Driving your car is something you may have to do daily. Learning to do this as a more spiritual activity will help your health and wellbeing.
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- Driving Your Car Angry Can Be Bad For Your Health
Driving Your Car Angry Can Be Bad For Your Health
Watching somebody you know well drive a car can be an interesting experience.
Are they considerate of their passenger’s comfort?
Do they stick to the speed limits or exceed them?
Are they considerate of other drivers too?
Do you get regularly angry when you drive and are blocked by other people? This will not be good for your blood pressure. It may even indicate that you have some kind of autoimmune issue.
Consider my driving history and the 6 tips below; it may be good for your health.
I Started Driving In London, UK
When I was younger, you may not have wanted me to drive your car.
My then-partner liked to drive fast and had one of those detectors. This was so he could tell when the police were lurking over the next hill on narrow country roads. He did this to avoid their speed detectors. It was plain to see that he clearly believed he was above the law and would stay there, thank you.
I didn’t drive as fast as him. Influenced by him, I certainly picked up the habit of tailgating and being quite an aggressive and fast driver.
I would spend a lot of my driving time in impatience. I would tailgate behind people’s cars at speed. Not nice at all for anyone. And it was extremely costly on my brakes and tires. That’s why you wouldn’t want me driving your car in that era of life.
I really didn’t know any better, because I unconsciously copied him.
As I Matured As A UK driver
As I matured, I became a better driver. Many hours spent on the M25 – the UK equivalent of the Beltway around Washington, DC – rubbed off my sharp edges. I became more patient and philosophical about delays for the sake of my blood pressure.
One of my longest evenings after a workday was a 7-hour drive from Wales to East Sussex. It was seven hours because of the traffic. It’s hard to stay angry and consistently be an aggressive driver under those circumstances. After a few experiences like this, I learned to calm down and accept my lot. As a result, over time and with more experience, I became a better driver.
Driving in Italy!
Now THAT was an education. Italian culture is of course very different from British culture. I stayed in Vicenza (Northern Italy) for a while and learned to drive with the appropriate hand signals. It’s also socially acceptable to beep your horn. There is a lot of overtaking on sharp mountain passes. This is all taken in with a shot of Italian cool and a wave of the hand.
I had access to a BMW with racing pedals. I zipped around with the best of them. The style is to demonstrate ability but don’t take it too far. At least, in Vicenza!
Driving In the United States
I have regularly driven a car in the States of: –
- Virginia
- Southern Maryland
- California, and currently
- Kansas.
The driving experience has been completely different in each place. This is most likely because each place seems to demonstrate a unique mindset.
I quickly learned, from driving in Virginia, that the European culture of merging and allowing cars to join from on-ramps did not exist in the same way. That was a learning curve.
Honestly, there was quite the culture of every driver for him/herself, and driving your car (once again) needed to be an aggressive experience. And green lights? Count to 10 after the green light has changed in Virginia Beach, or you may find yourself driving into oncoming traffic despite having the right of way.
Southern Maryland is a quieter location, although the number of lanes added to some roads down there now exceeds 5 lanes per side. A lot of the roads I regularly drove on were country lanes, and overall the experience was quite pleasant.
Perhaps fewer people and the energy of the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers make people a little more chilled out. Put on your hard hat if you have to drive the Beltway around DC, however!
California…what can I say. San Diego was memorable – it has a driving culture that is a mixture of many countries, and of course, it’s close to the Mexican border too. Wild and woolly, packed with traffic, (almost) anything goes, and on the freeway go as fast as you can.
It was quieter where we lived (Lemoore, CA), but watch out for the enormous trucks hauling tomatoes – if you don’t, you will be mincemeat.
And…Kansas…
Here we come to the part about driving your car as a spiritual practice!
I am sorry, Kansas folks, but as drivers (certainly in Wichita) you are one of the sleepiest crowds I have come across, driving-wise.
Maybe it’s the grid-like layout, maybe it’s the lack of traffic – I would certainly not complain about a lack of traffic, having lived in London and Brighton, UK. Wichita drivers are conservative for sure, but then occasionally all that passive-aggressive energy gets pent up and released in a major fit of road rage!
I have seen a Wichita driver beat their steering wheel just because a light changed or somebody stopped at a light in front of them when they would have preferred them to go. Perhaps some folks here would like to try the M25!
When you drive somewhere that’s usually easy to drive and fairly quiet, it’s easier to get worked up when you have a delay. Again though, it’s not good for your health or your autoimmune system.
6 Tips – Driving Your Car As A Spiritual Practice and A Healthy One
#1 Be Present
Over the years in my rear-view mirror, I have spied people curling their hair with heated tongs, eating a sandwich, picking various noses (who hasn’t done that – be truthful now), and the worst new disease – texting or talking on a non-hands-free phone.
Stay present and aware and be conscious that you are driving. Even if you have time to catch up on your inner world, stay grounded. You are zipping along in a metal container at speed!
Maybe listen to music or a book on Audible, but stay focused on the road. It’s where you are right now.
#2 Make Your Car A No Phone Zone – Except For GPS
I’ll be the first to admit that I am useless at using a phone and driving; in fact, I’m a downright danger, so I don’t do it at all.
Just because you might be better than me doesn’t mean you should do it too, though. If the phone rings and I’m alone, I pull over if I know I’m waiting for an important call. Perhaps you work a lot on your phone; if so, get hands-free. It’s not the greatest idea, but it could save your life.
When I had kids in the car with me, I would have them answer the phone for me. When it’s their turn to learn to drive, texting and driving will not be acceptable because I DON’T DO IT!
In the UK, the fine for doing this is at least $1,200. That helps. It would help in the USA, too.
#3 Leave Appropriate Stopping Distance and Wear A Seat Belt
Last year on the first day of school, a teenage girl drove into the back of my car when I was stopped at a red light, with my youngest in the back seat. We were strapped in.
The young girl who was driving behind us had her younger brother in the passenger seat, and he was not strapped in. She also had her baby in the back, luckily strapped in. He went through the windshield of their car headfirst and left the scene in an ambulance (and this was in a 40mph limit).
I remember getting out of the car and seeing the driver sitting there with her phone in her hand. Nuff said. My daughter and I were not the ones who had to go to the hospital. Put your phone away, people – or at least add a hands-free clip!
#4 Clear The Snow, Dust, Or Whatever Crap From Your Windows
You are supposed to be able to see out of your car windows! It enables you to drive better and gives you (and other drivers) a better driving experience. It makes no sense to keep your windows dirty or snow-covered.
#5 Be Kind To Other Drivers – Even In Your Mind
Stop name-calling, even in your mind. Try to avoid calling them names (yes, even with your inside voice) and imagine a kind reason for their behavior. Make up a positive story.
If that’s impossible, then just stay away from them, clear your energy of any anger and irritation, and move on.
If you find that you are constantly angry when driving, get your health checked. Most road rage issues relate to a problem with a person’s immune system.
#6 Take Time to Deep Breathe And Enjoy Silence
You don’t need to play music all the time, or try to do something else. You are practicing mindful driving. Take it easy.
If you do get annoyed or angry, practice conscious breathing to release the stress and remember, this is just a short moment in your life.
Box breathing is helpful in this endeavour: –
- Breathe in through your nose for a count of 4
- Hold for 4
- Slowly breathe out through your mouth (like blowing out through a straw) for a count of 8.
- Repeat at least 3 times.
I enjoy my quiet drives to school to do the school run. It gives me a break in the day.
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Being kind to drivers even in your own mind is a great tip! Lots of people react explosively on the roads which is pretty scary. At the end of the day you never know what kind of day someone else has had…
Good one Sarah!! Helpful 🙂
I liked the point on be aware, be kind to other drivers and take time to breathe and and enjoy silence. This was a bit different but very informative one:)
To be honest, I’m a speedy driver. It has more to do with the thrill and fun of driving. I loved blowing thru NYC thru Harlem up to the Bronx where I taught school. It was so fun to drive with the taxi drivers. If you timed the lights right they were all green as you traveled. So fun! On the negative side, I feel crazy being behind drivers who drive to slow on single lane roads. I do judge them but I really know that for me it’s a continued lesson in learning and practicing greater patience….
Hi Julia,
Thanks for commenting! In the past I was a fast and inconsiderate driver. (I had somebody who taught me that and I took it on, my bad). So I’m sure many of us have been there. As we get older and wiser, we learn to do better. Patience comes with experience. I happen to have been in 3 road accidents, none of my doing. In one I was a passenger and suffered a broken sternum and had to have a toenail pulled off with tweezers. I can assure you that focuses the mind and makes you think differently about bad drivers!
great article