What Behavior Pattern do you Show when you Drive?

Staying calm and zen on the road  is our responsibility

We were driving in a quiet country lane, enjoying the scenery when my friend turned to me with a pointed question: 

“Why do you people in the south get so angry and selfish at the wheel? Embarrassed, I fumbled for an answer but couldn’t find one. 

She had noticed the tailgating, the lack of indicating, and the aggressive, pushy behavior of some drivers here. The driving style wasn’t exactly road rage she said but “undisciplined.”

I had to admit, she was right. This set me thinking of our driving behavior, not only in the South of France but everywhere.

Why do we display certain behavior patterns when we drive?  

Our impatience and aggressivity towards other drivers come because of the following:

  

     Stress

When the pace is hectic, we become stressed. We’ve got our jobs to do, kids to pick up, bills to pay-  limited time for a multitude of tasks. These might well be reasons for some of the stress of everyday life but they’re certainly not worth taking risks when driving.

      Personal Issues

Ask yourself the following question “Am I frustrated when I drive”. Listen also to feedback from your family. If the answer is yes, then look for what is really bothering you and attend to those issues. Don’t let these situations pile up, deal with the issues instead. Driving is challenging enough, don’t let the road be the place to vent your frustration.

Busy Roads in the South of France

Driving here during the holidays can be trying, a real test of nerves even if you consider yourself a  patient driver. Brace yourself for long delays on days the French call 'les jours de grand departs', days when the French leave the big cities for their holidays. What you need to know is that holiday rentals start from Saturday to Saturday so simplify your life by choosing your holiday dates wisely; one way to avoid aggressive and impatient drivers. 

Four ways to avoid conflict with other drivers

• Don’t get mad at the other driver; you don’t know why he or she is angry. Even if you are in the right, don’t inflame the situation. It won’t get you anywhere, just let it go calmly, it’s not worth getting a ticket over someone’s rude behavior.
• Breathe in deeply, breathe out and then scoop your abdominal muscles in towards your spine and concentrate on keeping them there just as your Pilates teacher taught you. Even better, you can meditate or scream. You are in a car so no one will hear you. The car is one of the few places you can scream, shout and holler.
•  Listen to some inspirational music or sing loudly.
• If it was your fault show consideration and remorse by mouthing “I’m sorry” and waving.

Let’s face it; driving is more stressful than taking public transport, especially now that our roads are more congested. Brake, the UK Road Safety Charity defines it well “Driving is a complex task, requiring full concentration and a calm attitude.”

Analyzing our driving behavior can only improve our attitude and well being.