WhatFinger


Rage, Road Rage

What makes us so angry?



A 21-year old man was killed in a road rage incident in Aldergrove BC, after the driver of another vehicle ran the young man’s truck off the road and then turned around and ran over the young man, killing him instantly.

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A group of young people was heading to the Bon Jovi concert in Toronto this week and decided to take the subway. As they were entering the subway one young woman said “thank you” to the TTC ticket taker. The ticket taker yelled, “what did you say?” and she repeated her thank you. “Move along!” is all the TTC employee managed to say. Heavy snow has fallen in Toronto over the past two months and the accumulation of snow has made it difficult for traffic to move at a smooth pace. Vehicles wishing to enter Lawrence Ave. W. from side streets find themselves having to wait for openings in traffic. As one develops, the vehicle in front of which the opening has developed speeds up to make sure that the cars wishing to enter traffic are unable to do so. We are turning into a nation of angry, grumpy and sullen misanthropes, as wherever more than a few of us congregate, we show our anger and disdain for others. Stories of incidents abound where people threaten and physically assault strangers through the most innocent contact. In one road rage episode in Toronto earlier this week one driver actually fired a handgun at another. What is happening to us to make us all so angry? I’m sure part of it has to do with the sense powerlessness many of us feel as forces beyond our control impose onerous rules and regulations over our behavior. There is likely also a sense of having been cheated, as Canadian society has fragmented itself into ethnic and racial ghettos, with few groups talking to each other and each thinking the other is getting the better deal. Why else would we the concept of immigration be such a hot button issue that causes the term “racist” to be tossed about like candy at a Mardi Gras parade? Then there is the perceived special treatment under the law that aboriginals seem to be able to command. Strong evidence of this is the occupation of disputed lands in Caledonia, Ontario, which is now entering its third year. In addition natives are given financial incentives and subsidies that most Canadians only dream about. Another reason for Canadians’ anger could be the unresponsiveness the Federal and various other levels of governments seem to have adopted over the very serious issues facing all of us today. Municipal governments tend to complain about their budget woes and blame them on higher levels of government, even as they raise taxes beyond the rate of inflation. Provincial governments blame the federal government for whatever shortcomings their provinces suffer and the feds in turn bounce the blame back onto the provincial governments. The economy is teetering on the verge of recession, yet governments seem to be oblivious to the implications an economic disaster may hold for common Canadians. Political correctness is forcing individuals to mind their Ps and Qs when talking about anything, lest they be accused of some social transgression. Youth crime seems to be spinning out of control with ever-younger offenders taking advantage of the ‘get out of jail free’ card the Youth Criminal Justice Act provides for them. The list goes on and on. Looking at all the valid reasons Canadians have to be angry, it makes one wonder why the number of incidents isn’t larger and why more people haven’t been killed. My guess is that as governments become more intrusive and less effective, people will only become angrier. Maybe a mandatory government sponsored anger management program is the answer. Only trouble is it would take decades for government to decide if such a program is a federal or provincial responsibility.


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Klaus Rohrich -- Bio and Archives

Klaus Rohrich is senior columnist for Canada Free Press. Klaus also writes topical articles for numerous magazines. He has a regular column on RetirementHomes and is currently working on his first book dealing with the toxicity of liberalism.  His work has been featured on the Drudge Report, Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, among others.  He lives and works in a small town outside of Toronto.

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