Street Punks - The Real Bane of Our Streets

What has happened to our drivers? Has the pressure of rising oil, cost of living, the seemingly shortening time, demands at work, home and family, or the rising mercury thermostat be the caused of violent outburst on the streets.

There have been several cases of road rage or violent outburst amongst road users as a result of traffic accident or traffic related disputes. And those violent outburst will more than often result in one assaulting the other. If you are thinking that the violent outburst are only limited to those who spent more time on the streets and thus are exposed to the streets elements than think again. Now and again seemingly well mannered individual with respected job are falling into the violent swirl of road rage. One might begin to wonder what is the cause of it.

Road rage (also road violence) is the informal name for deliberately dangerous and/or violent behavior under the influence of heightened, violent emotion such as anger and frustration, involving an automobile in use. This can involve deliberately hitting another person or vehicle or object with his/her own vehicle. Other possibilities include hitting the person or vehicle with an item which is not his vehicle, but which ultimately hits another person or vehicle.

The latest incident of road rage happened just recently when a taxi driver who was enraged that his path was blocked by an incoming lorry and that the victim who was at his rear honking him to give way loses his temper and rained 15 blows on the driver causing a fractured cheekbone. Though one may argued that it takes two hands to clap, does the act justify the reaction. Many would say that one had not been pushed to the brink of insanity he or she will never had reacted in the manner that he had. But we have to understand that act of road violence no matter what the cause are should not and cannot be condoned. Singapore roads as it is are packed with cars 24/7 and that we are always exposed to the elements of inconsiderate driving by others who shares the same streets as we do. But does that mean that we should resort to violence whenever someone cuts across our path.

Former Chief Justice Yong Pung How has made in mandotory for any person charged for road rage to serve a minimum jail sentence as a general deterence to others. He declared in 1992 that jail sentences should be dealt to all road-rage offenders and few people convicted of the crime have escaped jail.

But the seemingly tough sentencing practise does not seems to abate the situation. We are seeing and reading more cases of road violence in Singapore over the years. Just this year several cases were reported in the newspaper. Last month, an avid cyclist was attacked by a man and woman after an incident involving their van. In April, a couple heading home late at night had a nightmare ride in a taxi after the cabby honked at another car. The driver, in his rage, nearly caused a collision. A major in the Singapore army is appealing a road rage conviction after he was accused of headbutting a car passenger. On 4 Mar this year, a motorist was jailed for a week for fighting with a delivery rider over a road traffic incident. In April last year, a cabby was fined $1,000 when he was convicted of road rage, hitting a school bus driver with a metal rod. He is appealing his conviction.

Could the increasing number of road rage cases in Singapore be reflective of the stressful working environment that we all are in. Many of us have an impulse to "flip off" or curse at a driver who annoys us. Most of us don't do it; or we curse quietly. Others of us honk or flash our lights to express our annoyance. A few of us take out our shotguns and fire at other drivers. Could this be a sign of mental breakdown of pathological illness?

As traffic ground to a halt on the Pan Island Expressway at the exit of the Central Expressway, I noticed myself becoming extremely impatient. I was in no particular hurry, to get home but I did not want to just sit there in the car waiting for the traffic to clear. Cars started using the shoulder blatantly to whiz by me, and I found myself getting irritated at them. I asked myself, if they have the audacity to do it, I don't see why I shoudl not. Eventually I used the shoulder myself for a short distance to get off at the nearest exit. I was able to drive down a few hundred meters passed by several cars who I dare not looked at, as I have this funny feeling of their piercing eyes and fould mouths all looking and cursing at me at the same time. I told myself for the next one week, I should not buy 4D or TOTO as I will never be able to win with the amount of curses that I have been receiving unknowingly. However before long, the road shoulder disappears magically as it appears and I am becoming stuck again as I approached the exit. As I merged in with another lane of traffic a car quickly drove beside me to keep me from entering the lane. It began to feel like a competition. I kept driving and she kept driving. She screamed something at me which I have no idea about and I stopped to let her continue. My heart was pounding as I pulled into the lane behind her. Cursing at her and her mother and her parents before her.

Was this woman suffering from a mental disorder or was I? Some of our driving behavior may stem from our innate territoriality. Ask ourself, we all take significantly longer to leave a parking place if we notice someone else is waiting for it We seem to be saying "I have this space right now, and I won't give it up until I'm ready." Driving slowly in the "fast lane" seems to be conveying a similar message. Cars also provide some degree of anonymity. It feels like it is my car against your car rather than me against. you. This anonymity may allow us to act out impulses we would never act out face-to-face. As the roads and expressways become more crowded these problems will only get worse.

One of the bests way to avoid becoming a victim of a "road rage" driver is to consciously avoid responding in kind. Remember that what may appear to be harassment may be simply a mistake in driving. One study found that a large percentage of drivers reported having been tailgated, but only a very much small number admitted to having tailgated others. If the other driver's aggressive behavior is intentional, the best thing to do is to avoid eye contact and get out of the way. Don't allow driving to become a competition. Remember our lives as it is, is already very stressful, why should we contribute more to it.