[ILTDrive]

I have had my share of instances where I have lost my cool, but over the years have learnt to calm myself down. Today, while i was dropping my son to school, saw a middle aged gentleman in a new Verna so worked up due to a traffic jam which was about to clear that he kept his left hand on the horn for almost 5 minutes. My son, thought it was fun to do it and told me he would also like to honk, I told him its a bad habit and do not do it. He is 3.5 years now and I am wondering what are we setting as an example for the next generation.

[creative420]

It was one of my resolutions for 2014 that I will not lose my cool on the roads of Bangalore because the instances of road rage are far too many and you've got one life to live healthy and stress-free. It was going along all fine until about 2 hours before the year ended.

There was snail-pace moving traffic in Indira Nagar last night as we (my wife and two office colleagues) were heading to our friends home. One rickshaw guy wanted to over-take me from the left hand side. I asked him to stop as there's no where he could go since there were multiple cars in front of me, but he wouldn't listen. He continued inching his rickshaw forward and it grazed my rear bumper causing a deep 2" scratch.

Now the rickshaw guy had nowhere to go. I got out. Inspected the damage. I looked at the rickshaw guy wondering what the hell were you doing? He casually said "It's nothing. Come let's go."

THIS. WAS. IT.

I'm always prepared for a scratch of two (in a month) in Bangalore traffic. But what I expect from people is to say sorry if they do any such (stupid) thing. And even after doing something that I warned him about, he didn't have the courtesy to say a simple 'Sorry'. I looked at my wife and although she was worried what I was about to do, I could not stop myself from charging towards this guy. I hurled all the swear words I know, at him. There was an elderly couple sitting in his Rickshaw and they were terrified to be a part of this mess. I looked at them and told them "I'm sorry Sir, but give me two minutes with your rickshaw driver" I caught hold of his collar. I dragged him to see what he has done. I shouted on top of my voice "YOU DO THIS. AND YOU WOULDN'T SAY SORRY!" And then came out those magical words from his mouth - "Sorry".

By this time my colleagues were also ready to thrash this guy since there was a lot of pent up anger in them as well but we all stopped. This is all what I and my colleagues as well wanted to hear. I then dragged him back to his rickshaw and asked him to apologise whenever he does anything stupid. I apologised to the old couple again for causing them inconvenience and then apologised to the rickshaw guy as well for abusing him. This time he really felt stupid for doing what he did and said "Sorry" once again before moving forward.

Phew! Since I could not complete my resolution for 2014, I guess I need to give it another year.

Happy New Year, folks!

[createrkid]

A very startling thing happened yesterday, I'm still quite shaken up. I was driving on the bannerghata road towards meenakshi. Time was around 8 and it was jammed everywhere bumper to bumper till the reliance mart signal. As we were slowly inching along in traffic, this pathetic excuse of human scum happened to zig zag in between spaces on an old battered RX ( mind you, there were three guys, the typical revelling 'Rasta cap' borne idiots with headphones and whatnot.) they overtook me from the left side and almost fell on the bonnet trying to balance themselves. THREE GUYS, NO HELMETS. Then came the messed up part. They go ahead and scrape the side of an alto inside which was an old man and his wife. Now the thing is, the guy got down (this was when the traffic was barely moving) and shouted at the scum in Hindi. Now obviously, this ticked off the idiots. They suddenly took advantage of the fact that the old guy wasn't a local and they all got off, without saying sorry, without anything, the guy at the back runs at him and punches him in the face, all this happened diagonally in front of my car and no one interfered, NOT A SINGLE SOUL! I had it, I got down and tried to stop the guy from punching the old man. His poor wife was crying in the front seat. The sad part was that i didn't know kannada as well and I had just got my license 3 weeks ago, yes I'm 18. The three guys then started pushing me around and were saying something in kannada and the old guy was standing helplessly. I shouted for help but no one came, everyone around was just looking and someone was also recording all this. In a fit of rage, I pinned one guy to the ground and started pelting him. The other two were trying to hit my back and my neck. This went on for about half a minute when finally someone intervened and caught hold of the other two scums. Now, everyone saw what happened and as usual, they beat the guys up for hitting an old man. Then a Mr Vinay came up to me and asked me if I was a bhpian after noticing the sticker. He offered me help and also offered to drive me home. I was quite dumbfounded. I had no idea what just happened. This had never happened to me, I was in a state of shock. Luckily I had no visible bruises apart from a slightly torn jacket. The scums were dragged to the side of the road by the mob and honesty, I don't know what happened after that as I was forced to move the car after a lot of honking. vinay sir helped me move the car and the old couples' car and the crowd had now surrounded us assuring that they'll take care of these rowdies. It took me quite a lot of time to settle in. I must've thanked Mr Vinay atleast a hundred times before we parted ways. I didn't even exchange numbers nor your handle, if you're reading this, I thank you again for helping me out. I'm sorry for the profanity but these people deserve no less. So, there you go, my first real stint with road rage. Not something that I'm proud of at all but I'm happy I was able to protect the elderly man.

[Arkin evoisrevo]

Originally Posted by createrkid

A very startling thing happened yesterday, I'm still quite shaken up. I was driving on the bannerghata road towards meenakshi.
....
Not something that I'm proud of at all but I'm happy I was able to protect the elderly man.

Hats off to you for doing something few people would in your place.

I'm glad people stepped in to help, albeit late.
Take care.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by createrkid

A very startling thing happened yesterday, ............I was able to protect the elderly man.

I would neither condone your methods nor should you be proud of it (as you obviously aren't), but I applaud your standing up for a fellow citizen. Very rare to find people like you on our increasingly crazy roads. Please do take care not to endanger your personal safety with such abandon next time, though I understand sometimes there's no way to avoid it.

[Arkin evoisrevo]

Well, I just read through your post again (thanks to Chetan__Rao), missed the part where you pinned down one and belted of the hoodlums in a fit of rage.

That was totally avoidable. Dialogue could have prevented things from escalating I guess. And timely interference of other passersby.

[IPathan]

9/10 times I manage to keep calm in situations which can lead to road-rage however at times its too hard to resist or times where actions are done without the mind being involved, at least for mumbaikars it’s not a rare sight to see drivers honking at the red signal as if honking will reduce the delay time for it to turn green, bikers trying to get ahead at any cost as if reaching their destination 1min late will reduce the number of rotis their mother/wife serves them, drivers activating the racer inside the minute someone overtakes them ,auto rickshaws taking sudden left/right/u-turn without signal, pedestrians running while crossing the road like they need to attend emergency-natures call on the other side of the road and all they can see is the seat to relieve themselves. No offence to anyone/place however I have seen better road mannered drivers in south Mumbai/Bandra-Andheri compared to other locations Borivali-Vasai/Thane/New Mumbai etc. I believe it’s the combined impact of motorists along with road conditions/lane discipline/road-side hawkers/road parking which makes a difference. When we look at a situation post occurrence we analyze and always have better alternate actions however at that point in time we are too angry to use our mind - 80% of road-rage situation are avoidable but in a few we need to get our hands dirty for self/others defense, I remember reading this somewhere - "It takes more than 5000 bolts to assemble an automobile, and one nut to scatter it all over the road"

[PGNarain]

I stay at CBD Belapur in Navi Mumbai, and my residence is at the end of a lane at the corner of an intersection with the main road. Below is a rough layout of the area where I stay at!



The right and usual flow of traffic is as shown by the arrows, however, there are an umpteen number of people who insist on driving down the wrong side of the road just so that they don't have to execute a u-turn at the end, from either ends of the divider in between.

A few days back I was walking back from a nearby ATM to my place in the evening. The roads are usually empty by this time and place nice and quite. I had my 7 month old daughter in my arms and was walking down the the edge of the road when I notice lights from a car behind me, and coming down the wrong way. Before I can move away, a Wagon-R zooms past barely a feet away from us. I was furious, more so since my daughter was with me. As fate would have it, the car turned into the driveway of my ex-society and stopped near us. I walked up to the driver - who was a chauffeur and blasted him away to glory. What further enraged me was that he had the audacity to defend his actions saying he had seen us and had maintained a "accha (good)" distance from us.

I totally lost it and if I could I would have probably come to blows with him. However, just gave him a piece of my mind and continued my way.

[aneezan]

Don't know whether this qualifies as road-rage, but this is the only place I could put it in.
You are all set for a long and enjoyable drive with your family early in the morning. You've made up your mind not to over-speed or take part in mindless over-taking and video-game racing procedures. All's well till you encounter a similar(or +1) class vehicle overtaking you at a higher speed throwing an imaginary "move over you slow poke!" look at you. Your stomach burns, but you cannot help it. You remember your resolution and keep going steadily.

And then it happens, Ahaaaa! you catch him/her at the next toll plaza. Your heart's now racing. You are full of glee inside. You can now give back in kind. The resolutions are thrown out. The racing starts, with both of you tearing at each others' backs and bumpers.


Familiar? Happens almost all times to me on long journeys. No matter how hard I try to stick to my earlier resolution, I usually fail. Do I blame myself?

[munchy_cool]

Originally Posted by aneezan

Familiar? Happens almost all times to me on long journeys. No matter how hard I try to stick to my earlier resolution, I usually fail. Do I blame myself?

Happens a lot of times, but you need to practice some self control, just think that the other guy is crazy and in a hurry. I will not stoop to his level because I am mentally superior

[JASMEET MATTOO]

Happened a few days back when my wife had a minor collision with a guy on the NH-8. Something came in front of a car, he stopped but wife was close and by the time she realized, brushed a bit against the car. It was a Tata Safari and my wife was driving her duster. The Safari guy did not have much damage and a small piece of his spare tyre cover got broken. I was on my way too but was stuck in traffic when my wife called me saying that she is unable to reason with this guy as he is making a lot of hue and cry over a small piece of his damage.

I told wife to hand him over the phone and make him speak to me. I told him to take my number and visiting card from my wife. As it was her fault, I was even ready to get him a new cover. But the guy was so stubborn and irritating that I lost my patience. He was irritating my wife all the time with his non sense behavior. Started asking her for her Driving license. I asked her to calmly sit in the car and call the police. Till the time police came I too had reached and the guy's tone just changed. Finally settled him for 1000 bucks.

Still was feeling good about myself as I had handled the situation very calmly without raising my voice. Even suppressed the other person's voice with my arguments. Felt like I have come a long way from being a man who would come down charging at the other person at the drop of a hat just 7-8 years back.

[klassics45]

Originally Posted by aneezan

Don't know whether this qualifies as road-rage, but this is the only place I could put it in.
You are all set for a long and enjoyable drive with your family early in the morning. You've made up your mind not to over-speed or take part in mindless over-taking and video-game racing procedures. All's well till you encounter a similar(or +1) class vehicle overtaking you at a higher speed throwing an imaginary "move over you slow poke!" look at you. Your stomach burns, but you cannot help it. You remember your resolution and keep going steadily.

And then it happens, Ahaaaa! you catch him/her at the next toll plaza. Your heart's now racing. You are full of glee inside. You can now give back in kind. The resolutions are thrown out. The racing starts, with both of you tearing at each others' backs and bumpers.


Familiar? Happens almost all times to me on long journeys. No matter how hard I try to stick to my earlier resolution, I usually fail. Do I blame myself?

Hahaha... I must say, I lost count because it happens almost in all long drives . The best part is if we couldnt catch him then the gentleman from inside us will say "ah i can catch him but i dont want to drive rash"

[PuntoMania]

I have changed a lot as a driver on the roads in the past couple of years. Where earlier, I would consistently berate other drivers on the road for lane cutting and rash driving (either by screaming or gesticulating at a driver) , now days I have drastically reduced this using one method. I say to myself when I start my car "Today I will not get angry on anyone on the road, no matter what they do".

Do give it a try. I still have my bad days, and its almost like I'm a split personality on these days. I'll call this side of me as my evil side. An example :

When I drive to work I have to drive from Baner to Magarpatta, a distance of 25 km through the most clogged up roads in the city. Its early morning I'm driving to work. A driver with a lady passenger on the rear seat, rudely cuts across me near Race Course road (background : on my rear view mirror I see that this guy is regularly cutting across flashing other drivers, so I'm already uneasy about this moron and I've already made up my mind about his driving). I flip out. Its time to "teach him a lesson". I drive fast and get to his side on a busy intersection, honk incessantly at him, and roll my left window down. Here is the actual conversation

Me : "Cut kyo de raha hai be" (Why are you cutting across me ?)
Driver : "Kisne cut diya ?" (Who cut across ?)
Me : "Tune kiya, andha hai kya ?" (Are you blind ? You cut across !)
Driver with a very serious face : "Kaun bola ?" (Says who)

That last line from the driver made me "What the Hell" and completely changed my mood in an instant. It was the most ridiculous answer I've ever heard in a road rage argument (I've had a few). I rolled my windows up and had a hearty laugh. I couldnt believe how stupid I was trying to reason with idiots on the road inspite of my promise to myself. I also was kicking myself for driving like a reckless moron for those 20-30 seconds. The rest of my day went great with me mocking up the whole conversation in my head again and again.

[DDiSLover]

aah Road rage! It is very difficult to keep calm when there are such amazing personalities on Indian roads today! I used to get mad at the slightest provocation, and some times, without any provocation at all (ashamed to think of those times now). This was mostly during the first year or two of driving.

Slowly, I started realizing, the only thing I get by getting mad, is raising my blood pressure (which, is on the borderline as-it-is) and ruining my day.

Over the past few months, I started doing something different in such cases. I smile at them and give them a thumbs up! 9/10 times, they realize their foolish mistake and smile back, and more often that not, they apologize and give way!

Bet idea I have ever had! Keeps me in control of my emotions ( and BP ) and prevents the other party from losing their cool also!

Apologies for coming on this thread a little late. Truth is that I was thinking of speaking about road rage today on the forum because of an incident that happened couple of days ago.

I mean this is crazy. I was sharing a ride with someone I know from the same colony because I was going to a part of town known for no parking and it was not my usual route.
As usual the traffic had jammed up for a kilometre or so. And as it was office time the usual drivers were honking. And I was thinking the same thought, the drivers seem to be more in a hurry than the owners in the backseat like they are going to be part of some international conference call in the office. the driver was honking away. and suddenly the gentleman in the backseat gave a resounding slap to the driver's head and told him to stop honking adding a few choice abuses. the driver was also taken aback and my eyes bludy popped out man. the poor driver did not know where to look and the gentleman continued to chat with me like nothing had happened.

and I was thinking , I have seen road rage but this was a completely different avatar. my take was the gentleman though looking calm was getting irritated and tense with the traffic and something snapped :-)