Gun-toting Drivers Are More Prone To Road Rage

Amnesia Wes · August 4, 2006, 11:57 PM

Following are excerpts from an article in Popular Science Magazine's May 2006 article titled:

GUN-TOTING DRIVERS ARE MORE PRONE TO ROAD RAGE

(The following is not the complete article.)

"After cold-calling 2,459 American adults with an anonymous questionnaire, researchers from the Harvard Injury Control Research Center discovered that directing 'indecent' gestures at other motorists was significantly more common among suburb-anites (sic), binge drinkers, Northeasterners, those who think most people can't be trusted and, yes, those who admitted that they keep guns in their vehicles."

Also...

"The implication is that if lethal weapons are more readily accessible, hostile driving incidents could turn ugly more often."

There is more, I just can't type all of it.

In addition they had a FULL-PAGE four-color graphic of an irate driver leaning out his window snarling, with three hunting guns in a rear window gun rack.

I find this poor journalism and will write to PS. I hope some of you will also.

Wes.

azurefly · August 5, 2006, 12:08 AM

OMG I wish I still had the NRA magazine that shredded that so-called "study". I can remember only vaguely at this point that there were huge flaws in the "logic" employed by its authors.

Can anyone help out in this regard?

edit: Oh, by the way, thank you for pointing this out: I have a subscription to P.S. -- it may be nearing its end, but if I get that issue, I will certainly call them and inform them where they can stick their renewal forms.

-azurefly

Knotthead · August 5, 2006, 02:50 AM

Here's a link to John Lott on the subject:

http://johnrlott.tripod.com/2006/02/...road-rage.html

deadin · August 5, 2006, 08:40 AM

IIRC the "questionnaire" asked, among other things, "have you ever carried a gun in your car?" and "have you ever gotten mad at another driver?"
They never did ask if these two things happened at the same time, they just deduced that if you anwered "yes" to these two, you were a "gun toting redneck with an anger management problem"

This was discussed extensively on one of the gun boards and was pretty much debunked as a valid study.

Dean

KimberTLE.45 · August 5, 2006, 09:18 AM

I got a gun pointed at my by another driver before... Didnt know what to do, it is freaky looking down the wrong end of the gun.

Some people just shouldnt have them..

smince · August 5, 2006, 09:26 AM

While stationed in Ga, a young hothead airman from Indiana got in a road rage incident with another driver and ended up staring down the wrong end of a Super Blackhawk(I was there, also). MY advice to him was to consider that every vehicle in the South had a gun in it, either in the window rack or in the glovebox.

Quote:

Some people just shouldnt have them..

Who is to decide? You? Me? The government?

Maybe some people shouldn't have other Constitutional rights, either?

Harley Quinn · August 5, 2006, 10:10 AM

Bunk

HQ

Wyo Cowboy · August 5, 2006, 10:32 AM

Well then, I guess that everyone should consider all armed law enforcement officers ticking road-rage timebombs. That Harvard "study" could also ask... 1) Have you ever gotten mad at another driver? 2) Have you ever shopped at WalMart, KMart, Ross, Home Depot, etc?. Yes to both? Conculsion... People who shop at discount stores are more likely to have periods of road-rage.

deadin · August 5, 2006, 07:25 PM

Quote:

1) Have you ever gotten mad at another driver? 2) Have you ever shopped at WalMart, KMart, Ross, Home Depot, etc?. Yes to both? Conculsion... People who shop at discount stores are more likely to have periods of road-rage.

Works for me..

Silver Bullet · August 5, 2006, 07:35 PM

I think drivers of vehicles are more prone to road rage than pedestrians.

What remedial action should we take for that ?

tony pasley · August 5, 2006, 08:35 PM

bravo serria

Rangefinder · August 5, 2006, 09:41 PM

I go along with the Wal-mart scenerio--I could see it happening just trying to negotiate a way through the parking lot with all the zombie-like peds wandering around bumping into things or standing in the middle of the road like a bump with an expression of "they can wait, I'm in no hurry..."

croyance · August 5, 2006, 11:27 PM

I would think the reality is that gun carrying drivers are more aware of their mood, including anger, than those who don't carry.
They act like an ******* and what happens, happens.
We act like an ass and if things get bad we will face legal consqences. So we are more aware. We have a motive to be. Not every one of us, but more than average.

Also, out of 2500 random people, how many legally carry? A small amount. So a couple answers here or there will skew the results.

But when then they lump a bunch of people together to produce an alarming result. I don't drink when I'm around guns. I think many gun owners are this way. So why not break out the individual number to give a clear picture?

Monkeyleg · August 6, 2006, 12:22 AM

"...significantly more common among suburb-anites (sic), binge drinkers, Northeasterners, those who think most people can't be trusted and, yes, those who admitted that they keep guns in their vehicles."

Sounds like one of their researchers got lazy, and just called Ted Kennedy with the questionnaire.

Trip20 · August 6, 2006, 12:54 AM

Dick - you're killin' me here.

PATH · August 6, 2006, 01:30 AM

Ditto!

hpg · August 6, 2006, 01:10 PM

More Media bull$hit. hpg

Mannlicher · August 6, 2006, 01:29 PM

all I can hope is that the oblivious yuppie liberal Volvo drivers here in My Fair City will read this, and give me a wide bearth when I 'finger' them for their butt headed driving.

mthalo · August 7, 2006, 10:29 AM

I live in South Florida, and the drivers are so bad that the road rage usually starts before I can get out of the driveway.

I've found that when I do have a firearm in the car, I'm much less inclined to react when some Lexus driving moron cuts me off at 90mph
with no signal because he can't put the cell phone down long enough to operate the turn signal.
When I have a firearm, I do not want to attract any unecessary attention from the police or anyone else, so I'm much more inclined to just let things go without giving the one-finger salute.

Supertac · August 7, 2006, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mthalo

I live in South Florida, and the drivers are so bad that the road rage usually starts before I can get out of the driveway.

I've found that when I do have a firearm in the car, I'm much less inclined to react when some Lexus driving moron cuts me off at 90mph
with no signal because he can't put the cell phone down long enough to operate the turn signal.
When I have a firearm, I do not want to attract any unecessary attention from the police or anyone else, so I'm much more inclined to just let things go without giving the one-finger salute.

I agree with everything you said, including the drivers in sFL.

DonR101395 · August 7, 2006, 11:18 AM

If you're stupid behind the wheel and it's directed towards me, I'll give you the one fingered salute whether I have a gun or not. Road rage is a bullsh** media hype, just like most of the other stuff the media creates. People have been beating the crap out of each other at stop lights since there have been cars and stop lights. Some full of sh** reporter or doctor just decided to name as if it were a new craze like the twist.

Mannlicher · August 7, 2006, 12:48 PM

Mthalo,
I moved up to North Fla recently from Kendall. I commuted 20 miles to my job in a high rise glass building on Biscayne near the Julia Tuttle. The drive in was only about 25 min, but the return trip (usually by the airport) was almost always 90 min. The stress of just trying to stay alive in that insane traffic was rough.
I would be so drained when I got home, that a cold Presidente sure tasted good. It's wonderful to be the heck out of there

August 4, 2006, 11:57 PM	#1
Amnesia Wes Member Join Date: June 27, 2006 Posts: 18	Gun-toting Drivers Are More Prone To Road Rage Following are excerpts from an article in Popular Science Magazine's May 2006 article titled: GUN-TOTING DRIVERS ARE MORE PRONE TO ROAD RAGE (The following is not the complete article.) "After cold-calling 2,459 American adults with an anonymous questionnaire, researchers from the Harvard Injury Control Research Center discovered that directing 'indecent' gestures at other motorists was significantly more common among suburb-anites (sic), binge drinkers, Northeasterners, those who think most people can't be trusted and, yes, those who admitted that they keep guns in their vehicles." Also... "The implication is that if lethal weapons are more readily accessible, hostile driving incidents could turn ugly more often." There is more, I just can't type all of it. In addition they had a FULL-PAGE four-color graphic of an irate driver leaning out his window snarling, with three hunting guns in a rear window gun rack. I find this poor journalism and will write to PS. I hope some of you will also. Wes. __________________ 3 can keep a secret; if 2 are dead...

August 5, 2006, 10:10 AM	#7
Harley Quinn Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2005 Location: State of KALI Posts: 1,534	Yea, sure. Bunk HQ

August 5, 2006, 07:35 PM	#10
Silver Bullet Senior Member Join Date: June 6, 2001 Location: Arizona Posts: 831	I think drivers of vehicles are more prone to road rage than pedestrians. What remedial action should we take for that ? __________________ Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay — and claims a halo for his dishonesty. -- Robert Heinlein

August 5, 2006, 09:41 PM	#12
Rangefinder Senior Member Join Date: August 4, 2005 Posts: 1,330	I go along with the Wal-mart scenerio--I could see it happening just trying to negotiate a way through the parking lot with all the zombie-like peds wandering around bumping into things or standing in the middle of the road like a bump with an expression of "they can wait, I'm in no hurry..." __________________ "Why is is called Common Sense when it seems so few actually possess it?" Guns only have two enemies: Rust and Politicians.

August 6, 2006, 12:22 AM	#14
Monkeyleg Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2000 Posts: 4,621	"...significantly more common among suburb-anites (sic), binge drinkers, Northeasterners, those who think most people can't be trusted and, yes, those who admitted that they keep guns in their vehicles." Sounds like one of their researchers got lazy, and just called Ted Kennedy with the questionnaire. __________________ Eotech Sights, Hunting Rangefinders Crimson Trace, Bushnell Scopes Remington Rifles, Smith and Wesson revolvers Beretta Pistols, Kimber, ACOG sights

August 5, 2006, 12:08 AM	#2
azurefly Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2005 Posts: 1,189	OMG I wish I still had the NRA magazine that shredded that so-called "study". I can remember only vaguely at this point that there were huge flaws in the "logic" employed by its authors. Can anyone help out in this regard? edit: Oh, by the way, thank you for pointing this out: I have a subscription to P.S. -- it may be nearing its end, but if I get that issue, I will certainly call them and inform them where they can stick their renewal forms. -azurefly

August 5, 2006, 02:50 AM	#3
Knotthead Member Join Date: July 22, 2006 Posts: 67	Here's a link to John Lott on the subject: http://johnrlott.tripod.com/2006/02/...road-rage.html

August 5, 2006, 08:40 AM	#4
deadin Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2005 Location: Ocean Shores, WA Posts: 1,052	IIRC the "questionnaire" asked, among other things, "have you ever carried a gun in your car?" and "have you ever gotten mad at another driver?" They never did ask if these two things happened at the same time, they just deduced that if you anwered "yes" to these two, you were a "gun toting redneck with an anger management problem" This was discussed extensively on one of the gun boards and was pretty much debunked as a valid study. Dean

August 5, 2006, 09:18 AM	#5
KimberTLE.45 Member Join Date: June 25, 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 30	I got a gun pointed at my by another driver before... Didnt know what to do, it is freaky looking down the wrong end of the gun. Some people just shouldnt have them..

August 5, 2006, 10:32 AM	#8
Wyo Cowboy Senior Member Join Date: March 25, 2005 Location: Northern Wyoming Posts: 342	Well then, I guess that everyone should consider all armed law enforcement officers ticking road-rage timebombs. That Harvard "study" could also ask... 1) Have you ever gotten mad at another driver? 2) Have you ever shopped at WalMart, KMart, Ross, Home Depot, etc?. Yes to both? Conculsion... People who shop at discount stores are more likely to have periods of road-rage.

August 5, 2006, 08:35 PM	#11
tony pasley Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2006 Location: western north carolina Posts: 1,157	bravo serria

August 5, 2006, 11:27 PM	#13
croyance Senior Member Join Date: March 30, 2001 Posts: 3,604	I would think the reality is that gun carrying drivers are more aware of their mood, including anger, than those who don't carry. They act like an ******* and what happens, happens. We act like an ass and if things get bad we will face legal consqences. So we are more aware. We have a motive to be. Not every one of us, but more than average. Also, out of 2500 random people, how many legally carry? A small amount. So a couple answers here or there will skew the results. But when then they lump a bunch of people together to produce an alarming result. I don't drink when I'm around guns. I think many gun owners are this way. So why not break out the individual number to give a clear picture?

August 6, 2006, 12:54 AM	#15
Trip20 Senior Member Join Date: March 21, 2005 Location: WI Posts: 2,181	Dick - you're killin' me here. __________________ ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ Get Involved!

August 6, 2006, 01:30 AM	#16
PATH Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 1999 Location: Rockland, NY Posts: 1,473	Ditto! __________________ For sure it is an evil spite, and breaking to the heart, For Irishmen to watch a fight and not be taking part. -Robert Service 'How MacPherson Held The Floor'

August 6, 2006, 01:10 PM	#17
hpg Senior Member Join Date: September 14, 2002 Location: in the Bluegrass State Posts: 1,547	More Media bull$hit. hpg __________________ NRA member Semper Paratus

August 6, 2006, 01:29 PM	#18
Mannlicher Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2001 Location: North Central Florida Posts: 2,785	all I can hope is that the oblivious yuppie liberal Volvo drivers here in My Fair City will read this, and give me a wide bearth when I 'finger' them for their butt headed driving. __________________ Nemo Me Impune Lacesset "The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.".........Ronald Reagan

August 7, 2006, 10:29 AM	#19
mthalo Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2005 Posts: 293	I live in South Florida, and the drivers are so bad that the road rage usually starts before I can get out of the driveway. I've found that when I do have a firearm in the car, I'm much less inclined to react when some Lexus driving moron cuts me off at 90mph with no signal because he can't put the cell phone down long enough to operate the turn signal. When I have a firearm, I do not want to attract any unecessary attention from the police or anyone else, so I'm much more inclined to just let things go without giving the one-finger salute. __________________ My grandmother was born in 1911.

August 7, 2006, 11:18 AM	#21
DonR101395 Senior Member Join Date: October 30, 2005 Location: NWFL Posts: 2,998	If you're stupid behind the wheel and it's directed towards me, I'll give you the one fingered salute whether I have a gun or not. Road rage is a bullsh media hype, just like most of the other stuff the media creates. People have been beating the crap out of each other at stop lights since there have been cars and stop lights. Some full of sh reporter or doctor just decided to name as if it were a new craze like the twist.

August 7, 2006, 12:48 PM	#22
Mannlicher Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2001 Location: North Central Florida Posts: 2,785	Mthalo, I moved up to North Fla recently from Kendall. I commuted 20 miles to my job in a high rise glass building on Biscayne near the Julia Tuttle. The drive in was only about 25 min, but the return trip (usually by the airport) was almost always 90 min. The stress of just trying to stay alive in that insane traffic was rough. I would be so drained when I got home, that a cold Presidente sure tasted good. It's wonderful to be the heck out of there __________________ Nemo Me Impune Lacesset "The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.".........Ronald Reagan