Pick your battles when you come across bad drivers
As a driving instructor for over 30 years, it’s been known that I talk a lot. And I do mean a lot. In reality, I get paid to talk. Whether I’m training new drivers, re-training licensed drivers, or training new instructors, I have to talk. If I can’t talk, I can’t do my job very well. So I think I have an excuse for talking so much. I do it every day. I even get to do it in the car. So now my question, do you talk in the car? Do you talk to the other drivers on the road even though they can’t hear you? Its okay, you can tell me. It’ll be our secret.
If you’re prone to talking aloud to other drivers, even though they can’t hear you, you’re probably with the majority. It can be healthy to some degree, but can lead to issues if it escalates. So, why do you do it? Does it make you feel better to get out your frustration? Or do you feel it grows deeper and deeper when you do it more and more?
Leaving things bottled up inside isn’t always a good idea. If the words you say aloud toward another driver’s actions fuel more harsh words during your commute, could that lead toward road raging? Perhaps, but it doesn’t have to. Instead of harsh words, try a little chuckle instead. Criticizing the actions of other drivers can distract you from your own driving actions. However, laughing or minor comments may help to defuse your frustration. And trust me, when other drivers do aggravating things toward you, it’s rarely toward you directly.
Instead of talking – or in some cases yelling – at other drivers, why not pick your battles? How are their actions affecting you? If they’ve passed you quickly, let it go. Let them go. If they’re tailgating, adjust what you’re doing to let them go past. Whatever they’re doing that annoys you enough to yell or talk to them from the comfort of your own seat in your vehicle, let it go. It’s rare their poor or aggressive driving actions were meant for you specifically. It was just who they are and you got in their way.
While I was an on-air judge on Discovery’s Canada’s Worst Driver during their first 3 seasons, we would have participants who would often show this type of frustration and anger toward other drivers. They often felt drivers were doing these actions toward them on purpose. Once we identified that many drivers just make poor driving choices, out of many reasons which do not include aggressiveness, they realized it wasn’t personal. They made an attempt to stop yelling at those drivers.
Who cares if those drivers did something that annoyed you? Does it really affect you that they did something that annoying? Is it worth getting all worked up for someone else’s actions? No, I didn’t think so.
When I’m training new instructors I always recommend they begin their day with either student who is doing well with their driving lessons or a student who has a positive personality. I also suggest they finish the day the same way. Having a positive beginning to your day helps you continue your day in a positive manner. The same thing can be said by ending your day the same way. Go ahead and talk to the drivers, but keep it light and not aggressive, for your own healthy well-being.
*Have a quick listen to this short episode of the “Speed Bumps” podcast as it discusses staying calm and avoiding road raging!