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“That’s a lot more dangerous than ever before because of the access of guns. This is not just a mere weapons effect. This is just access of guns certainly increases aggression and violence. We do have research that shows people feel more powerful when they have a gun, feel more in control, kind of don’t mess with me, I’ve got a gun. And you might be more likely to cut somebody off because you have a weapon.” – Ohio State psychology professor Brad Bushman in When road rage leads to gunfire from the stranger beside you [via star-telegram.com]

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83 COMMENTS

    • And an increasing number of folks operating machinery that they are too incompetent to properly manage. Since the 1960’s, when democrats gave endangered species protections to stupid people, incompetents and morons, the Nation’s average IQ has dropped a point every year or two. Americans are no longer the smartest people on the planet. We probably peaked with the Moon landings.

    • Increased access to guns by leftists, would lead to more incidences of road rage. Luckily, this is some what self regulating because of most leftists being terrified of even thinking about owning a gun, let alone buying and carrying a gun.

      If this was to become more common that leftists were to start carrying guns, there really would be “blood in the streets”. Let us hope that their honest fear of guns, and the avoidance of owning these “instruments of death” because of their tendency to explode into homicidal rage, with no prior history of such behavior, remains in place.

    • Increased number of low IQ drivers leads to road rage. Driving isn’t difficult, but goddamn do most people find a way to make it as complicated as possible.

    • Hey a so-called road-rage occurred in Chiraq a few days ago. A 48 yearold(WHITE woman) cut off an 18year old black woman. She subsequently threw a drink at her. The older woman FOLLOWED her into an alley and SHOT her when the black girl attacked her.She reportedly has a CCL. Arrested and let out on her own recognizance(a CITY WORKER). I wasn’t there but the older white woman claimed self-defense-after she went after the young black woman…sure didn’t make her “polite”!!!

      • former water walker: (There is and has been only one ‘water walker,’ in my humble Christian opinion.) That being said, could you give any citations regarding your evil White woman vs, Black girl story? Where? City? Names?

        • To be technically correct there were two, even though Peter sank he still did walk on water. But I agree with you

        • Well, just keep in mind what Abraham Lincoln said about not trusting everything you see on the Internet. The very fact that this allegedly occurred in Chicago makes me rather suspicious of the report. Everybody knows people don’t shoot people in Chicago due to their strict firearms laws, right?

    • Not only this but…

      The average car is a 2 ton guided missile. And what about that 19 ton truck that killed 80 some people in France recently? This military style assault truck is almost 10 times the killer as the common automobile. These vehicles are clearly designed to murder and maim as many people as quickly as possible! And we let teenagers drive these execution machines! Something has to be done!……and don’t get me started on the billionaire gun loophole.

  1. One of the most common / recurring posts on firearms blogs and forums is a new (or even experienced) concealed carrier remarking on how he is now LESS likely to even “flip the bird” on the road. I would love to see this guy’s “research.”

    Most gun owners find access to lethal force to have a CALMING effect, because they now understand the logical endpoint of the progression of aggression. (I did not mean to rhyme.) Gun owners realize that escalating a hostile situation can end very badly, so the vast majority of them don’t engage. We refrain from engaging in the “monkey dance” (See: “Facing Violence: Preparing for the Unexpected” by Rory Miller).

    Not surprisingly, reality is the opposite of “research” by the ivory tower academics.

    • Indeed. Firearms actually help civilize people. On a macro and micro level. When one carries a firearm they begin to realize violent confrontations can quickly lead to death, even without the firearm. Further, even if you survive or are the victor, the game doesn’t end there. As the legal and possible lawsuit process begins. Not to mention the very real possibility of a media circus in this day and age.

    • This is my experience. The knowledge that if anything is allowed to escalate beyond dirty looks, if lethal force comes into play, win or lose my life will be changed forever, causes me to actively avoid small conflicts. Because you don’t know who will push a petty squabble to the limit.

    • “I would love to see this guy’s “research.”

      Ask and you shall not receive.

      Even if he presents statistics I doubt he followed any scientific method that allowed him to remain objective. But you shouldn’t worry yourself with the details, just trust him he’s an expert

  2. A lot of “feel” and “might” = nothing of substance.
    I’m fairly certain what leads to incidents of road rage is being an asshole.
    More assholes getting put down should lead to a Heinlein affect.

  3. They should do research on the increase in road rage, or any aggression for that matter, and its correlation to participation awards. When everyone feels entitled, they believe they are entitled to everyythey desire. So, put that aggression in control of an automobile, and now they feel they own the road.

    • Intriguing. So, we are putting temper tantruming 2 yr olds behind the wheel… I would be interested in seeing this being studied.

      I have a theory, I’ve often wondered how much our “point-click-got” society, by way of the Internet, has made people far less patient… I deal with it at work, everyday.

      Customers send PO’s, approval drawings, submittals, or what have you, to me and within minutes, literally minutes, expect things to be on an airplane, for same day delivery. I try to explain, hey this equipment is built in another state and we don’t have a runway in the parking lot, you gotta give it a day or two to get here. But it’s becoming a foreign concept.

      I believe the Internet has ruined people’s understanding of objects moving throughout space in real time. And what it takes to make that happen… I just clip a button and things appear at my front door.

  4. More projection from someone who knows HE might well shoot someone in “road rage,” but of course we know that if this was true generally of those who carry… nobody but gun owners would be left on the road by now. I drove the mean streets of Los Angeles and other So. Calif. cities for 14 years. I saw a lot of “road rage” there, but not one shootout.

  5. ” This is just access of guns certainly increases aggression and violence.”

    Odd.

    Since 1990 or so, tens of *millions* more guns are on the street, and ‘gun violence’ has collapsed by *50 percent*.

    Why is that?

  6. Road rage is a serious problem. We should require background checks, ban those with mental illness or felony convictions and reduce the car cylinders to one cylinder. Too many folks are dying in car incidents (more than guns). This is just common sense here folks and no reason to oppose this common sense approach.

  7. Drive intelligently, defensively and politely and you are unlikely to have any problems with road rage. Be aware of those in front, on the sides and behind you. If some nut is driving like a maniac, get out of their way and let them through. If someone needs to get in your lane, let them in instead of cutting them off. Don’t be a road hog.

    • I wholeheartedly?agree but being a type “A” personality with a caffeine addiction sure made it more difficult, though.

    • I have road rage because it has become clear to me that most people don’t realize that their gas pedal moves more than 1.5mm. When im driving a 80hp, 25 year old honda shitbox and I’m screaming at the 2017 Cadillac with 400hp to fucking move because apparently merging with 70mph traffic at 70mph is dangerous, I lose my shit.

        • “they say that the road is a dangerous place…”

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wMa_t5cBgY

          caught my daughter singing along when he screams “you st*pid g*dd*mn d*mbsh*t m*therf*cker!” one day in the van. surprised, i asked her, “that feels good, doesn’t it?” she smirked and said, “yeah.”

        • Ethel and Mabel, both octogenarians living in South Florida, decided to go to the store from the senior citizens’ community where they lived. Ethel got out on Dixie Highway and almost immediately ran a red light, narrowly averting a collision. Mabel was concerned but decided not to say anything. At the next intersection Ethel ran another red light, almost causing yet another collision. As they came up to the next red light and weren’t slowing down, Mabel finally said, “Ethel, I really think you should slow down and stop for this red light” and Ethel exclaimed, “ME? I thought YOU were driving!”

  8. Ban high capacity vehicles!
    No more clipazines or shoulder things that go up.
    Ban fast cars. (Well, except for me, because I’m a senator/congress critter/state legislator/politician)

  9. Yet another miserable leftist college professor telling us fly over country hicks what else is wrong with us. What he fails to understand is that most of us are happier than he will ever be!

  10. Where is all this “increased access to guns”? When I was a kid I bought a rifle at the local hardware store.

  11. What is this mythical “increased access to firearms”? Are firearms mysteriously dropping into peoples’ laps? Are new homes coming with fully stocked gun safes?

    • In fairness, compared to other countries, in America, we have it damn good when it comes to guns. And, considering these anti’s want us to be like those other countries, that’s what they mean by statements such as this… I live in small town Texas about an hour and half outside of DFW, and I’d bet my next pay check, at least 8 of 10 houses on my street have guns in them.

      To the anti’s that’s insanity, to folks like you and me, we are wondering what’s the deal with the other two house.

    • I don’t know.. but you gave me a great idea to start a real estate company that includes a stocked gun safe to complete the “fully furnished” homes on the market.

  12. Courtney goes a long way just like maturity. Unfortunately we will always have those in our midst that have neither. We have to deal with them on a case by case basis. I believe the professor has missed this point and looked for answers in an inanimate object.

  13. “We do have research that shows people feel more powerful when they have a gun, feel more in control, kind of don’t mess with me, I’ve got a gun.”

    This is actually not far off, but not in the way he wants it to be perceived…

    PTSD is not about an extreme experience, it’s about a feeling of extreme helplessness.

    By way of example: jumping out of plane is an extreme event, yes. But, when you have a parachute, you don’t feel helplessness. So, it can actually be enjoyable. Remove the parachute, and you’re helpless and terrified for your life.

    So, yes, a weapon can make you feel enpowered, removing the feeling of helplessness, in anticipation of an extreme event, like the parachute.

    But, it doesn’t turn you automatically into a power hungry sociopath, like this ninny is imply.

  14. You know how hard it is to text your BFF when others are flipping you off, laying on the horn, not going around you when you’re doing 10 under the speed limit in the left lane on an interstate? A normal person hardly has time to read and reply without running off the road or hitting someone, now so many with guns it’s dangerous to stay connected while driving.

      • “WASHINGTON—A new report published Monday by the National Transportation Safety Board advises motorists that sending text messages while driving ‘is totally fine’ and ‘not that big a deal’ as long as you make sure to glance up from your phone every now and then. ‘If you’re driving and have a really important text to send, that’s okay; just try to keep one eye on the road as best you can,’ NTSB chairman Deborah Hersman said of the report, which advocates a new ’50-50 rule’ for texting drivers, suggesting they keep half their attention on the road and half on their handheld device. ‘After all, you can always steer with your knees or—if you really want to be extra careful—text with one hand and hold the wheel with the other. Better yet, just ask a passenger to give you a heads-up whenever there’s a red light or another car up ahead.’ Hersman added that the report’s findings apply not only to texting, but also to checking email, playing games, or watching movies while driving.”

        frum dee unyum.

  15. I used to live in the “planned community” of Columbia, Maryland and somebody came up with the brilliant idea of giving out bumper stickers which proclaimed “Choose Civility” to residents who wanted them. Now, what could be funnier than having some knucklehead cut you off and then flip you off with one of those on his back bumper? Gets a chuckle out of me every time.

      • My Jewish wife was HORRIFIED to see one of those fish symbols on the rear of her daughters car until she took a closer look at it. Written inside the fish was “gefilte”. My step-daughter is a pretty funny kid.

    • Yeah, but as any of us real stat geeks will tell you, the ones that go into psych never really groked the math bit.

  16. PROJECTION

    We get it, the evil POS (D) work for satan, but you think we all share your F’d up tendencies.

    More “We’re F’d up, we need to fix you” from the Left’s ignorant intelligentsia.

  17. Increased access to computer keyboards leads to more derp from underqualified bloviators. We should take a hard cold look at restrictions on speech, Achtung Baby!

  18. I find it amazing, that when some nobody gives an opinion on how he/she feels about guns, the left accepts it as a fact. I couldn’t care less about how you feel about guns. Are there people who shouldn’t have guns? Yes, and that’s why everyone who wants to defend against these persons should be allowed to. The simple fact is a gun is a tool, used by someone for good or bad. You can’t control a persons actions. If you limit a persons access to guns, the criminals will still have guns. I’ll tell you a secret, criminals don’t follow laws, they never have, they are criminals. I’ll keep my guns thank you.

  19. “We do have research that shows people feel ….” BUT apparently no research showing that these gun owners are actually responsible for more road rage incidents resulting from these well-researched feelings.

  20. Interesting take. Wrong, but interesting.

    I never did road rage when I owned 0 guns. Bought a gun, still didn’t do road rage. Now I’m up to 3 dozen or so and still no road rage. Mr Pointy-Head Psychologist is a quack.

    Why haven’t I road raged on some idiot driver? Probably because I’m a mature rational adult and not a liberal projecting my weaknesses onto other people.

  21. Actually, I believe that increased anti-gun rhetorical nonsense and other leftist anti-liberty propaganda causes violence.

  22. I checked into these road rage incidents for a debate against anti gunners on another sight…if you look, you find that it is gang activity spreading to highways…..Chicago, L.A, …..the one article I read stated the gangs like to shoot on highways more, now, because they allow an easier get away, and other factors…it is not normal people losing their temper over a fender bender…..

  23. And yet this clown seems to neglect that the automobile the person is driving is in its self a lethal weapon if used as such.

  24. No,

    Increased congestion due to insufficient lanes or traffic for the population density and failure of municipalities to time lights properly leads to Road Rage.

    Firearms are incidental and actually reduce road rage.

  25. Ah road rage – the other kind of violence San Bernardino is famous for. The nexus of violent vehicular confrontations is where the 215 and 10 freeways meet . . . and all the gun laws that California has passed have not stopped it. When will Americans learn and instead of getting out of their vehicle to commit violence they should do like the Europeans and use their vehicle for violence?

  26. Since I started carrying a gun I am much calmer behind the wheel. Of course my gun guy was having a special. Complimentary xanax with each gun purchase. I bought four.

    • I like getting into the mindset of the opposition so I start my commute with a quart of purple drank.

  27. Honest truth…I think CC leads to less road rage. Why? Because those who carry are aware that part of the responsibility is adhering to a higher standard of behavior, especially when it comes to forgiving the crummy drivers we all see every day.

  28. Typical liberal buffoon, spewing out inane statements without a shred of actual facts to back up those statements. The liberal mantra…..if I say it or think it, you must believe it. Meh….

  29. Again and again and again. More made up out of thin air lefty progressive propaganda. Sadly, the brain stem only fools eat this crap with glee.

  30. Guns and cars have coexisted for a century…….how come no huge problems with road rage in the 40s/50s/60s/70s/80s?

  31. Obviously the increased amount of arrogant liberal professors is responsible for the increasing amount of violence on college campuses.
    Wait, that was suppose to be sarcasm, but it really is true. Lol

  32. Most important word in the entire quote is “might”. In other words, I have no idea if this is true or not but it fits my world view to imply that it is. Also, penguins might be seals with tuxedos.

  33. This guy needs to take some psychology refresher classes. His statements complete B’S. HAving a Gun handy in a road rage situation makes me the nonagresser safer.

  34. “Cut you off” is a meaningless phrase that is used as a trigger for road rage. I don’t really understand what a cut off is. Does that mean somebody changed lanes in front of you? If that triggers road rage, do yourself a favor and stay 100 miles away from Atlanta.
    We drive 13 to 20 miles over the limit here and the only thing that pisses off Atlanta drivers are people driving the limit in the fast lane.
    Cut off…give me a break! Cut off? Cut off? WTF is a cut off?

    • Very simple. If someone comes into the lane which your vehicle is occupying and you are forced to brake to avoid colliding with that vehicle, you have been “cut off” and are most likely “pissed off”. Yell “MORON!” at the top of your lungs so that you’ll feel better and then forget about it..

      • That rarely happens. There are so many other examples examples of rude drivers that cause frustration.
        The guy that speeds up when you try to pass on a two lane road.
        The guy that speeds up to close a gap that you have signaled that you need to take.
        The slow driver in the left lane and HOV lane.
        Brake checking.
        The idiot texting at a traffic light causing you to sit through two cycles.
        The fascist who strattles the line to keep drivers from passing on the right in order to merge up ahead where the lane ends.
        ETC.
        Been driving in shitty ATL traffic for 35 years and can’t remember ever being “cut off”
        Side note; The worst drivers in Atlanta have Tennessee, Alabama, or Clayton County plates.

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