Road rage or traffic tantrums?
Photo by Rex Features
Recently the news has been full of tales of road rage. Global News frequently re-runs a video of a man simultaneously driving and hurling a torrent of foul abuse at another motorist. Meanwhile, the victimized motorist is filming the whole event on his cell phone. I hope this event did not take place on one of the so-called bike routes that we cyclists share with thousands of duelling rush hour cars.
Neither of the drivers would have had much attention to spare for those “Share the Road” signs which authorities apparently believe can magically turn a dangerously busy road into a safe bike route.
More recently, we read the appalling story of Gerardo Arguello and Norman Segundo, using their minivan to chase down Ryan McCaffery, another motorist, and beating him savagely with a baseball bat. McCaffery’s “crime?" He pulled in ahead of Arguello and Segundo on an on-ramp near North Vancouver. Arguello and Segundo probably “lost” about 30 metres of road space; for that, they have rendered a father of two unable to earn a living, and nearly made a widow of his wife.
Photo from Newzar
I suggest that these events should not be called road rage. They should be called traffic tantrums. The behaviours are much the same as toddlers having a temper tantrum: they show the same utter selfishness and loss of impulse control. It’s understandable in toddlers; but in grownups, it’s shameful. Which is why I wish Global wouldn’t fuzz out that cursing driver’s face – he deserves to be publicly shamed.
Sadly, traffic tantrums are all too common. In fact, one might say that they are just the extreme version of what happens to all of us when we get behind the wheel of a car. The nicest person in the world can become hostile while driving. As early as 1902, Otto Bierbaum was shocked by the traffic tantrums he encountered during a road trip:
“Never in my life have I been cursed at so frequently as on my automobile trip in the year 1902 … not to mention all the wordless curses: shaking fists, stuck-out tongues, bared behinds and others besides.”
And this was when speed limits had just been raised from four miles per hour to 14 miles per hour. And Britain had just abolished a law requiring every car to be preceded by a man carrying a red flag or a lamp to warn more sedate road users on horses, bikes or good old feet.
Photo from Bluenred
Certainly I find myself shamed by my OWN emotions when I am forced to drive a car. In no time at all I am muttering about the stupidity of other drivers.
I fear my children learned to swear
while being taxied around by me.
And other drivers are doing the same to me, sometimes not at all quietly. For example, they honk harshly if I take a second too long to pull off from a light.
Yet if I pause longingly in front of the ice-cream fridge in Safeway, other people will say, “Excuse me” rather than screech at me furiously. And though I may get mildly irritated if someone chooses the center of an aisle in Costco to stop and have a think, odds are I will just politely go around him or her, rather than attempt to beat him or her to death with a baseball bat.
Let’s face it, every Saturday would see a massacre in Costco if people had traffic tantrums in supermarkets. So why is it so different when we are driving?
This cartoon captures the abrupt Jekyll and Hyde transformation that afflicts so many otherwise decent people while driving.
Illustration from The Factual Opinion
It seems that in traffic, we struggle to stay human. Perhaps it is because when we are in traffic, we are deprived of that which makes us human: the power of speech (rich torrents of foul abuse notwithstanding).
By contrast, during a recent bike ride along 10th Avenue, I had to apply my brakes sharply when the cyclist in front of me stopped abruptly at a traffic circle. I had a flash of annoyance, wondering what she was doing. Then I saw she was waving a car ahead of her. She noticed me an inch behind her rear wheel, and flashed me a big smile: “He looked like he was in a hurry, so I thought I’d let him go ahead.” “No problem,” I said, returning the smile.
This cyclist had irritated me, but then she entirely dispelled my irritation with her words. Added to that, we had smiled at each other – some researchers speculate that people cannot read each other’s emotions over a distance of more than three metres, and that this may account for road rage. In any event, we had a friendly human encounter that subtly enriched my day.
If we had been in cars, would I have chased her down and tried to beat her to death with a baseball bat? I sincerely doubt it – but I might very well have honked rudely.
When it comes down to it, all motorists are prevented from effective communication by their isolated mode of transport. That’s why all motorists get angry from time to time – and some take it way too far.
(Illustration from Getmeoffthisplant)
Should we not be re-examining a way of life which condemns most people to spending more time in isolation in traffic jams than being with their kids (or having sex), and which seems to bring out the very worst side of human nature, making most of us rude and hostile, and turning some adults into dangerous, overgrown toddlers?
In my opinion, the problem could be overcome by limiting inner city travel to bicycles, foot traffic, horses and buses – all of which provide the opportunity for real human communication, both verbal and non-verbal.
What do you think?
Note: Some ideas in this post were suggested by Tom Vanderbilt’s must-read book, Traffic: Why we Drive the Way we Do.
More of Average Joe Cyclist's writings can be found on his blog: Average Joe's Cycling blog.
(17) Comments
thank you for writing this! this is so important to talk about...how I with the roads were a safe place...hum, is that even possible? keep up the good writing on such important topics!!
The entitlement and selfish behavior exhibited by drivers is remarkably unacknowledged. Usually, I bike, but when I end up driving I almost always end up muttering about the idoiocy of the others on the road.
It's actually a cultural phenomenon. A US top ten hit from last year had these lyrics (Ludacris: "Get Out the Way"):
I'm doin' a hundred on the highway
So if you do the speed limit, get the F#@K outta my way
I'm D.U.I., hardly ever caught sober
and you about to get ran the F#@K over
Next time you're biking, imagine that pumping through the speakers of some teenage driver coming up from behind.
@suzzieQ: Thanks for your comment, Suzzie. The roads could be a very safe place ... around 3 in the morning, most of them are. Unfortunately, with sunrise (or even before) comes the cars, and it's back to bedlam ... It's true that even before cars, pedestrians would sometimes be run down by horses. However, I suspect our traffic control systems have come a LONG way since then, and I bet that it would be different now. In any case, in a city the size of Vancouver, feet and bikes would be quite adequate to get around.
@Two Wheels: You make an excellent point about how remarkably unacknowledged our group bad behaviour is. It's almost like we turn a giant, collective blind eye to it. We pride ourselves as a society on being civlized, caring, sharing, inclusive, sensitive. We would be appalled at someone yelling at a dog in abusive tones. Yet as we turn on our cars' ignition keys, we apparently turn off centuries of civilization, and revert to being cavemen/women. And when we get out of our cars, we revert right back to being civilized, and pretend it never happened: "What happens in cars, stays in cars!"
I suspect it has to do with the fact that our entire social & economic structure is now so integrated with cars that we cannot imagine life without them. Pity.
Because we are isolated in our cars it brings out the worst in us all
I agree with most of this post. But what about the disabled? A city with just pedestrians and cyclists would be fine for most people, but many of the disabled would be stranded.
I like your term, "traffic tantrum". I found it quite interesting to read in the book "Traffic: Why we Drive the Way we Do" how drivers of top-down convertibles are less likely to rage. I guess it's partially an effect of the cage and the isolation a car gives us.
It's so true. I have a friend who's the sweetest most caring and considerate guy around but when he's driving suddenly he becomes hyper competitive, impatient, angry guy. He complains about any minor inconvenience that others on the road "give" him but then he himself changes lanes suddenly without signalling and speeds up and around others. He has some sense of it being justified because he was born in Vancouver and therefore shouldn't have to temper himself because he was here before all the others came that made it more crowded.
Hi Alex. Thanks, I agree it's a great term - I actually got it from the "Traffic" book. I thought I would try and spread it around a bit, as it's just so apt. I also think it conveys the contempt most of us feel for people who behave in reprehensible ways once they are in the "safety" of a steel box.
Interesting that point about the convertibles. It does make sense to me. My wife drives a convertible. When I drive with her, I feel much more connected to my surroundings than when I get a ride in a closed car. And of course on a bike, or walking, you are just that much MORE connected to your surroundings - e.g. you can actually TALK to other human beings.
Nick, for some bizarre reason it seems to have been going on forever. Check out Disney's hilarious 1950 take on this transformation of "Mr. Nice Guy" into "Mr. Psychotic" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk-c5jlk48s
Sarah, that's a good point. But imagine for a moment city streets without cars. People in wheelchairs could get around with relative ease, compared to now when they are in constant danger from cars. Plus there are options for assisted bikes - see http://averagejoecyclist.com/?p=537 - which enable people who are less fit to more than keep up with others. Then there are TRI-cycles which open up cycling to seniors and differently abled people - see http://averagejoecyclist.com/?p=611
And then of course there are also assisted tricycles. Then there is also the option of bike taxis, with disabled people being ferried by more able people. Really, the options for safe, alternative, non-car transport options FOR ALL are as limitless as the human imagination. And if cars were not as ubiquitous, these options would proliferate, you can bet your life!
Considering, some good points there. In some senses, "tantrum" is too weak a word to describe what can actually be murderous emotion. (Researching this post I came across several cases where murder has been committed over traffic incidents.) I think I am using "tantrums" in a perjorative sense, because I do feel contempt for people who get violent over a couple of lost moments on the road.
I have experienced exactly what you mention, with people honking because one is simply not killing the pedestrians. Once, when I had my baby in the car, a cab driver honked at me because I was not crossing Knight Street (without a light) fast enough. I got out of the car and told him (calmly) that I was not going to kill my child just to save him 2 minutes. He just rolled up the window and looked afraid. Unfortunately, road rage is so wide spread that one cannot even speak to other drivers without them fearing you are about to go postal.
Not that I have the time or inclination to look it up, but I remember a few studies saying that the reason there's rage in cars and less on bikes, walking and in Costco is because of the verbal and non-verbal (body language) communication that goes on between people. Another study shows that less than 10% of communication is the actual words we use and over 50% is unspoken. Hiding in cars nearly 100% goes unseen.
Cars deafen us from hearing thanks when it is meant as well as blind us from facial cues that we use to communicate an often unspoken apology.
Perhaps we should all drive convertibles. ;-)
Funny you should say that Dave - a guy commented on my other blog that studies do in fact show that drivers of convertibles are less prone to road rage. I happen to have spent a lot of time inside a convertible, as my wife has one. I have to say that I have noticed that I feel LESS cut off from other people in the convertible than in a regular car. And more able to communicate, as you point out ... so maybe your idea of all driving convertibles is a good one. Hey, we have to start SOMEwhere! :)
Dear Editor:
I am the barrister for Norman Segundo and Gerardo Arguello who were referenced in Jane Seyd's article in the North Shore News, Jan. 26, alleging that they assaulted Ryan McCaffery.
Gerardo and Norman will be defending the various charges, and look forward to the trial of this matter, where the other side of the events can be heard, and the truth and credibility of the witnesses determined by the courts.
They do not wish to have the matter tried in the media, but are compelled given the details published, to respond in part, given the recent one-sided media report and social network alienation.
I can advise certain facts were not included in that news story, which include that Norman is physically a small person, at approximately 110 pounds. I understand that the alleged victim is described as well over 250 pounds, and well over 6 feet tall. It is the position of the defence that it was McCaffery who aggressively advanced towards Norman, and Gerardo was terrified, came to the assistance of his friend Norman, who was fending off McCaffery's advances and attacks.
Gerardo was with his family, including two small crying and fearful children in a van, along with Norman and another female. They were in no rush and were on their way to the outdoors. As opposed to McCaffery, who admits he cut off at least two other cars. I understand that it was in fact the complainant that was acting in an aggressive manner, and that Gerardo and Norman tried to defend themselves, and others (the women and children in the van). And that one of my clients offered water to McCaffery at the conclusion of the matter.
Dil Gosal, D. Gosal & Associates,
Surrey
Read more: http://www.nsnews.com/opinion/editorials/Road+rage+assault+case+still+tried+court/4210077/story.html#ixzz1Ekyj2EaX
I tend to be extremely ready to let someone signaling a lane change move in if they are signalling and just the opposite if they are moving in my direction and not signalling.
Maybe that makes me a bad person but I figure if a person cannot be trusted with a turn signal why should they be trusted with the rest of a car.
As for cyclists, if a car is signalling a right turn and is already in the intersection to start the turn it is downright rude (and dangerous) to attempt to pass them by going through on their right through the crosswalk! I have stopped counting the number of times I have had to slam on the brakes at the last minute when already in the midst of my turn because a cyclist from 2 or 3 car lengths back isn't paying attention and thinks a green or yellow (and in a couple of cases red) light means GO GO GO!
I am a fairly safe driver but that kind of 'entitled' behaviour just makes me postal!