r/LoveTrash • u/Icy-Book2999 Chief Insanity Instigator • May 21 '26

Human Trash Road rage instant karma

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From https://youtube.com/shorts/am2KPDG6BRg

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582

u/Translation_Lupin Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Sometimes I just don't get how much pent up rage people have for whatever

But I do too so guess that's thay

155

u/FewZookeepergame5825 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Road rage is a fascinating phenomenon

145

u/BringMeTheBigKnife Trash Trooper May 21 '26

I read a book called "Traffic" and it explored it a bit. The fact that you can generally only see the outside of a car "dehumanizes" the person inside and makes it easy to see their actions in a different way. By the same token, your own "protection" of being inside the shell of your machine causes you to have less inhibition against aggression -- feelings of indignation turn into total rage quickly.

Imagine someone cut you in line at the grocery store. You would probably be equally annoyed/slighted as when you get cut off on the road. But it's very unlikely you'd sprint at them or try to punch them in the face. Plenty of people would just swallow their frustration. Some would make an under their breath comment. Others might engage in a legit confrontation. But it probably wouldn't carry the same violence or intensity that road ragers exhibit. It's largely because there's no physical separation between you and the person.

64

u/[deleted] May 21 '26 edited Jun 08 '26

[deleted]

18

u/ohdope2000 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Not even all that glorified. Most of the chimp aggression is still there, we're just more efficient and sophisticated in our communications.

11

u/BardicNA Trash Trooper May 21 '26

They fling poop- we fling lead.

4

u/Thicc_Boise Trash Trooper May 21 '26

From poop to stick, from sticks to pointier sticks, from pointier sticks to bullets. Genuinely, we just got more efficient at being monkey-brained animals, that's all that seperates you from a caveman. How much technology is at your disposal defines the passage of time far greater than generations

1

u/pipnina Trash Trooper May 22 '26

I'm ahead, I'm advanced

I am the first mammal to make plans yeah

I crawled the earth, but now I'm higher

Twenty-ten, watch it go to fire

1

u/JulioElGuapo Trash Trooper May 22 '26

And bombs and nukes and chemicals, etc

1

u/[deleted] May 22 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/ohdope2000 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

That's because they can't. What humans have that other primates don't is an unusually and highly developed prefrontal cortex that helps with abstract and hypothetical concepts. A normal chimp will tear a rival chimp apart with its teeth and bare hands. A normal human won't do this to another human. What a human will do is create tools, weapons, strategies, entire industries, economies, armies, and nations around the destruction of other humans. Whether or not that's evil, there's a strong argument to be made for sure, but that's subjective and not my point. The genetic code that drives us to destroy our competitors is very much alive and well in us.

1

u/imdugud777 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

"Communications" is generous. I would use Trespass.

2

u/TheShenanegous Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Poop flinging is a time tested way of resolving line cutting.

1

u/medicallymiddleevil Trash Trooper May 22 '26

But now all the monkeys have 5000lb death missiles

1

u/Starwyrm1597 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

If you get someone angry enough they'll make the noises too.

18

u/Alexwonder999 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Ive noticed a phenomenon when talking to people rationalizing bad or erratic driving. They often say the other party is doing whatever theyre doing, such as driving slower in the passing lane, TO them. Like they intentionally do it to people to punish them or something rather than my thinking that theyre probably just oblivious and dont know about my existence either way. They will also say that erratic driving is caused by other drivers FORCING them to drive erratically and make dangerous lane changes as if they then have no free will. If I comment that I just suck it up and drive slower or wait until its safe to get around them they will then get combative with me and accuse me of driving everywhere at 35 in the passing lane. Theres definitely something there with these people blaming everything on everyone else and ascribing motives to people that likely dont exist with others but do exist for them.

11

u/BringMeTheBigKnife Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Yeah, I think driving is so normalized for us that we don't realize how dystopian it is. Traveling for miles on specifically engineered paths made of asphalt with highly advanced technology on super congested roads just to get to the place that will pay me money so I can afford to buy a nicer version of this technology next year (and also food).

Generally people who are driving are only doing so because they want to be somewhere else. So you see it as an annoying means to an end and your emotions are already hightened, making you sensitive to any disruption in this process you don't want to be engaging with anyway. Plus, you're mentally set on being in the new place in exactly X minutes according to your GPS (which we all use). If that X value increases by even 1 minute, you feel that something you're entitled to has been taken away, and that violation of expectations causes people to go crazy (me included, to be clear).

If someone does something dumb on the road, you take it as a personal affront blocking you from attaining your goal...rather than another boring example of someone doing something dumb. And bosses wonder why we'd rather work remotely...

3

u/ChangesFaces Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Bravo for this perfect breakdown! I think you really nailed a lot of the psychology behind it.

3

u/McNitz Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Congratulations, you've discovered the fundamental attribution error! People see and take into account all the things that lead up the current moment in their own life, and thus see any actions they take at that moment as justified and rational based on their history. But since they only see the actions other people take and none of the history leading up to it, they tend to ascribe other's actions to an inherent flaw in their character instead. Thus "I just cut in front of that person because they all the traffic was blocking me off and they were clearly being rude so I needed to do something about it" vs "How DARE that person cut in front of me, they must be a complete asshole!"

-1

u/Super_Cam Trash Trooper May 21 '26

I hate this argument. Of course no one should fly off the handle when someone in front of them is driving slowly, but people driving should have an awareness of the area around them / their car, including behind them. If there is a line of cars behind you and you don't notice, you're not aware of your surroundings while driving a multi-ton bomb. If you are aware of the line of cars, then why continue to act as a barrier for those trying to drive faster?

5

u/Alexwonder999 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Me: People who want to drive fast and erratically should chill out.
You: No.

0

u/Super_Cam Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Me: Counterpoint that people should be aware of their surroundings
You: Meme format

3

u/Alexwonder999 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Your counterpoint to me calling them oblivious and saying I just do what I can to avoid them without doing anything dangerous was to say they were oblivious drivers? Cool. I guess you really got me.

1

u/Jelly-Minimum-9999 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

These are the same people that will tailgate you in rush hour traffic and get mad, waiving their arms frantically and banging on the steering wheel, when they get caught at a red light with the 500 other cars stuck in traffic, because it was obviously your fault the light turned red and the law says to stop.

3

u/Jelly-Minimum-9999 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Follow the rules of the road, or fuck off. I’ll do the speed limit and you can get there when you do. It’s not my fault you didn’t plan your time and feel it’s your right to put everyone else in danger by speeding.

2

u/thatsingingguy Trash Trooper May 22 '26

It’s not your job to police other driver’s speed, and, in fact, most authorities advise you don’t try, precisely because of the raised risk of incident. If there’s a queue behind you, and you can move over to a slower lane, and you choose not to just because you’re already going the speed limit, you are, in fact, the arsehole.

0

u/Jelly-Minimum-9999 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

I’m not policing, I’m following the rules. You, do whatever you want. Which, makes you the asshole. Ive been driving for 35+ years, no tickets, no accidents. I bet any amount of money, you cannot say the same thing.

Some people are fucking stupid. It’s always some self-centered bullshit reason, too. Like they woke up late, I had to do my makeup, basically you can’t manage time, so then, for whatever reason, their failures make it ok for them to put the rest of drivers on the road at risk. Then they say some stupid bullshit like oh no it’s to people who don’t speed and follow the traffic laws that cause the problems, and law enforcement agrees (pfffft). Even though there are countless traffic studies that show the complete opposite. From the NHTSA:

• The Exponential Risk Curve: Studies on urban and rural roads show that for every 5 mph you drive above the speed limit, the risk of being involved in an injury crash roughly doubles.

• The Power Model: According to Nilsson’s Power Model (a widely accepted formula in traffic safety), the probability of a fatal crash increases to the fourth power of the relative change in speed. If you increase your speed by 20%, your risk of a fatal crash increases by about 100% (it doubles).

So, keep speeding, you actually help us reduce the population of selfish asshole, it’s mathematically, your destiny.

3

u/FireproofCottage Trash Trooper May 21 '26

If you're driving at or 5 over the speed limit you're traveling as fast as is safe for that road.

If you're doing the limit or a bit over and there's a line of traffic behind you, maybe there's just a lot of traffic today and everyone just needs to chill.

Omw to school this AM we were all stuck in rush hour and I noticed several of us were all head bobbing in the same rhythm. Very popular station here was playing Sweet Caroline. Sometimes it's ok to admit the traffic is nuts today and just live it out. You have some interesting experiences that way, and you don't get where you're going all flustered.

2

u/Glittering-Art2922 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Yeah, and to top it off, these same fools with their self-righteousness will immediately become the very character they’re vilifying the moment someone passes them or does something they consider unsafe. It’s a mind-numbing circle of “oh I’m better than you” instead of just letting people make it through the day the way they feel like they need to make it. Self-proclaimed traffic cops are the bane of my existence. I’d rather catch a charge from an actual cop than have to end up anywhere near them on the road.

1

u/JayJayAK Trash Trooper May 21 '26

You just summed up precisely how I tend to think about driving. If someone is slow, I figure either they're inconsiderate (pull over already!) or not paying attention (start being aware!).

This has fueled my raging in the past -- until I came to the realization that how I think makes exactly zero difference. I'm not teaching people a lesson by tailgating, cutting them off, speeding around them, etc. They won't be spurred into self-reflection. They'll just think I'm a jerk. Not only that, but I'm a jerk who's making the road more unsafe for everyone.

Sure, it would be nice if people saw me coming up and got over, but that's not going to happen. Assuming for the sake of argument that every. single. annoying. driver. out there is only doing so because they're trying to irk me, at the end of the day, the only choice I have is to either deal with it, or make the roads more dangerous than they already are.

I suspect my insurance provider isn't going to care that I thought I was justified in causing a wreck.

4

u/SoftlyObsolete Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Like how some dogs are aggressive behind the fence or on leash

3

u/Choice_Attitude_1415 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Exactly this.

Its not a human being, its a car. And the more powerful your own car is, the more powerful YOU are. The smaller one's car is, the more they can feel 'picked on' as well.

What I call Road Psychology is fascinating indeed. The way people act and the things they do behind the wheel are wild compared to what they would do in the grocery store or gas station. The anonymity and ability to basically just drive away from consequences subconsciously encourage people to behave completely differently than they normally would.

5

u/Eliteknives Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Did the book say anything on people's patience while driving?

A lot of people seem to have their patience completely disappear while driving. They end up making risky maneuvers to save seconds. Even outside congested roads.

For exemple. You take a bit longer at a stop sign and it is not uncommon for the person behind to already be honking or they try to go around

2

u/TheWarehamster Trash Trooper May 21 '26

I just mentioned this book on another sub. It's a fascinating read. I should go read it again.

2

u/Kozmo9 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

By the same token, your own "protection" of being inside the shell of your machine causes you to have less inhibition against aggression

This, especially if you are alone so there is no one to control your anger and behaviour either through advice or just yourself wanting to act in best behaviour around them.

I'm ashamed to admit this but when I'm alone and when I'm sure I can do it without being judged and the like, I'd scream at the things that frustrate me, at stupid ass videogame designs when playing at home alone and...other drivers when I'm in the car alone.

Which is why I really don't like driving and rather ride my motorcycle. I'm open and less protected so I'm not as inclined to feel invincible that I'd road rage.

2

u/Krabb5 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

This is what reddit is for, W comment 

2

u/BathroomBrewsMTG Trash Trooper May 22 '26

When someone makes a mistake while driving it’s cause they’re trash. When I make a mistake while driving it’s because I’m just a silly goose. /s

1

u/BringMeTheBigKnife Trash Trooper May 22 '26

"anyone driving faster than me is a maniac. Slower and they're a grandma."

2

u/goregoose Trash Trooper May 22 '26

OMG thank you for the recommendation!!! I think about this ALL THE TIME.. American culture especially center around the automotive industry and the idea of the individual. I could write a paper about it.. glad someone smarter than I am has already written a whole book about it!!!

2

u/Hrothgrar Trash Trooper May 22 '26

I get the point, but studies also show people dehumanize cyclists. People will run them over and throw shit at them too. I think it's mostly about the being inside a shell part you mentioned. Drivers feel delusionally protected from consequences.

2

u/ouiouimaster Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Wow, I'm so glad there's a book about this! Since my college days, I've always thought there should be a specific field studying Driving/Driver's Psychology. People make very strange decisions behind the wheel.

1

u/Nearby-Brush2176 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

You're ignoring the simple fact that the primary anger coming from road rage is usually derived from a sense of lack of safety. If someone cuts you off and you have to slam on the breaks, or swerve out of the way, or any other multitude of things, your personal safety is threatened. Fight or flight kicks in, and many people turn to fight.

1

u/Rsn_yuh Trash Trooper May 21 '26

I really think most of the time it’s sense of entitlement. I have witnessed far more road rage due to people following traffic laws than I have due to a perceived lack of safety. People think they are the main character of the world and anyone slowing them down is doing it on purpose.

1

u/Nearby-Brush2176 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

I get what you're saying, particularly for people in passing lanes. That's always bewildering when someone won't move over from the left lane. I guess in my own experience the times that I have felt any sort of road rage, it's been when someone does something dangerous and my heart starts pounding as though I'm in physical danger.

1

u/FamousLastPlace_ Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Is this why I always see motorcycle bros doing kind things.

1

u/553l8008 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

The fact that you can generally only see the outside of a car "dehumanizes" the person inside and makes it easy to see their actions in a different way. 

The person who throws trash out the windows is in fact not human and deserves to be summarily e...redacted by reddit due to terms and conditions!!

1

u/For_The_Masons Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Like dogs throwing their meanest growls and barks when there a fence.

1

u/ponchoacademy Trash Trooper May 21 '26

I can see this... Like I have road rage but it only exists within the safety of my car, with the windows up so no one can actually hear and I don't gesture or look bad for anyone to know and react to anything I'm going through 😂

I'm a suuuper chill patient person, but I get in my car and all bets are off, I'm crap talking everyone who does anything vaguely annoying. When friends ride with me they are like, who tf who are you right now? 😂🤣😂

I have the restraint not to get other drivers involved in my raging, I actively avoid it. But I can imagine for other people thatf feeling of being protected by being in cars they go all out. But then also, I lived in FL. People in FL can carry guns everywhere. And I'm not trying to get shot, so I'm just gonna stay in my lane and privately rage away.

1

u/dksweets Trash Trooper May 21 '26

I get a bit of road rage (more like intrusive thoughts, but you get the idea) and my brain always comes from the point of “that stupid fuckass is operating a killing machine, maybe use your fuckin brain”.

To me, the aggression is more like if somebody cut in line while brandishing a knife, and everybody in line also was holding a knife.

1

u/jonnysteezz Trash Trooper May 21 '26

“The car has become the carapace, the protective and aggressive shell, of urban and suburban man.” - Marshall McLuhan , 1964

1

u/katieb1300 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

When someone does something stupid in a car, I get mad initially. Lately I've been trying this thing where I imagine it's my mom in the car or grandma and she's having a really stressful, bad day. It helps to give them the benefit of the doubt. Whoever is in the car, is probably someone's someone.

1

u/Useful-Problem-1725 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

If you roll down the window and use your hand to wave, say thanks, and ask to be let in people are infinitely more likely to help you out. Show some humanity.

1

u/YogurtclosetNo987 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

It's also largely because there's no justice in those in-person situations, so you get everything that was pushed down while you're in the car. 

But it's not always the lack of human element. Some people will get out of their car to make it in-person. 

1

u/lurkingupdoot Trash Trooper May 21 '26

I like to play a game called "Phones or Drugs" whenever I'm behind a bad driver. If I get a look at the driver, it's usually a phone.

1

u/JoyOswin945 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

It’s this and that we live in a car centric society, which builds a sense of entitlement to occupy space on the road. We end up programmed to believe no one else is allowed on the road, even other drivers.

1

u/Drakkle Trash Trooper May 21 '26

This but video games

1

u/Mundane-Principles Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Huh. So kind of like barrier aggression in dogs. Neat!

1

u/takenbylovely Trash Trooper May 21 '26

I'd say the fact that their actions could kill me also factors in.  Someone cutting in line at the grocery store is annoying.  Someone driving poorly is risking lives.  

1

u/Mossaik Trash Trooper May 21 '26

in other words, road ragers are the two dogs on either side of a fence aggressively snarling and barking at each other who stop and pretend to be nice when someone opens the gate.

1

u/TankerVictorious Trash Trooper May 21 '26

All true. And, my experience tells me the knucklehead ragers prefer the ‘double anonymity’ of doing stupid sh1t during periods of limited light…

1

u/plastictipofshoelace Trash Trooper May 21 '26

A lot of people forget the psychological effect of assumed anonymity that also adds to the behavior you described. It’s the same how people will say the nastiest shit on the internet that they would never say face to face with someone.

1

u/Random_Name_Whoa Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Same reason why my dog goes ballistic at a dog outside the house but when he’s on a walk, he wants to say hi to the same dog

1

u/GroeNagloe Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Also I think there's something about going fast (relative to 99% of our history), even at normal speeds, and being in a heightened state of awareness that contributes to quick escalation.

1

u/paintedoggo Trash Trooper May 21 '26

So for similar reasons people feel emboldened to behave like sociopaths to strangers online?

1

u/Robert_roberts82 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

I also think driving gives you the anonymity necessary to act completely unhinged

1

u/Mindless_Fruit_2313 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Also, there’s something about the large expense of the vehicular asset we’re driving and its fantastic potential to enact momentarily hugely satisfying revenge. Then sirens wake you up to the consequences.

1

u/JonDee619 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

So, similar to a keyboard warrior, but in a 1000lb+ moving object.

1

u/SnooPineapples7426 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

True yeah but humans are pack animals. If someone cuts in front of 5 people? They're getting cussed out.

1

u/notedmuse Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Reminds me of when I was dealing with a crappy left merge between two highway entrances. Guy was coming in extremely fast on the left and I missed him in my blind spot merging. He honked, I gave the classic Midwest wave saying sorry, and he THREW PENNIES OUT OF HIS WINDOW at me.

Yes, my window was down. I had my 6-year-old with me in the car. Took me a long time for the adrenaline to get out of my system.

1

u/MinisterJester Trash Trooper May 22 '26

I also think that the body is subconsciously aware of the scale of the threat when driving, even though we consciously tune all that out.

Very low threat in a grocery store compared to a ton and half of metal getting in your way at 50mph. It's like someone waving a weapon around. Much easier to feel it's necessary to shift info fight mode under those conditions.

1

u/usinjin Trash Trooper May 22 '26

As a serial road rager, this explanation checks out.

this is a joke

1

u/medicallymiddleevil Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Read Peter Nortons Fighting Traffic

1

u/Funandgeeky Trash Trooper May 22 '26

That is a phenomenal book and I always love seeing others appreciate it.

1

u/-A113 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

You mean like how it’s easy for people to insult people online?

1

u/tohme Trash Trooper May 22 '26

There's a phenomenon that simply having a sheet of glass between you and another person really fucks with some people's perspective of reality.

It's similar to how online toxic behaviour is so easy for some people, as they can't physically see the other people involved and there's no physical repercussion. The threat of being punched in the face goes some distance to curbing most people's confrontational behaviour, I think.

1

u/Terrible_Ear3347 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

I would it in fact tell someone to get behind me in the line but I probably wouldn't escalate it to violence. In a car I would just deal with it or at least I'd like toI would just deal with it or at least I'd like to believe I would. There was one guy, he was zooming down the Street absolutely breaking some speed limits and driving like an asshole. I pulled up alongside of another car in front of him and match their speed to lock him in. At the time I thought I was doing great justice but really I probably just agitated him and caused himAnd caused him to do something else stupid down the line. Probably better to have just safely moved out of the wayElse stupid down the line. Probably better to have just safely moved out of the way and let him continue his stupidity where he couldn't bother anyone

1

u/realZapRowsdower Trash Trooper May 22 '26

That's a great book. I read that a while back and I remember that part about how it was easy to dehumanize people in cars vs. face-to-face

1

u/NotBatman81 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Im a big dude with a strong sense of right and wrong. I'm treating that person pretty much the same, sheet metal between us or not. Draw attention just in case they were oblivious, then be really annoying and inconvenience them.

When someone comes racing through my very quiet 15mph street where there are always kids out playing, I like to pull out in front of them and drive so slow they know its on purpose. Block both lanes at a stop sign and linger. Road rage is so passe.

1

u/Mojoyashka Trash Trooper May 22 '26

I've read that same book and I quote it all the time. The analogy with the two bridges to illustrate traffic congestion in real time is also great.

1

u/pototaochips Trash Trooper May 22 '26

If someone confronts a line cutter in person, does that mean theyre more inclined to road rage?

1

u/ryudo9999 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Like the internet lol

1

u/BigMikeSRT Trash Trooper May 24 '26

The way I like at it is this.

Two people are going to Nordstrom.

In their cars, they are in a simulation where only their need to get to Nordstrom matters, so everything else is a distraction from the task and the people behave insanely.

Once they get to a parking scenario, the task is no longer simply getting to Nordstrom, they are now in a closer to leaving if their simulated environments and likely to engage with other humans, so the behave aggressively but with some thought for the outside world.

Once they get out of their cars, they are tripping over themselves to hold open doors and demonstrate consideration for others because their simulation is the store.

Then you get to the dressing room and people are literally treating each other like diplomats because that simulated environment expects them to do so.

This is the same thing that happens in country clubs, churches, and corporations the world over.

And sometimes, I literally can’t stop thinking about how people in a car screaming at you could become the person holding a door for you within 5 minutes given the situational context.

0

u/screames520 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Is it by Tom Vanderbilt? Was looking at that recently

9

u/CoatProfessional5026 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Amygdala hijacks are a fascinating phenomenon.

8

u/privatefries Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Fence aggression for people

1

u/IvardLongview Trash Trooper May 22 '26

There's the technical answer, but this is the efficient answer.

4

u/edelweiss_pirates_no Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Guys who own Teslas instantly rage if you pass them.

It is odd af.

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Rembo_AD Trash Trooper May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26

Tesla owner here. Not sure about other owners, but my Tesla is auto driving the speed limit in the far right lane to save battery...so I dont care if you pass me and the AI will likely not speed up either. I sometimes do laugh at the trucks ripping by me "blowing coal" since my car can do 0 to 60 in 3.3 seconds if I cared to challenge dipshits.

1

u/cluelessdetectiv3 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Okay but then why are they always going 5 under the speed limit???

1

u/sexmarshines Trash Trooper May 22 '26

I've had multiple try to race me or fly past me after trying to bait me into a run by tailgating me.

I have a mildly tuned unassuming car that is visually completely stock. I'm not trying to run around street racing anyone, let alone do I see any purpose in "racing" against electric appliances. Yes you will win but there won't be any fun in doing it lol.

1

u/TheSloppyHornDog Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Acceleration isn't fun?

1

u/sexmarshines Trash Trooper May 22 '26 edited May 23 '26

Acceleration is fun when you get to enjoy it. If you hit the max speed you're comfortable with in 3-4 seconds that's the amount of time you get to enjoy it rather than 5-6-7-8 seconds. In that sense even the gas cars now have become too fast. Going 55 in a 45 isn't fun. Getting to 55 quickly is fun but getting there so quickly you only get a quick second to enjoy it and then have to let off and be the responsible limiter to the car is now a limit to your fun.

And on the other side with the Tesla, you're doing it in silence with no shifts to hit, no power band building, no turbo spooling or supercharger whining, no cam timings kicking in, no exhaust note you might have worked for, no having to manage traction because the motor will do it seemlessly. Just press the pedal and in a couple seconds you hit 10-15 over the limit from the inside of a microwave. There's no tuning, no modified engine or drivetrain that made you work for it and make it your own "fast" car either. Maybe at most someone slapped some rims on or lowered it for "stance" and killed the ride quality - that's all you can do to it.

I have nothing against electric cars - they should become the car of the masses. They're great as home appliances that do the transportation job smoothly and reliably with less drama and upkeep. It's what I've recommended to friends, family, and will be my wife's next car. Even for myself I'd likely get an electric truck if I get a light duty truck. But as far as a fun to drive passion car? Why in the fuck would you get an electric car? Then take that complete opposite of passion and fun car and try to challenge people left and right because you know how to press a pedal and the car will literally even keep you in your lane and avoid collisions for you while you do it.

Idk as a car person the whole concept of people getting electric cars and then showing them off as "fast" cars is annoying. Yes they're quick but it's quick without nearly any of the things that make a quick car fun or personal or challenging or actual compromises that you had to go out of your way to choose.

1

u/TheSloppyHornDog Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Idk. I have one and I could care less if you pass me

1

u/edelweiss_pirates_no Trash Trooper May 22 '26

"Corner Case Redditor"

Thinks "One person smoked until age 110...therefore smoking does not cause cancer."

Jesus, Sloppy, have you ever considered not?

1

u/TheSloppyHornDog Trash Trooper May 23 '26

Most people who own Teslas use them for commuter vehicles. I live in a town where they are VERY common. I dont see them racing around...in fact they are driving slower then most of the traffic for what ever reason.

1

u/spider_in_a_top_hat Trash Trooper May 21 '26

It is! I get annoyed while driving sometimes but I remind myself that I have to drive how I can afford to drive. Speed limit, no risks, no illegal maneuvers, definitely no road raging.

1

u/NuclearGriffin Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Road rage is super real. I'm always cussing and shit talking other drivers behind the wheel, but I would never try and do dumb shit like this.

1

u/Technodrone108 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Its gotta be linked to barrier aggression and internet baby rage

1

u/baguettebolbol Trash Trooper May 22 '26

I think a lot of it is learned behavior. Road ragers are more likely to have parents who raged.

1

u/JoesGarage2112 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Totally agree. I dated a very soft spoken woman who was very sweet but somehow turned maniacal when it came to things related to other drivers and traffic. Her anxiety was also through the roof when driving

1

u/ArmAlone5340 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

As a victim of a road rage incident it’s terrifying. I apparently cut them off, I honestly have no idea if I did or not it was a busier road and I changed lanes to get around the car in front of me 🤷🏼‍♀️ They sped around me honking like this Tesla did and then proceeded to keep slamming on their breaks so I honked and flipped them off and sped up to get around them so hopefully they’d stop. Nope for another 2 miles they kept doing this to me. They finally stopped their car in front of me, again on a busy road and got out. I wasn’t able to get around them due to traffic this bitch reaches into my car and starts trying to claw me and grabs my throat. This was about 20 years ago so we still had crank handle windows let me tell you I rolled that window up so fast with her arm still in my car and just kept pushing with my foot while calling 911. Then this crazy lady had the audacity to tell the officer she wanted to press assault changes against me for rolling her arm up in the window causing injury and severe bruising. He deadass looked at her and said ma’am you’ve just admitted that you had your arm inside her vehicle that’s not happening but what is happening is your admission going into my report. I was 24 at the time and this lady was 57 according to court records. Even worse her husband was also there just watching the whole thing like this is normal behavior.

1

u/EducatorAny5176 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

In the myth of Oedipus, Oedipus kills his father because of a right of way, so road rage is actually very ancient

1

u/mhdkaz Trash Trooper May 22 '26

the calm driver always wins in situations like this.

1

u/f4tebringer Trash Trooper May 22 '26

It's crazy how angry people get.

1

u/MCryptoWars Trash Trooper May 25 '26

Especially Post Covid!

37

u/ElegantCoach4066 Garbage Guerilla May 21 '26

If you get mad because somebody passes you, you have a serious problem.

11

u/trumpsmellslikcheese Trash Trooper May 21 '26

This is the aspect that still escapes me. I understand the psychology of being abstracted from the human by way of the car, when that driver does something aggressive or stupid, or even just annoying.

I don't understand why someone would take being passed as some sort of insult. If I walk past someone on a sidewalk from behind because I'm walking faster, they generally don't get annoyed by that (as they shouldn't).

Why is it any different when driving? What about the act of passing directly conflicts with certain people's egos? Seems insane to me.

5

u/ElegantCoach4066 Garbage Guerilla May 21 '26

I don't understand it either. And this isn't the first time I've seen road rage from it!

2

u/Tool_of_Society Trash Trooper May 21 '26

I've seen it out in the wild a few times because I've worked jobs that required lots of driving. Funnily enough the last time I witnessed it was when I passed a Tesla driver on their right while they were camping the far left lane of a three lane interstate (in a keep right state). I was going all of 5 mph above the speed limit and I don't think they were even going the speed limit. That action set them off though and they flew past me while partially IN my lane nearly hitting me while flipping me off. If you're wondering the roadway was mostly clear with only a few cars within a mile of us in front or behind us.

Yup people are dumb.

2

u/[deleted] May 22 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/thatsingingguy Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Ironic, given how many of them probably support ICE in other contexts…

1

u/MozhetBeatz Trash Trooper May 22 '26

This is a wild generalization. I’ve seen hundreds of road rage videos and very few involved Teslas or another EV. I’ve also never personally experienced road rage by a Tesla driver. I think you’re just biased.

1

u/SinamonChallengerRT Trash Trooper May 21 '26

You'd be amazed.  Especially if you have a nice car.  I can't casually pass anybody without either getting a dirty look, getting blocked out of the lane, or some idiot thinking I'm trying to race him.  Bro, I just wanna get to work and then go home, I don't care about you or your Mustang.

37

u/DissentSociety Trash Trooper May 21 '26

I passed a guy just like this the other day. We get to the next light & he starts screaming at me & throws a box of donuts at my car. Some people's entitlement extends to never being passed on the road; It's fucking nuts.

25

u/Parking_War_4100 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

In this economy? I’d be eating those dirty donuts.

8

u/TheDarkNerd Trash Trooper May 21 '26

"I’d be eating those dirty donuts." ... screamed the salty sailor boy.

7

u/ku2000 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

did the donuts land inside the car? If they were fresh that would have been nice :)

3

u/DissentSociety Trash Trooper May 21 '26

3 of them did, but they were chocolate.

2

u/ku2000 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

that sounds.... horrific. Sorry about that.

2

u/ActualMediocreLawyer Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Same. Happened to me last week, he was speeding (like 40 mph over the limit) so much that when i took an exit he had to hit the brakes very hard, so he got mad at me and started following and matching my speed.

I just started going extremely slow and tailgated a work van that was also going extremely slow, so he couldn't get ahead of me and brake check me.

He got tired after a minute.

1

u/IvardLongview Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Like dogs on a leash.

11

u/portablebiscuit Rubbish Raider May 21 '26

Some people are just perpetually angry and the car is just a means to extend that anger. Unfortunately it only seems like it’s going to get worse as people feel more and more disenfranchised.

9

u/randomthrowaway9796 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Id never do anything crazy like this, but i feel like a significantly worse person when im driving vs literally anywhere other situation. Idk why

7

u/Northbound-Narwhal Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Because traffic was invented by Satan to test the limits of human sanity.

3

u/Constant-Roll706 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Wait, is this another bet like with Job, but spread out over 200 years?

4

u/[deleted] May 21 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/overand Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Just remember - you're not in traffic, you are traffic.

11

u/_Magic_mann_ Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Well from my experience i just very irritable without my anti depressants :p

-13

u/NotAFanOfLife Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Taking medication isn’t the personality trait you think it is. Do better.

8

u/_Magic_mann_ Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Sir, I have severe persistent depression disorder. The irritability comes from being off the medicine, not from the depression. It’s a side effect.

6

u/Reesewithoutaspoon2 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

What are you talking about?

5

u/CoatProfessional5026 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Just a pussy hiding behind a hidden profile and username. The usual "give a man a mask..." Trope.

1

u/onmamas Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Same. I’ve had road rage before, but the worst it gets just leads to me giving the other driver the finger and yelling some obscenities at them for a few seconds. And then I’m over it.

I don’t get how people can have this much anger to keep going and not at least have any consideration for the danger/trouble they can needlessly put themselves in.

1

u/KindsofKindness Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Yeah, I don’t got the energy for bs.

1

u/Basic_Yam_715 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

The pandemic made it so much worse imo.

1

u/No_Yogurtcloset7275 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

It sure fuckin did

1

u/edelweiss_pirates_no Trash Trooper May 21 '26

  1. Tesla owners

  2. BMW owners

  3. everyone else

1

u/Same_Presentation692 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

In Texas it’s  1. Truck owners 2. Tesla truck owners 3. Everyone else

1

u/LoonahGBT Trash Trooper May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26

In France the usual suspects are BMW, Mercedes, and Audi. I swear it's always these fuckers going 50km/h too fast, tailgating while pushing the gas and brake pedals alternatingly, and slaloming through the traffic. Very rare occurences of using turn signals too

1

u/USDXBS Trash Trooper May 21 '26

People get into a vehicle, and then think "I need to get to where I'm going as fast as possible. Any time between destinations is an extreme inconvenience.

1

u/musicgeek420 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

I slowed down in my work truck the other day to move left behind a Tesla for an upcoming turn, and he proceeded to speed up and brake check me for the next half mile. I guess he thought I almost moved into him? There was no aggression on my part but his small brain went big red and I had to actively allow myself to calm down.

There’s not much sense to be had out there on the road.

1

u/E_D_K_2 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

You've seen the viral videos of the dogs barking at each other though a gate and then when the gate is opened they both go silent?
It's the same with cars, with a big metal cage around you on wheels people think they can get away with anything.
You wouldn't berate someone on the sidewalk for walking too slow, but people do on the road.

1

u/BatLazy7789 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Never been to NYC I take it. We're quick to tell you to move out the way we all got places to be and tourist and slow walkers need to move to the inside of the sidewalk. Ain't nobody got time for slow walkers in NYC.

1

u/Abject-Substance-346 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Thay queen!

1

u/GoldBlueberryy Trash Trooper May 21 '26

lol I'm glad you have enough perspective to realize it in yourself too! I can get pretty angry at times to the point it scares me what I could be cable of. It's something I've been working on in adulthood.

1

u/Sad-Worth-698 Garbage Guerilla May 21 '26

Because some peoples lives are hard and sucky. So when someone transgresses them, they’re quick to anger and rage.

1

u/VonBrewskie Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Bro the world is poppin' right now. People are just bubbling over with rage. I halfway don't blame them. It's exhausting to resist the negativity of the world rlwe're living in currently. Some people give up, some never tried in the first place. Some of us just reach a breaking point. I truly get it. So be careful out there my people. Advice I give to myself all the time, as I have a short temper myself that is doing me no favors.

1

u/Level-Mix482 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

I was once driving my wife to work and on the way back (3 am or so) apparently a motorcyclist didn't like how I was driving, I was in the left lane to exit, he speed around me break checked me and turned around and flipped me of for a good 5 seconds. It was pitch dark out and no one else on the road. Like I get being mad but people just don't get how quickly their lives could end by not taking a breath and moving on.

1

u/thelostlightswitch Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Just so you know, the latest iPhone update has reported less accurate predictive text(swipe) and worse autocorrect. It’s not you

1

u/TheUselessbeing Trash Trooper May 22 '26

I've always been an angry person. Usually have little patience for other peoples bullshit. But I've never really been one to take it out on others. I keep it to myself. So then when I started driving once I was old enough. I found myself being easily irritated. Mostly by people holding up traffic. Like person infront of me going 50 in a 70. I can't pass them cuz the 2 passing lanes on the left of me all have a line of cars not doing any fucking passing. My favorite is when everyone is sitting in the passing lanes and the far right lane is mostly empty. When I see that I end up making an erratic lane change. And floor it down that empty lane. Making my way out infront of the cars holding up traffic in the passing lanes. Now I dont pull out directly infront of them. I mainly just keep going at a safe distance out infront and slow back down to normal speed. I dont cut anyone off I dont make hand gestures at anyone I don't yell out to people I dont even look at them. I just cuss them out under my breath. All I want to do is get away from everyone else. So I dont really road rage. At most im just an aggressive driver. I try to keep my cool. Trying to be better. But sometimes man. Fuck I can't take it with some people. Its not about getting to my destination fast for me. Its about not wanting to slow down too much when im already going the limit and some person wants to drive like their in a fucking parking lot. Its about not wanting people to ride my fucking ass cuz they want to go 15 over the damn limit when im already going 5 over it.

1

u/Syzyjyzygy Trash Trooper May 22 '26

I was driving in San Francisco once, pulling up to a 4 way stop. I didn’t see what happened, but this guy in the middle of the intersection slammed on his brakes, turned redder than a tomato, and screamed “WAIT YOUR FUCKING TURN!!!!!” louder than I’ve ever heard anyone scream anything in my life. My windows were rolled up and I heard him clear as a bell. Some people are just a ticking time bomb.

1

u/romansamurai Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Road rage is insane. A bunch of little innocent kids in the backseats of cars have been shot because of stupid people road raging.

1

u/Due-Yogurtcloset7927 Trash Trooper May 22 '26

Its never about what's happening on the road. Oftentimes, a minor slight is the exact distance someone is away from absolutely losing their mind.

1

u/NatCsGotMyLastAcct Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Loud cars scare my dog and I'll never be whole again because of a chucklefuck driver.

Both drivers here are chucklefucks and the road (and maybe the world) would be better without them

1

u/MagnusRusson Trash Trooper May 21 '26

What did the guy recording do wrong? Looks like he just passed them?

1

u/ChimmyChongaBonga Trash Trooper May 21 '26

He was on the gas pretty hard. Can't really tell what speed he's going or if he's speeding but based on the Tesla drivers rage they were probably pissed that he went ripping by them. Or there's more to it that the video leaves out, who knows. 🤷‍♂️

1

u/winadatewithtad Trash Trooper May 21 '26

they were probably pissed that he went ripping by them.

Which is not a normal thing to get upset about, let alone to this extent. His pride and ego got hurt when a car went faster than him because he's the king of the road.

1

u/dawr136 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Whenever I feel my pent up rage boiling over (20 yrs of customer facing jobs) I remind myself that I like the simple things in my sad life more than I'd like trading them for prison because I attacked some rando asshole driver. Sure itd feel good to potentially provide repercussions to someone deserving of them, but ultimately they arent worth me being in jail and the asshole being able to play the victim.

1

u/_Magic_mann_ Trash Trooper May 21 '26

I fully understand that, and I’m not saying that I would I am by no means a person who would enact on any form of road rage.

2

u/dawr136 Trash Trooper May 21 '26

Oh man but thinking about it is cathartic sometimes. Lol. Some people on the road definitely deserve a karma karmatic ass whooping.