With this review, I’ll be covering road rage motorist and how a professional Rideshare driver should deal with these types of situations! Have you ever found yourself frustrated or angry because of the way one of your fellow motorists were driving? All of us if you ask me! Especially if you’re apart of the Rideshare industry! Maybe they flipped you off with the finger because you stopped for a stop sign. Maybe the driver behind you decided to speed around you and cut in front of you (almost hitting your car), because you weren’t driving fast enough for them. Either way, it’s all road rage and that is what this review will be about.
As long as you have angry, hateful people in this world, you’ll always have road rage or “roadkill” drivers. Why? Well, because angry people have cars just like happy people do lol. I love sarcasm, sorry lol.. In other words, we can’t operate on the road without these types of drivers. So why not prepare yourself and your mind for possibly running into one of these types of drivers, while picking up or dropping off your passengers. When you’re on the road for 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 hours, running across a road rage driver is inevitable. Road rage statistics don’t lie!
Here at #1RideShareDoc, I’m all about making the public aware of what we go through as Rideshare drivers and passengers. I love sharing my story and personal experiences with you guys! We’re talking 6 plus years and almost 35,000 rides of stories and experiences. Let’s discuss the subject matters that these Rideshare companies like Uber, Lyft, Via, and Sidecar aren’t talking about. Let’s share and support each other’s personal experiences, trials, tribulations and opinions, so we all can grow together as one. Allow my lessons to become your blessings starting now!
For a better understanding of what I’ll be covering today, this review will be broken down into the following sections:
Introduction
What Is Road Rage/Road Kill?
Who’s More Likely To Have Road Rage?
What Are Some Examples Or Type’s Of Road Rage?
What Are Some Reasons Why Drivers Have Road Rage?
What Should Drivers Do When Encountering Road Rage Motorists Or Situations?
Is It Ever Okay For A Driver To Rage On The Road?
What Could Drivers Learn From A Road Rage Driver?
My Professional Conclusion For Dealing With Road Rage Drivers
What Is Road Rage/Road Kill?
My simple, personal definition for a road rage or “roadkill” driver, would be any motorist who’s simply angry at another motorist for doing something stupid (in the road rage drivers mind!), that’s associated with driving. A road rage or “roadkill” driver (in my mind!), is also a motorist who shows aggression towards other motorists that they feel shouldn’t be on the road (for whatever ridiculous reason)! Road rage drivers tend to only drive for themselves, period! Those are my personal definitions for what I believe a road rage driver is. I could go on, but I’ll leave it at that for now lol!
Now I know you might be asking yourself, why the hell is the Rideshare doctor saying “roadkill“? Well I’ll tell you.. The term “roadkill”, is going to be a term I’ll be exercising throughout this review to describe what road rage drivers are to me (or should I say about to become!), while raging on the road. Either the road rage driver themselves or another innocent driver. That being said, either driver or multiple drivers have the possibility of becoming roadkill, while being in an angry, aggressive road rage drivers path. Not to mention actual animals! Everyone’s roadkill or has the possibility to become roadkill, when a road rage drivers coming thru. So please make way!!
Who’s More Likely To Have Road Rage?
People who drive for themselves, are more likely to have road rage in my opinion! Once that raging driver gets behind the wheel, all the other drivers disappear. Just my experience.. But to answer this question, I’ve seen any and all drivers have road rage! Teenage drivers, older drivers and especially new drivers. So really no one is excluded from having road rage. Not even me! But what I will say is that certain types of individuals are more known to have road rage tendencies. Especially when the driver is under some sort of influence.
But with that being said, I believe that it tends to be more new drivers and younger drivers between the ages of 16 and 35. Now I’m not saying this for you to judge a young driver when you see one lol. “Oh he looks like he’s around 18 years old, so he must be a “roadkill” driver” lol! No I’m most definitely not saying you should think like that. I’m mentioning these types of drivers to make you aware and to prepare you for encountering these types of situations before it happens. Preparation is key when preparing yourself to drive on these roads for long periods of time.
What Are Some Examples Or Type’s Of Road Rage?
I feel as though any dangerous act a driver commits while being behind the wheel against another driver, could be considered as road rage. Especially if you’re working in the Rideshare industry! There are all sorts of examples I could use to explain what road rage is or what it could be like. Now I would like to list those different types of road rage scenarios, while also providing you with an example of each. By doing this, I hope it’ll help you guys recognize when you’ve found yourself in a roadkill situation. The following types of road rage are:
Brake Checking: The term “Brake checking”, is used when an angry motorist chooses to use their brakes for any reason other than to adjust their speed or stop their vehicle. Drivers tend to use this tactic when a driver behind them is tailgating too close or when they’re simply trying to piss the driver behind them off. So say for example you’re driving on the road and all of a sudden you notice a vehicle pull up really close to the back of your vehicle.
If you were to “brake check” them (from my understanding!), you would basically start by simply tapping your brakes. Doing this is not only a sign of road rage or roadkill, but could also cause the driver behind you to rear end your vehicle! And depending on the driving conditions, if the driver behind you were to rear end your vehicle, this could actually cause a massive, multiple car crash. A car crash made up of multiple rear-ended vehicles. So please pay attention to the signs! Make way and allow that roadkill to pass.
Hand Gestures: The term “Hand gestures”, is used when an angry motorist chooses to use their arms and/or hands to display disrespect towards another driver. These signals or sign languages are normally simple, quick and easily gets the road rage driver’s point across (to the other driver!). The point that their pissing them off basically! Sometimes this can be one of the most disrespectful forms of road rage because some hand signals are completely over the edge!
I’ll give you an extreme example to help make my point. Say for example you’re driving down the road minding your own business and all of a sudden a driver pulls up next to you at the red light. The car then tries to get your attention by honking their horn. Reason being is because they have to make a turn coming up, but you happened to not notice them. As the light begins to turn green, the car then speeds and pulls up extremely close to the side of your vehicle almost side swiping you. Then they begin to move in front of you.
But before moving completely in front of you, the driver proceeds to again use they’re horn, which you happen to notice this time! But instead of them simply cutting in front of you (which is also a sign of roadkill or road rage!), making their turn and going about their business, after getting your attention, they then decide to give you some hand signals. They thought it would be a good idea to put both their hands up into the air, maintaining eye contact with you.
To conclude the meaning of these particular hand gestures from what I understand, raising your arms and putting both hands up (moving them around etc.) basically means, “what are you doing” or something similar. Then after they’re finished gesturing you with their hands moving around, they then proceed to give you the middle finger. If you don’t know what it means when someone gives you the middle finger, I’ll explain briefly. The middle finger simply means F-you. You know what the “F” stands for right? And I’m almost finished explaining this portion on “hand gestures” lol..
Let me finish this portion off by saying that drivers displaying this type of road rage tends to lead to a fight, quicker than an actual car accident. Sometimes both! So be careful when giving other motorists that good old middle finger of yours. Better yet, try not throwing hand gestures at your fellow motorists, period. Make way and allow that roadkill to pass.
Cutting Off Drivers: Another form of road rage that angry driver’s tend to display which I kind of touched on in the previous section, is “cutting off drivers”. No warnings signals, horns or words of any kind. This is actually a creepy move that roadkill drivers make. I say creepy because these types of moves tend to surprise drivers and cause massive accidents. Especially when the driver isn’t expecting it!
Drivers tend to make moves like these when they feel as though the driver in front of them aren’t driving fast enough. Either that or when simply being in their own road rage, roadkill world. When accidents like these take place, vehicles that are bumped from the side could cause both vehicles to flip or spin out of control. Especially when driving at high rates of speed! So take your time and always be careful when passing other vehicles. When you see others not being careful, make way and allow that roadkill to pass.
Driving Really Slow/Fast: Another form of road rage that angry driver’s commonly display (towards me anyway!), is driving “really slow” or “really fast”. When I say driving “really slow”, I mean going 15 miles or less below the posted speed limit. When I say driving “really fast”, I mean going 15 miles or more above the posted speed limit. This is one of the easiest, most common ways a driver with road rage tendencies might display their anger to one another. For you to display this type of anger doesn’t require you to be an expert or experienced driver.
Drivers normally display this type of road rage (driving “really slow”!), when trying to counteract another driver’s road rage, which nine times out of 10 could have been them driving “really fast”. Speeders tend to tailgate cars ahead of them, to kinda let the driver in front know they’re not driving fast enough for them.. So now you have drivers driving slower because they feel like the traffic behind them is moving too fast, while you have the drivers in the back driving faster to counteract the slower drivers driving in the front. Perfect case scenario for an accident right?
But neither party is realizing the road rage energy building up, until a tailgating accident actually occurs. Keep in mind that tailgating another vehicle could also be considered another sign of road rage. Tailgating another vehicle could also get you pulled over by the police! Especially when driving at a high rate of speed. So slowing down in front of a driver who is driving fast is never a good idea. Driving fast and tailgating a vehicle that’s moving slower than you are, isn’t either. It’s best to be patient and go with the flow of traffic. Unless you’re trying to join the roadkill! Make way and allow that roadkill to pass.
Obnoxiously Honking/Beeping Horns: Even though honking or beeping your horn is supposed to be used to prevent accidents and/or to alert other drivers of simple occurrences happening on the road, the majority of angry road rage drivers don’t use it for this purpose. I’ll first give you an example to help make my point on drivers using their horn when it is necessary. You and three other cars behind you pull up to a red light, with your car being the first.
The traffic light happens to change from red to green, but you haven’t noticed the change yet because of whatever distracting reason. The car behind you proceeds to beep their horn to make you aware of the light being green, which prompts you to go. That’s it! Great example of when you’re supposed to beep your horn right? For the record, let’s just say I’m that motorist being honked at at the green light lol. Those moments tend to be my best moments to text or to jot a quick note or idea down for one of my reviews.
Now I’ll give you an example to help make my point on drivers using their horn when it isn’t necessary. You and about 10 other motor vehicles are driving down a regular two lane city street at about 40 miles an hour. You then decide that it would be best for you to change lanes and go around the vehicle in front of you because they’re not going as fast as you would like them to go. But just so happens the lane you’re moving over to (which is the left lane!), happens to have a vehicle coming up that’s going a slight bit faster than you are. Maybe 5 miles faster.
But this is no big deal because the car is at least 500 feet behind your vehicle.
So you then decide to put your left turn signal on and move over, which you were able to do smoothly without any issues. But sadly, that’s not how the road rage driver traveling behind you at an extra 5 mph feels! So since this particular motorist is disagreeing with you changing lanes and getting in front of them, they then decide to honk their horn without giving you any chance to accelerate to a faster speed or make any other changes if need be. They then proceed to push and hold the horn button down for at least 10 seconds while tailgating you really close. Who knows what this road rage driver is going to do next, but that’s all for that beeping (I wanted to say something else lol!), roadkill example for now.
When a driver decides to display their anger using their horn, I always find it to be ridiculously uncalled for. Especially since nine times out of 10 the driver you’re honking at, has already heard your horn when you first honked it. So with that being said, holding the horn for 10 seconds more isn’t going to be that much different! What makes you think holding on your horn is going to make the motorist ahead of you drive faster or give you what you expect faster? Especially if beeping the horn once didn’t work? There’s no difference in this case scenario right? Well tell the “horn happy”, roadkill driver who willingly abuses their horn!
Looking At The Driver: Another form of road rage that angry driver’s typically display when they’re having an angry fit, is looking at their fellow motorists who they feel as though wronged them or did something stupid. We’re not talking about a typical everyday stare either! We’re talking about an evil stare and maybe some mouth movement and facial gestures to go along with it. Angry drivers tend to display these types of facial gestures in effort of conveying to the other driver that they did something wrong. I’ll give you a really popular example, which involves a driver that is speeding.
Say for example, you and five other cars are coming down the road at about 40 mph. Every vehicle including yours is following the speed limit and every driver is coming off to be very calm and patient. Then out of the blue, a random car comes racing off of one of the side streets and gets behind you and those five other cars. The car then proceeds to tailgate you first, before going around you and repeating the same action with the other five cars. Then after making it around the leading vehicles, the car speeds off and races roughly 8 blocks all the way to the upcoming traffic light, which happens to be red.
Now that the car has beaten all six of those cars to the red traffic light, it’s only a matter of time before everyone else catches up to that particular driver at the red light. Now at first the only person that was displaying a little road rage was the driver who just sped pass those six motorist. But when one or more of those six motorist decides to pull up next to the speeding driver and stare at them, you’re almost directly telling that driver that you have a problem with the way they were driving. And you don’t have to say anything for them to get the picture! That’s because a lot of times a road rage driver knows their road raging or driving like a bat out of hell.
So in a way, they’ll be expecting people to look at them. And this is when the road rage situation comes into play. The road rage driver is already in the mind frame of themselves being right, on top of the fact that other drivers have in their mind that that particular road rage driver is wrong. So when two motorist that are having negative thoughts make eye connection with each other, it tends to be a very intense 5 second connection, which a lot of times ends with further reckless driving from multiple drivers or a fight taking place on the side of the road. Nice example right? But instead of stirring at the roadkill, make way and allow that roadkill to pass. Looking at the roadkill will only make you a part of the roadkill!
Fishtailing From Left To Right: Now this is a rare form of road rage, but still happens on the road from time to time. This type of road rage is typically displayed by the road rage driver operating their vehicle from left to right, in a fish swimming motion sorta speak. I don’t understand why these roadkill drivers would do something like this. I guess some drivers just like controlling the flow of traffic, I don’t know. You see when a driver uses this type of road rage tactic, let’s just say that no driver can get past them unless they want to have an accident. I wish I had an example to share with you guys, but sadly I don’t.
Mainly because I don’t know when a road rage driver might decide to do something like this. I do know that when I saw this tactic being used, the angry driver was driving like the car was stolen! The driver was driving like he wanted to hit someone or like they wanted another motorist to hit them, all for the joy of speeding away at hundreds of miles per hour! I think that’s the best I got when it comes to providing you with a simple example of this type of road rage. But like with any other road rage scenario when you notice them, simply make way and allow that roadkill to pass.
Getting Out Of The Car: Another move that angry drivers make when they’re experiencing road rage, is getting out of their cars to say “hi” to one another! A lot of times when this happens, it’s generally after the road rage has been going on between two drivers for a while. That being said, you would think that when two drivers meet each other for the first time, that it would be some smiles and hand shaking going on right? But you’re wrong! If you ever see a case scenario like this happening on the side of the road, call the police quick!
I say that because there’re only a few things that could possibly take place after these two drivers exit their vehicles and meet up. The few things that are possibly going to take place is fighting, stabbing, shooting or anything else that comes with being in an angry situation. So after you’ve called the police, simply make way and allow that roadkill to pass.
Flashing Lights Or High Beams: Now this particular form of road rage is more innocent, but still very dangerous! It’s extremely common and is performed by the majority of the drivers on the road. The purpose for having these high beams on, is to be able to see through either bad weather conditions or very poorly lit streets. Some drivers aren’t even aware that they have their high beams on until someone else flashes their high beams at them. But with that being said, flashing your high beams is normally an indicator motorists use to tell other drivers that their high beams are on.
The problem is that it just doesn’t work all the time. A lot of times when a motorist flashes their high beams at another motorist, it only makes the other motorists want to put their high beams on too, which then blinds everyone and makes the entire situation much worse! This is when the road rage situation is born. I guess you could say that sometimes flashing your lights works and sometimes it doesn’t work. When it works, everyone’s able to see and go along with their business.
And when it doesn’t work, drivers go tit for tat with each other, creating a potential road rage situation. So when a motorist turns their high beams on, this shouldn’t be your cue to put your lights on and join the dangerous light show! You can blind other innocent motorists causing a massive car accident. Especially if that driver already had a difficult time seeing at night. So for future references, when you notice a motorist driving with their high beams on, simply make way and allow that road kill to pass.
What Are Some Reasons Why Drivers Have Road Rage?
It’s one big reason if you ask me, why I feel as though drivers have road rage. Drivers have road rage because the majority of them feel like it’s a competition when they hit the damn road. It’s them against the world, now that there behind the wheel lol! So it’s now time to eliminate these silly, ridiculous reasons one by one. Getting back to the rest of the reasons why I believe an angry driver might have road rage, I would say that it might be because the driver is:
Running Late: When a driver is running late for something, these types of situations tend to make any driver turn into a road rage driver. Even you’re old Grandma Sally lol! That being said, I’ve seen the most unexpected drivers driving at the most high rates of speed. But what I think these drivers fail to realize, is that it’s not necessarily your timing that’s making you late for something. It’s you! So as long as you’re a “late type of person”, operating on a “late type of mentality”, then you’ll always be late.
Even if you just so happened to make it on time! What about next time? See my point? In other words, you’ll always have a reason to be roadkill or to make someone else your potential roadkill. So in conclusion I would like to say to just practice starting things (whatever they may be!), at least 15 minutes in advance than when you really have to start. Practicing this will help eliminate this reason in total, giving you less reasons to be an angry driver.
Driving A Nice Car: When a motorist is driving a nice car (especially a sports car they’ve just purchased!), having these types of vehicles alone can give an individual a rush of “unconscious” road rage. I say “unconscious” road rage because a lot of times it’s not the road rage drivers intention to have this type of ridiculous rage. It’s more of an excitement thing if you ask me. You know, the exciting feeling of simply knowing that your car is better or faster than everyone else’s on the highway! But sometimes it’s not good enough by itself to know that your car is better than everyone else’s. It’s better to show them right?
I’m just imagining myself being in their shoes lol! That being said, I feel that these types of road rage drivers feel that sometimes they have to show the other drivers that their car is better. But again, I think that this is an unconscious thought that these type of road raging drivers have because in reality, the driver knows that it’s not a competition of who’s car is better. Or I would hope that they would know this, while speeding around in their brand new 2023 Camaro. Keeping this in mind should help eliminate this reason in total too, giving you less reasons to be an angry, road raging driver.
Enjoying The Nice Weather: Sometimes something as simple as the weather being nice, could cause drivers to display some types of road rage. You know pulling off crazy, speeding like a bat out of hell, stopping like a brick wall was in front of you, making crazy turns like it’s ice on the road and weaving from lane to lane like your Batman lol. I guess the road rage driver is assuming that since the weather is nice and the ground is crisp and dry, that the chances of an accident taking place is very unlikely. Wrong!
Even though the weather does play a part in accidents taking place, the weather being nice shouldn’t be a reason why a driver should all of a sudden decide to drive recklessly. Please keep in mind that accidents happen wherever there’s negligence present. A driver who drives only for themselves, would be the negligence that is present, amongst other common factors. That being said, keeping this in mind should also help you in eliminating this reason in total. I hope this gives you another less reason to be an angry, evil, roadkill driver.
Pissed Off By Another Driver: Being pissed off for the way another driver is driving, is probably the most common reason why drivers push that road rage button and start driving crazy. And only the pissed off driver would know why they’re deciding to show road rage against the other driver. The majority of the time, it’s something minor like the driver stopping for a red light or stop sign, when no one was coming!
In other words, some drivers simply get pissed off when another driver decides to follow the traffic laws. I’ll use myself stopping at a red light for example. It’s been too many times where I’ll be pulling up to a red traffic light (that’s turning red from yellow!), and the car behind me chooses to honk their horn, speed around me and blow the red light. I’ve also had moments like these take place, when there were traffic cameras present.
But I guess the fact that I stopped for the yellow to red light, caused the road rage driver to care less about the cameras. Yupp, I’ve actually seen road rage drivers get tickets because of something that I did lol. Even though I didn’t do anything wrong. It wasn’t my intention to cause the road rage driver to get a red light ticket. Instead it was their fault, simply by not being patient. Next time don’t allow yourself to get pissed off so easily by another driver’s actions. Keeping this in mind should also help you in eliminating this stupid reason for road raging!
Needing To Use The Bathroom: This reason for a driver having road rage, is actually directed towards myself lol! There’s been a few times where my driving style has changed due to the fact that I have to use the bathroom. When I’m going through moments like this, it feels like everyone’s the reason why I’m not making it to the bathroom fast enough. And the more I have this thought, the more crazy I drive! But of course this is a simple, easy fix, which I’m about to explain. You guys can take notes as I finish up lecturing myself on this one lol!
Whenever you feel yourself having to use the bathroom (whether it be number one or number two!), try using the bathroom in advance before it gets to the point where you can’t hold it. Finish your last ride, turn off your Uber or Lyft app, and go without thinking twice! When it does start to reach the point where you can’t hold it (depending on which number we’re talking about!), try resorting to some extreme measures. Extreme measures like pulling over in a secluded, private bushy or wooded area with a lot of foliage lol. Follow that description literally lol.
If you can’t locate a secluded, private area (depending on which number we’re talking about!), use a bottle. As a matter of fact, as a professional Rideshare driver driving for long periods of time, you should always have a spare bottle in your car. Or at least if you are a male driver. I can’t help the female Rideshare drivers on this one sorry. Unless you don’t mind driving around with a bucket lol! If you can’t or don’t want to do that, then I guess you just have to do what you have to do and I’ll leave it at that lol! Keeping this in mind should definitely help you in eliminating this stupid reason for road raging!
What Should Drivers Do When Encountering Road Rage Motorists Or Situations?
When a Rideshare driver happens to notice an angry motorist driving in an outrageous manner, simply make way and allow that road kill to pass. It’s really nothing you can do to stop that particular road rage individual, unless you’re planning on following them and calling the police. Some people actually do this, which is what I would never agree with because you could actually get yourself hurt or worse. Especially if the road rage driver spots that you’re following them. So it’s nothing you can do other than making way for that roadkill and allow that roadkill to pass. Even though I’ve said this statement many times, I don’t think I can say this statement enough!
Is It Ever Okay For A Driver To Rage On The Road?
I’ll answer this question by saying it’s never okay for a driver to only drive for themselves and not worry about the safety of the other motorists on the road. Having this mentality will definitely land a driver in prison, cost you your life or someone else’s life! Asking the question “is it ever okay to rage on the road”, is like asking the question “is it ever okay to play with death”? When you look at it from that standpoint, I don’t think anyone wants or needs to know the answer lol!
What Could Drivers Learn From A Road Rage Driver!
You can learn from road rage drivers first hand, especially when they crash!There’s a big difference between reading about an angry road rage driver and actually seeing an angry road rage driver. Depending on how the story is told, you might believe what you’re being told or you might not believe what you’re being told. But when you actually see a deadly road rage accident take place right in your face for example (no matter what angle you saw it from!), believing what happened tends to be a no brainer. You now know not to be a road rage driver and what happens when you do decide to become a road rage driver.
They say that seeing is believing right lol? I mean, unless what you’re seeing is some sort of street magic being performed by a professional “crash dummy” magician lol. That being said, don’t wait until you run into a real life road rage driver or you become a road rage driver yourself, to want to learn more about these types of dangerous situations and how to avoid them. Take advantage now while you still have a car and more importantly your life!
My Professional Conclusion For Dealing With Road Rage Drivers!
So in conclusion I would like to say that as long as you have drivers on the road that only care about themselves and where they’re going, your going to have a lot of road rage report cases. If you want to help cut down the road rage, start by telling yourself that you have to drive for others. Having this mentality could cause any driver to care about the other driver “unconsciously” as you drive lol. When you care about other drivers, all road rage and hate will disappear! You now understand what road rage is and how to deal with it.
You now should also understand that you are operating with real adult human beings that sometimes allow their emotions get the best of them. Not just empty cars driving themselves around accidentally bumping into each other! That being said, always try to watch out for folks who you feel as though are more likely to have road rage (when possible!) Always remember what you should do when encountering these road rage motorists. Simply make way and allow that roadkill to pass!
Always remember that it’s never okay to have road rage and when you find yourself feeling like it is okay, take a break! You could also look for dangerous examples of drivers who may have had road rage in the past, try to find those worst case scenarios and learn from them.Don’t wait until you run into a situation involving road rage, to begin your lessons. Class starts now!
Now that I’m bringing another great, well needed discussion to a close, I would love to hear what you guys have on your minds! That being said, do you guys have anything that you would like to add or say that I didn’t mention within this review? Are you burning to get a certain opinion off your mind? If you do, then please feel free to leave your comments, thoughts and concerns at the bottom of this review and I will be sure to respond back promptly! Thank you guys for reading and as always, drive safe..
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If you’re not interested in driving strangers around in the backseat of your car, but interested in having a flexible lifestyle, you could always start a business working from home! If you’re interested, please don’t hesitate to read my review on Wealthy Affiliate. Thank you again for reading..
