Thread: Angry Drivers Symtom....the weather approach.

Recently I came across the interesting phenomenon (again) that on some days people just lose their driving abilities.
On that particular days more accidents happen, people driving more aggressive. Someone told me...
"It's the weather I guess"
But the temperature and clouds have been constant for weeks. And shouldn't blue sky and sun make people happy instead of angry anyway?
So in my opinion heat, clouds etc can't be the key.
So...my question...Is there a known provable connection between air pressure (or other weather factors that change from day to day) and mood or driving competence

It's been a little humid lately where I live, in an area where it's not generally very humid. I've been out of sorts for a week. I am pretty sure that humidity affects people's outlook ... makes us a little more cranky, a little more impatient, maybe a little inattentive behind the wheel. Especially in climates where we're not used to the humidity.

It weird because it feels hot, but the temp's not that high. And I'm sticky all the time, feeling like I forgot to take a shower just a couple of hours after I took a shower.

Thanks for your post. I'll make a point to be extra cautious while driving.

Cloudy days tend to make me a bit more lax as a driver. The shady atmosphere makes me sleepy and quite relaxed.

I used to notice a difference in city drivers on Friday after work - when the day was hot following other hot days. Don't know how applicable it is generally. I suspect it might be mostly fatigue making people less skilful and more irritable.

OK. It's not just me. Hot weather affects driving skills Though this person seems to think that it's because drivers in the UK are not used to hot weather - maybe the effect is the same but it kicks in earlier in places where it doesn't get so hot so often as it does here.

Originally Posted by adelady

I suspect it might be mostly fatigue making people less skilful and more irritable.

An acquired skill one possesses may be impaired due to distractions and discomfort, and likewise these may also lead to easy irritability in a person. But aren't there scenarios where heat is suppose to be relaxing and sometimes beneficial to one's health; like hot showers or saunas? Perhaps it is the focus needed to perform a task such as driving; in a state where being warm is distracting and thus leading to increased irritability and subsequent anger.

I remember a thread I'd started on the subject on Hatred (mildly applied here); where prolonged exposure to discomfort exceeding a personal tolerance level/threshold may result in a lost of self-control in an otherwise non-volatile situation. Perhaps a somewhat similar process takes place here too.

I don't find that weather affects me but more it's the geography. On Big Island, they are very courteous, (local people)...in San Francisco, you drive more aggressively. Here, in very Northern Coastal Cali they are more passive (minus tourist element). I don't notice a difference in weather, but I agree with Adelady that fatigue can play a factor, also.

People seem to be a bit more aggressive driving round here when the weather gets hot - all eager to get home and get the barbie on I guess. There was a programme on recently called the Human Swarm that showed how we are all swayed by the weather (amongst other things).

The only effect I notice in nice weather is that all the nabobs in thier Civics with trash cans for mufflers come out of the woodwork and start crashing into things.

When the weather is nice, I tend to slow down and enjoy my drive. If the Sun's out and my top is down, I'd rather be on the road than on my couch.

We had a very late spring this year. When the mild weather finally arrived, driving downtown was a flaming hazard. Vehicles were traveling erratically, pedestrians were ambling across the traveled roadways between crosswalks, bicycles were not observing the bike lanes or traffic lights... All of these things transpire with regularity but usually in moderation. On the day of note, I was flabbergasted by the obstacle course I had to navigate to get to my place of employment. When I told hubby of my trials, he commented that he had observed likewise so it was not only my perception that the traffic flow was erratic.

It was literally like most people were in a euphoric haze induced by the weather change.

Maybe it has to do with lunacy. And where the moon is in relation to the earth. The people who are driving badly are doing so because their horoscope told them they better hurry or that they would be ass hats on particular days.

The hot steamy weather certainly influences what the ladies wear, so I find it terribly distracting at times. I'm a safer driver in the cold weather however.

Something that may be worth pointing out is the phenomenon of random clumping. When you have a series of events, like the proverbial coin tossing, the outcome will not be even distribution. Instead, you will see certain outcomes appearing more often than you would normally predict. So tossing a coin does not produce, heads, tails, heads, tails etc. Instead you might get three heads in a row, or even 5 tails. This is the clumping of random events.

When we see such clumping in real world activities, we often look for a cause that is not there. In this case, we might see, on a specific day, a lot more silly driving, and we look for a cause. The simple fact is that there may not be a cause. It may simply be that sheer chance produces a lot more of one kind of behavior on that day.

Originally Posted by scheherazade

We had a very late spring this year. When the mild weather finally arrived, driving downtown was a flaming hazard. Vehicles were traveling erratically, pedestrians were ambling across the traveled roadways between crosswalks, bicycles were not observing the bike lanes or traffic lights... All of these things transpire with regularity but usually in moderation. On the day of note, I was flabbergasted by the obstacle course I had to navigate to get to my place of employment. When I told hubby of my trials, he commented that he had observed likewise so it was not only my perception that the traffic flow was erratic.

It was literally like most people were in a euphoric haze induced by the weather change.

I live in the country. The only people I observe is tourists! They don't recognize a more laid back atmosphere, and are always in a hurry, never let anyone in. You have to drive that way in SFO but not here!

Originally Posted by skeptic

Something that may be worth pointing out is the phenomenon of random clumping. When you have a series of events, like the proverbial coin tossing, the outcome will not be even distribution. Instead, you will see certain outcomes appearing more often than you would normally predict. So tossing a coin does not produce, heads, tails, heads, tails etc. Instead you might get three heads in a row, or even 5 tails. This is the clumping of random events.

When we see such clumping in real world activities, we often look for a cause that is not there. In this case, we might see, on a specific day, a lot more silly driving, and we look for a cause. The simple fact is that there may not be a cause. It may simply be that sheer chance produces a lot more of one kind of behavior on that day.

Chance is certainly a variable to consider.

That being said, there is an observed correlation between changes in the weather and the overall mood of customers according to many cashiers that I have randomly chatted up over several years. Although the exact cause may be difficult to prove, there is no doubt that the 'clumping of random events' is a real and frequent happening.

scheherazade, what are your thoughts of behavior in a full moon? Any scientific proof that people behave differently then? Any observations?

I drive more on a full moon than any other time but that is because I see better by moon light. I love being out during a full moon. I don't believe that the moon has any actual effect on behavior unless, like in my case, a person is consciously aware of the moon and they do things to observe it at certain times. But I have heard lots of people who still believe that a full moon makes people more prone to psychosis. It always gives me a laugh when I hear it.

Originally Posted by babe

scheherazade, what are your thoughts of behavior in a full moon? Any scientific proof that people behave differently then? Any observations?

I know several emergency room nurses who state that they are always busier on the nights of the full moon and I do not doubt that their observations of the correlation are accurate although I am of the opinion that the reason for this relationship is that more people are engaged in activities during that phase of the moon because our cultures have long celebrated it. The light of the full moon is useful for travel, for extended harvest, for catching certain species of fish etc.

More people out and about equals more potential for mishap. Additionally, some people take greater liberties with substances at this time with the belief that they can shift blame to the moon.

So while I am of the opinion that there may indeed be a correlation, I would not go so far as to consider this 'proof' of causation.

I howl at the thing, myself...

Originally Posted by seagypsy

I drive more on a full moon than any other time but that is because I see better by moon light. I love being out during a full moon. I don't believe that the moon has any actual effect on behavior unless, like in my case, a person is consciously aware of the moon and they do things to observe it at certain times. But I have heard lots of people who still believe that a full moon makes people more prone to psychosis. It always gives me a laugh when I hear it.

I love the full moon here and in Hawai'i. It literally lights the house up in Hawai'i at night....it is so bright, and the stars also, with no streetlights.

I cackle at it.

Originally Posted by seagypsy

I cackle at it.

avec broom? JUST KIDDING!

Originally Posted by babe

Originally Posted by seagypsy

I cackle at it.

avec broom? JUST KIDDING!

Steam powered vaccuum! lol

Originally Posted by seagypsy

Originally Posted by babe

Originally Posted by seagypsy

I cackle at it.

avec broom? JUST KIDDING!

Steam powered dyson! lol

Funny! I want one of those little robot ones that you program to do the house every day. SIL has one says they are really good! I don't understand how you can program a VACUUM cleaner for your individual house with its furniture, etc. *chuckle* hopefully it wouldn't act up in a full moon! But I digress. Mea culpa.

Originally Posted by babe

Originally Posted by seagypsy

Originally Posted by babe

Originally Posted by seagypsy

I cackle at it.

avec broom? JUST KIDDING!

Steam powered dyson! lol

Funny! I want one of those little robot ones that you program to do the house every day. SIL has one says they are really good! I don't understand how you can program a VACUUM cleaner for your individual house with its furniture, etc. *chuckle* hopefully it wouldn't act up in a full moon! But I digress. Mea culpa.

Roomba? The reviews I know of are not very complimentary...

Originally Posted by Neverfly

Originally Posted by babe

Originally Posted by seagypsy

Originally Posted by babe

Originally Posted by seagypsy

I cackle at it.

avec broom? JUST KIDDING!

Steam powered dyson! lol

Funny! I want one of those little robot ones that you program to do the house every day. SIL has one says they are really good! I don't understand how you can program a VACUUM cleaner for your individual house with its furniture, etc. *chuckle* hopefully it wouldn't act up in a full moon! But I digress. Mea culpa.

Roomba? The reviews I know of are not very complimentary...

I don't think that is it. SIL is worse than I am when it comes to Mrs. Anal Clean....and I am pretty bad. So it has to be a different one. I haven't researched them. I have a show on August 8th that I'm sweating out at the time.

lunar effect
A.Lieber
Abstract

Data on five aggressive and/or violent human behaviors were examined by computer to determine whether a relationship exists between the lunar syndoic cycle and human aggression. Homicides, suicides, fatal traffic accidents, aggravated assaults and psychiatric emergency room visits occurring in Dade County, Florida all show lunar periodicities. Homicides and aggravated assaults demonstrate statistically significant clustering of cases around full moon. Psychiatric emergency room visits cluster around first quarter and shows a significantly decreased frequency around new and full moon. The suicide curve shows correlations with both aggravated assaults and fatal traffic accidents, suggesting a self-destructive component for each of these behaviors. The existence of a biological rhythm of human aggression which resonates with the lunar synodic cycle is postulated.

(his brother Michael was one of my favorite professors)
Arnold's book was soundly trashed, (poor guy)
see also "Human aggression and the lunar synodic cycle".
................
Perhaps a quirky sort of a thing involving the researchers and the researched behaviours.
Never conclusive, most likely due to not accurately accounting for other variables.

While I conceed the likelyhood that the behaviour of all animals (humans included) is most likely influenced by the lunar cycle.
The details have almost invariable failed to be replicated in follow on studies. Air pressure also affects moods, especially in relation to relative humidity and temperature. Scirocco winds have been correlated with the outbreak of hostilities/wars(The corroding wind of a hot Sirocco has known depressing effects. People have reported various symptoms such as an unwonted dulness, an aching melancholy feeling, enervation, being easily annoyed, having irritating dreams etc. ). Can any sane person doubt that millions of years of evolution on this planet has resulted in us being physically and psychologically attuned to the variations of our shared coevolutionary biom?
Sorting out the variables and their variable influences, however, has proven problematic.

The details have almost invariable failed to be replicated in follow on studies.

I remember hearing this woman, Leonie Calver, talking on radio about this. Everyone in the hospital believed that there was an increase in violent behaviour during the full moon. The fact that the statistics on admissions and diagnoses showed absolutely no correlations with phases of the moon would not convince them no matter how often it was repeated. So they took a different tack. They looked at the stats for how often security staff had to be called to control violent behaviour. Hey presto. Significant correlation. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2009/...dark-side-moon

The belief that the full moon and disturbed behaviour are closely linked is alive and well, despite studies to the contrary. We investigated the possibility that there is an association between only extreme behavioural disturbance and the full moon.

Results: Of 91 patients with violent and acute behavioural disturbance, 21 (23%) presented during the full moon — .... In contrast, 512 hospital security calls for patients with less severe behaviour were evenly distributed throughout the lunar cycle.

The paper isn't difficult to read. The statistics aren't challenging. Anyone who's interested should have a look.

Thanks for all your answers...drive carefully.