Impatience, disrespect fuel road rage

PUNE: A 19-year-old student was robbed of cash and a tablet in Kondhwa on March 16. It turned out be a case of road rage.
A motorcyclist had hit the bike of the mechanical engineering diploma student, Shoaib Khan, from the rear around 4.15pm. Shoaib, heading home, was first verbally abused by the suspect. His father, Sarfaraz Khan, told TOI that his son was not at fault but the suspect accused his son of causing damage to his bike and demanded Rs4,500.
Sarfaraz said the suspect became angry when Shoaib said he did not have money.The man snatched his wallet and took away Rs500. When the suspect found a debit card inside, he forced Shoaib to visit an ATM near Jyoti hotel and withdraw Rs500. Not satisfied, the man grabbed his tablet worth Rs21,000. The Wanowrie police are still searching for the suspect.
Road rage cases are increasingly becoming common. Many citizens say they hear abuses being hurled at each other by motorists every day. At times, the situation becomes grim within minutes after heated exchange of words between the two parties. People either beat up each other or bang their four or two-wheelers against each other’s.
Minor cases are not reported. Only cases in which victims suffer serious injuries are recorded by the police.
Joint police commissioner Sunil Ramanand admits that such cases are taking place regularly on roads. “After going through a few cases, we realized that people do not respect the rights of others. Minor altercations have turned serious in the past few days,” he says.
Ramanand says people have forgotten the culture of “pehle aap (you first)” and everyone seems to be in a hurry, causing nuisance on the road. “Very few drivers are concerned with what is right and what is wrong,” he says.
Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Praveen Mundhe says people are not driving responsibly and losing patience while driving. “Very few follow traffic rules and respect others on roads. Such cases can be averted easily if people have patience. My staff, who actually man the traffic, say drivers start quarrelling even over minor issues,” he says.
Traffic expert Pratap Bhosale cited several factors for road rage. “Chaotic traffic and poor infrastructure are the main reasons. Improper road designs lead to traffic chaos, especially traffic jams, and drivers tend to become frustrated. In such a situation, even a minor mistake leads to a big crime. I think scientific road designs can avert road rage crimes,” he says.
Bhosale feels the driving licence issuing authorities should guide the aspirants on how to maintain one’s cool on road.
He says the traffic police must enforce the law on roads and penalize drivers flouting the rules. “There has to be some deterrent so that people do not dare to break the traffic rules,” he adds.
He agrees with Ramanand’s view of people having lost respect for others. “After a minor accident, one screams at the other instead of asking ‘Are you OK’?” he says.
Bhosale feels majority of the fights on roads start on the issue money for damage. “It appears many people are driving vehicles without insurance, which is illegal. If there is insurance, one can claim the damage from the insurance company instead of fighting on the streets,” he adds.
Anurag Kashyap, principal, Dr Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture, says road rage is a typical urban phenomenon. “Administration and people, both are at fault in road rage cases. The administration has failed to maintain effective road width on majority of the city roads, leading to chaos. Similarly, encroachments consume a major chunk of carriage width. It increases pressure on drivers and the road infrastructure,” he says.
He feels there is a need to map accident prone spots and pressure areas. “Under pressure, people resort to quarrels. Thus, road infrastructure planning is most important to curb such incidents. The roads should be designed in such a way that motorists cannot flout the traffic rules,” he says.
The summer heat can also be a precipitating factor in some of the recent cases of road rage, says clinical psychologist Himani Chaphekar. She feels basic personality traits and even changing social dynamics have a role in the rising cases of physical aggression.
“Some people are inherently short-tempered and can blow off at the slightest trigger. Some suffer from a psychological condition known as intermittent explosive disorder — the kind of people who react in the heat of the moment, but end up regretting their action later,” she says.
The excessive use of social media, too, has a role to play in the rising impatience among people. “We expect instant reactions and quick responses to everything, just like what it is on social media platforms. Stressed lifestyles and breakdown of traditional family structures also lead to emotional isolation, which can trigger such outbursts. Besides, people who find it challenging to express themselves verbally sometimes use violence,” she said. Chaphekar suggests counselling of children for better conflict resolution right from the school.