HONK if you have road rage...

We miss life-enhancing opportunities, time after time, because we remain glued to that agenda we set for the day, prior to our immersion in it. Then when an "opportunity" presents itself, we become annoyed, (deferring thoughts of "communities are like Dominoes...")

Much of the "Get out of my way...What are you, NUTS???" thinking arises from the prevalence of panic, a significant # of our waking hours. Some of us have developed methods for turning it off, and according to my pharmacist friend, over 75% of our fellow motorists out there are managing via synthetic mood alteration.

More evidence that the "What hurts the guy down the street, if not remedied, will eventually hurt me."is waning. Logical thinkers will not easily disregard unplanned-for circumstances with "oh well," and "it's all good."

With little doubt as to the longevity of "Hi, how are you?" disappearing from social repartee, I believe that originally, the asking party even sought the answer.

On occasion, (and usually to strangers), I have responded with a long-winded monologue, utilizing as many adjectives and adverbs as possible. Only in humor, of course...

At one time, I would become fear-paralyzed when asked to speak in public. Years of practice have pretty much eliminated that phobia from my repertoire. This, added to the proven knowledge that if the subject matter is of worth, then the speaker (me,) needs only to concentrate on sharing it effectively. In fact, I believe that comedy is the best solution to many problems. Years have transpired when I have worn to shreds, "Where's the punchline?"

Adolescence-led by the likes of CSN's "Love the One You're With," I have strived to make the most of each moment and because of my faith and strong pull toward the logic of living, I have been more compelled to deal with circumstances which develop en route, rather than maintaining an intense focus on where I'm going, and what I'll be doing once I get there. I've been around long enough to know that I might NOT get there, and taking note of the particular environment along my route will most likely promote a safe, if not preferable arrival wherever I arrive.

Seems like most road rage is fueled by each motorist's assumption that all events & others sandwiched in between himself and his destination are either irrelevant, or even hell-sent.
I love it when I'm driving down the road, minding my own biz, staying in my lane, not encroaching upon any other drivers, and some "passionate about driving" fellow road-traveller lays (what sounds like,) their entire body on the horn. There am I, tooling down the road, in semi-zoned peace, contemplating the life cycle of a butterfly, when all of a sudden I'm catapulted into freakish terror, and if only for a millisecond, get the spine-tingling sensation that
I'm about to become a NCDOT statistic. Whipping glances in all directions, to no avail. "What was that? What happened? What did I do, or was the honking a response to another driver?"

While most of the time, identification of the irate honker is impossible, on occasion, (right after the tirade, an unpleasant-faced "other" will appear in the next lane, perfectly aligned with my vehicle, wholeheartedly and with both hands (and feet?) directing Vivaldi or Rachmaninoff. (Who's driving?)
My choice then, is to respond in-kind, or ignore. I usually just ignore.

I have carefully honed driving skills, as my work has provided ample opportunity to do so. Sometimes reducing 30 min. trips in half, never will forget when I was asked to drive the Swedish Ambassador from an event out in the outer Mongolian stretch of Johnston County, with the warning, "He needs to be at the airport in 20 minutes..." I know around some of those back country road curves I maintained a minimum of two-wheeled road contact, at all times.
I managed to get him there, on time, and in his eloquent British, bid me a fond farewell with "You drive beautifully!" Living in DC, I was savvy re: Diplomatic immunity and such...So it's not that I drive like a little ol' lady.

Got tired of the "angry honkers," and took matters into my own hands. I took white car window paint, and in large and aesthetic letters, printed, "HONK if you have road rage."

From that point, only nice drivers would honk at me. And often. Seemed to provide some much needed comic relief, everywhere I would travel. Based on HPM, or honks per minute, I estimated that the city bearing the most concentrated road rage was Durham, followed by Apex. Funny.