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Road Rage: Why We Lose It
livescience ^

Posted on 06/21/2009 4:40:42 PM PDT by JoeProBono

In a new survey on which of 25 major U.S. cities have the most aggressive drivers, Miami dropped from 1st to 7th, Reuters reports. The Top 3: 1. New York 2. Dallas/Fort Worth 3. Detroit Hey! My city should be No. 1. @#%$@#! Yes, and it's exactly that attitude that gives us road rage. While no statistics are kept specifically on road rage, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that aggressive driving causes about a third of all crashes and about two-thirds of automobile fatalities.

And studies show it's not just total jerks who become enraged. But why does getting behind the wheel transform the meek and mild into raving, dangerous idiots? What causes road rage? Simple: "Human beings are territorial ... The car is an extension of this territory," according to AAA. True that. Plus, as a 2008 study found, humans crave violence just like sex. Watch out particularly for wide-faced men, known to be more aggressive than others. There's another factor: Negative actions play out bigger than positive acts, University of Chicago researchers say. Feeling slighted can have a bigger effect on how a person responds than being the recipient of perceived generosity, the researchers found.

(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: roadrage
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1 posted on 06/21/2009 4:40:42 PM PDT by JoeProBono
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To: JoeProBono

I never lost my road rage! Now get out of my way!


2 posted on 06/21/2009 4:43:50 PM PDT by Man50D (Fair Tax, you earn it, you keep it! FairTaxNation.com)
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To: JoeProBono

It used to be common sense.

Road rage happens because have NO SELF CONTROL!

Yes, unrestrained EMOTION is what rules far too many people out there.


3 posted on 06/21/2009 4:48:26 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: nmh

I understand your point, but the amount of self absorbed inattentive morons on the road today can push anyone over the edge


4 posted on 06/21/2009 4:50:00 PM PDT by 5Madman2 (There is no such thing as an experienced suicide bomber)
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To: JoeProBono

After two or three scary incidents with insane people, my new policy is to not look at anyone else who is driving and to not use my horn. And to never, never make hand gestures other than “thank you” and “sorry.” Put a steering wheel in someone’s hands and they lose their MIND.


5 posted on 06/21/2009 4:51:39 PM PDT by mysterio
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To: Man50D

Everyone who drives slower than me is an idiot.

Everyone who drives faster than me is a MANIAC!


6 posted on 06/21/2009 4:55:06 PM PDT by RangerM (Gotz-ta git me sum of them internets!)
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To: mysterio
I have long felt there needs to be a universal hand signal for “Oops!” or “My bad!”. Everyone knows the finger signal for “Up yours”, but once in a blue moon I really mess up and cut someone off or whatever and really do need to say “Oops!”

I drive a bright yellow, I mean BRIGHT yellow Toyota Scion Xb. You have to be really careful not to piss off anyone in traffic, they'll never forget that car! Two years from now they'll see it and remember you!

If good fences make for good neighbors then bright yellow clown cars make for good drivers!

7 posted on 06/21/2009 4:58:50 PM PDT by jwparkerjr (God Bless America!)
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To: JoeProBono

You’re all acquainted with the behavior of spoiled children. A parent of a spoiled child will enforce the child’s abusive behavior toward others. The child will be addicted to annoying others through momentary cheap thrills and the erroneous belief that behaving in such a manner offers fulfillment.

Well, decades ago, many divorcing parents started spoiling their kids more for the purpose of retaining custody, and there you have it.


8 posted on 06/21/2009 5:00:03 PM PDT by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), NG, '89-' 96, Duncan Hunter or no-vote)
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To: RangerM

We think alike.


9 posted on 06/21/2009 5:00:27 PM PDT by BipolarBob (It takes a Kenyan village to raise a US president.)
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To: mysterio

What’s the sign for “sorry”?

Seriously, if there is one I don’t know what it is. I once proposed an automatic pop-up sign that would signal “no mas” when you screwed up in traffic.


10 posted on 06/21/2009 5:01:10 PM PDT by rockrr (Everything is different now...)
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To: JoeProBono
"Watch out particularly for wide-faced men, known to be more aggressive than others."

...until the wide face is fractured by the fist of a narrow-faced man with fighting experience.


11 posted on 06/21/2009 5:01:59 PM PDT by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), NG, '89-' 96, Duncan Hunter or no-vote)
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To: jwparkerjr

I have a bright yellow car, lol.


12 posted on 06/21/2009 5:05:17 PM PDT by mysterio
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To: rockrr
What’s the sign for “sorry”?


13 posted on 06/21/2009 5:05:44 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: mysterio
After two or three scary incidents with insane people, my new policy is to not look at anyone else who is driving and to not use my horn.

Oh, so that was YOU!

(lol)

14 posted on 06/21/2009 5:05:47 PM PDT by SIDENET ("Join me or die. Can you do any less?" -Mr. Sparkle)
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To: rockrr

The sign for “sorry” a polite wave and then getting the heck out of the way and not making any eye contact.


15 posted on 06/21/2009 5:06:01 PM PDT by mysterio
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To: JoeProBono
Watch out particularly for wide-faced men, known to be more aggressive than others.

They lost me when they lapsed into Phrenology.

16 posted on 06/21/2009 5:07:21 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: nmh

When bad manners on the road got a name, road rage, lots of people feel free to express anger behind the wheel...Its the “in” thing now....


17 posted on 06/21/2009 5:07:54 PM PDT by goat granny
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To: 5Madman2

>>I understand your point, but the amount of self absorbed inattentive morons on the road today can push anyone over the edge

That’s the part that always gets ignored in these road rage stories. A road rager is just a speeder until some left-lane vigilante changes lanes to “slow that maniac down” and then proceeds to block the speeder (and all other traffic) for the next mile or two.


18 posted on 06/21/2009 5:09:37 PM PDT by Bryanw92 (Question O-thority!)
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To: martin_fierro

19 posted on 06/21/2009 5:09:43 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono

Then there must be a lot of sorry drivers in my community because I get that every day!


20 posted on 06/21/2009 5:14:05 PM PDT by rockrr (Everything is different now...)
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