Road rage is when motorists, after being jolted by traffic slights, enter into "beast mode" to vent their anger through three actions.
In Action 1, motorists lose their composure, yelling expletives at every cut-in, sloven driving or sudden block. Normal occurrences, but nothing terrifying.
In Action 2, driven by rage, the slighted motorist stops the vehicle by the roadside, exits and walks towards the other motorist, swinging something malevolent, like a parang.
In Action 3, an appalling category we reviewed through a video where a driver, after getting the finger, rammed a motorcyclist, a violent act that the authorities may charge as attempted murder.
Many sociological studies report that anger leads to traffic crashes. Type "road rage" into a search engine and an endless stream of links point to news reports and videos chronicling how seemingly sane motorists, typically young and male, morph into the Incredible Hulk the moment they negotiate traffic.
The underlying factors to road rage include personality traits, poor mental health and past trauma. Compound that with stress, a high-pressure rat race and little avenue to relax, and irrational behaviour reigns.
Frustrations over a bullied life, ironically, convert the meek into bullying monsters behind the wheel. While we understand road rage psychology, physical violence is crossing a red line.
Many motorists succumbing to this "animal instinct" have been charged and convicted. They tell of regret for their actions but unable to explain their moment of insanity.
We can only conclude that road rage, like other aggressions, is a "legacy" as ancient as human evolution. Road rage could be summed up as a "momentary lapse in judgment", except that it isn't a snap decision.
The untempered response to rage has serious consequences: traffic violations, terrible injuries and even death. The real issue here is to understand the causes and recognise the signs to manage and suppress rage for the safety of road users.
Road ragers need to check their anxiety and depression, and medical issues affecting heart and blood pressure, as well as strains stemming from relationships.
To avoid road rage from boiling over, motorists should observe these practices: deep breathing to calm emotions, remind oneself of road safety and compassion, listen to relaxing music, use the horn to alert, not to demonstrate anger, and stick fidgety hands to the wheel at all times. If all else fails, motorists prone to road rage should seek professional help. It will do them good.