by Allen Teal

Created on: January 11, 2009

Almost everyone has felt it. It comes as a moment when you want to even the score with that driver that just cut you off, pulled out in front of you, or insists on driving at ridiculously slow speeds when you cannot pass. Your muscles tighten and anger builds inside of you. It is road rage.

For most people behaving normally, this is a passing event that results in nothing more than unkind words about the other driver's mental abilities or parentage. However, for some road rage is not a momentary flash of anger, but reason to act aggressively toward other people. When that aggression is directed toward you or someone near you, it can spell trouble.

Since you never know what might set road rage off in any individual, you cannot predict when another driver in the grips of road rage will go ballistic. To protect yourself if you feel that you have become a target of road rage, never let the angry person follow you home.

It is not a great plan to drive to a good friend's house, either. This will only involve another person and perhaps generate another target for the stalker. If you have a cell phone, call the police for help. If you do not have a cell phone, you still have other options available.

If they try to get you to stop or pull over, resist the temptation to do so. As much as possible, keep your vehicle and yourself in extremely public places. This will not keep him or her from attacking, but it might at least give you a chance to get help or get away.

If you know where the police station is located, drive directly there and make as much noise as possible to attract some officer's attention. More than one would be better. If you have enough lead on the other driver, you might exit your car and enter the building to find help. This will probably cause the person filled with road rage to leave.

There is a risk that once you have exited your car, it will become the target of unabated rage. However, if this happens, you will probably be able to have the person arrested on the spot. Do not rush to leave. Stay there long enough for the person with road rage to actually give up and go home. Record the license number of the other car if you get a chance.

If no extremely public area is available and no police station, try to spot a business that is open and pull in to the lot and run inside. You can ask an employee to call 911. Try to get a license number and make, color, and year of car. Having more information will help you to go after the person if they persist in their behavior.

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