HOW MUSIC AFFECTS DRIVERS:
MOZART TO MAYHEM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE SOUND OF SIRENS
ROCK-N-ROLL OR RAGE
FAST TRACKS
Mr. Sasabe (G7) wrote: I got caught speeding twice in my life and both of the times it was because I was listening to the music in my car and did not realize how fast I was going. Maybe it's all about the "training" that Dr. James has been talking about, but when my favorite music comes out, I just lose myself! On a different day, I was driving and realized that music was off. It was a bit of surprise because I was so calm and relaxed that it was almost like I was meditating. So I recommend that you guys sometimes stop listening to the music in your car. It's really different! +++++
Mr. Miyoshi (G7) wrote: This is also something that I have been thinking about while taking this class. Does rock music make us more aggressive and slow methodical music make us a better driver. It is interesting because rock music makes our hearts beat faster and that might get our adrenaline flowing and made us lose some of our senses. Just a thought for everyone to think about. I know what Akira is talking about. Once in a while someone turns off the music in my car before I get in and when I realize that it is off it suprises me. I find myself almost in a meditative state when the radio is off. I am more calm and am able to control my feelings more! I think that this could work both ways. I think that if you listen to a station that you don't like but doesn't show views that you are strongly against or go totally against your values then this will work. If you just don't like the Dj's or music then that's fine. However if you listen to a station that gets you upset and deals with touchy situations or points then you could get more aggressive on the road and other things that drivers do may upset you more. I think I will have to try this before I give a definite answer. +++++
Mr. Shintani (G7) wrote: I really think that music has an effect on the way a person drives. When I want to drive fast I play a CD that has a powerful or past beat. My favorite is the Top Gun sound track. If I want to relax while driving I would put in a mellow CD like Kalapana or some type of soft rock. I don't listen to rap so I don't know the effects of listening to this type of music. I really think that some music causes bad driving behavior than others. I can see people being more aggressive after listening to heavy metal then to classical music. I has been proven in studies that playing of classical music in malls helps to reduce the amount to violence in metal than to classical music. It has been proven in studies that playing of classical music in malls helps to reduce the amount to violence in these malls. I do this in two ways by mellowing or relaxing people and by staying away from a certain section of the community that causes a lot of the crimes. +++++
Ms. Tomooka (DRA 1994) wrote a library research report on music and driving-- see it here +++++
Web visitor Brian Haimerman wrote by e-mail: (November 1997) I want to thank Dr. James & Mr. Shintani for the feedback. At this time I am taking a History of Rock and Roll class and am learning of the effect that rock music has in our psyche. We are basically talking about how we listen to music. The Affective, Cognitive, Psycho-motor, and Transpersonal. It is almost like a psychology class. So far like I said in my last message, music does affect our psycho-physical. The loudness and the beat play the biggest part. It has a direct effect on our hearts. Notice why younger people like loud beating music. It is because it causes our heart beats to go faster and our blood pressure to rise. For us it is enjoyable but for older people it is a big no no! The more I learn the more I'll tell you about it! +++++
Kristin Evert (G7) wrote: After reading the little excerpt about music and driving behavior I really started to think about myself and my own driving. If all of this is right, I should technically be a VERY aggressive, speeding maniac on the road, because when I drive I like my music loud and usually fast-paced and "singable" (meaning I can sing along). Although I am no Ms. Perfection, I am more often times getting passed than doing the passing, as I usually try to stay no more than 10 mph over the speed limit. On the other hand, however, I could see how slow sappy music could make me sleepy, even if I like the song. Hmmm... +++++
Web visitor Mary Ford wrote by e-mail (November 1997): After reading your site, I've realized that I've become much more aggressive in my personality as I've gotten older. Is this a normal phenomena? By more aggressive, I mean I speak up and assert myself; and in the car -- well I've never got a ticket, but I do admit, I swear -- not good. I was aware of my tension in the car, so for several years now, I've used a melodious tape to mellow myself out when I'm driving -- Rain Melody, beautiful flute music, Ghandharva Veda music (supposed to bring harmony into the atmosphere). It seems to work for me. +++++
Tami Hashimoto (G7) wrote: I just wanted to respond to Marshall's message on how music affects my driving. When I'm driving, music makes me relaxed and clam. I feel that when I'm driving in traffic the music that I listen to helps me to feel less anxious and frustrated. I'm able to tolerate more unsafe drivers by letting them get a head of me. Music is an awesome way to relax when I'm driving. +++++
Cris Burlem (G7) wrote: I have been in the drivers frustration seat many a time as many of us have. My solution to claming down is actually the opposite. I find that by turning off the radio I am able to relax when I am in an uptight mood to begin with. I find that turning off the radio helps me concentrate on the road and what is going on. It is at these times that I think music actually irritates me?!? +++++
Wilfred Lee (G7) wrote last semester: I definitely agree that music has a role in how you drive. Fast music, and loud music, makes you more excited, and makes your heart pump faster. In turn making you drive faster. Slow music relaxes you and you get more mellow. If you don't believe it, then ever tried driving really fast with classical music. It just doesn't work. maybe the solution is to make everyone listen to classical music. I did hear an interesting fact, babies in the womb become calm children when mothers listen to classical music. Maybe classical music is our solution???? I'm a townie so I consider myself fortunate. I live in Kahala so I drive for 5 minutes and get to school. I often ask my friend that has to drive from Pearl City to get to school by 8 how he does it. He just says he has to deal with it and has accepted it as part of his life. What i did to try to alleviate his road rage is make a tape of his favorite songs. My theory is when he listens to his favorite songs then he doesn't notice the traffic as much, and time passes by more quickly. I sing (sometimes) in the car. That makes the time fly by faster. I also enjoy it and it takes my mind off the congested road. Could this be a possible solution for the commuters to school?
