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Why are so many people so angry?

(96 Posts)
Ealdemodor Thu 06-May-21 12:09:04

My husband is a lorry driver, delivering building materials to sites or people’s homes.
He often has to block the road for the short duration he is unloading with a crane or “grabber”.
This morning, some crazed hothead started arguing with the builder and refusing to move his car. He then tried to let down the lorry tyre with a screwdriver, which my husband at first feared was a knife.
This kind of incident is sadly not unusual. My husband is often sworn at and even threatened.
It seems to be the default setting for so many people now - a minor inconvenience, so let’s go berserk.

M0nica Sat 08-May-21 08:30:00

I think a lot of it goes back to modern child rearing methods that seem to think that to tell a child outright that they cannot do or must do something, is somehow to damage to their little psyches. I am not talking about children who run roughshod over everything and really do do what they want when they want - but I do think that number has increased - but child rearing practices that suggest you should avoid ever saying 'no' a child, that they should be led to doing the right thing without the use of that word.

The problem is, as children grow up they will meet the word 'no' all the time, there are laws they must obey, there are things that will be expected of them at work and all sorts of occasions when in some form or another, when someone or something will say 'No' - as the traffic lights do. They will not be gently talked to to encourage them to do something. They will just be told 'No' and I think this means when this happens they resent it, are not used to it and just barge through.

absent Sat 08-May-21 06:31:49

I recall someone stabbing the tyres of the ambulance that had arrived to take me to hospital for emergency surgery. Fortunately, for me at least, he was unsuccessful in his attempts to render the vehicle unusable. I learned afterwards that this is not at all uncommon. What? Why? And this was all long before Covid and lockdowns.

nanna8 Sat 08-May-21 00:34:53

timetogo2016

I wonder which charm school some of these arseholes go to.
I have noticed they are very brave behind the wheel.

Well that gave me a good belly laugh timetogo so thanks for that! ?

Nancy0 Sat 08-May-21 00:22:16

Old fashioned manners and patience are in short supply.

maddyone Fri 07-May-21 16:13:53

lemongrove

It’s being thwarted because they can’t have what they want.
Normal in toddlers, but in adults? You have only got to read some of the posts on threads to see that, some are the ‘permanently angry’ about everything! It’s even more surprising in older people, but there you are.

I agree with this.

maddyone Fri 07-May-21 13:44:39

Why indeed? People do seem very angry these days, even on Gransnet. It’s not a development I find very endearing actually.

Judy54 Fri 07-May-21 13:39:07

I so agree with lemongrove it is normal in toddlers but not in Adults. Yes there are some permanently angry on a number of threads on here who throw tantrums when they can't get their own way. I conjure up a picture of them wearing a giant nappy like a big baby! Many of these posts make me laugh out loud at the sheer audacity of some people who really like to have a spat.

NanaandGrampy Thu 06-May-21 18:42:36

I think its a combination of two things.
The speed and pace of life in general. Everyone wants to get there quicker , wants their goods more quickly and generally wants to live at breakneck speed.

Secondly, its about the me , me , me society. Its all about me , what I want, my rights, my life .

Combine the two and you have people who want everything yesterday and they don't care who that inconveniences .

Kamiso Thu 06-May-21 17:12:29

When I was in my teens my cousin’s husband picked me up as I was baby sitting for them. In a two mile journey he stopped three times, getting out of the car, to hurl abuse at other drivers. I can remember sinking down in my seat fearing I had been seen by someone I knew! Teenage angst! Normally he was perfectly pleasant and polite.

Aveline Thu 06-May-21 17:04:21

'give my regards to your mother' - excellent. I hope I remember that one next time someone swears impatiently at me!

timetogo2016 Thu 06-May-21 16:59:53

I wonder which charm school some of these arseholes go to.
I have noticed they are very brave behind the wheel.

lemongrove Thu 06-May-21 16:53:01

It’s being thwarted because they can’t have what they want.
Normal in toddlers, but in adults? You have only got to read some of the posts on threads to see that, some are the ‘permanently angry’ about everything! It’s even more surprising in older people, but there you are.

jaylucy Thu 06-May-21 16:44:45

I used to work in customer service and I noticed that as the years went by, we were having to deal with more nad more rude customers!
It was usually the younger ones that were the worst and more than once I had to put the phone down on people after being sworn at!
Some people have become so insular that when they want something, they want it NOW! Only care about themselves, no one else!

kissngate Thu 06-May-21 16:40:03

I totally agree about folk being angrier these days. The local supermarket is having work done near traffic lights so they aren't working. I was very conscious walking across the entrance that traffic was coming in three directions and the pedestrian lights were out. There was a queue but I had to stop halfway across because of traffic coming other way. All of a sudden this angry young man wound his window down and shouted 'dont rush take your time you dont have anything else to do' plus lots of other words I wont repeat. He had his gf or whoever with him. I nearly said give my regards to your mother but I didnt. All that abuse for no reason at all other than traffic lights out and he wasn't moving anywhere.

sodapop Thu 06-May-21 16:21:25

My husband is the kindest most tolerant of men but behind the wheel of a car - oh dear. Don't think we have many journeys without some road rage, strange as he drove for a living for some time.

JaneJudge Thu 06-May-21 16:12:20

Amberone

JaneJudge

You get an automatic 3 points for jumping a red light, they all (most?) have cameras on now

But not at temporary red lights, where work is being done

I know but why would you risk it? let alone get angry with someone stopping as you should do

keepingquiet Thu 06-May-21 16:06:36

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000vsdy

here's the link

keepingquiet Thu 06-May-21 16:02:21

I must live in a different country-they only nastiness I come across is on this site!

MayBee70 Thu 06-May-21 14:58:02

A young girl is camping nearby in an area where birds are nesting on the ground and there are signs asking people to keep their dogs on lead (she is doing it in an official capacity). A man with a Labrador, when reminded about this,refused to put his dog on a lead and also threatened to go and get a gun. I know this isn’t a road rage incident but it just sums up how horrible so many people are these days.

Amberone Thu 06-May-21 14:50:29

JaneJudge

You get an automatic 3 points for jumping a red light, they all (most?) have cameras on now

But not at temporary red lights, where work is being done

Amberone Thu 06-May-21 14:49:22

We have seen the same thing a couple of times Monica, but what is potentially more dangerous is that three times now, when turning right at a roundabout, some clown has come past on our left (outside lane) at speed to overtake us on the roundabout. On the last occasion my OH didn't see him speeding up beside us and we both nearly tried to exit on the single lane road. Luckily I spotted him out of my mirror and told OH, who swerved back onto the roundabout. I think a lot of people got used to little traffic during lockdown and now consider other road users to be in their way.

Lollin Thu 06-May-21 14:46:30

I have wondered if it’s partly the insular lives we are getting deeper and deeper in to from a younger age. There are people who make a living from playing devils advocate. Social media is full of indignation. Will continuous developments in technology and now home working make us even more antisocial I wonder.

JaneJudge Thu 06-May-21 14:41:45

I'm going to be rude now <oh dear> but me and my older son call the roundabout where the A1 meets the M25, masturbaters island as people are either being a w**ker on it or calling someone else one blush

JaneJudge Thu 06-May-21 14:39:37

You get an automatic 3 points for jumping a red light, they all (most?) have cameras on now

Dottynan Thu 06-May-21 14:37:55

I was sat on the right hand turn of traffic lights. The two sets of lights to our left were for straight on and left turn. The straight on set turned to green while ours were still at red. The car in front misread the lights and went through on red so the white van honked me to follow him. Was most put out when I wouldn't move to ours turned to green.