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I always wondered why it is that when people are driving, even someone who is normally a nice and patient person, all the sudden turn into screaming maniacs.
Traffic can turn the most gentle man into a madman.
Lots of people are nice and polite to their friends but show a completely different side to the unknown people.
It’s almost Adar, so I am going to be a shtikel Purim torahesque.
Maasei Chol (everyday activities) tell a lot about a man (or woman). In fact, I have heard various sayings similar to “you can see who a bochur is by how he plays basketball.” Is he sort of go through the motions (well everyone else is playing so I am going to mozy up and down the floor), does he ballhog, is he is selfless, is he aggressive, does he shot long jumpers instead of use his energy to drive – I could continue)
A normal person who commutes to work by car spends a good time of their life in a car. It’s a tremendous time to gain great middos, talk to the King (but don’t do it too oddly), and learn some Torah (via tape – don’t try to daven and drive…well not too often). It also can be a good time to relax – some good music, interesting news, or talk show. The reason why people have road rage is because they feel their drive is in a between time from where they were to where they are going. In fact, it is b’etzem an activity b’fnei atzmo (by itself). It should be treated with thought and positivity. It’s not that people who are honking like mishugoyim are bad people c’v. They are not who they are in the car – but the issue is they don’t feel they need to be who they in the car. That’s an issue.
There are so many great car activities. That’d be a great thread to m’chazek the time spent in the car, and go k’neged the poor middos some people do have behind the wheel.
DQB
I can give you plenty of straphanger rage. Barely a day goes by, without some stalled train of sick passenger.
If you ever travel in a “heimish” bus you’ll see that the passengers are generally calm — despite traffic snarls. Besides for more options of stuff to do (espcially napping…) and being in public, sitting in the driver’s seat unfortunately gives one a false sense of control. When things get in the way and disrupt that notion — heavy traffic, other bad drivers etc., many simply lose it.
So basically driving is a good time to reinforce our belief that Hashem runs the world, we don’t.
Thanks…
In all areas of life, we encounter people who are self-centered, careless or annoying. Usually we’re able to deal with them without “losing it”.
When we drive, we also encounter people who are self-centered, careless, or annoying…only now, their behavior is putting us in danger!
That’s why it’s much harder to deal with it calmly.
But we do try.
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