Then the aggressor swerves to the right, squeezes your car, overtakes with a loud signal, then turns left again and gets as close to you as possible. For a greater “educational” effect, such people, if possible, slow down with a handbrake, because then the brake light will not come on. Scenarios may vary, but this is not uncommon, according to a study by the German Mobility Association and the Goslar Institute. However, this happens on all roads of the world, and Russia is no exception.
Experts therefore advise learning how to respond to such instances of pressure.
When faced with this type of aggressive driving, the first thing to do is: stay calm. It usually goes like this: first you are shocked and scared, then you try to speed up so as not to interfere, and finally you are angry. All this has a negative impact on safety. Instead, the motto should be: calm, only calm.
A common mistake is to assume that if you don’t break anything, you can continue at the same pace in the left lane. This will only exacerbate the conflict. It is much safer to give way to the hasty.
Experts also advise developing a habit check in mirrorswhether you get in the way of faster transport. Without it, you will find yourself in similar situations on a regular basis.
And another thing: it’s important not to be provoked to transgression. No need to exceed speed and maneuver sharply, just to clear the tape quickly. If an aggressive driver is already attached to the rear bumper, turn on the right turn signal and change lanes to the right as quickly as possible without creating an emergency.
And of course, try not to “reprimand” such a driver, repeatedly press the brake pedal. It’s much kinder and safer to encourage general relaxation and apologize with a wave of your hand if you feel the other driver is on edge.
about punishment
Interestingly, under German laws, if aggressive behavior and coercion are proven, the offender could face a prison sentence of up to three years or a huge fine.
In the case of a simple violation of the distance, the amount of the fine depends, among other things, on the speed of movement. The offender will be fined a maximum of € 400, two penalty points and a driving ban of three months.
According to the Road Traffic Act (§16 StVO), headlamps may be used once to indicate the intention to overtake. However, repeated flashing in combination with a minimum distance that the driver maintains for an extended period of time (§4 StVO) is considered coercion. And for that it is no longer an administrative, but a criminal punishment.
In Russia, only the punishment for dangerous or aggressive driving is discussed. It is not easy to prove such a violation.
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