“Many of the people who are most aggressive on the roads appear to be people to whom aggression – and aggression to a criminal extent – is normal”

Certainly, as time goes by and documentation improves, examples of aggression become clearer. In 1817, the English poet Lord Byron owned up to “boxing the ear” of a man in a carriage who was “impudent to his horse”. It is unlikely that he was the only one. By 1861, the situation in Britain was obviously bad enough that the Offences Against the Person Act included the offence of “wanton and furious driving”. It is easy to overlook the fact that this law was passed 34 years before the first car arrived in the UK. This makes it hard to argue that aggressive driving is a relatively new phenomenon, even though most people would say that it is much more prevalent than in days gone by.

There are two likely reasons for this – congestion and a more aggressive society. But both these explanations can also be looked at in terms of whether the aggression is hostile – a spontaneous explosion caused in an individual toward another individual by the pressure of circumstances – or whether the aggression is just used to gain time, advantage or dominance in a situation. Just like any other delay, congestion of any sort makes people angry. Most people have stood and seethed in slow-moving queues in supermarkets, but outside the car they outwardly keep in control because they fear being recognised, or standing out in the crowd.

Within the anonymity offered by cars, people have to live with two types of congestion – the unexpected breakdown of traffic flow and the wholly predictable queuing of the regular commute. The frustration of the former and the desire to avoid the latter can cause flare-ups and a short loss of self control. But much of the bad driving seen in these conditions is done to benefit the perpetrator and is planned and calculated. Drivers who don’t take their place in the correct queue, but charge down the right turn lane until they can force their way into the queue 40-plus cars nearer the front don’t just crack – they plan this aggression because they gain.

Over the years, society has changed too. Aggression is more widespread. Many countries are experiencing rises in violent crime, and this drift to violence may be playing its role on the road. But much is gained these days through calculated aggression for personal gain, and to many this is just the normal way of getting ahead in a competitive society. Many of today’s road users have got where they are by bending or simply ignoring those rules that they see as irrelevant, by taking risks and by being competitive. They see that similar behaviour in traffic can reward the aggressor.

This is normal in many areas of life, yet on the roads we still expect people to take their turn, to not take risks, and to work for the good of everyone. There are proven links between bad driving resulting in motoring offences, and criminal and violent behaviour. Many of the people who are most aggressive on the roads appear to be people to whom aggression – and aggression to a criminal extent – is normal. Several high-profile cases have shown this to be true. In discussing aggression, it is also important that the perception of aggression is looked at. As an example, many drivers feel that they are the victim of aggressive following. But it may be the case that the driver behind would be blissfully unaware that he is even considered aggressive by the car in front. He wants to overtake, but lacks either the skill or the courage to do so.

Indeed, many South of England drivers overtake so rarely on a single carriageway road that overtaking is becoming a lost skill. This is but an example – but it is easy for one driver to assume that another is aggressive, rather than timid, lost or inattentive.

No one can deny that there is increased aggression on the roads today. But analysing why is far from easy.