I need to vent on this subject or wind up on the 6:00 News -- Headline: "Woman's Road Rage Causes Traffic Snarl" So, I thought I would use this forum to do some snarling of my own!

My daily commute is from Crofton, MD (near Annapolis) to Rosslyn, VA (near Pentagon). It is about 75 to 90 minutes each way. I don't mind the commute -- I love where I work and I love where I live and I have accepted that the sacrifice is the drive.

However, there is no courtesy on the roads anymore! There is one place along the way where two lanes are always backed up easing our way up to turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue. There is a third left lane that is for people going straight (not turning right). I have been in this string of traffic for as long as 20 to 30 minutes.

What I am so upset about is the people that come flying down the left lane passing all of us waiting to turn right and then CUT IN front of us! Who do these people think they are? Is their time more valuable than ours? Why do they think that the rest of us creep along in line and they don't have to?

I just know one day I am going to hit somebody because I ride the bumper of the car in front of me so that none of them can get cut in ahead of me!

I know this is probably a terribly un-Christian way to behave, but it is bigger than me! I try to remember the wise words from Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- "go let the idiot have their accident some place else".

It is just so frustrating -- because if we didn't have to stop to let them in, we wouldn't be backed up so far in the first place!

Can anyone give me advice on how to let this go? Some mantra I can have in my head to lower my blood pressure to better deal with this?

RG, you know that is one of my biggest pet peeves while driving is those who "cut" in line. I too, get very frustrated over their lack of courtesy.

How to handle it? Hmmm.. I don't have a mantra or anything like that, I just rely on an old tried and true saying "What goes around, comes around". Everyone gets theirs in the end. Their rude, pushy behavior will get paid back to them somehow.

Ladies this is a sad and frustrating fact of driving today. All I am going to say is imagine the jerk driver with a revolver in his hand about to shoot you just because he can. Thats happening now in California and people are dead. Be angry if you need to be but be thankful this fool is just driving badly and not taking pot shots at people.....perspective ladies, put it in perspective.

It is ironic. I was reading this topic when this came in an email. ??


An honest man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard.

Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the
red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman hit the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a
very serious police officer.

The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed,
photographed, and placed in a holding cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting
officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the "Choose Life" license plate
holder, the "What Would Jesus Do?" bumper sticker, the "Follow Me to Sunday School" bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk.

"Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car."


Maybe this is a good message for us all. Whether we have bumper stickers or not, every day we represent Christ to the world. Rallygirl, every day you do not honk or behave rudely, you are representing Jesus, even to the rude people who cut in line. Instead of feeling frustrated, maybe you could feel pride in the message you are delivering.
We're proud of you.
smile

Smile, I just finished teaching a class at church and one of the main messages was...

Christians are walking advertisements for Christ.

Quite a tall order, but such a worthy one.

Rally, don't let it eat you up. Turn on a good Christian radio station for the drive. I listen to 95.1, WRBS. I bet you can get that on the first half of your drive.

Rallygirl,
I get stressed out driving as well, especially when people cut in too close, or don't use signals to change lanes, or run through red lights...or read books while they're driving! I don't have a mantra, but what I do now (it has become automatic now) is pray for the driver, first that he gets a divine flash of wisdom and common sense and doesn't get into an accident, and secondly, that everyone else on the road with this crazy driver will also be kept safe (since the accidents can often happen to the people behind these drivers!) It eases my mind to do that and gives me something to focus on besides my desire to rage.

As usual, you guys have given me good advice and gentle but firm reminders of what being a Christian means in outward and inward behavior. There is a country song (don't remember artist) but it has a line in it, "What if he's an angel?" I can often temper my frustration with this question -- what if the bad driver is an angel sent by God to test me? What can I say, I'm a work in progress!! Thanks again...

Positively right EH, would not make it alone! Smile -- your story is also one I will keep in mind as I smile my way through traffic tonight!

Rallygirl, I bet you'll be surprised by the changes a smile can make. A smile lowers blood pressure, loosens joints, eases pain, slows heart rate, and lights the world.

God gave us smiles because we need them 'for' ourselves and 'from' others.

Keep smiling.

smile