Road rage happens to the best of us
Sometimes it doesn’t take long for road rage strike, and sometimes it takes a much longer time on the road before we feel our irritation rising. It’s especially difficult for RVers who know their rigs and know their safety requirements when dealing with other motorists who don’t know what’s required to keep an RV safe. It can seem like a car cutting in and out of traffic is doing its best to endanger you and your passengers. We’re all on the road with somewhere to be, and you want your vacation to be calm. Is it possible to stay calm when other drivers seem to be doing their best to break that calm?
Don’t drive when you’re already agitated
Sometimes life, not the road, is what’s ticking us off. We’re much more susceptible to road rage when we’ve gotten bad news or we’re having a fight with someone. Our emotions and tensions are already high, and quirky drivers aren’t on the list of things we want to deal with. If you’re having one of those days, it’s best to take some time off and let someone else drive. Do some deep breathing, read a book, or get out of the cockpit altogether, and give full control of the rig to a passenger who feels comfortable driving it.
Traffic is at a halt
You can’t control other motorists, and you can’t control road conditions. There are times when traffic comes to a complete standstill, and you only budge an inch every few minutes. It’s best to accept that you’re going to be on this stretch of blacktop for a while. Accepting the fact that there’s nothing you can do about traffic is very freeing and will help you relax despite knowing you have better places to be. Chat with your passengers, play a game, or even power up your favorite road tunes to take your mind off the fact that you’re not going anywhere.
Put yourself in their shoes
You’ve had bad days before. All of us have. Maybe the person who’s driving erratically is having one of those days today. Cut him or her some slack, take a deep breath, and allow for some distance so you don’t end up in a traffic accident because of someone else’s negligent driving.
Alert the police
We could antagonize a bad driver and make ourselves feel better by feeding the road rage, but would we really want to be the reason a bad driver gets in an accident? Instead, give him or her space and call the police. Tell them where you are, the license plate of the car, and what’s going on. While you can put yourself in other drivers’ shoes and sympathize with them, this doesn’t mean they’re not a danger any longer. Calling the police could save lives – including theirs.
Make your RV zen
If you regularly struggle with road rage, take steps to make your rig more comfortable. Surround yourself with comforting things, adjust the thermostat, wear comfortable clothing, and do whatever you need to make yourself more relaxed while you’re driving to avoid getting angry with other motorists.
Does it matter?
Is it worth ruining your trip? After you initially get angry, ask yourself whether it really matters that you’ve met this specific driver. Sure, you may have run into a momentary setback, but you’ll be angrier about it for much longer than you’ve been set back, and that anger is just ruining more of your experience. Understand that it doesn’t matter, move past it, and enjoy yourself.
Don’t even vent
There’s a time and place when venting helps us blow off steam. When we’re experiencing road rage is not one of those times. Venting our anger about a driver only makes that anger increase with each new thing they do. It piles up, increasing our road rage to the point where we could do something rash. Just let it go. Do some deep breathing, and enjoy the scenery and the company you’re with.
Sometimes we meet bad drivers, and we end up on the side of the road. It’s calming to know someone is there to lend a helping hand like the RV Advisor is. With our roadside assistance, you’ll never be in uncharted territory without backup. Take our roadside assistance with you, and breathe a sigh of relief!
