| Protecting yourself around your home and on the | | | | down the vehicle to a speed you are more |
| street takes different types of self-defense | | | | comfortable with. What this does is allow the offending |
| techniques, but what happens when you are on the | | | | person the chance, and hopefully they take it, to |
| road and have been confronted by road rage? This | | | | continue on their way and leave you be. What should |
| particular situation is not often talked about but more | | | | be avoided unless absolutely necessary is to speed up. |
| often than not, the majority of motorists are likely to | | | | Speed in general can be a killer and speeding up to |
| experience the effects of road rage. Such a situation | | | | avoid confrontation in the form of road rage may have |
| can be very dangerous and presents unique | | | | the effect of increasing your chances of accident and |
| self-defense problems than other situations would. | | | | injury. As any police officer will tell you, when you slow |
| After all, when confronted with a potential two ton | | | | down, the attacker typically must slow too and you will |
| machine, what exactly to you do? Perhaps the most | | | | have more control over your own vehicle to make |
| important thing to remember is not to panic. While that | | | | smart decisions. High speed chases result in high |
| is usually much easier to say than do, remaining calm in | | | | speed collisions and more than likely, death. Do not let |
| situations where road rage is involved can only aid | | | | yourself get into the position where the vehicle you are |
| your chances of remaining safe and sound. | | | | in control off can be the source of a collision. It cannot |
| The American Automobile Association or what many | | | | be stressed enough the power and clarity of a calm |
| people refer to as AAA, reports that cases of road | | | | mind in a distressing situation. |
| rage have increased sharply within the past ten years | | | | If you are being antagonized by someone with road |
| or so. The number of new vehicles being produced | | | | rage or generally anyone up to mischief, at the very |
| each year alone means that there is a potential | | | | least you can try and make it look like you are calling |
| increase in road rage statistics. In fact, every person | | | | the police. Make a big production about calling the |
| has the potential to experience road rage several | | | | police. Pursuers do not want to get caught and just the |
| times a day with the majority not actually reporting the | | | | potential of it happening will have them taking off and |
| incident to police. If one can relate to road rage, | | | | leaving you alone. If possible, try and memorize their |
| imagine how many times you have encountered such | | | | license plates anyway to report them and cops will try |
| hostility and the number of times you yourself reported | | | | to alert each other to be on the lookout for them. We |
| the incident. In essence, the percentage of | | | | can only imagine how much safer our streets would |
| occurrences could be a lot higher than first originally | | | | be if people were able to report such an even as it |
| expected. A possible consequence of this, for | | | | happens. |
| example, is that a female may be more likely to be a | | | | Perhaps one of the biggest no-no is to get out of your |
| victim of road rage than any other attack against you | | | | car or stop as this is an open invitation to angry, |
| elsewhere. | | | | rage-filled people who will put you in harms way. If |
| The speed and raw size of a motor vehicle are | | | | they take it a step further and physically hit your |
| essentially what puts you in potentially deadly situation. | | | | vehicle with their own, or bump or block you, keep on |
| In light of the different nature of road rage hostility, it | | | | moving. Under no circumstances should you stop and |
| becomes clear that you need to employ different | | | | get out of the vehicle. While damage to your car may |
| techniques to avoid a possible confrontation. The | | | | cost you money to repair, your safety should never be |
| greatest danger is that a vehicle is in the hands of | | | | compromised and remain paramount. If you must, drive |
| someone brimming with hostility, in such a case, vehicle | | | | up the curb or across the median if you have to or |
| can become much more dangerous than a gun. When | | | | slam on your brakes so that they end up slightly ahead |
| faced with the road rage of another, it is important to | | | | of you. While it may not always be possible to do this, |
| note that when you panic and give into trying to outrun | | | | it could well give you that small window and buy you |
| your dangerous opponent, you are doing more harm | | | | enough time to get around them travel along an |
| than good, increasing your risk of injury and death. As | | | | alternate route out of there. Keeping up with traffic |
| mentioned, remaining calm in situations where road | | | | around you allows you to be safer in numbers. The |
| rage is involved can only aid your chances of | | | | greatest benefit this can provide is that it may deter |
| remaining safe and sound. | | | | the offending driver because more and more people |
| What may be comforting to know and keep in mind is | | | | can witness the behaviour. In turn, it will be more likely |
| that during a road rage situation, by being inside your | | | | for the offender to be reported. |
| own vehicle, you are in the best position possible as | | | | Overall, there are really only two things you can do to |
| you are not only protected by your own doors, but | | | | state safe on the roads. The first thing you can do is |
| also glass, bumpers and more. While a vehicle can | | | | buckle up and ensure your car is in good working |
| potentially be a powerful weapon to be used against | | | | order. The second thing you can do is stay alert while |
| you, being inside your own car provides great | | | | driving and always keep an eye out for potentially |
| protection. Remember, your car has the power to | | | | aggressive problem drivers and take appropriate |
| slow down, exit and find safety. Given that you remain | | | | action to avoid them. While we cannot control the |
| calm do not panic, you can then navigate away to | | | | actions of other motorists sharing our roads, we can |
| safety. | | | | do ourselves a favour by remaining calm, collected and |
| OK, so what can be done do to protect oneself in the | | | | confident. By doing so, we can only help ensure our |
| event that road rage that is being directed at you? | | | | safety. |
| The first thing that should cross your mind is to slow | | | | |