DEAR ABBY: My husband is a very aggressive driver. He tailgates, cuts people off, narrates “play by play” during driving and stresses me out.
He was involved in two accidents that I am convinced were his fault, although one was blamed on the other driver. Fortunately, nobody was hurt.
Because of this I prefer to drive. The other day, he actually reached across and honked my horn while I was driving because somebody delayed a few seconds at the stoplight! We weren’t in a hurry and there was no need to honk. Our children were in the car.
When I complained, he told me to “just get over it.” He gets so grouchy if I say anything about his driving.
We live in a relatively small town and our vehicles are very identifiable. All of the crazy road-rage incidents I hear about certainly don’t help. Any suggestions? I’m ready to resort to public transportation. — PREFERS TO DRIVE
DEAR PREFERS: For the safety of your family, it’s time to find out what’s driving your husband’s anger and dangerous behavior.
His driving record speaks for itself, and he should not assume any function of driving when you are at the wheel, including honking the horn “for” you. You are entirely correct that what he did could have sparked a road rage incident.
All that would need to happen would be for you to encounter someone who is as angry as your husband for a tragedy to happen.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I don't honk for others and I don't tailgate or cut people off.
But I do point out stupid drivers.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
My ex was like that. And if I commented or asked him to slow down, he just sped up. Coming home from Long Beach in the rain, his anger caused is to hydroplane and the truck ended up driving backwards at a very high speed on the freeway. Eventually he was able to turn it back around and surprisingly we never hit anyone. But it was terrifying. Even he was scared and drove better after that. But it was his anger that led to my departure....
I don't drive dangerously, I obey the laws of the road.
But don't cut me off, or block the lane, or ride with your blinker on, or slow down at every side road, or ride into my lane on top of me, or just do stupid stuff.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
My DH will actually stop to let someone out then yell because they're not quick enough. He only yells in the car and not at the other driver though. I just think it's funny that he's trying to be nice yet still gets all angry.
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“Until I discovered cooking, I was never really interested in anything.” ― Julia Child ―
My DH will actually stop to let someone out then yell because they're not quick enough. He only yells in the car and not at the other driver though. I just think it's funny that he's trying to be nice yet still gets all angry.
And I'd be the one cursing behind him for stopping traffic to be nice. Dude - there are people behind you, have you considered they might be trying to get to work on time? There are reasons for the rules, and one of the rules is who has the right of way and people entering traffic are supposed to wait until it clears, not have traffic stopped for them.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I'll occasionally say "Oh you turkey!!!" when another driver
does something absolutely stupid, but I'll always let another
driver go ahead of me. What? I'll get to my destination 5
seconds later? That's one of the reasons I've only had one
accident in over 60 years of driving, and the other driver
was taken away in handcuffs! (Yeah, I'm giving away my
age, but who cares?) I'm the designated driver, because
traffic doesn't bother me. I grew up in the NYC metro-
politan area, so even rush hour down here is nothing to me.
I had a good friend get into an accident because someone "let" her cut in. It was two lanes and the other car didn't stop and hit her. There is a reason for the rules, and it's not just about you (general you), it's about all the other drivers, too.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I had a good friend get into an accident because someone "let" her cut in. It was two lanes and the other car didn't stop and hit her. There is a reason for the rules, and it's not just about you (general you), it's about all the other drivers, too.
Oh my gosh! The same thing happened to Conor, back in the day. Mere was with him. And we were lucky neither one of the kids got hurt.
That was the end of my first Jeep. Her name was, "The Crusher". (Because, after Wayne, in his wisdom, put our lawn mower on my side of the garage after he cleaned it out. I ran that sucker over, with the Cherokee.)
Don't trust anyone waving you in...unless you can see all of the oncoming traffic.
Conor learned his lesson, that day. He hasn't had an accident, since.
My brother-in-law drives like this and thinks he is a great driver. You must never, never criticize the way he drives as it makes him extremely upset and vocally aggressive toward whomever spoke up. So, we simply try to avoid riding with him...
I realize that is not an option for a close family member and wish I could think of something for them, but......
My brother-in-law drives like this and thinks he is a great driver. You must never, never criticize the way he drives as it makes him extremely upset and vocally aggressive toward whomever spoke up. So, we simply try to avoid riding with him... I realize that is not an option for a close family member and wish I could think of something for them, but......
Karl, my kids finally said, "Mom, if we're going out as a family...please drive! We don't want to ride with Dad, anymore."
Wayne doesn't drive crazy. He just bitches and gets mad, a lot. It wrecks the mood, for wherever we are going.
They would rather ride with me.
Wayne will still get a little upset with what other drivers are doing. We toss him in the back seat, and hope he'll take a nap. LOL!
Getting mad, when you are in control of a 2 ton car or SUV, or pick-up truck...not smart, IMHO.
Stay calm. Pump up some tunes!
Don't get angry, when you are behind the wheel of a car.
Bad things can happen, in the heat of the moment, that you can't take back.
At the age of 3, DD would comment "that driver was an idiot mommy". Yeah been telling people off in traffic for a long time.
But I don't chase them or cut them off, in fact if riding in the right lane on a highway I will slow down to let someone merge. I am sure I piss off the people behind me, but would rather not have an accident.
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
I'll occasionally say "Oh you turkey!!!" when another driver does something absolutely stupid, but I'll always let another driver go ahead of me. What? I'll get to my destination 5 seconds later? That's one of the reasons I've only had one accident in over 60 years of driving, and the other driver was taken away in handcuffs! (Yeah, I'm giving away my age, but who cares?) I'm the designated driver, because traffic doesn't bother me. I grew up in the NYC metro- politan area, so even rush hour down here is nothing to me.
Lol! Momala you're too funny
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Was it a bad day?
Or was it a bad five minutes that you milked all day?
