Road Wars: About Aggressive Drivers And Inadequate Pedestrians - Society

If you have a car and even if you do not have a car - at any time you can become a participant in road wars. More and more news appears in the media about how drivers beat pedestrians, pedestrians damage cars. Why is the level of aggression on the streets increasing? This question is answered by psychologist

Sergei Kalinin.

Unfortunately, the so-called "road wars" have become a recognizable sign of modernity. Moreover, aggression on the roads is typical not only for Russia, but also for other countries. Why are there "showdowns" on the roads?

There are several reasons for road aggression. First, it is accumulated stress. Imagine a resident of a metropolis forced to spend several hours in traffic jams. The driver sits behind the wheel of a high-speed car, and is literally forced to crawl in a traffic jam. At the same time, you will not particularly relax - you need to carefully monitor the situation. Tension builds up, and the slightest excuse is enough to discharge it through a burst of aggression.

Secondly, injustice can be the reason for road aggression. It seems that there are traffic rules that are the same for everyone, but in a real situation everything can be very confusing. Aggression arises as "righteous anger", as a desire to punish the offender. In general, such a desire (to independently maintain order on the roads) of road users is commendable, but not everyone can cope with emotions, and not everyone has enough good manners to stay within the law, and not go on to a primitive scuffle.

Thirdly, the most serious type of aggression on the roads is status aggression. Today, a car is not only a means of transportation, it is also a symbol of its owner's status. It is a powerful and expensive "toy" that increases (sometimes excessively) the owner's self-esteem. To fully enjoy high status, you need to demonstrate it to others. Moreover, the greater the feeling of their status superiority, the less attention is paid to laws and rules. In general, "I have a cool car, I drive the way I want!" Part of the status superiority is also aggression directed at those who do not want to notice and recognize this very status.

Note that the second and third causes of aggression are complementary. Some drivers violate the rules, showing status superiority, after which other drivers try to avenge these violations. There is a kind of vicious circle when one act of aggression generates the next, and so on repeatedly.

Photo: © Ruslan Mitin / Photobank Lori