Road Rage as Brawling

In his testimony before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure (17 July 1997), psychologist Leon James from the University of Hawaii vividly reconstructed the steps in an actual episode of road rage that took place near Cincinnati, Ohio, on 27 November 1996.

1. Woman, 24-year-old mother of two in Cincinnati, driving alone in a GrandAm, is following a 29-year-old woman driver in a VW. In front of them are several cars behind a truck going 35 mph. The GrandAm pulls into the left lane in order to pass and speeds up to 55 mph.

2. The VW suddenly pulls out into the left lane, in front of the GrandAm, going 20 mph slower and forcing the GrandAm driver to apply the brakes suddenly.

3. The VW gradually overtakes the slow truck, passes it, and pulls back into the right lane.

4. The GrandAm, still in the left lane, now overtakes the VW, honks several times, makes obscene gestures, and flashes her lights as signs of outrage (“to let her know that she almost caused an accident just then”).

5. The VW driver responds by displaying her second finger (meaning “fuck you” or “up yours”) and shaking her head.

6. The GrandAm now tries to pull ahead in the left lane in order to reenter the right lane, but the VW accelerates, blocking the way.

7. The GrandAm slows down and pulls in behind the VW, keeping up the pressure by tailgating dangerously.

8. […]