Why is road rage mainly an American thing?

[Winston]

Steve Neese made a great point in his Research Report regarding road rage in America:

http://www.happierabroad.com/Research.htm

Road Rage is Mainly an “American Thing�

The causes of road rage are many and varied but some of the main factors which have been identified are stress, fatigue and frustration. According to a study by the American Automobile Association, this decade has already seen more than 200 people killed and almost 13,000 injured as the result of a road rage incident in the United States. Tailgating, giving the finger, outright violence--Americans grow more likely to take out their frustrations on other drivers. "Aggressive driving is now the most common way of driving," says Sandra Ball-Rokeach, who co-directs the Media and Injury Prevention Program at the University of Southern California. "It's not just a few crazies--it's a subculture of driving." Residents of late 20th century America are arguably the luckiest human beings in history: the most technologically pampered, the richest, the freest things on two legs the world has ever seen. Then why do we drive like such jerks? The most common excuse: "I'm late. So many miles, so little time." In the most comprehensive national survey on driving behavior so far, a Michigan firm, EPIC-MRA, found that an astounding 80% of drivers are angry most or all of the time while driving. Ed Sarpolus, the head researcher for the Michigan study of driving behavior, was struck by the gender breakdown of aggressive drivers: 53% of them are women. In China the constant weaving, cut offs, and honking does not even result in a mild annoyance of other drivers, it’s simply par for the course. I remember a Columbian friend of mine telling me about Columbian drivers stating (half tongue in cheek) “They weave in and out, cut people off, and honk their horns and nobody shoots each other… it’s magic.� (source - http://www.drdriving.org/news/)

I've always wondered about this. How come people in other countries don't lose their temper when someone cuts them off in traffic? I've noticed this in Asia and in Russia. What is it about the US that makes people lose their tempers to road rage so easily, as opposed to other countries?

Could it be due to the way Americans are fragmented from each other and carry a sense of entitlement, that foreigners don't?

Any ideas?

[onezero4u]

bottled up frustration at our out of control socialist, fascist and totalitarian leaning government. we need an outlet and some stranger driving is as good as any.

[Think Different]

Steve Neese made a great point in his Research Report regarding road rage in America:

http://www.happierabroad.com/Research.htm

Road Rage is Mainly an “American Thing�

The causes of road rage are many and varied but some of the main factors which have been identified are stress, fatigue and frustration. According to a study by the American Automobile Association, this decade has already seen more than 200 people killed and almost 13,000 injured as the result of a road rage incident in the United States. Tailgating, giving the finger, outright violence--Americans grow more likely to take out their frustrations on other drivers. "Aggressive driving is now the most common way of driving," says Sandra Ball-Rokeach, who co-directs the Media and Injury Prevention Program at the University of Southern California. "It's not just a few crazies--it's a subculture of driving." Residents of late 20th century America are arguably the luckiest human beings in history: the most technologically pampered, the richest, the freest things on two legs the world has ever seen. Then why do we drive like such jerks? The most common excuse: "I'm late. So many miles, so little time." In the most comprehensive national survey on driving behavior so far, a Michigan firm, EPIC-MRA, found that an astounding 80% of drivers are angry most or all of the time while driving. Ed Sarpolus, the head researcher for the Michigan study of driving behavior, was struck by the gender breakdown of aggressive drivers: 53% of them are women. In China the constant weaving, cut offs, and honking does not even result in a mild annoyance of other drivers, it’s simply par for the course. I remember a Columbian friend of mine telling me about Columbian drivers stating (half tongue in cheek) “They weave in and out, cut people off, and honk their horns and nobody shoots each other… it’s magic.� (source - http://www.drdriving.org/news/)

I've always wondered about this. How come people in other countries don't lose their temper when someone cuts them off in traffic? I've noticed this in Asia and in Russia. What is it about the US that makes people lose their tempers to road rage so easily, as opposed to other countries?

Could it be due to the way Americans are fragmented from each other and carry a sense of entitlement, that foreigners don't?

Any ideas?

I think Winston's right: in the US there is a massive ego trip issue at hand, when driving. Just look at all the vanity license plates everywhere. People practically live in their cars 1/3 of their lives or more there, and they develop this bubble of isolation around them. Americans are also incredibly stressed, because we are the world's one "no-vacation nation", and we are working ourselves to an early grave and have poor interpersonal and familial ties, to boot. I'm now living in Italy, with some of the most chaotic driving in Europe, and even though the driving is aggressive, there are rarely accidents and while people do honk, I never really see them get angry like Americans. They just shrug things off. I find Italians to be schizophrenic: when not in their cars, they are incredibly laid-back and chill out, but when you put them in their cars, they all think they are Formula 1 drivers. It's really bizarre.

[E_Irizarry]

bottled up frustration at our out of control socialist, fascist and totalitarian leaning government. we need an outlet and some stranger driving is as good as any.

What do you mean that America has socialism in it?? If anything, it works in Canada. And Americans are lividly scared-shitless about socialism from what I know.

[E_Irizarry]

Steve Neese made a great point in his Research Report regarding road rage in America:

http://www.happierabroad.com/Research.htm

Road Rage is Mainly an “American Thing�

The causes of road rage are many and varied but some of the main factors which have been identified are stress, fatigue and frustration. According to a study by the American Automobile Association, this decade has already seen more than 200 people killed and almost 13,000 injured as the result of a road rage incident in the United States. Tailgating, giving the finger, outright violence--Americans grow more likely to take out their frustrations on other drivers. "Aggressive driving is now the most common way of driving," says Sandra Ball-Rokeach, who co-directs the Media and Injury Prevention Program at the University of Southern California. "It's not just a few crazies--it's a subculture of driving." Residents of late 20th century America are arguably the luckiest human beings in history: the most technologically pampered, the richest, the freest things on two legs the world has ever seen. Then why do we drive like such jerks? The most common excuse: "I'm late. So many miles, so little time." In the most comprehensive national survey on driving behavior so far, a Michigan firm, EPIC-MRA, found that an astounding 80% of drivers are angry most or all of the time while driving. Ed Sarpolus, the head researcher for the Michigan study of driving behavior, was struck by the gender breakdown of aggressive drivers: 53% of them are women. In China the constant weaving, cut offs, and honking does not even result in a mild annoyance of other drivers, it’s simply par for the course. I remember a Columbian friend of mine telling me about Columbian drivers stating (half tongue in cheek) “They weave in and out, cut people off, and honk their horns and nobody shoots each other… it’s magic.� (source - http://www.drdriving.org/news/)

I've always wondered about this. How come people in other countries don't lose their temper when someone cuts them off in traffic? I've noticed this in Asia and in Russia. What is it about the US that makes people lose their tempers to road rage so easily, as opposed to other countries?

Could it be due to the way Americans are fragmented from each other and carry a sense of entitlement, that foreigners don't?

Any ideas?

I think Winston's right: in the US there is a massive ego trip issue at hand, when driving. Just look at all the vanity license plates everywhere. People practically live in their cars 1/3 of their lives or more there, and they develop this bubble of isolation around them. Americans are also incredibly stressed, because we are the world's one "no-vacation nation", and we are working ourselves to an early grave and have poor interpersonal and familial ties, to boot. I'm now living in Italy, with some of the most chaotic driving in Europe, and even though the driving is aggressive, there are rarely accidents and while people do honk, I never really see them get angry like Americans. They just shrug things off. I find Italians to be schizophrenic: when not in their cars, they are incredibly laid-back and chill out, but when you put them in their cars, they all think they are Formula 1 drivers. It's really bizarre.

Yeah in Colombia, it was awesome. They do drive very well and very aggressively. It sounds like the same applies to Italians in Italy too while they are driving. I guess because of the American diet that is ladened with hormones, additives, and preservatives type of poison -- and that there are too many ADHD/ADD fucktards behind the wheel in America would contribute to a road-rage society as well.

[NorthAmericanguy]

And the road rage is getting worse because I have noticed that Americans no longer yield for pedestrians. Dumb Americans don't realize that the law says pedestrians ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY.

I have witnessed old people, women carrying bags, and sometimes children standing stuck in the middle of the street because nobody would stop for them and let them cross the street safely.


And my own personal story:

I was walking down a busy street one day and I came to a corner that I had to cross.

I was not yet halfway across the street when a late 30ish middle class guy in a blk Audi made a right hand turn into my walking path, and instead of stopping and let me finish getting to the other side, apparently I was taking too long for him so he floored it which then forced me the jump back a bit and let him go by. He even took a quick unfriendly gaze at me when he made that turn almost like he was holding back giving me the middle finger.

I was so taken back that a person could be so rude and reckless. I kid you not, if I had a gun on me he would have been justified to be shot because he nearly killed me.

[NorthAmericanguy]

Steve Neese made a great point in his Research Report regarding road rage in America:

http://www.happierabroad.com/Research.htm

Road Rage is Mainly an “American Thing�

The causes of road rage are many and varied but some of the main factors which have been identified are stress, fatigue and frustration. According to a study by the American Automobile Association, this decade has already seen more than 200 people killed and almost 13,000 injured as the result of a road rage incident in the United States. Tailgating, giving the finger, outright violence--Americans grow more likely to take out their frustrations on other drivers. "Aggressive driving is now the most common way of driving," says Sandra Ball-Rokeach, who co-directs the Media and Injury Prevention Program at the University of Southern California. "It's not just a few crazies--it's a subculture of driving." Residents of late 20th century America are arguably the luckiest human beings in history: the most technologically pampered, the richest, the freest things on two legs the world has ever seen. Then why do we drive like such jerks? The most common excuse: "I'm late. So many miles, so little time." In the most comprehensive national survey on driving behavior so far, a Michigan firm, EPIC-MRA, found that an astounding 80% of drivers are angry most or all of the time while driving. Ed Sarpolus, the head researcher for the Michigan study of driving behavior, was struck by the gender breakdown of aggressive drivers: 53% of them are women. In China the constant weaving, cut offs, and honking does not even result in a mild annoyance of other drivers, it’s simply par for the course. I remember a Columbian friend of mine telling me about Columbian drivers stating (half tongue in cheek) “They weave in and out, cut people off, and honk their horns and nobody shoots each other… it’s magic.� (source - http://www.drdriving.org/news/)

I've always wondered about this. How come people in other countries don't lose their temper when someone cuts them off in traffic? I've noticed this in Asia and in Russia. What is it about the US that makes people lose their tempers to road rage so easily, as opposed to other countries?

Could it be due to the way Americans are fragmented from each other and carry a sense of entitlement, that foreigners don't?

Any ideas?

I find Italians to be schizophrenic: when not in their cars, they are incredibly laid-back and chill out, but when you put them in their cars, they all think they are Formula 1 drivers. It's really bizarre.

Hmm, well you figure that IS where Ferrari and other exotic sports cars come from.... Also, the 24 hour Le Mans auto race (oldest sports car race) is held in France (had to look that up) which is not too far away.

[NorthAmericanguy]

Steve Neese made a great point in his Research Report regarding road rage in America:

http://www.happierabroad.com/Research.htm

Road Rage is Mainly an “American Thing�

The causes of road rage are many and varied but some of the main factors which have been identified are stress, fatigue and frustration. According to a study by the American Automobile Association, this decade has already seen more than 200 people killed and almost 13,000 injured as the result of a road rage incident in the United States. Tailgating, giving the finger, outright violence--Americans grow more likely to take out their frustrations on other drivers. "Aggressive driving is now the most common way of driving," says Sandra Ball-Rokeach, who co-directs the Media and Injury Prevention Program at the University of Southern California. "It's not just a few crazies--it's a subculture of driving." Residents of late 20th century America are arguably the luckiest human beings in history: the most technologically pampered, the richest, the freest things on two legs the world has ever seen. Then why do we drive like such jerks? The most common excuse: "I'm late. So many miles, so little time." In the most comprehensive national survey on driving behavior so far, a Michigan firm, EPIC-MRA, found that an astounding 80% of drivers are angry most or all of the time while driving. Ed Sarpolus, the head researcher for the Michigan study of driving behavior, was struck by the gender breakdown of aggressive drivers: 53% of them are women. In China the constant weaving, cut offs, and honking does not even result in a mild annoyance of other drivers, it’s simply par for the course. I remember a Columbian friend of mine telling me about Columbian drivers stating (half tongue in cheek) “They weave in and out, cut people off, and honk their horns and nobody shoots each other… it’s magic.� (source - http://www.drdriving.org/news/)

I've always wondered about this. How come people in other countries don't lose their temper when someone cuts them off in traffic?

American drivers loose their temper under far less aggravation such as cutting them off. Many times people blow their horn and make it clear that they are angry if you don't immediately hit the gas when the light turns green.

Americans are simply impatient more then anything, and these younger people don't respect the automobile or the privilege of driving until something bad happens to them. Until then it's speed, speed, speed, and get the f*** out of my way!

[odbo]

Americans don't live balanced lives. They don't walk & drive. They don't even take public transportation. They only drive. So they don't appreciate what they have, and what they are not getting (contact with the world, like when you walk somewhere.. you feel more grounded). They're usually in a hurry, not for anything important, (i.e. shopping before a sale runs out) but in a hurry non the less. They get that tunnel vision, where to slow down for a pedestrian is unthinkable, because it would add 5 seconds to their trip. At the same time, they drive like people from another country would expect a 100year old grandma to drive. I think snails are capable of quicker reaction times than these fluoride heads. The fact that American cars feel like boats magnifies the problem.

People here are insane. They don't respect other people. They have a deep hate for people riding bicycles, kind of like "who does he think he is!?" and have an even deeper hatred for motorcycles. It's a society of obese dimwits. If you're a guy like me with a normal body (not something that would be in a circus freakshow 80 years ago), who likes to enjoy life (walk places, ride bicycles, motorcycles and motor-powered bicycles) you're considered INSANE and will face many obstacles.. from retarded "men" who associate their identity with pick-up trucks and view it as their duty to impede you on the road. Lest someone in the neighbourhood has some fun (using his body to maneuver instead of commuting in a coffin), and begins to feel human again.. and we can't let that happen!

The motorcyclist is always at fault in court. Every rider must be a dirtbag Hell's Angel. That's why the liability insurance is so high. When one is killed there are many who secretly cheer... After all, everything wrong with this country can be summed up in one word, motorcycles.

If you want to see how bad people are at driving here, go out on a bicycle or roller skates and see how many times you are nearly run over.
Or don't drive for a week, and then get behind the wheel. This reveals a lot.

[E_Irizarry]

And the road rage is getting worse because I have noticed that Americans no longer yield for pedestrians. Dumb Americans don't realize that the law says pedestrians ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY.

I have witnessed old people, women carrying bags, and sometimes children standing stuck in the middle of the street because nobody would stop for them and let them cross the street safely.


And my own personal story:

I was walking down a busy street one day and I came to a corner that I had to cross.

I was not yet halfway across the street when a late 30ish middle class guy in a blk Audi made a right hand turn into my walking path, and instead of stopping and let me finish getting to the other side, apparently I was taking too long for him so he floored it which then forced me the jump back a bit and let him go by. He even took a quick unfriendly gaze at me when he made that turn almost like he was holding back giving me the middle finger.

I was so taken back that a person could be so rude and reckless. I kid you not, if I had a gun on me he would have been justified to be shot because he nearly killed me.

Tor0nto, Canada just picked up this attitude beginning in 2006. When I had gone to Toronto in 2004, Torontonian drivers would actually wait for you to cross. Now they don't do that any more, they practically honk you out of the way. Go Neo-Manifest Destiny! North America = pwned and done with a fork stuck in it!

[Fenix]

And the road rage is getting worse because I have noticed that Americans no longer yield for pedestrians. Dumb Americans don't realize that the law says pedestrians ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY.

I have witnessed old people, women carrying bags, and sometimes children standing stuck in the middle of the street because nobody would stop for them and let them cross the street safely.


And my own personal story:

I was walking down a busy street one day and I came to a corner that I had to cross.

I was not yet halfway across the street when a late 30ish middle class guy in a blk Audi made a right hand turn into my walking path, and instead of stopping and let me finish getting to the other side, apparently I was taking too long for him so he floored it which then forced me the jump back a bit and let him go by. He even took a quick unfriendly gaze at me when he made that turn almost like he was holding back giving me the middle finger.

I was so taken back that a person could be so rude and reckless. I kid you not, if I had a gun on me he would have been justified to be shot because he nearly killed me.

The same thing happened to me a few years ago. I was walking across the street in the crosswalk and these guys just floor it like they are in the Indianapolis 500 and I ran back to the crosswalk so I wouldn't get hit. This is why I don't want to drive. I rather walk, ride a bicycle or take a public bus. I can't take the risk of getting in an accident because you have to drive for yourself and other people. It doesn't make much sense why people are in such a hurry and can't wait for a pedestrian to cross the street. I think you have like 20 seconds or less to cross and they can't even wait that long.

[Rock]

Steve Neese made a great point in his Research Report regarding road rage in America:

http://www.happierabroad.com/Research.htm

Road Rage is Mainly an “American Thing�

The causes of road rage are many and varied but some of the main factors which have been identified are stress, fatigue and frustration. According to a study by the American Automobile Association, this decade has already seen more than 200 people killed and almost 13,000 injured as the result of a road rage incident in the United States. Tailgating, giving the finger, outright violence--Americans grow more likely to take out their frustrations on other drivers. "Aggressive driving is now the most common way of driving," says Sandra Ball-Rokeach, who co-directs the Media and Injury Prevention Program at the University of Southern California. "It's not just a few crazies--it's a subculture of driving." Residents of late 20th century America are arguably the luckiest human beings in history: the most technologically pampered, the richest, the freest things on two legs the world has ever seen. Then why do we drive like such jerks? The most common excuse: "I'm late. So many miles, so little time." In the most comprehensive national survey on driving behavior so far, a Michigan firm, EPIC-MRA, found that an astounding 80% of drivers are angry most or all of the time while driving. Ed Sarpolus, the head researcher for the Michigan study of driving behavior, was struck by the gender breakdown of aggressive drivers: 53% of them are women. In China the constant weaving, cut offs, and honking does not even result in a mild annoyance of other drivers, it’s simply par for the course. I remember a Columbian friend of mine telling me about Columbian drivers stating (half tongue in cheek) “They weave in and out, cut people off, and honk their horns and nobody shoots each other… it’s magic.� (source - http://www.drdriving.org/news/)

I've always wondered about this. How come people in other countries don't lose their temper when someone cuts them off in traffic? I've noticed this in Asia and in Russia. What is it about the US that makes people lose their tempers to road rage so easily, as opposed to other countries?

Could it be due to the way Americans are fragmented from each other and carry a sense of entitlement, that foreigners don't?

Any ideas?

According to my experience, it ain't just an American thing. People in Taiwan used to drive like maniacs and if you flipped-off the wrong guy, he would try to force you to stop and fight with you. Taxi drivers used to get into big brawls (one company against the other), often as a result of a road rage incident which started between 2 drivers from competing companies who would radio their colleagues to come over to help. Once I even saw a car intentionally smash into another one just cus the driver was pissed-off at him. The big sand truck drivers would often hit motorcyclists and if the person was just injured, the driver would sometimes back-up over the driver to reduce liability since was generally cheaper to pay off a family for a death then to be responsible for ongoing medical bills. It's gotten a lot better, at least in Taipei. But I still see signs of it once in awhile. For example, I was running an 9K road race a month or so ago down Renai Rd. The middle lane was so crowded with runners that I went over to the side lane which was opened to auto traffic. Since it was just after 6 am on a Sunday morning, there were hardly any cars. But some guy in a sports car tried to run me down and I had to jump onto the boulevard at the last minute to avoid being hit. Since I wasn't supposed to be running in that lane, he probably figured he had the right to scare me like that.

In China, drivers used to just not stop for people on higher speed roads on the outskirts of town or in rural areas. If they hit you, they hit you, no biggie. And I don't think there were laws to protect pedestrians or motorcycle riders so you just had to walk/run/ride very defensively. If a big truck made a left turn at a stoplight intersection and its back wheels went over some motorcycles stopped in the left lane, the riders would bail right before impact and the truck would likely keep on going as if nothing happened.

In Thailand, you often read news stories of road rage incidents which result in someone getting shot, often fatally. Flip the wrong guy off or even pass him in a rude way and that just might set him off. I wouldn't be surprised if the PI is even worse given the prevalence of guns. Asians may seem mild in person. But behind the wheel, they can be super aggressive or passive aggressive depending on which country you are in. Honking at people aggressively is OK in some countries. But in others, it can easily start a fight or a lot worse.

[NorthAmericanguy]

They have a deep hate for people riding bicycles, kind of like "who does he think he is!?" and have an even deeper hatred for motorcycles. It's a society of obese dimwits..

My friend was killed in 2008 on his motorcycle.... A young driver made an illegal u turn and ran right into him. These days with cell phones and so many women drivers you're really asking to be killed if you wish to drive around on anything on 2 wheels on a public road.

[FreeYourMind]

I saw no evidence of road rage in Thailand or the Philippines. Everyone drives aggressively, but no one gets angry when they are cut off because it's no big deal. Similarly, pedestrians have to be super-alert or they will get hit by a car or bike, but everyone understands that's how it is and no one takes it personally. In the U.S. there would be constant fist fights and shootouts if people drove that way. But all the horn honking in those countries is actually a form of consideration, keeping pedestrians and other drivers alert, not of meanness.

The far younger demographics in those countries plays a part too. The average age of White drivers in the U.S. sometimes seems to be about 75. I remember seeing a short article in a Philippines newspaper with the headline "Old Man Commits Suicide." Upon reading the article the "old man" was 49 years old, a veritable pup in the U.S.

[jamesbond]

I think Winston's right: in the US there is a massive ego trip issue at hand, when driving. Just look at all the vanity license plates everywhere. People practically live in their cars 1/3 of their lives or more there, and they develop this bubble of isolation around them. Americans are also incredibly stressed, because we are the world's one "no-vacation nation", and we are working ourselves to an early grave and have poor interpersonal and familial ties, to boot.

Americans are stressed out and angry and bitter so they take it out on strangers when they are driving in their cars. God forbid you drive the speed limit and don't tailgate other drivers, doing that would be "unamerican." lol

We are working ourselves into an early grave here in the US. Maybe that's one of the reasons we drive like maniacs, we hate our jobs and our lives!