Is Sidewalk Rage Really A Psychiatric Disorder, And Do I Have It?
I think us New Yorkers have been caught red-handed…
Yes, sidewalk rage is a real thing—and you most likely have it.
What is sidewalk rage?
Sidewalk rage, also classified as Pedestrian Aggressive Syndrome, is defined by Psychology professor, Leon James, as the experience of rageful emotions towards pedestrians and road users. Though it’s not formally recognized as a psychiatric disorder, it can be associated with intermittent explosive disorder (IED), which results in unconstrained aggressive responses. James even went as far to create a Pedestrian Aggressive Syndrome Scale when researching it decades ago.
“Sidewalk ragers” are notorious for their typical beliefs on the rules of the sidewalk. Think of this concept similar to an escalator or traffic lanes, where sidewalk ragers believe it’s common knowledge and essential courtesy for slower walkers to keep to the right—and never, never, stop in the middle. If this sounds about right to you and you’re easily angered when people don’t follow it, you may be familiar with sidewalk rage.
Do I have sidewalk rage?
If you’re questioning whether or not you have sidewalk rage, these top signs on the Pedestrian Aggressive Syndrome Scale may help you determine:
- Feeling stress and impatience
- Muttering or bumping into other pedestrians
- Passing slower walkers in a hostile manner
- Thinking badly of other pedestrians
- Having thoughts of violence towards other pedestrians
What causes sidewalk rage?
If you think you’ve got sidewalk rage, you’re definitely not alone—especially in NYC. But what causes us to get so angry while we’re walking? Well, psychologist Marc Whittmann explains it as a disruption to expectations.
For example, when you’re walking somewhere, you have a set path and time (think of it as your internal clock) that you expect to arrive at your destination. When someone disrupts your control and expectation of your walk, by either redirecting your path or slowing you down by say stopping to take a picture, it can trigger anger and annoyance.
Will sidewalk rage affect my health?
Yes and no. It is a known fact that anger can trigger headaches, insomnia, high blood pressure and so on.
How can I ease my sidewalk rage?
Stubborn New Yorker’s may have no desire to quiet their sidewalk rage, stuck in the belief that they’re right about the entire situation.
However, if you’re looking to work on this anger, you can practice mindfulness, Try to remember that everyone is operating on their own time and people aren’t intentionally out to sabotage your internal clock.
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