Have you ever been driving down the highway, minding your own business and jamming out to your favorite album when suddenly you notice a car approaching very quickly in your rearview mirror? You expect them to change lanes, but they choose to get as close to you as possible. Then they change lanes, speed around you and start hitting the brakes right in front of you. 

That, my friends, is a classic example of an aggressive driver. Unfortunately, we can’t often do much about them but wait for them to pass and continue on our journeys. But one woman recently shared a story on Reddit of how she managed to get some petty (and disgusting) revenge on a road rager. 

Encountering an aggressive driver can be a frightening experience

Image credits: anatoliy_gleb (not the actual photo)

But this woman managed to get revenge on one with perfectly timed car sickness

Image credits: GSR-PhotoStudio (not the actual photo)

Image credits: JCtheWanderingCrow

Driving is one of the most dangerous things we do every day

Image credits: Lisa Fotios (not the actual photo)

Although many of us drive every single day and we might not think much of it when we’ve been doing it for decades, driving a car can actually be incredibly dangerous. According to Forbes, a whopping 5,250,837 car accidents occured in the United States in 2020, and over 1.6 million of those incidents resulted in injuries or even death. And of course, certain factors can contribute to your risk of being in a collision and how dangerous the accident may be.

Speeding is very dangerous, as nearly a third of all fatal car accidents occur because at least one driver was speeding. And 35% of fatal car crashes are due to drivers choosing to get behind the wheel under the influence. 

Forbes also reports that men are nearly three times as likely to die in an automobile collision than women, perhaps because they’re also more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors such as aggressive driving and speeding. Men admitted that they more frequently drive through red lights, drive 15 miles per hour or more over the speed limit and quickly switch lanes. 

Aggressive drivers can make getting on the road even more frightening

Image credits: Pixabay (not the actual photo)

Unsurprisingly, aggressive driving is another dangerous behavior to take part in. It’s understandable to be a bit frustrated with traffic or stressed out when you’re running late, but taking part in aggressive driving or road rage behaviors puts yourself and everyone else at risk. According to the American Psychological Association, both environmental factors and psychological factors can make a person more likely to exhibit road rage behaviors. 

And in general, those who become angry on the road and drive aggressively engage in hostile thinking about other drivers, take more risks on the road, are more likely to be angry throughout the entire day (not just while driving), and experience more anxiety and impulsiveness. Perhaps they’re stressed about work or have pent up rage about personal issues that they take out on other drivers. 

But encountering an aggressive driver can be frightening because they’re automatically increasing the risk of everyone around them of being in an accident. They might change lanes suddenly, tailgate, fail to signal, fail to obey traffic laws, speed, race other vehicles or put everyone else on edge by honking, shouting and using aggressive gestures.

It’s best to remain calm, avoid eye contact and allow aggressive drivers to pass you by

Image credits: Mike Bird (not the actual photo)

So what is the best way to react when encountering an aggressive driver? The Buckingham & Vega Law Firm recommends simply allowing the driver to pass you and staying out of their way if possible. Don’t make eye contact with them, and don’t respond to any rude gestures they may make. You can try to slow down as well and create a wider gap between your vehicles.

If it’s possible to change lanes or even exit the highway to get away from an aggressive driver, you may need to do that as well. And if you’re really concerned for your safety, drive to the nearest police station if they continue following you. Don’t drive home if you’re being followed, and resist the temptation to speed away from them or blow through any stop signs or traffic lights out of fear. You’ll only be endangering yourself and others, and you might upset the driver even more.   

We would love to hear your thoughts on this unintentional petty revenge in the comments below, pandas. Do you think the aggressive driver in this story learned his lesson? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article featuring petty revenge, check out this piece next!

Later, the woman responded to some comments and shared even more details about the situation

Readers applauded her for the revenge and shared some similar stories of their own

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