I suffer from terrible road rage - and I am pretty good at suppressing it when there are other folks in the car. In case you're curious about the mindset, it goes like this:
1. Poor driving almost causes accident
2. Shock of near accident at high speeds with large masses makes adrenaline flow
3. Trapped in car and fight or flight reflex become irrational feedback loop/temper explosion
I also get the same thing when cycling. And I have to try to breathe to stop myself doing something I will regret.
I'm a genuinely thoughtful driver. I ALWAYS signal lane changes and turns. i keep safe stopping distances. I don't tailgate. But to be honest, by the time I drive the 8 or so miles to my office, I feel like a sucker. Like the only goddamned person making the slightest effort to drive properly.
I would state that on a morning commute, probably something like 20% of drivers who I see making simple maneuvers (lane changes, accelerating, merging etc etc) are even halfway competent.
I have acted out a couple of times, getting into someone's face, rolling down windows to scream etc etc. I'd never actually hurt someone unless they attacked or struck me, but I do think darkly murderous thoughts when someone does something actually life threatening. And knowing that, I also know that a dumber person, or a less self-controlled person, could shoot me for the same reason I screamed at them.
I also bite my tongue when it's a truck full of rednecks or a hooptie full of gang members because I am a huge chickenshit.
99% of ALL of these reactions, however, can be instantly mollified with a friendly/apologetic wave. If someone almost kills me, but then waves apologetically, I go from 60 to zero basically instantly. So I ALWAYS wave when I do something inopportune or cut a merge close, etc.
