Do you suffer from road rage? Would you know if you did? Your European automobile is a precious piece of machinery. Don’t put it at risk by driving recklessly. Road rage isn’t just pulling a gun on someone who cut you off; it’s numerous forms of unsafe and aggressive driving. East Coast EuroWerks lists some of the signs of road rage so you can put yourself in check and stay safe on the road.
Speeding
You’re driving aggressively if you speed all the time. Even if you’re running late and traffic is annoying the heck out of you, speeding is a sign of road rage. Do you always challenge the speed limit and yell at the slower drivers who obey the law? If you do, you have road rage.
Refusing the Right-of-Way
You own the road, right? Wrong. Driving defensively does not mean never letting anyone merge, gunning through yellow lights, and otherwise refusing to extend simple roadway courtesy. Take a chill-pill and allow others the right-of-way when they’re legally entitled to it.
Weaving Through Traffic
Here’s the bottom line: You should only change lanes when you must. Slower drivers should keep the right. Faster drivers should keep to the left. Weaving through lanes constantly increases your chances of an accident and boosts your road rage. Do you curse at the drivers as you pass them recklessly?
No Signals
Signaling a turn or lane change is not just common courtesy; it’s a safety measure. Other drivers cannot read your mind and they will never be able to. Failing to signal opens you and other drivers up to accidents and frustrates those who did not anticipate your move.
Tailgating
Nobody should tailgate these days yet people do. How many read-end collisions will it take for drivers to understand that tailgating is not only dangerous it’s also road rage. Following someone too closely and flashing your lights at them is harassing and sure to cause an accident.
Honking the Horn
You should only sound your horn to prevent an accident. The horn is meant to get a driver’s attention and it is not to be used as an anger-management tool. Besides, if you anger the other driver with your horn, you’ve just opened yourself up to a road-rage incident between you two.
To keep yourself safe on the road, avoid practicing road rage when you’re behind the wheel. To keep your European vehicle road-ready, stop by East Coast EuroWerks in Wilmington, NC, for preventative maintenance and automotive repair. Call us to set up an appointment.
