While one cannot stress the importance of adhering to traffic rules, it is also so important that you do not take matters into your own hands even if you feel the conduct of the other driver has not been right
Spot where the road rage incident took place. Pic/Hanif Patel
Road rage cases are on the incline and this is the latest malaise pockmarking our roads. There are several recent examples, yet one is enough to encapsulate how grave the situation is becoming. A 21-year-old was beaten to death by three men after the mirror of his two-wheeler hit one of them on a road overbridge. The trio told cops the victim was unapologetic, despite having rashly overtaken them. A verbal spat had ensued while two vehicles were in motion.
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While one cannot stress the importance of adhering to traffic rules, it is also so important that you do not take matters into your own hands even if you feel the conduct of the other driver has not been right.
A punch or slap or any kind of physical violence is not on at all. Even one blow can kill a person and whether that does or not, it is simply not on to indulge in this hooliganism on the roads. If there is a problem, there are traffic cops or the police station that one can approach. It is true that the police cannot be tackling every case and it will not be possible to do so. Yet the correct avenue is to approach the cops rather than indulge in a physical fight.
In fact, like drunk driving, where some awareness has spread about driving under the influence, extensive campaigns about the very serious ramifications of road rage should also be undertaken. Driving schools, traffic authorities and regulatory bodies, should, in fact, make a concerted effort to increase awareness about road rage, its fallout and how an innocuous exchange can quickly escalate into a deadly one. Along with traffic rules, children should be taught how never to indulge or spark these kinds of fights on the roads. Treat road rage with the gravitas it warrants.