A friend of mine had his campervan damaged in a road rage incidentlast week. He was stopped at a set of lights, and a guy on a motorbike pulledup between the traffic lanes next to him. The lights changed and the trafficstarted moving, and the motorcyclist started trying to merge in front of mymate in the camper. He got so close that my mate had to pull quite far tothe right to avoid him (yes, it is true he could have slowed down and let himin…!). A little later the motorcyclist came alongside the camper, shouting andgesturing rudely (I’m sure you can imagine). To which my mate, you'll be amazedto hear, responded in kind.
Then the motorcyclist leaned over and smashed the campervan’s wingmirror, and sped off! Pretty crazy behavior, a motorcyclist (withpassenger on the back) leaning across in the pouring rain. He could have goneunder the campervan’s wheel so easily.
According to my internet research, up to 90% of drivers report having been thevictim of an aggressive act by another driver, and over half admit to havingacted aggressively themselves. Certainly, everyone I’ve spoken to has a roadrage story. Just asking around the office, one of the guys told me about thetime he was driving in a car behind a van whose driver was obviously not payingattention – going ridiculously slowly and weaving all over the road. Mycolleague beeped to hurry him along, and before he knew it, the van driver hadstopped in the middle of the road, stormed towards the car and startedthreatening him and hitting his car. It could have turned very nasty if mycolleague hadn’t very wisely pulled a u-turn and driven away.
I’veexperienced road rage a number of times myself (and must confess to having,ahem, silently cursed other drivers on the odd occasion). The thing I findparticularly frustrating is that the people who get all aggressive are quiteoften the ones making the mistakes and driving badly! Idiotswho pull out in front, don’t obey the road rules, tailgate, talk on the phonewhile driving and a whole host of other thoughtless and dangerous things arebecoming so common these days as to be unavoidable on the road. They can turnan enjoyable trip into a stressful nightmare.
Here are Norman’s Tips for controlling your own roadrage and dealing with that of other drivers.
- Avoid eye contact with angry drivers, and give them plenty of space. You’re better to let them get away from you rather than try to compete with them or make a point (as tempting as that can be!).
- Don’t retaliate. The other driver is not having a go at you personally! Ask yourself – “Is getting back at that idiot worth my life?”
- If you do make a mistake, acknowledge it.
- Be polite, courteous and responsible, even if other drivers are not.
- Remember that you can’t control other drivers, but you can control the way they affect you. Take some deep breaths, or pull over in a safe place and take some time to unwind if you’re feeling very angry. It’s amazing how a cuppa can defuse anger.
- Always remember that safety is your number one priority.
If you’re still feeling outraged, head to www.roadrageaustralia.com, where youcan vent your anger online, rather than on the road – it’s longer-lasting,safer and much more gratifying!
You can find me this month at the South Coast Caravan,Camping & Holiday Expo in Batemans Bay from 4-6 November. Come and saygidday at the KEA stand if you’re in the neighbourhood.
Safe travels,
Norman
It may seem unbelievable that people would spend tens of thousands of dollars on something they haven’t even seen, but it’s becoming quite common. Research published by website getprice.com.au earlier this year found that more Australians are shopping online than ever before, and the RV industry appears to be following this trend. At KEA our reputation as a top supplier of new and used RVs has meant that we are selling more and more campervans and motorhomes to people who have not driven, or even seen, the vehicle. Many of these buyers are from overseas, or live in remote rural locations where they can’t easily pop in to the nearest sales centre and take one for a spin. The system works just fine for us and our customers – they put a deposit down “subject to inspection and road test”, and we (and our vehicles) have never failed to meet their expectations.
The wonders of technology certainly help. RV websites these days feature floorplans, internal photographs and even videos of the vehicles, as well as detailed information about vehicle specifications and inclusions. So you’re pretty well covered if you’re buying ‘sight unseen’ from a reputable dealer who’s been around for a while. But a word of warning – be careful! If you are considering buying this way, make sure the vendor is a licensed motor vehicle dealer. They should send you an invoice for your deposit and give you a receipt. Make sure the purchase is subject to you being satisfied with an inspection and test drive of the vehicle. And if you have any doubts – don’t do it!
Speaking of buying online - at the time of writing, we’re coming up to Christmas and a debate is raging in the office here about this very issue. Some of our ladies (who I will politely describe as ‘dedicated shoppers’) feel it’s just not in the Christmas spirit to order gifts on a computer. Apparently the parking issues, checkout queues and piped Christmas carols (why do retail managers not realize that Snoopy’s Christmas loses its cuteness after the 10th time you hear it?) is all part of the fun. Call me a Scrooge, but I’ll stick to my current plan of ordering online from the comfort of my lounge room.
Our Marketing Manager, Lynn Briggs, has taken online buying to a whole new level. She buys anything and everything she can online – including groceries, clothes and even (for a reason she has not yet explained to me) a very impressive-looking massage table. Lynn is leaving KEA this month, after almost 5 years with the company – she’s moving home to New Zealand to be closer to her family. It’s been a pleasure working with her over the years – she’s responsible for all the KEA advertising you see around the place – and I wish her all the best.
I’d be interested to hear your stories of anything unusual that you’ve bought ‘sight unseen’, or any unsavoury (or especially good) online RV purchase stories. Please send these to me at normanroe@keacampers.com – I’ll be sure to mention your stories in future issues of the Wanderer.
And in case you’re wondering - Roland and Regina’s motorhome (fondly named “Winnie”) is still going strong. Look out for them when you’re on the road – they’ve seen more parts of Australia than most locals I know!
Safe travels,
Norman