How do you deal with rude drivers?

Question

I was at a junction and let out a car who was holding up the traffic, the driver behind me lent on her horn and aggressively gestured for me to move on - but no-one could move anyway!

What I really wanted to do was get out of my car and beat the $h!te out of her, I didn't, I just gestured something rude back to her. But its still bugging me!

Whats a good way to deal with rude drivers without being a doormat? If possible :-)

Answer 1

I think that the best way to deal with people’s aggression in any situation is to let them blow past you.  That’s not to say you’re being used as a doormat, although maybe it feels that way.  



It’s just to say that someone has decided to be aggressive and you’ve decided not to let it bother you – in that case I think the real “victim” is the one letting his temper get the best of him.   All of that said, in a lot of cases I just let people like that go past me – let them be someone else’s liability, not mine.  I’ve even decided sometimes to pull off the road, if possible, and just chill out when people make me angry.  Don’t ever lose site of the fact that you’re behind the wheel of a car and being ‘driven’ by your temper can be really dangerous.  



Drive safely – and sanely!

Answer 2

Always concentrate on what's ahead of you and not what is behind. Try not to even look in the rear view mirror, or act as if you are being intimidated because that's exactly what they want.

So long as you are obeying the traffic rules correctly that's all you need worry about.

There are always going to be those who make the driving experience poorer for others, but don't let them.. be cool okay! It doesnt mean you are being a doormat if you ignore some numskull behind you--no reaction is the most effective reaction. I just feel sad for these kind of people, I really do.

Happy driving!

keefbeef

Answer 3

Simple,buy a baseball bat.

Answer 4

Understand that it is THEIR problem! Also understand that by not rising to it or becoming like it yourself, you are improving the situation and general driving standards.

View your idiot as an idiot whom just found where the horn is on her car! As she is an idiot (obviously in a hurry) and you are in front of her, have the last laugh and let more cars out and drive even slower!

I have this, if I am 'tailgated' by another motorist I reduce MY speed to the speed required to match the stopping distance they are leaving. This infuriates the h**l out of them, but they eventually get the message and drop back, then I speed up!

Understand that these people have the high blood pressure and a long as you don't let them raise yours, and just ignore them; you may just give them a coronary!

Have fun, whatever happens, keep smiling!

Answer 5

Just ignore them and keep your cool...You are never a doormat if you do this. You are just simply displaying your own self control and in the end, you are the better person for doing that.

Answer 6

Just quietly congratulate yourself that there are people that you are superior to.

Answer 7

I've been driving for 51 years and have never felt the need to blast my horn,flash my lights, flip someone the bird. I have come to realize that everyone has some faults and their own emergencys that may cause them to be in a hurry. Young people are very inpatient i was a young driver when the world was a lot slower, not so many cars, everyone was more considerent. My advice is slow down your life, respect others, we all need to get along.

Answer 8

FIDO

Forget It and Drive On

Answer 9

Well when you never know when the idiot might have a gun or actually have no problem with beating the $hit out of you. You just have to let it go.In today's sick society you have to become a doormat or dead it's your choice.

Answer 10

Keep calm, keep being a considerate driver and smile at them - it drives them mad!

Answer 11

This might amuse you when I meet this type of idiot, I applaud him, clearly letting him see me clapping my hands to show how I appreciate his stupidity  Many a red face have resulted from the action, but be careful I'm over 6 foot and this deters the more aggressive.

Answer 12

CHASE THEM DOWN!!!!!!!!!!! SCARE THE LIVING **** OUT OF THEM.

Answer 13

I ignore them. When they keep honking, I tell them to go around.

Answer 14

Do the thing women drivers do best look straight through them    lol

Answer 15

ignore them

Answer 16

next time something like that happen to you just tell them to hit. tell them make your own road or make your own way or just gave them the steer on the eye. look back angry to them and maybe they back off or try writing the license plate and report them for unsafe driver. i use let them pass me and over speed and cut them off guard because i don't care because I'm mad. so i know it will come back at me but when i do that they back of off me or if at night after the pass you try put your high beam light on their rear view mirror and speed at their car tail and they think you are writing their license plate and they run faster and leave you along. don't try doing that just find a away to scare them so they won't do it again.

Answer 17

Just ignore them   Or drive slow and hold them up .

Answer 18

I always pretend that I think they are honking to wave at me, like they know me.  I smile honk and wave back like we are old friends.  It drives them NUTS!!

Answer 19

Just use the stop lights to "Reload".

Answer 20

A similar situation arose for me the other day. I was approaching a main road from a motorway slipway and a number of cars were approaching from the right hand direction. It was their right of way and I had to wait for them to pass because the main road was single lane. The fellow behind me in an Impretza sounded his horn, raised two fingers in a victory salute and when I was moving onto the main road tried to overtake me on the intersection. Fortunately, my TT was in second and I sped away. When I arrived at my destination I approached the driver to ask why he was in such haste and for some reason the young man started his car and accelerated away. As well as being a cheeky sod he was a coward.

Answer 21

Shoot them-do the whole world a favour!Failing that i jump out of my car and stick "L"plates on theres(most satisfying)+other motorists give you a great reaction

Answer 22

Ignore them, above all remain calm. It's not worth getting agitated about.

Answer 23

I sing my "driving song" in my car to the tune of "You are my sunshine". It really helps. Feel free to use it (especially with the window down so the offender can hear you).

Here are a few lines (with some variations depending on the situation):

There's an a**h*** in my rear-view mirror

There's an a**h*** who won't go away

I hope he hits me, my car's worth nothing

It'll eff up his car and make my day.

He's right behind me, he's trying to blind me,

Oh why won't, he just go away?

I cannot se-e, I can barely dri-ive,

As his lights burn my retinas away.

These motherf******, they cannot dri-ive

They stop at green lights, and laws obey

F*** this I'm turning, in front of all you

You take forever to go anyway

Answer 24

its so frustrating when something like that happens and I'm like you, its bugs me for ages after its happened!! I've started smiling and waving to people who "toot" me, it seems to really annoy them :o)

Answer 25

blow them a kiss or if you they can hear you say something really off the wall. really confuses the h**l out of them and you can drive away with grin on your face while they are stuck there trying to figure the meaning out.

Answer 26

being a biker a nice kick to the door or punch the wing mirror off oftens works