Jezzie misses the most ridiculous part of a recent study which found that 61% and 56% of women and men, respectively, have experienced road rage. The write up they cite explains:
According to some experts, this gender divide isn’t a random occurrence. Rather, it likely stems from women’s possible subconscious need to break free of society’s expectations (well … of course).
In case your eyes just glazed over like Krispy Kremes, let’s rephrase in plain English. Essentially, they’re saying women might feel forced into a nurturing, non-aggressive role in public. This can result in pent-up frustration — frustration that comes out behind the anonymity of the wheel.
I noted a somewhat similar explanation from the guy who serves as Fox News’ Dr. Drew:
Psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow suggests that a possible reason for the split between the sexes is that “women may be less in touch overtly with their aggression and, therefore, more vulnerable to it being tapped by circumstances on the road.” He adds that the feeling of anonymity people get behind the wheel may lead them to lower their inhibitions and allow them to stray from their otherwise polite or nurturing nature.
Jezzie can turn it into some sort of boo-hoo victimization if they want, but the more ridiculous part of these explanations is that they are drawing great, sweeping conclusions about gender behavior based upon responses to an online survey. A survey, mind you, which finds a very narrow difference between the sexes in terms of perceived road rage.
In the same way that you’ll hear a woman say “I’m such a bitch” or “God, I’m so mean” when they are actually behaving pretty mildly, or in the same way that a man might tell someone who accuses him of being mad that he isn’t actually mad (“you ain’t seen me mad yet,” as my dad has often said), this online survey is measuring a subjective opinion of what constitutes road rage. I’m just going off of anecdote – more men get more pissed behind the wheel than do women.
Like this:
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I’m just going off of anecdote – more men get more pissed behind the wheel than do women.
That’s what I’ve noticed as well.
men have somewhere to be, whereas women view traffic jams and stop-and-go as an opportunity to check their hair and makeup, send that text, make the phonecall, or whip out a tit and feed the baby.
I experience just the opposite, road fear. It’s real. I live near Atlanta.
I try to keep the anger at traffic/road rage in check when I’ve got a woman in the car with me. It’s just embarrassing and shameful to fly off the handle like that in their presence.
I don’t really experience road rage, although I do get irritated with all the stupid things people do on the road. I’m looking forward to automatic cars becoming more prevalent — Nothing could be worse than some of the monkeys we already have out there behind the wheel of 2 ton death machines.