6 driving tips to avoid frustration

Do you get angry or frustrated at other drivers on the road? More often than not, we are frustrated by other drivers and road conditions when we're not prepared for them. Did you know that you can actually avoid road rage and frustration by expecting everyone around you to be idiots? When you expect them to be this way, you'll drive defensively, because you never know when an idiot is going to come into your path.

Here's some tips that will help you prepare yourself, and as a result, will relieve your frustration and avoid you going into a 'road rage'. Remember, frustration is simply the result of feeling a lack of control, so by maintaining control of your driving experience you avoid the frustration.

1) Drive defensively
There's a reason this is the number 1 tip. When you drive defensively, you make sure that you're aware of everything else on - and off - the road. You're just waiting for the unexpected, so that when it happens... you're ready. Swerving cars and suicidal pedestrians will be of no concern to you in this state, because you're ready for it. If you hit someone or something, then you weren't driving defensively enough.

2) Slow down at traffic lights
When you come to a traffic light that is green for go, take your foot off the accelerator and let the car coast, having your foot 'at the ready' over the brake. This allows you to be prepared to brake if the lights change to orange. If the light is still green as you go beyond the 'point of no return', return your foot to the accelerator.

3) The point of no return
Most traffic lights (in Australia and NZ at least) have two white arrows on the road before you reach the lights. The first arrow is the 'point of no return'. If you're doing the speed limit and the lights change to orange when you're at or past this first arrow, then you have time to continue through the intersection before it turns red. If the lights turn orange before you reach this first arrow, then you will need to slow down and stop, as the lights will turn red before you reach the intersection.

4) When you see brake lights in front of you, put your own brakes on.
Start slowing down immediately when you see car/s in front of you put their brakes on. There's usually a reason for them braking, and you don't want to be going up their backside by not being prepared. You also need to do this so that the drivers behind you know that you're braking, so they can be prepared to slow down as well. You don't want them going up your backside!

5) Take the path of least resistance
Traffic in front of you is unpredictable. Always look out for the path of least resistance by choosing the lane with the least amount of traffic in front of you. It will help avoid the idiots, and provide you with satisfaction as you sail past all those other cars backed up in the one lane.

6) Remember the 'two second rule'
You should have a decent amount of space between you and the car in front, with two seconds being a safe distance. If you're unsure about how much space you have, do the following exercise while behind a car. As it travels past a post or other object by the side of the road, count to yourself: one-one thousand, two-one thousand.... If you can reach the end of 'two-one thousand' before you've reached that roadside landmark, then you're at the safe distance of two seconds. This is applicable for any speed.

In wet weather, increase the distance to 4 seconds. This is to help avoid sliding on water on the road and ending up ploughing into their backside because you've applied the brakes too hard because you were too close.... If you're too close to the car in front, and they brake suddenly to avoid a collision or for whatever reason, then you're not going to have time to maintain control of your own car. The distance and time is too small for you to brake and avoid colliding with their backside.

If another car cuts in front of you to take up the space between you and the one previously in front of you, simply remember this rule and drop back 2 seconds behind the one that just cut in front of you. They will invariably find themselves in trouble if they're forced to brake, while you stay out of trouble by remembering this rule.