Riding a motorcycle can be one of the greatest pleasures in life. But riding in heavy traffic these days amid those who are driving large, heavy vehicles, barely paying attention, or on the verge of having a psychotic episode, can make a pleasant ride into a dangerous or even deadly one. Motorcycle riders are many times more vulnerable on two wheels, and yet this fact is often lost on those hunkered down in their enclosed car, truck or SUV.
One of the greatest health risks people of all ages experience is traveling on the road. So many of us in many parts of the world spend much time inside (and next to) motor vehicles that the risk of suffering injury or death surpasses most other health risks such as smoking, drinking, poisoning, drowning, homicide, various diseases, et cetera. Although it varies year to year, tens of thousands of people in the United States die every year on roads and highways, most often as drivers, often as passengers and sometimes as bike riders or even pedestrians. It may not be a pleasant thought but it’s a sobering and realistic one. What to do about it?
There are many kinds of motor vehicle accidents, due to driver error and technological failure, but there is one type we can directly avoid and control. It’s called “road rage.” It is when a person’s emotional outburst of anger or frustration while driving (and riding) turns to irrational and often violent behavior, sometimes resulting in frazzled nerves, but sometimes in property damage, legal troubles, injury or even death.
As a direct result of road rage, accidents and violence can be prevented by three basic methods of avoidance:
1)Avoid those who are having an episode of anger or extreme impatience.
2)Stay in control of your own emotions.
3)Wisely manage your travel experience when being pressed for time.
The bottom line is, do you want to spend time in a hospital, court or jail, or see your friends and loved ones in such predicaments merely because you could not control your emotions while on the road?
This pertains mostly to drivers, but it also applies to passengers and pedestrians who lose control of themselves.
The myth of enraged motorcycle riders has been perpetuated by various films, but it is just that; mythology. The truth is closer to the ending in the movie Easy Rider when psychos in a pickup commit homicide by shooting peaceful motorcycle riders crossing the United States on a vacation ride. The vulnerability of a motorcycle rider virtually precludes winning any “run-in” with a larger, heavier, enclosed motor vehicle. Those who have never been on a motorcycle are usually and often conveniently oblivious to this fact.
From a historical point of view, in the early days of America’s love affair with the bike and automobile, several cities set up “Psychopathic Clinics” after World War I. When a Scientific American article in 1918 titled “Insanity at the Wheel” stirred much controversy, Americans were introduced to a new occupation called the “psychotechnologist.” Clinics were set up in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Wichita. Later they were also organized in many other large cities across America.
In Detroit, the Recorder’s Court Psychopathic Clinic was created by the State Assembly in 1919. The number of cars on the road had increased exponentially in the previous two decades, and motor vehicle accidents resulted in death and injury especially at a time when such things as seat belts, windshield wipers, brake lights, safety glass, enclosed cushioned interiors and many other modern features were yet to be incorporated, invented or mandated for motor vehicles.
Detroit’s Judge Bartlett, examining the first court case there in 1921, stated “I believe there is a mental weakness in the driver who speeds recklessly through crowded traffic, not caring how many he may kill or injure.” Today, traffic school is sometimes offered as an alternative for those who receive a ticket. But in those days many drivers who received traffic citations were required to take a “Brain Test.” Courts were reacting to new statistics showing that death, destruction and injury were suddenly and rapidly on the rise due to traffic accidents, many of them preventable.
From the 1920s on, once a traffic offender was sent for a Brain Test, there was both a complete physical exam including an eye exam with a test for glare sensitivity and depth perception, as well as an evaluation of reaction time and knowledge of traffic laws. Additionally, a “patient” was given an IQ test and was thoroughly questioned regarding economic, family, medical, social and sexual background.
Some of the questions included “If you had to do it over again would you get married? Have you ever lived under common law? How much money do you have in the bank? What bank? Did you ever receive help from the Welfare Department? Did you ever steal toys or playthings from other children when you were young? Have you ever been insane? Do you shoot pool? How often do you visit beer gardens? Would you like to be a policeman? Do you go to church? Who is your favorite actor?”
There were thirteen pages of such questions. Aside from the issue of logical relevancy today, few if any motorists, especially motorcycle riders, would tolerate such invasions of privacy.
This type of interrogation and psychiatric evaluation took at least four hours. The government’s over-reaction was partly due to the sudden increase in lawsuits that began to clog the courts at a time when auto collision insurance was in its infancy and most people did not buy it, nor were they required to have it.
Most of these questionnaires were used up into the early 1960s. From World War I until 1965, when the use of Psychopathic Clinics was abandoned, courts of law had the power of examining drivers on their racial, economic, religious and educational backgrounds. Ironically, such government intrusion has now resurfaced in the name of national security and the war on terrorism.
Daniel M. Albert, writing for the Society of Automotive Historians stated, “Using the new ‘science’ of Freudian psychoanalysis, municipal courts began examining drivers who were considered unsafe. Their definition of a ‘good driver’ was simply refined to a narrower definition of a ‘good citizen.’ Many Americans (apparently) could not drive safely because of mental disease.” Would that assessment hold true today? In 1962 psychologists Dr. Wilbur C. Miller and Dr. John J. Conger were hired to do profiles on men who were the highest and lowest risk drivers. They presented their information to the National Association of Claimant’s Counsel of America in Denver, Colorado. There, a forum was organized to address the problems of increasingly large settlements for personal injuries suffered in traffic accidents.
The two psychologists studied several hundred men at Lowry Air Force Base and came up with some conclusions. “The low-risk driver showed less hostility over-all, and especially to organized authority…The low-risk driver’s equanimity…stems largely from the fact that he knows where he is going…and how he intends to get there.” The high-risk driver’s shortcomings were due to “Ill-concealed hostility lurking just below the surface, and an egocentric disregard for other’s rights.” In other words, driving a motor vehicle had become the metaphor for life management in general.
Road rage came to roost along the American Highway when the nation was gripped by gasoline shortages during the 1970s. After decades of unrestricted, inexpensive gasoline availability (with the exception of war-time rationing) Americans were suddenly forced to wait in lines for gasoline, sometimes for hours and sometimes with restrictions in the gallons allotted them. By the beginning of 1974 a new type of rage was rearing its ugly head across the United States. It was called “panic at the pump” by Time Magazine, which, among other periodicals, documented some of the episodes of threats, property damage, fistfights, knifings and even homicides.
“Gasoline Madness,” as it was called, could be explained a little more simply. Behavior Therapist Joseph Cuatela of Natick, Massachusetts wrote, “People see gasoline now in terms of basic survival. Whenever you have anything with that kind of value on it, people are going to fight for it.” At the time Irving Louis Horowitz of Rudgers University assessed that “Americans are asked to sacrifice their weekends, and their lifestyles, their most sacred cow…” Individual cases of violent behavior increased dramatically during this time, especially in large cities.
Thirty years later Americans are driving larger and heavier vehicles more than ever. Mandated gasoline efficiency has been circumvented by successful marketing of trucks, vans and SUVs that are fuel guzzlers despite the fact that technology has evolved. Instead of riding bikes or using fuel-efficient cars, single occupant drivers (who usually don’t understand or accept the concept of lane sharing and plain courtesy) fill the roads in ever increasing numbers. The question remains: especially in the atmosphere of war on terrorism and with America’s increasing dependence on foreign oil, will Gasoline Madness return when the flow of fuel is interrupted again as a result of politics, war or even plain sabotage?
When it comes to traffic accidents, as breathtaking as technological advances may seem, they have not necessarily served us well in social development. People today are not necessarily more emotionally and psychologically developed than their ancestors hundreds or even thousands of years ago. The difference is that our technology often makes us complacent, giving us a false sense of security. When emotions go out of control all risks are multiplied, and people’s false sense of security inside a motor vehicle coupled with primitive aggressive behavior is the basis of road rage.
“It’s a safety issue,” stated Stephanie Faul in 2001 as Communications Director for the American Automobile’s Foundation for Traffic Safety. “It affects the quality of life. It’s stressful to drive in an environment that you feel is hostile.”
“There is a real illusion of anonymity combined with potency because you have a machine around you,” said Jack Levin, who is a Northeastern University sociologist. “Top it off with the stress of work and people perhaps feeling insecure there, or with troubles at home, and it can make for a dangerous combination.”
“You always lure yourself into a false sense of security, whether you’re a race car driver or you’re riding down the highway,” said the late Dale Earnhardt in 1999, winner of numerous professional races.
The notion that a person is somehow indestructible inside a motor vehicle is an illusion. No matter how big the vehicle, one of the first laws of physics people somehow forget is that no two solid objects can occupy the same space at the same time.
When people are stressed due to time constraints, when they are overdue at work or to a meeting, when they are at wit’s end because of personal problems, adding flashing lights, honking horns, yelling, obscene gestures or brandishing a weapon all can lead to real disaster.
Personal disasters as a result of road rage and aggressive driving are increasing dramatically. In a study that was once done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 1996, it was estimated that one-third of the yearly 40,000 automotive-related deaths in America are “at least partially the result of road rage.” Although the definition of “road rage” in the NHTSA study is rather broad, it is quite believable as road rage overlaps with various impairments such as drug use, influence of alcohol, commission of crime and even mechanical failure under extreme conditions caused by an out-of-control driver.
That NHTSA study statistic translate to mean that many of the deaths each year due to emotional rage on the road is preventable. The actual numbers have fluctuated but not decreased over-all since World War II as the number of vehicles, miles traveled and time spent on the road increases every year, while safety programs and technological improvements are used to stem the tide.
The number of yearly deaths in traffic accidents also translates into the same effect as if 10 jumbo jets crashed every month. The fact that people die one and two at a time as motorists is more easily overlooked. If airliners going down were due to enraged pilots unable to share airspace with other pilots the idea would be ludicrous. Yet, this is exactly what’s happening on the ground.
One of the main culprits of road rage is increasing gridlock. Most people driving free and clear of everyone else at posted speeds rarely have a desire to prove a point or harm someone except in very rare cases. Gridlock has increased dramatically. For example according to a Federal Highway Administration report, between 1988 and 2000, when statistics were analyzed, there was a 17% increase in the number of motor vehicles in America, a 35% increase in number of miles traveled and a 10% increase in number of drivers. Those percentages continue to increase.
The same report stated that 75% of U.S. freeways have entered the “congested” category, up from 55% in 1983, using the same standards and definitions. A major analysis released in 2000 by the American Automobile Association found that the rate of aggressive driving incidents rose 51% just between 1990 and 2000. An “aggressive” incident was defined as “events in which an angry driver tries to injure or kill another driver after a traffic dispute.”
At one time mass transit was the most promising method of alleviating congestion. Motorcycles were also considered another highly desirable method of transportation due to efficiency of occupied space and fuel economy. Over the last three decades motorcycles have not become the chosen method of commuting due to legislation and safety issues. In 1970 80% of the American workforce commuted by car or truck. In 2000 92% did so.
Also, prior to 1970 the typical American household had one car per family. As women entered the workforce and the single parent family became a larger percentage of the population, the number of motor vehicles increased dramatically. From 1970 to 1990 alone, the number of women licensed drivers increased 84%, and the number of cars on the road more than doubled.
According to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the fact that the number of cars has doubled has been attributed to better quality and durability of motor vehicles manufactured worldwide. These have lasted longer without succumbing to pre-planned obsolescence, becoming second cars for the many Americans who could afford them while becoming accustomed to such a lifestyle. Motorcycles also became the “second” vehicle in certain households, but most often they are not used for commuting due to safety and traffic congestion concerns. According to John Palmer, a professor in the Health and Safety Department at Minnesota’s St. Cloud State University, the peak times for aggressive driving are not only during gridlock but also just as major congestion begins to develop. As motorists realize they are going to be stuck in line, that is when aggressive driving takes the form of tailgating, cutting someone off or forcing someone out of a lane.
Julie Rochman of the Insurance Institute on Highway Safety notes, “A lot of the anecdotal evidence about aggressive driving incidents tends to involve people driving sport utility vehicles (SUVs). When people get these larger, heavier vehicles, they feel more invulnerable.” Sales of pickups and SUVs doubled from 1990 to 2000. But SUVs have their own safety problems, such as rollovers, and they don’t stop bullets or aggressive behavior once outside the vehicle, which is where many incidents of road rage continue, ending up in violence. Only major fuel and insurance price increases seem to dampen the American appetite for SUVs.
Dr. Herbert J. Stack, as head of the New York University Center for Safety Education, put it this way: “In recent years we have learned that when we are searching for the unknown factor in accidents, we must look for psychological factors in the driver. We have always assumed that the urge for self-preservation was so strong it would keep emotions under control. It isn’t so. A person may be technically a superior driver, but if he gets behind the wheel in a state of tension, judgment and ability go right out the window.”
Dr. R.H. Felix, director of the National Institute of Mental Health at Bethesda, Maryland pointed out: “The person who has received news of a death in the family, or who is worried about a seriously ill family member, or who has just been unnerved by a frightening experience, may be too upset to function adequately behind the wheel of a car.”
Another researcher in this area of study, Dr. Leon Brody, director of the New York University Center for Safety Education said, “Under certain circumstances, any of us – not just a few people who require psychiatric treatment – can become temporarily accident prone, for the mechanisms which operate in major and minor psychoses are also operative in our everyday adjustments and behavior.”
One of the most striking proofs of how emotional confusion transforms a skillful driver into a clumsy bungler is the way a criminal drives a getaway car, according to Dr. Edmund Bergler.
“Law enforcement officers are amazed at how often criminals who have successfully pulled off a big job are apprehended because the driver of the getaway cars has handled it poorly… But you don’t have to be a criminal running away to make the same mistake. Any driver under keen emotional pressure can and will make a stupid error in driving.”
Although some pointers may be obvious, for those who find themselves prone to anger and impatience on the road here are some suggestions to remain cool, calm and collected. Although some points are universal for those traveling down the road on a motorcycle, some are directed at automobile, truck and SUV drivers specifically.
1)Ignore other drivers or riders who make mistakes or speed past you and simply dismiss them as nut cases who will get a ticket or meet their fate down the road. Don’t get spurred on by their insanity.
2)If you have a passenger that irritates you, postpone your interaction until you are out of traffic and off the road.
3)If you’re listening to talk radio or the news and getting angry, switch to some soothing music or turn off the radio altogether.
4)If there is someone or an incident that is irritating you while you’re on the road, switch your thoughts to more soothing ones such as planning your next vacation.
5)Don’t ride or drive after having an argument with somebody. Go for a stroll or take a few minutes to relax before getting on the road.
6)Give yourself enough time to get to your destination and assume that traffic will be heavy. Don’t assume that traffic conditions will be perfect, especially before an important meeting or situation that demands punctuality.
7)If punctuality is crucial for a given arrival, plan on alternate routes or side streets that will get you to your destination as an alternate path in case there is gridlock.
8)Don’t judge other motorists by their vehicles. Professional drivers of large trucks tend to be the best drivers because they rely on good driving for a living, despite their cinematic image. However, someone seemingly respectable driving an expensive car may be the next drunk psychotic on the road. Rental moving vans and rental trailers are the most suspect of all because they are often handled by people who are unfamiliar with the operation of their vehicle.
9)If you are on prescription drugs or have been imbibing, let someone else who is not impaired in such manner take care of transportation. There’s nothing wrong with taking a taxi, shuttle, train or bus. Try a bed-and-breakfast, hotel or motel. Who knows? You might meet some new people.
10)Never show or brandish a weapon of any kind. Doing so can result in stiff penalties and involve jail time. Why turn a minor incident into a major one?
For those finding themselves a target of another motorist who has lost all coolness and becomes enraged, the following ten basic points are good to keep in mind:
1)Do not stare the other motorist down, yell or make hand gestures. You can be sure that just makes things worse. Dismiss the enraged driver as a crazy person, which they actually may be, even if only temporarily.
2)Do not follow an enraged motorist to scare them or to have a talk with them about their driving. If they are that out of control, a conversation could turn for the worse and get completely out of control. That’s when violent behavior is most likely to take place.
3) If you have a cell phone, call and report the incident to someone who can take note or take action if the situation is going out of control.
4)Do not take an unknown exit if the other (angry) motorist is following you. Know where you are going (in life and on the road).
5)If an angry motorist follows you, go to a store, gas station, police or sheriff’s station, truck scales or other lit and populated area and report the incident without having a confrontation.
6)Do not start swerving or speeding, which tends to get other motorists even more excited. In a panic or angry state your skills as a motorist are the equivalent of a dunce or a dummy, which may include crash dummies.
7)If you have a passenger make sure your best efforts are not sabotaged by their own initiative to make hand gestures or other expressions of hostility.
8)Remember that showing a weapon no matter how insignificant it may seem can result in major legal troubles.
9)Avoid peak travel times when gridlock and congestion is most likely. On weekends and holidays stay overnight with friends and relatives by making arrangements in advance. A cheap motel is better than an expensive confrontation in which you could be injured, have property damage, get a ticket, be arrested or worse. As a motorcycle rider keep in mind police officers are not always predisposed in the friendliest manner toward bikers.
10)If you are threatened, try to get a vehicle description and license number if possible. You can report this to a local law enforcement agency. In many cases such agencies are willing to send a letter to the registered owner without identifying you. Such official letters state in part; “You have been observed driving recklessly and are being warned.” This type of letter serves as a deterrent and can later be used to settle any legal proceedings. However, if you are forced off the road or involved in a collision, even a minor one, that is considered a hit-and-run violation. It can result in major penalties to the offending motorist. In that case, be prepared for a legal process with attorneys and officers getting involved.
MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, TAKE IT EASY, DON’T GET PISSED OFF AND ENJOY THE RIDE!
