On and off the road, I have on many occasions come to a rapid boil, said or done things I normally wouldn't do, and deeply regretted it.
I have had my own share of road rage incidents, tailgating, playing chicken, etc.
When I was a young man, a guy pulled out in front of me unexpectedly causing me to spin out and end up in a snow bank. In astonishment, I turned to see him flip the bird at me! I ended up getting out of that snow bank, running him down to where he was stopped at a busy intersection, and jumped out of my car while it was still moving and it ran into the back of his car.
When the guy got out, I grabbed him by the lapel with one hand, and reared my fist back with the other hand to slug him as he babbled incoherently.
He was pointing at something with his eyes bugging out, and I realized I had gone down a one way street by accident and he thought I was turning into his street as people who deliberately went down that street occasionally did. We ended up being able to talk and shook hands, but all these years (35) later, I still think of that. Who knows what would have happened. I could have injured or killed him with a punch and gone to jail. My life would have turned out so differently.
I have made a concerted effort with some success to master my temper. I have managed to be able to drive without getting overly angry at some transgression by another driver. Tailgating used to drive me mad, but now, I can, with good nature, just pull over.
I am only a few years behind that poor vet who was beaten up, but I have been better at this for some years now, and I am constantly on guard against backsliding. It is ongoing, as my experience yesterday shows. I should have governed my tongue and walked away.
But I try.
Thanks for the reply. I agree with your comments about road tantrums, too. Pull off, and let them crash into one of their own kind later. It’s good to have car cameras, a phone and self-defense insurance, though.
“I have made a concerted effort with some success to master my temper.”
Good for you. My mom said that my dad had a terrible temper. I didn’t believe her, he never raised his voice, etc. He’d talk and explain and punish.
Until one day I locked the door on my room and didn’t want to talk about something bad that I had done. (No recollection of what that was). Dad said how are we going to talk if you don’t open the door?
“I’m not opening it!”
BOOM. The frame splintered and the door busted open. And all 6 feet and 150 pounds of my dad followed.
“Now sit on your bed so we can talk about this.”
That was the first and last time me dad ever displayed his temper at me. Of course what was even worse was when he would start of with “I’m really disappointed in your behaviour....”