Road Rage: A primer

Voiceover There's a new driving term in the late 1990's: Road Rage.
What is it? Why does it happen? In the next few minutes, you are going
to learn about the phenomenon known as road rage, why it happens, and
how to deal with it if it happens to you.

Psychiatrists say road rage occurs

Some say the best way to deal with aggressive driving of fellow
citizens is to drive defensively, and allow the aggressor to be on his
way. But as Americans, we know this does not work. It leaves the
non-aggressor with a feeling of being dominated, abused, victimized.
As such, the best way to deal with such a situation is to return the
favor, without letting the situation get to us. Then, when arriving at
a destination, we can have the pleasant feeling that we have shown
someone else that we have the right - and will defend that right - to
drive any way we choose. Furthermore, it shows those aggressive
drivers that they do not have the right to drive like an idiot.

Expert 1 It is important, when someone, say, cuts you off or flips you
the finger, not to let it get to you. There is a tendancy to become
enraged at such behavior, but that is the wrong action: a clear, calm
mind operates far better, and allows you to make manoeuvres that a
typical aggressive driver can not, because they are too busy being
angry. Instead of simply directing the energy into anger, direct it
into a logical, carefully planned way to really screw up the offenders
day.

An example: On my way into work today, a slow moving vehicle pulled
into the left-hand lane on the expressway in front of me. Now,
typically, I see people get pissed by that, so they cut around the
person, get in front, then slam on the brakes. That's the wrong thing
to do. What good is it? You're just giving in to them trying to make
you angry.

My initial thought was to back-end the guy. That was the anger. But I
quickly focused my mind, and put the anger away. I asked myself, "What
would be the best way to screw this stupid bastard?" He had just come
on and crossed all 3 lanes of the expressway to get to the left lane
quickly, where he was moving slow. What's he going to do? Same thing
to get off. So, I positioned myself in such a way that I was ready for
his move. When I saw him moving toward an exit ramp, I made sure he
couldn't get to it. He was absolutely fuming, and instead of him
giving me the confused look he would have given me if I flipped him
off in anger, I was able to give him the confused look as he tried to
figure out if I was intentionally keeping him off the exit or just a
confused out-of-towner that didn't know whether or not it was my exit.