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Avoid the monster called road rage
A road rage incident.
What you need to know:
It’s an epidemic. Someone cuts you off or rides too close. Soon enough, your blood is boiling and you get into a screaming match. In some cases it escalates into violence. Connie Nankya looks at how you can avoid this explosion of anger.
When one wakes up to brave the day with family, they can hardly anticipate the drama that awaits them on the road. So, before they know it, someone is either driving too close, joining the road abruptly in the most impatient of ways and motor cyclists are “flying” on and off the road, while other drivers are parking abruptly without indicating. Aarrggghh! The commotion!
As a result, blood starts to boil, temperatures start to raise, insults, curses and abuses, coupled with finger gestures in some situations, are exchanged between one road user and another. In some situations, it even turns violent. Others devise means of dealing with whoever annoys them by moving with canes, like this one driver I saw beating up a boda boda cyclist. The cyclist had persistently ridden in front of this man’s car and almost made him knock a passing pedestrian. Out of rage, the driver parked the car, grabbed the cyclist and with his cane, beat him up amidst insults, after which he hopped into his car and sped off.
However, sometimes, the last thing one needs is to have their family member see them publicly showcasing their ugly side as they explode, yell or beat up another road user because they have been rubbed the wrong way. So how can one avoid these angry outbursts?
Taking a deep breath can help one let the momentary annoyance pass. Lynn, a mother of two, says that once a taxi driver insulted her for no particular reason. She was compelled to abuse him but after a deep breath, she drove off without a word.
“It was during the campaign season and this man happened to join the road carelessly and almost grazed my vehicle. Instead of apologising, he yelled, ‘Wenyigire eri gwe kalabe… rengera nno akayindo, atte tujya kubazzayo ewamwe bujira bwerega, sembera yo, hopeless!’ (Push to the other side, look at her pointed noise… and if you are not careful, we shall send you back to your home area.) I thought this was uncalled for and coupled with my long day, I got so furious and wanted to yell out a million words, but I took a deep breath for about five seconds and drove off. It helped,” she says.
But that is not all there is to sorting this out. One should always remember that it takes two to tango. If two angry drivers decide to hurl insults or yell at each other, it might escalate the incident. However, if one decides to play the fool and let the other do the talking, the encounter might end sooner. I usually choose to play dumb and save the insults for another day.
Although it is hard to think clearly sometimes, one could ask themselves, “Is it really worth it?” I mean, is jumping out of the car to beat up another, or showing someone the finger (despite your position at work, home, your age bracket,) worth it? While one might get angry at that moment, they will probably regret their reaction when they replay the scene later. Also, think about the eventual consequences of the confrontation, say, criminal law suits, jail sentences, loss of one’s reputation and physical harm, among others. Letting those five minutes of craziness pass might be a wise idea after all.
Also, long hectic days sometimes leave one prone to getting angry at even the smallest of issues, so they lash out at one another without giving it much thought. Case scenario: Driving home, one is trying to deal with the day’s pressure when suddenly, from nowhere, an impatient truck driver cuts them off the road and is evidently in the wrong but does not care. This, coupled with a tired mind, might prompt an exchange of insults, but keeping one’s ego in check might help to deal with the anger.
After an experience like the above, Tim Mugume was too determined to follow up the truck driver and make him realise his mistake, but he gave up eventually.
“I thought it over and realised that this person clearly knew he had done wrong, so I headed home and relaxed. Whether he realised it or not, he was at fault, so what was the point in my wasting fuel, driving after him, to hoot at him for at least two minutes amidst insults?” he says.
Finally, one can try to make their drive enjoyable in order to elevate their mood in case of anything. And however hard it might seem, practice forgiveness and remember that we are all human and are bound to make mistakes on a daily basis. Realise that you, too, at some point, were a driver in the wrong. Maybe not this time, but in the past. It’ll be easier on your blood pressure and state of mind.
“The early mornings and evenings are quite hectic on the road, so I either blast a cool CD with my favourite music, or listen into the morning and evening shows on radio. These keep me laughing at the jokes in that I pay less attention to any annoying incidents and before I know it, I am home safe and happy with the children,” says Mariam Atwongeirwe, a sales lady and mother of two children.
Manage your time wisely. Often, when we’re frustrated on the road, it’s because we’re in a hurry and can’t get there quickly enough because of traffic. Organising your schedule so you can leave earlier and planning for traffic, can leave you feeling more relaxed because it really won’t matter as much if the trip takes a few extra minutes.
