Haven't talked that much about it, but I'm convinced that much of the aggressive driving is a direct result of the workplace atmosphere. I started my career in Dallas over twenty years ago and noticed the competitiveness. This was during Ross Perot's heyday and anyone that worked at EDS stuck out with the cut from the same cookie cutter mold and relentlessly driving behavior. Their speech was restless and focused on achivement constantly. Many of these employees quit after 3-5 years to get a life, sick of 60+ hour weeks.... I interviewed with other companies and remember the question: "are you aggessive?". In the context of those times, aggressive became a dirty word that strongly suggested an overly-driven, self-seeking individual, determined to advance himself at whatever cost, eager to walk over anyone in his way.

Noticing the aggressive driving in Dallas, I have assumed that quite a few of them are just taking their workplace behavior to the road. They are not necessarily in an emergency or hot deadline situation - just doing what they do at the office.

Some professionals have this mindset:

• I'm very busy
• What I do is of the utmost importance
• That makes me "professional"
• That is how I've accumulated my trophy home, vehicle, etc...
• Therefore, my pushy, bullying behavior is justified.

61.5mpg lifetime - 82mpg in recent months

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"fanatic" is what the lazy call the dedicated

I always figured those aggressive drivers are the type of personality which seek out and take advantage of easy victims.

Kind of sad I think. Not sure how they can just "turn it off" in their personal home life and have any real, close relationship with their families and loved ones.

Efficient drivers do it better.
1003 miles a tank personal record. 74MPG calculated. HCH1 CVT

A lot of them don't hence one of the many reasons for the high divorce rate.

I can tell it's a girl 'cause she tells me where to turn.

Excellent point!

61.5mpg lifetime - 82mpg in recent months

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"fanatic" is what the lazy call the dedicated

I'll be the first to admit to agressive driving (hence my uncharacterically low FE). But I drive like a *jerk* for entirely *different* reasons:

-- Passing SUVs who insist on driving 40 miles per hour on rt695 (omg! The car is so *big*! I'm afraid to drive it 55!)

-- Getting the hell out of the way of narcoleptic truck drivers (Dude! If I drive for 48 hours straight without stopping or sleeping, I'll get a *big* bonus!)

-- Avoiding the Elder Zombies (You young whipper-snapper! I've been driving since before *cars* were invented! My first set of wheels was a covered wagon!)

-- Dodging the Ultra-Yuppie wives (Huge mini-van, Starbucks latte in one hand, cell phone in the other, and TV mounted on the dashboard, car full of screaming soccer brats.)

Evading ghetto hoodlems (Yo, G! I got my windows tinted so *dark* that even *I* can't see out of them! But let me crank up my rap music so loudly that I can't even hear an ambulance coming! And, yo, havin' a valid driving license and insurance is fo' suckahs!)

And that's just the tip of the iceburg! Ha ha ha!

Indeed... In Baltimore, courtesy is seen as a sign of weakness and only the strong survive! Or, as Sprinstien said (ha ha) "The highway's filled with broken heros on a last-chance power-drive". Ha ha ha!

umm, those BRATS are our future; exactly the people you are trying (or not) to hand over a less-than-destroyed planet to, hopefully with a shred of social decency remaining. And if the DVD is ON, the mouths are usually OFF. Keep the children out of your social commentary, please.

Who is this Sprinstien you speak of? A German indy artist? I know of a guy with a sort of similar name from New Jersey, but can't be sure...

Bruce Springstein?

Anyway, I'll give the under 17-yr old brats a break, but the 25-yr old one is a different story....

61.5mpg lifetime - 82mpg in recent months

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"fanatic" is what the lazy call the dedicated

'Aggressive' driving versus 'impatient' needs to be clarified. An 'impatient' driver simply speeds off to their destination. 'Aggressive' drivers, at least the one I remember, seem bent on revenge and instead of moving on, pursue and harass the object of their ire.

This matches what happened down in Birmingham a couple of years ago. One driver thought another had 'done them wrong' and when the smoke cleared, one was dead and the other arrested for manslaughter.

Road obstacles come in many shapes and forms. They are forgotten as soon as they leave the field of view. But the 'hell bent on revenge' aggressive driver is a critter of a different color. They change their priorities from a trip to 'extracting revenge.' If you stop, they stop and will get out of their car to confront you . . . then you run them over.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

No commentary on the fools on the road would be complete without slamming the Hybrid drivers (yes, some hybrid drivers drive like idiots) who are maximizing fuel efficiency at the expense of those of us who actually want to get somewhere.

Fair is fair and driving a hybrid does not give you moral superiority of everyone else on the road.

Except me - I drive 2 hybrids so I am a perfect driver. Just don't get me in my F250 or my '65 Mustang.

A number of months ago, there was a story of a traffic jam in Chicago cause by a slow-moving Prius in the fast lane with GreenPeace sticker all over it. This does not help hybrids or environmentalism. I personally find ways to hypermile while making it easy for other to pass by....

I must be the member that vents the most about aggressive driving. I've found that the time of day and the route I take can help a little bit.

I've wondered if a psychologist has ever suggested to a patient to walk around at work, home, etc. they way aggressive drivers do. How many people would cut others off in the isles, step on toes, etc. with this body language "Get the **** outta my way!!!" If that is unacceptable behavior, it should be even more taboo to drive that way.

61.5mpg lifetime - 82mpg in recent months

Best Run >
www.cleanmpg.com

"fanatic" is what the lazy call the dedicated