I want to be a considerate driver.

Although I still get aggravated, I am learning to deal with it right away. I realize I can’t make people use their directionals, stop pulling out in front of me and then doing 20 mph under the speed limit, or rolling through right on red. Merging seems to be a lost art. I just leave extra early and turn on my language cds or some great music. My poor reaction to other peoples inconsiderate driving does not make me any happier than if I just laugh at them. I don’t think this will annoy me any less, but my reaction is mine to control.

but I really get annoyed when a sign says left lane closed ahead and people wait to the last minute and then want me to let them in. I got in the appropriate lane and watched many cars drive up in the closing lane to squeeze in way ahead of their turn. I am not letting anymore than 1 car in front of me as it should be.

I have discovered that it is indeed in direct ratio to my stress level in other aspects of my life. I am trying to make sure I leave early enough. I am driving at moderate speeds to increase my fuel economy as much as I can. I try and put on fun music or my spanish lessons and enjoy the drive. I found that I take anyone elses driving infraction personally and then feel like it is just one more person out to get me. This comes from the stress and frustration in my life currently. I am going to learn how to deal with the stress better, get myself on a workable budget, and increase my income; so I won’t be stressed. I don’t like myself when I start feeling “road rage.” I realize that since my husband died, the stress seems a little more overwhelming. I lost my sounding board when he died. He was a good listener and could dispell my stress with a hug and a few words of encouragement. So my attitude while driving is in direct correlation to my overall stress level. I want to like myself; so I need to get this under control.

but I still get mad when people don’t use their directionals. It seems to escape people notice that they are supposed to signal when changing lanes or merging. It would make it a whole lot easier on all of us if they would just signal. I don’t feel bad for anyone who isn’t let in when they try and merge if they have not signaled. I leave early enough most days that traffic doesn’t upset me. Its when I leave late. I get worked up and frustrated when the people in front of me are doing 15 to 20 miles an hour under the speed limit on the highway. I just need to leave earlier and put on some good music and then nothing seems to bother me overly much.

I seem to be fine if I leave in plenty of time to get to appointments or work. I am getting better at planning my days; so I am getting better at leaving the house earlier and earlier. I can read if I get to work or to an appointment early so whats the big deal, Right?

when I am driving. I am a lot better although I still get annoyed when someone pulls out in front of me. I watched the guy in front of my cross the center line 17 times by more than a couple of feet while he was talking on his cell phone. I decided to just stay back and make a game out of it. His speed varied by 15 miles under the speed limit to 10 miles over-thats a 25 mph variation. It amazes me that people still think they can drive and talk on the phone at the same time. I don’t let it get me mad any longer. I just stay back and wait for them to either get off the phone or turn off my route.

on my weekend trip. I am learning to be more considerate of others and I do not get as angry as I used to get. I still have a little ways to go, but I am going to be doing a lot of into the city driving over the next two weeks. That will be the true test for me.

I think that I have the answer to this problem. I find that if I leave plenty early for any appointments or work that I don’t get road rage. I still get annoyed when people don’t use their directional indicators or when they think they can’t talk on the phone and drive at the same time, but I don’t let it get me angry any longer. If I find myself getting aggravated, I just slow down or speed up to get away from the person annoying me. I am going on a trip to South Dakota for a long weekend, and I will see if I can remain calm the whole trip.

I know you think you can drive just fine while talking on a cell phone, but you can’t. You really can’t. You drift across the center line, you speed up and slow down randomly, you keep hitting your brakes, and you wouldn’t notice a MAC truck heading right for you. Believe me, nothing you have to say or nothing anyone has to say to you is as important as the safety of everyone on the road.

Still retraining myself not to automatically get annoyed because someone is in “my way” when I am driving to work. Even when I leave early, I find myself getting annoyed about other people cutting me off, changing lanes without signaling, and wandering across lines while talking on their phones. I am continuing to work on this everyday. I am leaving early enough, but I still need to aquire the new habit of patience. I was told to learn a new habit instead of trying to break an old habit.