“Speed limits are suggestions, right?”

You are constantly running late, time-starved and in a frantic rush to get to where you need to go. It’s no wonder traffic annoys you; you have no patience for the old man driving in front of you when you’re 20 minutes away for a meeting in 5 minutes. So you speed, hoping to cut even 5 minutes of travel time.

Or you may be an adrenaline junkie; always looking for more thrill in an otherwise mundane activity such as driving. You’re competitive, and a great driver - so that’s okay, right?

While we may rationalise it as “living on the fast lane”, having too many commitments and, dare we say, “being efficient” by cutting down on travel time, travelling at a high variance from the average traffic speed is dangerous. Speed limits were invented with safety in mind.

Treating the road like a race track

Are you a pro at scanning lanes for empty spots, and even cops? You spend most of your time on the road looking for opportunities to pass, weaving in and out of traffic as quickly as possible, and it doesn’t matter which lane you’re overtaking on. You don’t feel that signalling is necessary, people only speed up when you do anyway. It’s almost a game to you - and one you know you’re good at. You think you would’ve been a race car driver in another life.

We don’t deny that you may be very skilled in navigating around traffic, but highways and public roads are not built for this. Challenge your skills in a track, where it’s safe to push limits, and perhaps explore some latent race car driving skills you suspect to have!

Me First

You loath to yield right of way - if that other car is hesitating, you gun it as if it’s a yellow light - it’s their fault for not taking their chance, and you have no time for these incompetent drivers! You are not one to take turns, the person who edges their car out the furthest wins right of way.

The roads would be a lot more pleasant for everyone if we all took turns or gave the next car a chance, once in awhile.

I’m Honking Cause You’re Dumb

Do you often find yourself impatient and short-tempered on the road? Do drivers you encounter on your commute make you angry on a regular basis? It is understandable to get irritated when a driver brakes unnecessarily hard, cuts out in front of you without signalling, or drives slower than they should be. It isn’t normal, however, to lose your cool to a point of anger and retaliation. If you’re cursing and driving aggressively to let the driver know you’re offended, it’s entered “road rage” territory. The horn is a tool for driver safety purposes, not a tool to convey anger and frustration!

“You got a problem?”

You tailgate, slow down deliberately or brake check when being closely followed. When met with another aggressive driver, flipping the bird is only the start. You keep a steering wheel lock in your car - not as a safety gadget but as a threatening weapon. When challenged, you feel the need to confront the ‘aggressor’ - because how dare he provoke me? You think that drivers are out to get you when they cut you off, and react accordingly.

As righteously provoked as you may feel, responding to aggressive drivers with more aggression is never the answer - you would know it firsthand. Road rage has led to many tragic outcomes, and can change lives forever.

If these signs sound like a reflection of you, even if to a lesser degree, do consider introspecting and resolving the root causes of your impatience and anger on the road. At the very least, your time on the road will be more enjoyable. Driving would be a lot safer and more pleasant if we all practiced patience, consideration and compassion towards each other.