Love Conquers Stress • The Stress of Road Rage

Chapter 6: The Stress of Road Rage
When we are behind the wheel, we are protected by all that metal
surrounding us. This can easily allow repressed childhood rage to
resurface. . . . Philip was the target of road rage. He told me how a
man cut him off on a highway. Philip managed to pass him and
exited the highway. The man followed Philip off the exit, pulled up
at the red light, rolled down the window of his car, and yelled at
Philip: “Don’t you ever cut me off like that again! Don’t you ever
cut me off again! Father, I don’t care if you are wearing a priest’s
collar! Don’t you ever cut me off!” The childhood rage of being cut
off is transparent here as the man repeats his demand. The likelihood
of the two men ever encountering each other on the road
again is slim. Being cut off when driving can lead to appropriate
adult anger. But when revenge and reckless retaliation take over then
road rage has reared its ugly head.
Inner Quest Questions & Suggestions

• Remember a time you were cut off in traffic or imagine it happening.
Try on the words: “Don’t you ever cut me off again! Don’t you
ever cut me off again!” Now look through the driver you are
addressing and see when you could have said that growing up and
to whom you would say it. Say it with full force. How old are you?

• Then imagine backing up the child you and having the child you
express his or her anger over being cut off. Picture the scene such as
being at the dinner table. State directly to the person who used to
cut you off: “I hate how you used to cut me off when I was talking.
And that’s because I’d have loved it if you could have spoken to me
with respect.”

• Do one I hate it to one I love it until you feel finished. Hug the
child you back into your heart.

• Now as an adult decide to disentangle being cut off as a child from
being cut off in traffic as an adult. Resolve to handle the situation
without the helpless rage of childhood interfering.

• See yourself responding with no more anger, if you even feel the
need to respond with anger, than is appropriate. Remember that a