3 Ways to Stay Calm in the Face of Noise on the Street

Count until you feel calm again.

You may be the grumpy person in your family or like a grumpy character in a movie or TV show, who has to do some math to avoid getting angry outbursts. This kind of self-soothing is classic and can prevent you from acting out of anger, and can also help when you're feeling angry.

• Count for about a minute. If you focus on your breathing and distract yourself from the triggers of your anger by counting, you will stop yourself from thinking about the guilty person or the disturbing situation and gradually calm yourself down.
• If you don't feel better after one minute, try counting again for the next few minutes. The key is to stop yourself from angry thoughts so you can skip the fuss.

Try using the “hand yoga” technique. Hand yoga is stretching and stretching/relaxing the muscles in your hands. The name may sound strange, but for some it is a wonderful way to relieve stress. However, make sure that you remove one hand from the steering wheel only when you are stopped at a red light.

• Stretch your fingers and both hands as much as possible.
• Hold this position for a few seconds, then relax again.
• Bend each finger into the palm of your hand, pressing gently with your thumb. Hold, then release.
• Flex your wrists and bend each joint one at a time to relax the muscles and joints.

Resist the urge within you to retaliate. If someone cuts your way or is driving at a speed that is too slow, you will usually be honking, yelling, swearing, or displaying inappropriate body language. This may make you feel better for a moment, but it will have a bad influence on the other driver, and can lead to both parties getting into a more chaotic situation.

• Avoid body movements that arouse anger. This includes honking the horn, flashing the headlights, or clenching a fist. Any of these actions will almost certainly provoke anger and violent reactions.
• Try to avoid behavior that risks triggering a reaction, even if it might just be screaming. If you are cursing at another driver and your car window happens to be open, chances are that the driver heard your voice and responded aggressively.

Keep your driving distance. Some people want to drive very close when their lane is cut or if another driver is “guilty” against them. This is a very potentially dangerous action. Driving too close increases the risk of an accident, and can anger other drivers.

Use the “four second” rule. When the brake lights or turn signal lights of the vehicle in front of you come on, start counting and slow down your vehicle so you don't get so close to the vehicle in front of you that it reaches its position before four seconds

Stay Safe When Other Drivers Become Aggressive

1. Stay calm. If someone cuts you off track, honks, screams, or flashes your headlights at you, you could be feeling scared or nervous. The most important thing is that you must remain calm, and act as safely as possible in order to arrive at your destination safely.

   

   • Keep your emotions in check when you see other drivers' aggressive behavior.
   • Know your emotional state, and drive as safely as possible.
   • Try to make yourself as comfortable as possible to stay calm. Turn on the air conditioning in your car, and adjust your seat position (if you can do so safely), so that you can drive the car comfortably.
   • Remember that in the end, it's just a traffic nuisance. Don't let the bad behavior of other drivers ruin your day. After all, if you allow emotions to overflow, it can put your own life at risk.

2. Try not to make eye contact. If someone is showing signs of aggressive behavior, for example by honking their horn, blinking their headlights, or driving aggressively, make sure that you avoid eye contact with the driver. Experts warn that a distracted driver who sees you making eye contact with him will perceive eye contact as your aggressive response to him, and this assumption can lead to an attack.

   

   • Give a signal that another driver can pass you (if he is trying to pass your vehicle).
   • Keep your eyes focused on the road in front of you. You don't even look at the other drivers.

3. Drive safely. If someone is acting aggressively, the best way to respond is to let them get past you. If the driver is in front of you, observe his movements so that you can remain careful and safe. But if he's behind you, he may be able to follow you or try to do more aggressive things.

   

   • If an aggressive driver is trying to pass you, so be it.
   • Whenever someone wants to take your path, just let it go (if you can safely do so anyway).
   • Try to avoid braking too suddenly by always setting your sights on the road in front of you and occasionally looking left and right to avoid danger.
   • Do not follow or drive too close to the vehicle in front of you.
   • Avoid blocking other people's lanes, as this can make other drivers angry or impatient.

4. Think positively about the reasons for other drivers' actions. When another driver cuts into your lane, changes lanes without turning on a turn signal, turns toward you, or engages in aggressive behavior toward another vehicle, you may assume that the driver is intentionally being mean to you. In fact, he may not see you, or he may be going through some urgency. Maybe he's on his way to the hospital, and isn't trying to target you on purpose.

   

   • Remember that humans can make mistakes, even while behind the wheel. You may also have made some mistakes.
   • Some extreme situations, such as unfavorable health conditions or the death of a loved one, can lead people to act beyond their control.
   • Before you make bad assumptions about an aggressive driver honking or displaying offensive body language, remember that the person may be going through something you don't know about.

5. Seek help if you need it. If someone is following you and clearly intends to act aggressively, do not return home or work. This will make you an easy target for violence, as well as give the ill-intentioned driver where you work or live. Instead, try driving to a safe place with lots of other people, or where you can get help from a police officer.

   

   • Keep your locks on and close your car windows. Don't get out of the car, regardless of what other drivers try to infuriate you.
   • The next time someone is following you, take another, safer route, even if it means you'll be late at your destination.
   • Go to the nearest police station. If a driver is following you with the intent to harm you, he will think twice if you stop at the police station.
   • If you can't get to the nearest police station, try going to a crowded area and call the police from that crowded area.
   • While you should always avoid talking on the phone while driving, if someone is clearly following you, you should call the police before you stop at the side of the road.

6. Keep your priorities in mind. When the situation heats up, it's very tempting to treat someone's aggressive behavior with anger too. However, this will be to your detriment. Many people were injured or even killed in street fights with other drivers. Remember that responding to anger with anger will lead to an even greater flame of chaos.

   

   • Try putting photos of your loved ones on your car dashboard. This can help remind you that you could lose a loved one if you are caught by the police for aggressive behavior or even killed by the violent actions of another angry person.
   • Remember that aggressive behavior can get you injured or dead, or hurt/die someone else. This is very detrimental to you.
   • Driving is not a competition. You and others on the road will want to get home safely and meet loved ones.

   Avoiding Noise in the Streets Due to Your Own Actions

   1. Check your mood before driving. If you leave your home or workplace angry, annoyed, or disappointed, there's a good chance you may become angry over a trivial event down the road. The easiest way to avoid a ruckus on the road is to take some time to cool off before driving, to get rid of any emotions or anger.

      

      • Before you get angry, examine the condition of your own heart and emotions.
      • Ask yourself if there is anything emotional that has made you angry during the last few hours. If you leave the house, this may take the form of an argument with your spouse or neighbor. If you leave work, this may take the form of several possible events at work.
      • Observe for yourself how you deal with whatever stresses you out that day. Think about times when you became impatient with other people, lost control of your emotions, or had angry thoughts towards other people.
      • Find a way to cool off before you drive. If you can take a short walk to clear your head, try it. If not, try sitting in your car and meditating for a few minutes first until you feel calm again.

   2. Drive fully awake and aware. Research shows that if a person is extremely tired, he or she is prone to losing emotional control, and this can be dangerous when driving. In addition, he should be well rested and fully sober. It is very important for a driver to be conscious, and to be aware that alcohol can lower your level of consciousness and make you irritable or prone to fighting (as well as having a bad effect on your ability to drive).

      

      • Try to keep snacks with you in your car, as sometimes a hungry driver's emotions can be triggered by a commotion on the road.
      • Drive when you are well rested, full and fully awake, as this is the safest state to drive.

   3. Take extra time. If you're heading somewhere important, take extra time to anticipate traffic situations. That way you won't be stressed if you get stuck in traffic jams, and you'll be less likely to get involved in a commotion on the road.

      

      • Of course, you know that you should leave the house early in order to anticipate the length of your regular commute and the possible traffic jams.
      • Contact your local transportation service department, or get the latest police reports and news about the traffic situation around you. There may be an accident or roadwork that you didn't know about.
      • Several websites belonging to the local transport service department show the calculation of travel times for road users. This calculation will ask your departure and destination locations and the required arrival time at your destination, and compare it with the current traffic situation information that matches your travel route.

   4. Avoid traffic jams as much as possible. If you live in the suburbs, you may have a limited choice of route, but if you live near an urban area, you may be able to explore a variety of route options to avoid traffic jams.

      

      • If you are traveling with at least two passengers, you can take the “three in one” route (a route that requires at least three people in one car). Be aware of local regulations, as there are several locations that apply this kind of driving regulation.
      • Avoid traffic jams. These jam hours vary by location, but the worst traffic jams usually occur between 7 and 10 am and between 4 and 7 pm.
      • Download and use the traffic information application. This application can detect congestion and provide information on other routes to your destination. However, just make sure to activate it before you drive, because driving while using a mobile phone can cause accidents.

   5. Use public transportation. A surefire way to avoid a ruckus on the road is not to drive at all. If you live in a large city, you will most likely be able to take advantage of the local public transport system. Even though you may not live in a metropolitan area like Jakarta, your city usually also has public transportation, such as buses or trains.

      

      • Using public transportation reduces stress from driving. You can read, listen to music, or take a rest while the public transport driver deals with the traffic situation.
      • Most public transport options charge a fairly affordable transportation fee, and when compared to the price of fuel and the cost of parking on a private vehicle, taking the bus or train may be cheaper than driving.
      • Although this public transport route may not directly pass through the location where you live, you can walk or bike to the nearest bus stop or station. Your area of residence may have a public parking area so you can drive to that parking area and then use public transportation from the nearest bus stop or station.
      • Learn about the public transportation system in your city by doing an online search for bus stops or train lines in your city.

   Tips

   • Be the adult in all situations.
   • If an angry driver is trying to follow you or throw something at your vehicle, stay calm and call the police or local freeway. Try to remember the characteristics of the car, the driver, and the license plate number (if possible), to report to the police.
   • Remember that anyone who tries to upset you or be aggressive on the street usually has personal problems. This problem has nothing to do with you at all. They actually deserve pity, because there is something wrong with them.
   • If you tend to drive aggressively and get into a commotion on the road, consider getting specialized counseling so that you can address your anger/aggression problems before more serious problems arise.

   Warning

   • If your children are in the car, try to avoid inappropriate words and bad actions. Remember, kids will copy all of that and do it.
   • Noise on the street is definitely not safe. Try to stay calm, no matter what.
   • Resist the urge to deal with other drivers' anger of any kind. A friendly wave or even a genuine smile can be seen as rude or defiant behavior, and can provoke further anger in other drivers.
   • Do not stop the vehicle to make noise with other people. Keep your windows closed and your car doors locked. Go to the nearest police station or a crowded place. On the way, drive calmly, and if possible, turn left at least four times. People following you may give up, because you're just driving in circles.
   • Keep your eyes on the road in front of you. Averting your eyes, even for a moment, can cause an accident or annoy another angry driver.