I-195 Brings Out the Road Rage for One Massachusetts Resident

Road rage brings out the worst in people, and I fell victim to someone’s rage on I-195 recently that left me feeling insulted. Be honest with me, are my feelings justified or do I need thicker skin?

On my way home from work Wednesday, I noticed a car quickly approaching mine from behind on 195 heading toward Providence. I was in the middle lane, minding my own business and going almost 10 miles over the speed limit when this car made its way right behind mine. This car was so close to me that she was basically in my back seat.

I immediately got annoyed, but I just kept driving. I wasn’t going all that slow and I wasn’t doing anything wrong.

I decided to move to the left lane, but as I did, this car moved with me. They were probably trying to pass me, but I was trying to get out of the way, and that was my first mistake. I could see her hands fly up in aggravation, then she stepped on the gas, pulled up next to me, flipped me the bird, and sped off.

I was so mad. My temper flared and I began cursing out a person I didn’t even know. The funniest part is that we were on 195, a long strip of highway that extends for several miles, so we kept up with each other for quite some time, doing an awkward dance of riding alongside each other as we continued to glare each other down, neither one of us wanting to back down.

I was filled with rage at the thought that someone would flip me off. I was just living my life, driving along, and this other driver decided to take their bad day out on me. It only came to an end after the other car took its respective exit, but my temper didn’t subside until I got home.

I shared my experience with Michael and Gazelle this morning, and they admitted they would have handled it a little differently.

“You have to kill them with kindness,” they explained. But these two have no idea when it comes to the power of the Italian temper.

What would you have done? Or be honest, are you normally the angry driver?