- Blue Monday falls on 20th Jan 2025
- Said to be most depressing day of year
- People are skint, fed up of the weather and in a general grump
- Risk of a road rage encounter is massively increased
Motorists should beware ‘extreme irritability’ on UK highways this Blue Monday - and here's some crucial ‘anti road rage’ advice.
Blue Monday, the third Monday in January and the so-called ‘most depressing day of the year’, falls on Jan 20th.
It’s the date when post-Christmas gloom, pay-day woes, and miserable grey weather descends in a seasonal slump of low motivation levels, anxiety and grumpiness.
And you're more likely to experience an incident of Blue Monday road rage as tempers fray, too.
Here are Select Car Leasing’s top 6 anti-road rage tips:
Leave early
“The less stressed you are, the less likely you are to react to things like being tailgated or someone attempting to push in front of you in a queue. The more time you give yourself for a journey, the calmer you’ll be if you hit traffic congestion, too.”
Say thank you
“Being courteous goes a long way when it comes to calming tempers on the road. If you make an error - and let’s be honest, we all do, no matter what we might sometimes think - going out of your way to offer a simple wave or gesture of apology can instantly defuse tension and avoid any nasty confrontation.”
Let it go
“Tailgating - where a motorist drives too closely behind the car in front - is one of the most common triggers of road rage. It can lead to the aggrieved motorist dangerously ‘brake checking’ the tailgater or might even culminate in an angry tit-for-tat chase. But you need to be mature and sensible about it. If someone is riding your tail, just let them go. Move into a different lane or you can even pull over to let them pass. After all, what’s the point in escalating the situation? By letting them go, you’re instantly ridding yourself of the stress and anxiety.”
Beware the road rage ripple effect
“Road rage can spread like a virus on the roads. One single incident can lead to a terrifying ripple effect, as frustration spreads like a wave of animosity for miles behind. You can nip it all in the bud by just remaining calm and leaving others to it. After all, you don’t know what’s going on in someone else’s life. They might be tailgating you because they’re rushing to a hospital or their poor driving might be down to sheer absentmindedness rather than any sort of aggression.”
Practical things you can do
“If someone is up your rear bumper it can be really distracting - and that poses a danger to yourself and all other road users. The last thing you want to do is to make eye contact with the tailgater as that could escalate the anger further, too. You could try dipping your rear-view mirror via the anti-glare knob, or you could even point the mirror away from your view until they’ve gone, while using your wing mirrors instead.”
Report the rage
“If you feel seriously threatened by another driver, stay in your car and keep the doors locked. Drive to the nearest police station or busy area if you can. And remember that if you’re using your mobile phone to contact the emergency services you won’t be prosecuted for it. You should also be aware of a road-rage reporting system called ‘GoodSam’. It allows a police call handler to take control of your mobile phone’s video camera in a matter of seconds, so that you can live-steam a road rage event as it unfolds. The police operator simply sends an SMS to your phone which, when you click on a unique link, then gives the police instant access to your phone’s camera. It acts as both a deterrent and a way for police to secure a prosecution.”
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