Road Rage and the American Trucker

Road rage….. Life out on the highway is full of unique experiences and adventures.

However, the average day in the life of the American trucker is filled with trials and tribulations that come with hours and hours of driving in different cities and towns.

Gone from home for sometimes weeks on end, we worry about our families, how we’ll adjust to rising fuel prices….

The following on how to handle “road rage” appears in the March 2008 issue of Pilot Challenge Magazine:

Know if you have an anger problem.
If you are an aggressive driver, you can train yourself to be calmer. “Don’t think a fairy is going to tap you on the shoulder and tell you to slow down,” says Hall.
Learn how to share the road.
As a truck driver, sharing the road isn’t easy. The vehicles are so big that you may feel that you own the road. “If you have a Type A personality, this is something to work on,” says Hall. “If someone merges into your lane, think of it as an opportunity for growth. Take a deep breath. Memorize an affirmation, so you produce less cortisol.”
Make your vehicle a “Zen” zone.
Listen to music you like and make your vehicle a peaceful, happy place. You’ll be surprised how this can influence your mood.
If you are the victim of road rage, surrender.
Many Americans are Type A personalities and they feel the need to get even with others who hurt or offend them, especially on the road. If you are the victim of someone who does this, you must surrender. This is no place for arguments (do that on your own time – at home). Smile at the offender, no matter how loud, obnoxious or rude he or she may be. This may be difficult, but it could save your life. Frederic G. Reamer, Ph.D., a professor at the School of Social Work in Rhode Island, works with victims of assault, violence and road rage. He advises not to engage with the perpetrator at all. Reamer is also the author of the book “Heinous Crime: Cases, Causes, and Consequences.” “I would pull to the side of the road and hope [the perpetrator] would just go on their way,” he says. Be proactive, not reactive.
Enroll in a course if you know you suffer from anger issues.
There are tricks to staying calm, experts say. And those tricks need to be honed through repetition and counseling. You can think about the repercussions your anger could have. “Instructors try to help these people identify the trigger points,” says Reamer. “I really do believe therapy and courses reduce the likelihood of injury.” Courses that promote “rationally moti- vated behavior” are appropriate. There are several people Reamer has met with (in prison) who say they wish they had thought through the situation more carefully before they committed second-degree murder. He recalls an instance in which two people got into an argument at a gas station. One of them got so upset that he reached into his glove compartment, pulled out a pistol and shot the other man. If only the perpetrator had restrained himself, or considered the repercussions of such rage, he wouldn’t be spending 30 years behind bars.
Reward yourself for staying calm.
Human beings are goal-oriented, and rather than striving toward “getting even,” try to become a better person and stay calm. “Tell yourself you are giving yourself, say, $5 in the jar for staying calm,” Garcy suggests. “Just keep saving until you can get what you want.” This is a great way to turn a neg- ative situation into a positive, goal-oriented one.
Respect the other driver, even if he or she is angry.
This might seem like an impossible proposition, but sometimes you need to put yourself in the other person’s shoes, even if he or she is a raving lunatic. The driver might have had a bad day, or had a terrible time at work. Anger usually manifests because the person has other underlying issues, such as family trouble, stress, drug abuse or alcohol abuse. “When you get very angry, the typically logical part of your brain is switched off,” says Garcy. “The frontal lobe – the rational part of your brain – inhibits you from doing certain [rash] things.” When rage temporarily switches off this part of your brain, people tend to do irrational things. Once you understand this, you may be in a better position to forgive the perpetrator and understand where he or she is coming from. One of these “influencers” could be drugs or alcohol. In late January, police arrested a man in Connecticut who was throwing bottles at a truck. They found half a pound of marijuana in his car.

The most important thing to remember is you are not alone: Before your anger takes total control over your life, log on to Truck Stop Ministries or call their 24 hour prayer line at 1-800-248-8662

Chaplain Joe and his staff are here for you.