Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The short novel The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde focused on the duality of human nature.
The story says humans are not born neither good nor bad but somewhere in between. And by separating the good and the bad, we are able to see that humans have both and one without the other can be overpowering.
Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the story, most men – even women – when behind the wheel try to set aside their good self and get down with their bad self.
Take the case of Joel (not his real name). Joel lives in a quiet village in Quezon City. He is mild-mannered and does many virtuous things. He is a dedicated father to his children and a loving and faithful husband to his wife.
Joel, however, has a hidden side to his personality, a side that he does not like to admit.
Once behind the wheel, Joel becomes a different man. His whole personality changes.
He drives fast and sometimes curses and verbally abuses other motorists.
Experts have suggested that many psychological factors are at play in aggressive driving and sometimes difficult to control.
Psychiatrist Dr. Camille Garcia gives an explanation on this behavior: “The possibility of low esteem. An achievement to pass or overtake others is overwhelming.”
She said men are territorially minded and have the tendency to view their vehicle as an extension of their personal domain.
Behind the wheel, many feel threatened by other vehicles and respond aggressively.
“It’s a form of defense mechanism. The street is tough so [he] must put on or assume a strong personality to cope or survive,” she said.
Driving may also lead some to feel a sense of power behind the wheel, which in some cases may even manifest itself into a “Jekyll and Hyde” effect – where someone who is courteous and polite suddenly becomes pushy and assertive when driving.
“The so-called ‘me better than you mentality’ acts up, which is a displaced aggression,” Garcia added.
CNN Philippines asked a few motorists what irk them most and what unsafe driving behaviors top their list.
This is what most of them say: Obstruction, tailgating, sudden change of lanes, overtaking, speeding, using of high beam toward oncoming traffic, failing to signal intent, slow driver, excessive use of horn, horrendous traffic and uncontrolled loading and unloading of passengers by public utility vehicles.
Experts also warn that aggressive driving behavior could sometimes lead to road rage.
Aggressive driving and road rage, however, are not the same.
One website, drivers.com, offers an explanation between aggressive driving and road rage.
According to this website, aggressive driving is a traffic offense or combination of offenses such as following too closely, speeding, and other forms of negligent or inconsiderate driving.
As a result, the aggressive driver generally commits multiple violations.
Unfortunately, these actions put the rest of us at risk.
Road rage, on the other the hand, is a criminal offense.
This happens when a traffic incident escalates into a far more serious situation.
For example, a person may become so angry over an aggressive driving incident that he or she overreacts and retaliates with some type of violence.
These violent acts may range from a physical confrontation to an assault with a motor vehicle or possibly a weapon.
Often, the roadway incident that caused the person to become enraged may have been something quite simple and even trivial.
Some incidents, by their very nature, are intentional acts, such as when a motorist switches from lane to lane in an effort to go around other vehicles.
Earlier this year, Tito Cosejo Jr. become famous – infamous, is more like it – when a “tutorial” video of him driving and chasing other cars aggressively and recklessly was uploaded on YouTube.
The video showed Cosejo illustrating to his passengers and viewers how to drive in Metro Manila while on “beast mode.”
Cosejo’s video skyrocketed to viral fame and become the subject of social media outrage for his behavior.
After being bullied online and receiving numerous death threats, Cosejo issued a public apology and promised not to engage in such behavior anymore.
Also this year, a video of another motorist driving through traffic on the wrong side of the road was posted on the Facebook page of Top Gear Philippines.
The man, who was driving a Jaguar sedan, was later identified as Joel Padiernos.
Padiernos later admitted on national TV, with a rueful look on his face, his misbehavior and confessed that he only did it because he was driving a nice car.
