开车有时会让人紧张，尤其是遇到蛮不讲理、不守规则的司机时，可能会让人情绪失控，甚至大发雷霆。强行超车、跟车过近、言语粗鲁……你遇到过鲁莽的驾驶行为吗？造成司机之间大动肝火的主要原因有哪些？

 

We all know driving can be stressful. One minute you’re minding your own business and the next someone cuts you up. Manoeuvres like that can be annoying and irritating, but for some of us, it can make us incandescent¹ with rage. So what is road rage, and what things can cause it?

 

Road rage, simply put, is a sudden burst of anger that motorists experience when they feel angered by something another driver, cyclist or pedestrian has done. Road rage can manifest itself in several ways, including verbal or physical threats, insults, and even dangerous driving. The drivers themselves may feel anxiety and stress, which can cause them to speed or swerve² across the road. Experts like Leon James, a professor of traffic psychology³ at the University of Hawaii, US, warn that experiencing these moments, especially repeatedly, could be harmful to our health due to the number of stress hormones⁴ entering our bodies.

 

So, what can cause us to experience road rage? Being tailgated, undertaken on a busy motorway⁵, seeing someone swooping⁶ across several lanes, chatting on their phone, or hogging⁷ the middle lane in front of us are just some of the things that may stress us. And what about parking? Someone stealing the space we wanted at the last second could tip us over the edge! Being aware of what can trigger these feelings of rage may be key to controlling it.

 

So what can we do to keep relaxed? Try driving in a good mood, and if you see a traffic jam, just remember that they can’t be avoided. And try leaving a little earlier in future. Also, if you see someone who is really angry, try not to maintain eye contact, and don’t get out of the car to confront them. And if you feel stressed and anxious, try pulling over somewhere and resting while you calm down.

 

So the next time you feel stressed while driving, just remember road rage can happen to anyone – and relaxing a bit when you feel that way may not just make it safer for you, but for others too.

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