Do you think the proliferation of cell phones has caused an increase or decrease in 'road rage'?

I hate when I see someone talking on the phone while driving, or worse, texting while driving. Since the law went into effect making it illegal to use a handheld device while driving in Ontario it makes me even more upset. I wouldn’t say that it causes road rage in me, but it’s a pissoff.

I can see how people talking while driving could increase road rage, though, simply because people talking or texting are more likely to lose control of their vehicles, even if it’s only for a second. That bothers me – when I see a car swerve a little for no apparent reason, then see that the driver is on the phone.

I think it depends. Let’s see the possibilities:
1) You DO get road rage because of the use of cellphone: Then you wouldn’t call someone to tell something about it. I mean, unless you’re a real hypocrite.
2) You don’t: Well, then you wouldn’t call anyone, would you?

So in both cases, we can see the possibility of calling someone to vent is little. And is true that seeing someone talking carelessly while they’re making you do some hard / dangerous maneuver.

So yes. I think it may be related :)

I don’t really see the two as connected.

You would not believe some to the scenes I have witnessed with people talking on a cellphone and attempting to driver their automobile. First, you and I know that some people cannot chew gum and walk at the same time, so these drivers are extremely dangerous on the road.

In my state, only texting is a law violation, while driving. How can an officer tell the difference, unless he is sitting in the seat next to the driver? In my state, a person can only be charged with careless driving, if another traffic violation is present. Example: speeding and talking on a cellphone is a contributing factor. Our lawmakers made this law as weak as possible, because they do this themselves.

I once saw a woman driving an suv. She was applying makeup, talking on a cellphone and steering with her knees. I got out of her way and expected her to crash at any time.

To answer your question, yes, cellphones are a contributing factor to road rage. Some drivers have their mind on the phone conversation and not their driving. This is a dangerous situation for all other drivers. Also, I answered a wreck where this woman dropped her cellphone on the floor of her auto. As she was attempting to pick it up, she grabbed the steering wheel, turning it, and ran off the road into a briar patch. No injuries, just a lot of embarrassment and thorns to remove.

Definitely an increase….. from my own observations I have to say young women are guilty to a greater extent…. Only yesterday I was stuck behind such a young lady when the lights turned green, merrily she tapped away on her handset until the lights turned red again, blissfully unaware that the honking horns behind her were directed at her…. When she did realise, with a little wobble from her head & a one finger salute in the rear view she was off again…. Only the lights were still on red :-/

I see it as increasing road rage for much the same reason that @Scooby points out; it makes people drive stupider than they already do. While I occasionally talk on the phone myself while I am on the road, my phone is in a dock (it is also my GPS) and hooked to my car stereo so that I can keep both hands controlling my car. I am also not above telling the person I am talking to to hold on a sec while I deal with something on the road; driving takes precedence over the conversation.
Unfortunately, many people see driving as both a distraction from their “real” life and a Gawd-given right, so they hit the roads while acting like they are still in their living room, will do anything to distract themselves from an unpleasant chore, and then get pissed when someone intrudes on their personal space, even if that space is weaving across three lanes of highway traffic. After all, they are the most important person in the Universe, so the rest of us have to allow them free reign and get out of their way.

It pisses me off when I see people talking…yesterday we were on the highway. Speed limit is 70. This guy in front of us was just floating along in the in passing lane, only doing about 50. At one point he totally drifted into our lane. Rick got on the horn and he jumped back into his lane. When we drove by I took a good look at him…the sob was texting. He had a vanity plate which was easy to remember, and I called the cops.

It’s certainly increased my rage on the road.

Oy, don’t get me started…