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When Road Rage Turns Violent

Posted: March 15, 2010 | Categories: Miscellaneous

As I got on the exercise equipment this morning at the Y, I noticed what appeared to be a long news item on the local channel. I couldn't tell what the story was because I was blasting old Jethro Tull (Minstrel in the Gallery) into my ears from my iPod.

Anyway, the teaser/title for the story was 'When Road Rage Turns Violent." As I settled in on the machine, I had to laugh. When road rage turns violent? Isn't that what road rage is? A violent reaction to something that happens on the road? Would it ever be news if there wasn't violence involved? I can see it now if it were otherwise: 'Things got interesting this morning when a local man got slightly upset because someone cut him off on the highway. He pulled off the highway, turned on his flashers and calmly sent us an email detailing his displeasure then got back on the road.'  No, that's not how it works - the only time anyone cares about Road Rage is when someone actually does something violent as the result of it. It's just not news otherwise.

It's like saying something like 'When winter weather gets cold' or 'When forest fires get hot' or even 'When fights get physical.'

C'mon, what were they thinking? I was thinking perhaps they could have done something like 'Road rage ends in accident' or 'Road Rage Incident ends with Hospital Visit' but then I realized those were just as lame. All they needed to do was say 'Road Rage' or 'Local Incident of Road Rage' and be done with it. Most likely they felt that they had to make is sensational, or perhaps an intern did it.  Who knows.  All I know is that it made me laugh at 6 o'clock this morning.

Enjoy your day!


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