Road rage is a feeling that I am completely foreign to.
I don’t get flustered when people don’t use their signals, or annoyed that the idiots at four-way stops and roundabouts don’t know when it’s their turn to go. I don’t even flinch when someone cuts in front of me. I’ve learned to accept that some people are just horrible, horrible drivers, and that you must be defensive out on the roads.
Yes, the anger that so many others succumb to behind the wheel had never rubbed off on me, until was nearly t-boned on my way to work.
Driving through the neighborhood with caution around the winding streets, I approached the hidden driveway that entered the Clayton plaza. This entryway has caused many close calls because of how badly it is placed. There is no stop sign, and many drivers merge right in to traffic without looking to see who is coming. Often there are lines of cars tandem parking around both sides of the entrance, too, so it becomes a hazard for anyone passing by.
As I passed by the entrance I scanned around my surroundings to see if there were any cars coming, but as I was looking around a flash of a car pulled in front of me. Completely cutting me off, the driver sped around the corner doing at least sixty, nearly ramming into my passenger side in the process. As a new driver, I was completely taken aback by the sudden danger, and my hand immediately flew to hover over the horn (my only regret being not blowing it). The driver swerved around the corner and flew down the road ahead, with me following close behind.
The flood of emotions ranging from shock to complete anger and frustration had me entranced. I wanted to keel over to throw up and scream at the terrible driver ahead at the same time. To top off the entire situation, the driver suddenly decided to turn left ahead, once again cutting dangerously ahead of me without using their signal.
I wanted to smash their windshield with the ice scraper in my back seat. I was livid.
The complete lack of awareness for other drivers or the rules of the road affected me, nearly hurting me in the process. I consider myself very lucky for coming out of that experience unharmed, but it definitely shook me up enough to rattle me before my shift.
I was never able to relate with anyone when it came to discussing rage behind the wheel. Because of that experience, (unfortunately) I know what it’s like now.
