…And All Of This, Just To Improve Highway Safety

But what they didn’t know was that… 

I never really thought of myself as an aggressive driver, except for a slightly heavy foot and the occasional, “what the fuck are you doing,” I pretty much follow the road rules.  Until, I took this self-assessment that was developed by traffic psychologist Leon James, Ph.D.

Mentally condemn other drivers.

Verbally denigrate other drivers to your passengers.

Close ranks to prevent someone from getting in your lane.

Give another driver the “stink eye” to show disapproval.

Speed past another car or rev the engine as a sign of protest.

Prevent another driver from passing because you’re mad.

Tailgate to pressure a driver to go faster or get out of the way.

Fantasize physical violence against another driver.

Honk or yell out of the window.

Make obscene gestures.

Use your car to retaliate with sudden, threatening maneuvers.

Chase another driver because of a provocation or insult.

Get out of the car and engage in a verbal dispute.

Carry a weapon in the car in case you need it for a driving incident.

Deliberately bump or ram another car.

Try to run another car off the road to punish the driver.

Get out of the car and beat or batter someone after a road exchange.

Try to run someone down who angered you.

Shoot at another car.

Kill someone.

My score:  8

1 to 3: The Unfriendly Zone, mental and verbal acts of unkindness.

4 to 7: The Hostile Zone, visibly communicating resentment with the desire to punish.

8 to 11: The Violent Zone, carrying out an act of hostility in fantasy or deed.

12 to 16: The Lesser Mayhem Zone, epic road rage contained within personal limits

17 to 20: The Major Mayhem Zone, uncontained epic road rage, the stuff of newspaper stories.

That’s right folks, I’m in The Violent Zone.  I fantasize about carrying out acts of hostility and, um… other deeds, on drivers who piss me the fuck off.  So watch out, I just might run you off the road. 

whodathunk…