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There are many techniques to control road rage which anyone can use and which those who know or believe they may be partial to road rage should take the time to not only consider but practise. Road rage is never pleasant but can be extremely dangerous and can cost lives, even those of wholly innocent third parties.

Without question, there are far more causes of road rage than there are techniques to control road rage. Road rage can be caused by a driver driving too close behind us or by cutting in or out in front of us. Road rage can be caused by a driver in front driving perhaps too slowly and causing a tailback on a road where overtaking is difficult if not nigh on impossible. Road rage can be caused by simply the volume of traffic in which we find ourselves stuck and our total inability to do anything about it. It is important to bear in mind some of the many causes of same, therefore, when we examine techniques to control road rage.

If we consider the above, it is not difficulty to see that the two main causes of road rage may be labelled under the general titles of either anger or frustration. The two may of course be present at the same time but it is normal that the particular road rage we are experiencing will fall in to one category or the other and the two should be tackled in some subtly different fashions.

The first category of road rage and almost certainly the most dangerous is when another driver's actions causes us to feel overwhelming anger. This may be because they have put us and our passengers in actual jeopardy, it may simply be because of the stupidity of their action or it may be that their action serves against us as a delaying tactic. The techniques to control road rage in this instance are therefore simple anger management ones.

We should begin by taking long, deep breaths. We should count them, take ten, and if we still feel the effects of the road rage, take another ten. We can grip the steering wheel tightly, until our knuckles all but turn white, as the effort of doing same will help to burn energy and through this release our anger. We should open the window a little and let some fresh air in to the car. This will also assist with out deep breathing exercises. Above all, however, we should focus on the fact that by reacting to that which has caused us to experience the road rage, we may be putting ourselves, our passengers and other innocent road users in even greater danger.

Where the road rage is of the frustration type, such as that caused by being stuck behind a slow moving vehicle or even in gridlock, we can of course apply many of the above techniques. We can also such as switch the radio on to give us something to do as we sit there unmoving for what seems like endless hours. We should never of course lose attention on the road and what is happening around us but we can think of happy things in life, perhaps even the beautiful dinner which we know will be waiting for us when we arrive home. We must above all, however, resist the temptation to put ourselves in danger by such as attempting to overtake when it is clearly unsafe to do so, or attempting to get through traffic by driving up on to the road verge.

Techniques to control road rage therefore essentially involve self-control, self-discipline and knowing above all else that by giving in to road rage we are only likely to exacerbate the situation.

Learn more about this author, Gordon Hamilton.
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