins 03/10/00 1:50 PM
SWR #8

This tee card addresses CARR (Children Against Road Rage). My experience with my niece (12 yrs old) and nephew (10 yrs old) reflects what Dr. James said in the first week of class. "Children first learn to d

faylogna 03/10/00 1:45 PM
SWR#8: Who's the better man?

From analyzing the story, I definitely agree with Dr. Driving that there were many ways that could have prevented the whole ugly scenario. A man wouldn't be dead and the other one be in the hospital if the chain was broken. A chain was formed by each negative actions done by both parties in the sense of a domino affect. It is sad to say that it is only after that we can say IF ONLY he did/didn't do this that could have prevnted the whole thing.

I'm probably being gender bias here but I feel many cases like this one usually involves men at both parties. It is rare to find two women fighting that resulted to a homicide. You men out there will hate me for this... but what's wrong with you guys. Why can't you guys control you're egos and not sink to the other person's level of anger. I know that society has always played a big role in distinghing how a man should act and feel. However, shouldn't you "men" try to disprove it by making a change. I think the person who do uses their mind and try to control the situation by not sinking to the other person's level will be the better man in the end.

melo1 03/11/00 1:13 PM
OC #8

I agree that this road rage shoot out could've been avoided if one link of a long chain of bad choices could've been eliminated. I guess it's easier said than done, b/c when you're in the heat of an argument it's most definitely hard to back down. And this, in my opinion, is independent of what gender, race, age...a person is. Our ego is innate. All of us are born with it. The difference is the magnitude of how we carry and value our ego over being safe, rather than sorry.

Hatsumi 03/11/00 3:25 PM
OC #8

Okay, the whole gender thing. First off, I'm female, just so you understand my perspective. I definitely believe that a person's sex makes a difference. All of you equal rights people, don't even argue with me. I don't believe that any sex is better than the other. They're simply different. It's the truth. Deal with it. Whether it's because of biology or environment, I think it's both, and I'm not going to go into that here.

In any case, I believe that it's true that violent things like shootings tend to occur way more often between men than between women. Maybe it has to do with vasopressin and testosterone, but I have no idea. The fact that men are raised by their environment to be strong, dominating, and able to defend themselves has a hand in it, as well.

However, this doesn't get women off the hook. True, we aren't as physically violent and we're less likely to shoot someone or beat someone up, but women in cars cause a huge problem, as well. Since women tend to drive less "aggressively," they often drive too slow and they are unsure as to where they are going, so this can make traffic a living hell, too. I don't know how many times I've noticed that the car in front of me that's going 10 mph slower than the speed of traffic is a woman, for example. One could certainly argue that going to slow is a form of aggression as well, almost like being passive aggressive.

Obviously, I am making generalizations. I am well aware that there are exceptions to all generalizations, so don't get offended or anything. I'm simply pointing out that men aren't the only ones that cause trouble. It's simply that women cause a different KIND of trouble.

blinking 03/11/00 8:33 PM
OC #8 (2)

So what you're saying is that women are incapable of these kinds of acts or thinking? So why is it that more and more these days I see women drivers speeding and tailgating and weaving in and out of traffic? It's too narrow of a statement to say that men cause all of these things and that only men are acting too "macho". in the case of the TEE card, there wasn't anyone else around, so who were they trying to impress? Lastly, shouldn't women stop trying to flirt their way out of tickets and citations and just take the dang ticket?

Guerra 03/12/00 5:29 PM
rc #8

I just wanted to say that I actually feel that the reason why more women don't end up killing each other is the fact that not many women own guns! Honestly, the number of women that I know whom own guns is probably a big ZERO! But, I do know quite a number of guys who have liscensed guns.

Still I do feel that men are more likely to show their aggression. Women may be just as angry as men, but they just may not show it.

holma 03/12/00 8:48 PM
(RC#8): rc #8

According to Guerra, the reason that not more women end up killing each other is the fact that not many women own guns. Everyone gets really mad sometimes, but it is what you do about it that counts. Often times men get really angry and they have a tendency to react strongly upon it to show their anger to others. I think it is a typical male reaction, because they don't want to be perceived as whimps. That is the dangerous part, because that might lead others to react to their outburst of anger - with anger. This might lead to a chain of events that easily could get out of hand. If there are guns involved, the outcome are very likely to be deadly.Of course women get just as angry as men, but the big difference is what they do with their anger! That's the point! So, the smartest thing is to not own a gun, and to not show your anger or react on it in a way that might provoke others. Research shows that women might be a little smarter than men in this particular case.

ry409 03/13/00 12:36 PM
RE: SWR#8: Who's the better man? (My OC#8)

You know what I know that there might be some kind of correlation between sex and displays of road rage and I'm glad that someone brought it up. I dont' want to implay that men ar inherently violent in nature because I don't feel like I could commit any acts of road rage, but in many of these situations I don't think that these guys thought they would be capable either. I do think that people who carry around some kind of weapon in their car with then when they drive whether it be a gun of a hammer or pipe or wrench or something that they put in their car with the intention ot using is as a weaspon if the situation arose is increasing the chances of violent acts of road rage in my book. I don't drive around with any weapons in my car. I know that when my grandpa was alive he always had tools in his car and in particular a large wrench under his seat. I asked him why he had it there and he told me that is was just in case he got into a fight with anybody. I just thought that must have been normal because I was young at that time. I've learned since then and it has been reinforced in this class and by reading these posts that road rage is psychologically anchored in our psyche. Our experiences and influences effect how our actions our displayed especially in incidents of road rage.

shizue 03/14/00 10:41 PM
RC #8

I have to agree with you about your point that this situation could have been avoided. I do believe that in many of the cases I've read about the shootings did occur between two males, however, I wouldn't be so quick to pinpoint all men with having "ego" problems. Perhaps the reason why there are so many more males involved in these situations is because 1) more males drive; 2) more males carry guns; or 3) women are just smaller in size in general (like me) and therefore, wouldn't be as willing to jump into physical confrontations because they are at a severe disadvantage. When I am out on the road, I encounter just as many disgruntled females as males. I do believe that society plays some role in encouraging males to be more independent and take more responsibility and this does lead to what we call "macho"ness and the males need to showcase their strength. However, regardless of whether you are male or female, you should still be able to think rationally and not let a simple driving incident turn into a homicide.

LDwiggins 03/10/00 2:15 PM
OC#8-Easier said than done

I realized from all the questions I received after my presentation that managing our emotions is easier said than done.

Wednesday night I was on the road with my husband. We were on our way home from dinner when a brand new v.w. did not stop at the sign and pulled into our lane as we were in it. My husband honked his horn and the guy in the other car slowed down and was driving side by side by my husband. He said something to him that caused my husband to roll down his window where words were exchanged. I tried to remain calm and asked my husband to let it go,but he followed the car for a short while. I was so angry that when the guy again cut across our lane I wanted to throw something out my window to ding his new car,but I did not. My husband pulled into Foodland and I told him once we got out of the car that I would be driving home. As we left the store I told him I would drive if he had not cooled down, he reasurred me that he was fine. It is hard enough for me to monitor and manage my feelings when I am driving. It is even harder to try to assist someone who is not ready to manage their emotions while driving. I guess I have to set the example and continue to be a supportive driver.

Hastumi 03/11/00 3:12 PM
RE: OC#8-Easier said than done (RC #8)

Being a passenger with someone who's not willing to control their emotions is a very hard thing to do. My boyfriend drives rather aggressively and it tends to make me a little nervous. I tell him that people like him are what we study about in this class and he smiles, apologizes, and slows down a bit. Of course, that's if he's willing to listen to me. Most of the time, he's too caught up in his own problems, so he shrugs and tells me that he's a safe driver. Believe it or not, he's not lying when he says that. He's a very good driver and is always in control of his vehicle when he drives. He knows how it handles and all that. He just goes faster and tends to follow a bit too close for my comfort. When he swears a lot at the cars around them because, "Hawaii people can't drive. They're always going so G*d damned slow," I try to tell him that he shouldn't let it get to him. In addition, I usually tell him that the people aren't like mainland people when it comes to driving. People drive faster on the mainland. Period. They have larger, longer highways and driving fast is possible. Hawaii's roads are too cramped with too many drivers going somewhere at the same time. He rarely listens. I don't know why I bother. I keep thinking that if I keep saying something, he'll listen, but we've been together for almost two years and it's still basically the same. It's damned frustrating. I worry about his safety. I am happy, though, that he doesn't exchange words out the window or follow someone who pisses him off. That's a relief. Thank God he doesn't like confrontation. :-)

Guerra 03/12/00 5:22 PM
RE: OC#8 (my rc #8)

I think that it is good that you are trying to help your boyfriend become a better driver. Maybe you should force him to participate in this coolboard forum stuff. Err QDC. Just politely ask him if he would mind posting a few messages. He can even use a fake name and noone has to know who he is. I think that would be a good way to see how well this QDC would work for someone who is not from our class. In fact I would be very interested to find out if it would work.

Maybe I'll ask my girlfriend to participate in this QDC, if only she didn't always have her own homework to do.:(

Oh Well, keep trying to encourage others around you to become better drivers. I try to encourage my girlfriend, but it usually comes out as yelling at her to stop driving so crazy. I have to work on that.

Suchrio 07/08/00 6:27 PM
RE: OC#8-Easier said than done (RC #8)

Ask him how he would drive at the beaches of Rio (where the clothing is on the (ahem) light side). I would also guess that many people in Hawaii are on a serious vacation and in no serious hurry to get anywhere. They're already there!

-Suchiro (haven't been to Rio - yet)

holma 03/12/00 8:57 PM
(OC #8): OC#8-Easier said than done

I agree that it is easier said than done to calm down when you're boiling with anger! I think it is great that you offered to drive if your husband hadn't cooled down. If he would have continued driving in a outraged state, more bad things could have happened. Because when he is upset, he perceive things differently and the smallest thing can trigger an unwanted, violent response from him.

tanthony 03/13/00 4:28 PM
OC-8

Thumbs up to you for keeping a cool head in that situation. When my boyfriend gets angry at people, I tend to get angry at him. I tell him it is not worth it to try and retaliate and when he does not listen I get angry. I would be super mad if he actually exchanged words with someone. I just know that this can be dangerous.

melo1 03/11/00 1:31 PM
SWR #8

It's a tragic that people are killed over trifling matters. The sad thing is that we are all at risk in this road rage shoot out. We could never predict when we'll encounter an individual whose fuse is ready to blow up. Maybe it's not even that, it could be anybody - the person sitting next to you or even the most composed person you know. All it takes is another person to light the fire. Unfortunately, this could eventually lead to a series of bad choices which lead to a tragic ending. What if the people involved in the situation just took for themselves and thought of what the outcome would be. I am assuming that they didn't even think how much their impulsive actions would affect their families. Even just one driver would've made a big difference. It's that easy. Well, maybe not. When we are in the heat of an argument, our emotions take over logic. We can't even detect the subtle differences of life and death. It is a sad thing - and our only defense to this madness is to stop, think, and walk away.

shizue 03/14/00 10:45 PM
OC #8

It would be ideal if all people would just stop, think, and walk away. However, judging by the amount of violent outbreaks that we've read about in the news recently, it seems as though most people are not able to manage their anger. Perhaps, schools should think about teaching such subjects as anger management in their programs starting from elementary school. The reason I say to start at such a young age is because the number of violent acts taking place for people that are in elementary schools is drastically increasing each year. We need to start implementing some system to help these children deal with their anger early on that way it won't escalate to the tragic point that we read about in this article. Children who don't know how to deal with their anger will grow up to be adults who have more access to weapons and that is a scary situation to think about.

Hatsumi 03/11/00 3:03 PM
SWR #8

I'm sorry, but s**t like this really pisses me off! When I read about things involving senseless violence, I get very noticably ANGRY. I supposed I really shouldn't let it get to me, but I can't seem to help it. I react this way to television and movies, as well. I actually read the TEE card two days ago and when it made me feel angry, I felt compelled to not write anything because I thought I would probably be able to think better and express myself more efficiently if I took a day or two to breathe.

It is truly sad and pathetic that such events occur on a regular basis. I'm happy to say that I'm pretty good about avoiding confrontation when I'm on the road and there are certain things that I can do to make it stay that way. Basically, I like the fact that I'm alive and I have no desire to cut this bizarre life short for any reason. Some moron hitting my car is not something that I would be willing to die for. It's just a car. It's an inanimate machine. I'm alive, thinking, feeling, and all that, so I don't think that an inanimate object is worth giving all that up. I am very aware that some people would certainly disagree with that, and that's their problem, I guess. I would hate to think that they would die, though. No matter how stupid or immature someone might be, I would never wish death on them.

As the TEE card points out, there are many ways to avoid situations like this one. The easiest way for me to avoid road rage, though, is to just let it go. I never make eye contact with other drivers because I'm terrified that they might have a gun and kill me or beat me up or something. And I certainly wouldn't go chasing someone who hit me. If my car was still capable of working and someone hit me and took off, I'd call the cops, try and describe the car, and just deal with it. Retaliation isn't worth my life.

Then there's the whole stupid idea of carrying around a concealed weapon. Who in their right mind would do such a stupid thing?! My boyfriend is from Texas and he tells me that it's a very dangerous place in some areas. I don't doubt that for a minute, but if I'm carrying a gun, chances are that the person I'm mad at is carrying one, as well. In that case, I should just get away and save myself.

Life is precious. Don't throw it away.

ry409 03/13/00 12:22 PM
RE: SWR #8 (My RC#8)

I know that incidents of road rage can be found anywhere that people are driving, but I feel somehow safer drving in Hawaii than anywhere else. First of all people don't drive as fast as they do and mainland. I know that people are always complaining about the speed limits here but if those people were to experience what is was like to drive on a free way where everyone was going 70 or 80 mph I don't think they'd be complaining as much. I agree that in certain areas of the island 55 mph seems to slow and they could be right. Straight roads can be driven at higher speeds with less chance of accidents depending on the concentration or cars on the road. Many of the roads here in Hawaii are curvy making then dangerous to be driven at high speeds. I don't think it's really worth all the danger that you put yourself in as well as other drivers on the road in to reach your destination 5 or 10 minutes ahead of time. That probablem can easily be solved by leaving earlier. This is a problem many people in Hawaii have because our destinations are relatively close to where we leave.

Moreover the issue of road rage also involves weapons in the cars being used on others. First of all it's illegal to have a concealed weapon in your car. Someone who is driving around with a weapon is already putting themselves at and increased risk of injury as the weapon maybe used on them by somebody else. Having a weapon in your car says to me that the driver is already thinking of using it. Driving around with that kind of intention leads to a predisposition of road rage in my book. It's almost like it gives you and excuse to react violently. Avoiding things like carrying a concealed weapon in your car or getting out of your car after an accident are steps that can be ignored and should not be done to ensure that road rage does not have and opportunity to come forward when the situation presents itself.

blinking 03/11/00 7:29 PM
Swr #8

Pertaining to the "road Rage Shootout" article...I do agree with Dr. Driving, that the at any point in time, the whole scenario could have been averted. The first problem I noticed was that one driver was intoxicated. He could not have acted rationally in the state he was in and probably could not reason another way out of the situation. The next problem I notice is that MAYBE, the second driver felt that it was his duty (being that he was in the military) to detain the driver for the police. This kind of sounds like he was trying to do a citizen's arrest or something. Essentially very commendable, but what ensues is quite disturbing. At any given point in time the second driver could have let the police know what happened and let the proper authorities handle it from there. Instead it turns into something sad and discouraging.

Guerra 03/12/00 5:41 PM
OC #8 (re: the violence thing)

IMHO the main problem in Hawaii and in alot of other places is that too many people have liscenses. I may have posted this before somewhere but I still strongly believe that many people should not have a liscense. I mean if I had to decide who was allowed to keep their liscenses in Hawaii, at least two thirds of the population would be without a liscense. This would help to reduce all of this road rage, since the people who do drive are very good drivers and they have no "poor" drivers on the roads.

Everyone should go through a strict driving test and then Dr. James' driving class before they are allowed to get a liscense. Then as Dr. James has said before they should have to participate in QDCs for as long as they keep their liscense.


Oh well that is just my humble opinion.

Guerra 03/12/00 5:55 PM
SWR #8

First, off I'd like to say that I am actually not that saddened by this incident. I may sound like a prick or a a**hole, but I am glad that two people who would wield handguns and shoot at each other, met the other. At least it wasn't a situation which involved someone who just meant to talk to the other person, then got shot. I have never owned a gun and even if I do decide to purchase one I would not carry it in my vehicle.

I do agree with Dr. James assessment that they both had many chances to break the chain of events and avoid this altercation. I do feel that if these two had not happened to meet in this road rage incident, they would have caused another road rage incident at a later date.

I sometimes wonder, though, do these people who experience road rage really not have control of themselves? The tee card said that many of these "killers were taken by surprise at their own ferocity." I have trouble believing this. Were they really surprised or did they just say that so as to not look bad? It sounds like a good idea to claim that you were too emotionally aroused. I feel that many of these people just use that as an excuse. Just my two cents.

tanthony 03/13/00 4:20 PM
RC-8

I agree that it is pretty pathetic that people do things like this. I won't go so far as to say that I'm glad they got into this situation but I'm sure there are plenty of other people who would agree with you whole-heartedly. I am a bit skeptical of genuine surprise on the parts of people like this. What did they think they were going to do with the guns that they kept illegally in their cars? Did they really have them with the intention of never hurting anybody? If that was the case, they shouldn't have had guns in their cars. This situation frightens me because what it says to me is that there are others out there like this who will shoot you if they think you did something stupid. The appearance of a lack of intelligence is not grounds for execution!

robsolmssen 03/16/00 11:38 AM
RE: RC-8

I feel that most of the people that I have seen carring guns in their cars have never been trained on the proper use and handling of a gun. This is an extremely dangerous combination, even more so when that individual has a bad temperment.

holma 03/12/00 9:08 PM
SWR #8

It is terrifying to read about road rage shoot outs! I think that it is absolutely horrible that things like this happens on the road! I'm not sure if this is an extreme example of road rage or if it is a violent tendency in today's society. There are so many stories of killers who is shooting innocent people these days. These shootings take place in a lot of different settings, so why should it not happen on the road too? I think that it is too easy to get a hold of guns in this country. it should be more rules and regulations about owning guns! The fewer guns - the fewer acts of violence with deadly outcome!

Marissa_ 03/19/00 12:41 AM
RE: SWR #8 (OC)

Guns or no guns. I think there will still be violence. The people have to change. People are having difficulty dealing with stress so they find quicker ways out – shoot the people that are giving them problems. How are we to deal with the increase of violence today? We must teach others and help them to become better able to handle the day-to-day stress that occurs.

jamesy69 03/12/00 10:30 PM
SWR #8

When I hear incidents involving road rage that ends in a shooting, I can't but feel that there had to be other compounding issues that lead to this type of altercation. No accident, no matter who is to blame, should lead to the killing of another individual. It simply does not make sence. I think a lot has to do with the mood you are in that particular day and other issues you are facing such as work or school that adds on stress. Because of this, we drive without using emotional intelligence and fall victim to our emotional side. I guess after having a accident, this event triggers us to explode and to unlease our emotions on innocent individuals. We as drivers have to realize that the world does not revolve around us but that every individual should be given the same respect that we would want. I think when we finally realize this, the road will become a little safer for us.

jamesy69 03/12/00 11:58 PM
OC #8 Out of Control

I remember a few weeks ago where I witnessed a incident involving road rage. One car had cut in front of another car causing the other car to slam on its brakes. While at a stop light the individual that had to slam on the brakes got out of his vehicle and starting banging on the window of the other car. I thought the window was going to break. He was totally out of control! The light finally changed and the other car sped away. I had never seen anything like it. Seeing a incident like that really opened my eyes in seeing how dangerous road rage really is. It's scary to think that there are individuals driving out there everyday like the one I witnessed on that day. Drivers just need to calm down and relax and need to develop strategies in order to control their emotions. Letting your emotions go free is dangerous not only for others but for yourself as well.

Sandee 03/15/00 11:50 AM
RC #8

This incident is so ridiculous! It's not like this caused an accident right? Just becuase you have to slam on your breaks because the car in front of you drives recklessly is nothing to be so angry about. I mean, isn't that the reason why we have breaks for, so drivers can slow down or come to a stop? People just have to learn to control their anger. I really feel that it's such of waist of energy to get upset about something that is so small. And people have to get over having power trips. What if the driver had a gun in the car with him and decided to shoot the guy for banging on his window? Who would be the idiot now?

ry409 03/13/00 12:08 PM
SWR #8

The situation that I chose to write about as an example of road rage is and event that just recently happened. I actually saw the story on the Today Show. The situation took place on a highway I believe. A woman was in her car with her dog behind the car of a man in a black SUV. They were stuck in traffic and it was raining and dark. The woman was trying to change lanes and because of the decreased visibility due to the weather conditions she unfortunately tappe dthe car in front of her. According to her it was a very light tap and did nothing to the bumper of the large SUV in front of her. The man got out of his car and proceeded to yell and curse at her for damaging his SUV. she rolled down her window to talk to him and her dog came over and sat in her lap to see who was at the window. The man then readched into the car and grabbed and threw the dog into the street of on-coming traffic. There were no cars coming at that time so she attempted to exit her vehicle to retreive her dog. Her car started to roll because it wasn't in park so she went back in her car to do so. As she did that the light changed and on-coming traffic was headed towards the dog. Needless to say that she was unable to reach the dog in time. It was hit and later died as a result of the collision.

This tragic situation could have been avoided if certain steps that happened did not take place. First of all if the man had not gotten out of his car he never would have even come into contact with the woman or the dog. Second if the woman hadn't rolled down her window the man never would have gotten the opportunity to reach his hand into the woman's car. Thirdly if the dog had been leashed in the car it would never had been on the woman's lap and accessible to be grabbed and carried out of the car.

kuni99 03/13/00 10:50 PM
RC#8

I agree that things don't just happen and since you cannot control what other people do, taking initiative to be cautious and be aware of the possiblities could actually save your life. People can be very mean and when tempers flair up in traffic situations, even the hot tempered driver may not realize his or her potential in hurting other people.

tanthony  03/13/00 4:05 PM
SWR-8

It is true that things don't "just happen". There are events leading up to them that can change the outcome. They may seem like they "just happened" to the person but if that person were to sit down and think about it, I think they would see it differently. It seems to me that a lot of "just happened" situations happened because of the involvement of alcohol. I am not a confrontational person, in or out of my car. I am confident that I will never get into a situation where I pull over and get into an arguement with someone that could turn into a bad case of road rage. It is just not who I am. I would drive away from the situation far before anything bad could happen. Maybe you could call me a frightened, lover of life.

ABumanglag 03/14/00 12:03 AM
RC #8:RE: SWR-8

It's interesting that you point out that you feel confident that you will never get into a confrontation over a road rage incident. I, however, believe that there are some times when, regardless of how careful you are, altercations are inevitable. There are always some rotten apples in the bunch trying to cause trouble. And, from my experiences, these rotten apples will stop at nothing to confront you - even if you walk away. It's true that you can drive away from a confrontation, but what if the person follows you - then what? That's the frightening part of our society today - everyone's so quick to resort to violence. Remember the incident we talked about in class about the dog? I'm pretty sure the lady was not intent on having a confrontation. Nevertheless, the other party still made the situation bad by throwing the dog on the road. In situations like this, then what do you do?

kuni99 03/13/00 10:45 PM
SWR#8

I think that the story is very scary. To think that the tragic ending all stemmed from a fender bender. I have been involved in a fender bender where a car backed up into my mom's car. The other car reversed out of his parking stall and hit my mom's car. Being a teenager and all, I didn't think about the danger to myself and my mom, I got out of the car and started swearing at the other driver telling him not to drive if he doesn't know how. Now that I think about that incident, there were so many things that could have possibly caused my life or my mom's.

kuni99 03/13/00 10:55 PM
OC#8

I think that the tragedy of road rage scares many people. Mostly we see and hear about it in the media, but it happens everyday and until people are taught how to drive without using their emotions, we will continue to have to control his or her anger and that is something that I get really frightened about when driving.

ABumanglag 03/13/00 11:50 PM
SWR#8

It is sad and terrifying that people today are so quick to resort to handguns to resolve their problems. The sad part is that this could happen to anybody. No one is ever completely sure of what the other person will do in a confrontation. I feel that this situation is really ridiculous because no one should lose their life, or get hurt over a minor fenderbender like this. In a situation like this, I have a hard time believing that our emotions can take us this far. Are we all doomed to suffer the same fates as a result of our emotions? It doesn't have to be this way - if only everyone worked on controling their emotions a little, the world would probably be a better place.

isabel 03/17/00 12:30 PM
(RC #9) Re: SWR#8

ABumanglag 03/14/00 12:13 AM
OC#8: Will it ever end?

This week's SWR made me realize how out of control gun violence is. It's sad because this type of violence is not limited to road rage incidents. For example, if you take a look at the news, so many people are resorting to guns to solve their problems. The scary thing is that even grade school children are guilty of gun related fatalities! Now isn't that scary? That's just not right. I know that guns might look cool in movies and all that, but they just don't belong on the streets. As long as guns are accessible to the population, I don't think there ever will be an end to all this gun related violence.

shanen 03/15/00 12:55 AM
RC #8: OC#8: Will it ever end?

I agree that we are not teaching our kids the consequences of the use of guns. They really don't know what happens or the real danger. Our society has based it's entertainment on the use of guns. Guns are in the movies, on TV, in videogames and in their hands as toys. They are everywhere. Did you hear that England has a ban on guns. Only their military is allowed to carry them I think. Their murder rate is way below ours. But I don't think that we can change our constitution for this.

isabel 03/21/00 6:18 PM
(OC #9) RE: Will it ever end?

I agree with the prevalence of gun use in our society. That's because they are easily accessible. The media also tend to send out many wrong messages to the public which can have a bad influence. But, it's not only guns. There are many many other things too. England can have a ban on guns and Singapore can have a ban on chewing gums. Why can't America do the same? I kind of think that it is just very hard for our country to really have a ban on anything which benefits the public because then many other groups will be against it and all that. It's really hard to get things done like that. I also find that there are always all kinds of opinions flowing around and it's hard to really reach a concensus. I think sometimes our country is kind of divided in opinions. Banning smoking totally is probably unlikely because the tobacco industry would lose money and of course they would protest. So, it is up to whether the government has our best interest at heart or someone else's.

robsolmssen 04/06/00 1:00 PM
RE: OC#8: Will it ever end?

I agree with you that the gun control in this county is out of control. I think that laws should be ammended to make it harder for someone to purchase a gun.

happiness_pie 03/14/00 3:55 AM
What to do?

I just encountered a person with terrible road rage today on my way to school, I go to a community college. Anyways he was tailgating me from when I left my town on a small route, then he would back off, then he would be tailgating me again. When I finally go to a stop sign before hitting the interstate I threw my hands up like what do you want me to do? And he totally flipped out. He almost ran off the onramp and hit me. Then he got in the passing lane and wouldn't let me over. He just kept screaming at me. When I would get behind him to pass someone else he would slow down to 60 or 65, then when I would try to pass him on the right he sped up to around 80 or 85. This went on for a while until another car got behind me when we were passing a semi and this guy started getting angry at me like the last guy did. Finally the guy must have sped up to 85 or 90 and eventually slowed down again and I finally passed him. As I was getting off the interstate he sped up to follow me. I pulled into a McDonald's and he didn't see me. But he went to the gas station next to it and was standing outside of his car just staring at me as I drove away. This guy really scared me. I wanted to call the state police but I didn't know the number. I'm at school right now and I keep looking over my shoulder. I'm even afraid to drive home today. I copied down his license plate number. Should I turn it into the police? I'm afraid that next time he could have a gun or something and he lives in my hometown. What do I do if he follows me home or something? And the sad part is that this was an older gentlemen I'd say in his 50s or 60s. Why would he act this way? Especially towards a young girl in her late teens and I even look younger than that. I'm really frightened and I'm not sure what to do. What should I do the next time something like this happens? I was wondering if anyone here could help. I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

LDwiggins 03/15/00 6:50 PM
(RC#9) What to do?

I am sorry to hear you were a victim of road rage. Understandably you have every right to feel scared since your encounter lasted over a long period of time. I am glad you wrote the driver's license number down. Why the driver was so enraged could be so many reasons, but resulted from him giving into his feelings of anger. It is unfortunate he let it build and took it out on you. Psychologically it could be a power trip for him to intimidate and scare a young lady, however it could be that whatever you did (even if it was minor) may have been the straw that broke the camel's back. I would contact the police department (calling 911) and explain the situation and give them the other driver's license number. If anything should happen to your car or you this information may be helpful. If this driver should "happen" to show up and follow up again, I would find the closest police station and park. I have had to do this when I was being followed. It really is a way to send the message that I know you are there and I am not giving into your game. Try not to give this driver the power to scare you at the same time try to practice charitable thoughts to explain his seeming irrational behavior. Good luck and hang in there.

:)

robsolmssen 03/14/00 1:13 PM
SWR#7 Proper spacing when passsing

If you often find yourself having difficulty getting into a lane in heavy traffic, then you might have trouble recognizing the flow and speed of the lane next to you. I notice this when I am going faster than the general flow of traffic...mostly during rush-hour. The best way to "slide" into another lane is to look ahead, or further down the road. Once you have recognized the braking patterns of the cars in that lane, you will have a much better feel of the situation. I place my car in the gap between two cars in the lane next to me. Looking for the gaps is the best way to successfully and safely switch lanes in heavy traffic. However, you must remember that in order to make a smooth switch, for you and those around you, you must maintain the speed of all the cars around you...not too fast and not too slow.

robsolmssen 03/14/00 1:22 PM
SWR#8 Guns

I realize that guns have become more and more available to younger populations. This poses a threat all motorists. I have become much more aware of this rising problem, especially in urban areas. I have noticed a change in my driving attitudes because of this problem. It is also a deterant for those who have a difficult time staing out of trouble. People in general need to adopt the philosophy of police officers. Trust nobody. You can't just go by your traditional stereotypes anymore because everyone may be carring a gun; even Grandma

Miya615 03/14/00 5:52 PM
need some information

i am doing a speech on "Road Rage". If anyone could tell me where to find more factual information, it would be appreciated.

Thank You

Guerra 03/16/00 1:05 AM
RE: need some information

http://aloha.net/~dyc/

I would check out this site, if not then just email Dr. "Driving" James. I'm sure he would be glad to help you out.

shanen 03/15/00 12:39 AM
SWR #8

The first thing that came to my mind when hearing the story was the idea of anger management. There may have been other issue such as gun control or demographics that may have affected the situation. But on an individual basis nothing would have helped more that effective cocntrol of their emotions, in this case anger. I have been trying to control my anger recently since in the past I have displayed it violently is certain situations. For example I would throw things when my favorite football teams would loose or get hot tempered when I wasn't able to find my wallet. finally I realized that there are things that I couldn't control and becoming upset about it would not have changed the outcomes of the situation. For the situations that I could control, I realized that the outcomes were directly related to the events right before as seen in the story. I would then go back and make changes to the step that i thought caused the undesirable outcome. The story had a very unfortunate ending and an ending that clearly shows the effects of anger and the inability to control it. Who knows what may have happened if someone had been able to control themselves and think more rationally. One person may still be alive and many others may have been spared grief.

shenen 03/15/00 12:46 AM
OC #8 (not a place for me)

I know that the solution to situations like this will ultimately lie in the actions of one of the parties involved. However i kept on wondering in what type of location or city (if that's a clearer picture) would you be likely to have two people jump out of their cars with guns drawn and ready to shoot. It seems that I wouldn't want to live there. This means that there may be a greater chance of people that are violent or expressive of their anger willing to kill to release it. Not a place I would want to be

Sandee 03/15/00 11:58 AM
SWR #8

I really don't know why people have to carry a gun around in the car in the first place. What has this country come to? I really don't feel that the world is such an unsafe place where you have to always have a gun with you. I feel that we all need to solve problems without conflict and hostility. I don't understand people who feel that they have to resolves problems with physical violence. That doesn't solve anything at all, but actually creates more problems. I'm starting to wonder if there is too much stress in society. Maybe this is why people get so out of control or take out their frustration on driving.

isabel 03/17/00 12:46 PM
(SWR #9) Road rage shoo