I have been driving for more or less 4 years already (yup I’m a late bloomer) here in the US and I like how rules and traffic laws are maintained by drivers. It’s easier to drive here than in the Philippines where cars are not only bumper to bumper but door to door. The roads are narrower and basically no speed limit is enforced there. I haven’t driven in the Philippines except when I did my driving lessons there. I learned the basic skills and I didn’t have a hard time adjusting to driving alone when I came to the US to practice what I learned. As I’ve said, driving in the US is so easy and well-regulated that it wasn’t too scary for a newbie like me.

Considering myself as a veteran driver, I haven’t had an accident yet (praise God) but I did scratched or damaged our car’s bumper already. And the victim is always a post or a wall. As my aunts told me, my car dents allow me to be more cautious but more courageous when it comes to driving. Although I’m 5’ 2”, skinny, and look like a kid I’m prone to road rage, so my brother will say.

I will never have road rage if drivers around me will drive normally and within  rules. Or admit they’re wrong by some gesture and I will forget their gaffe. However if they don’t realize their wrongdoing then I get irritated. Just like is it wrong to get mad when the driver in front of me turns so slow when I’m in a hurry and the light is turning red? Or when a driver will cut my turn in a 4-way stop? Or when they will change lane so near your car without even signaling? Or when they won’t let me pass through on a merging lane even when I’m front of them? Or when a driver is so timid to turn against an opposing traffic that he holds up a line behind him? Or when they will drive 10mph slower than speed limit on a one-way lane? Or when they will slow down or stop in the middle of the road for no reason?

Road rage? I believe it’s not a road rage but rather a puzzlement to the inanity of the other drivers. I don’t give the finger or scream swear words at the other offending drivers. I don’t hunt them down or engage in a car race with them. However I do honk at them (which according to the driving rules cannot be used unless in an emergency), blink my lights to signal them to speed up or I just scowl at them and mouth “What’s your problem, dude?” And after that,  just like a stimulus removed, I will calm down and happily drive my way to my destination.

Road rage management? I don’t believe I need intervention yet or if you will, I don’t have one. If you have worse than my case, then it’s time to look for road rage management. :P

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