I generally have a pretty short temper with rude people. If I see someone doing something inconsiderate then I want to beat them to death with my bare hands. On the road I am placid, placid like Mother Terressa off her tits on morphene, but as soon as someone does something rude or inconsiderate I blow a fuse and turn into a raving lunatic. Thing is this is starting to get worse and oddly, more enjoyable.

Last night I was taking my GF home and pulled out of my close onto the road which leads off my estate. As I pulled out a blue Megan came belting round the bend. As I had already commited to pulling out and could see him coming up the road I booted it out the junction as not to hold him up. Well then the git goes and drives right up my ring piece and I've already lost my rag. I ease down the speed to more like 15mph to show I am willing to stop and get out if I have to and he backs off. I carry on up to 30 and he's weaving around behind me and sanity tells me to pull into a junction and let him past... which I do.

I then watch him hoon off up the road like a right maniac and I think it's all done with, relax, the 4i is safe.

But noooooo as I drive through town the Megan is stuck in traffic (it's about 12:30am so traffic consists of one car) and I eventually catch up. I drive normally as we approach the local touge and I start to consider I might chase him up it. But the car infront of him plods along and I stay back, in gear ready should he overtake. We make our way up the touge and he then realises it's me behind him and starts to slow down, I then decide at this point the most rational thing I intend to do is beat him to death with my brake lock. 40-30-25-20-15 the speed comes down and my tells me to kill him. I drop it down and boot it round him, easily go past and then I tried to stop him so I could get out and give him a kicking, as slowed down and somehow the crazy foo got past me, not sure how, he must have used the pavement or something, we were out in the middle of nowhere, he swerved back at me as he got past.

But what was wierd is if anything the fire of anger was dampened. I then followed him to the next town as if nothing had happened, we both drove normal, no racing, no tailgating. We got to the next town and I cut through an estate, realising he'd know where I would come out and swtitched my headlights off just in time to see him come the other way, he gave me some main beam but didn't try to ram me off the road or block it or anything.

I then took my GF too my house and felt odd, usually after any road rage I get really het up for the next 12 hours. But this time I was calm as anything, almost tranquil. I then drove home and a rabbit ran out into the road, I could do little but edge across and felt the back wheel hit it. I usually can't hurt a fly and would be traumatised by hitting a rabbit but not this time, I almost got a sick sense of well being from it.

It was almost like a test last night, despite my efforts to avoid a confrontation it seemed like I was left with little choice. I would have either gona home felling angry someone had tailgated me, or held me deliberatly or gone home feeling like I did which was kinda pleased.

Does this mean I am turning into a raving pyschopath hell bent on finding an acceptable reason to kill someone? Or was it just two guys sizing one another up and calling a truce Or does it mean the more you avoid road rage, the more polite you are the more upset you get when the opposite comes back to you. This whole thing follows a recent experience on the M5 where I nearly murdered a BMW driver with the help of a friend who deosn't seem to be able to make any journey without an angry encounter, and those encounters have been even worse.

What's the solution? Stop and calm down, avoid the situation, accept an autmotive bumming from a raod bully or adminster your own vigilante justice?