To me an aggressive driver is any driver who intentionally tries to intimidate another road user. For me this definition has been pretty handy in determining who is an aggressive driver, the one problem is that it's not always possible to know if a drivers actions are intentional.

How do you define aggressive driving?

Well to quote someone famous, I don't remember who "I don't know what it is, but I know it when I see it"

Your definition is pretty good. Symptoms include tailgating, unsafe merging, stopping past the limit line or in a crosswalk, passing too closely, etc.

I've been waiting for my chance to catch a cager pulling up over the crosswalk... then I can take my revenge and walk right over their hood ! Hhahaaa

I would add that aggressive drivers act impatiently. They are not content to be in the flow of traffic and watch out for other drivers, even assist them in finding space for a lane change. But, aggressive drivers are constantly trying to beat someone else out and get ahead, even if the only advantage is a little more time at the next red light.

The "I know it when I see it." quotation comes from Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart in a 1964 court case on hard core pornography. (I googled it.)

Words like agressive, obnoxious or crazy will always have a subjective answer. The definition lies in what the observer doesn't think is normal at that particular moment.

A pretty reliable way to determine if someone's actions are intentional or just negligent is to yell at them as loud as you can. If they ignore you, then the action was intentional, they knew what they were doing, expected you to get upset and ignored your shout.

If someone is negligent, they will usually startle and slow down, since most people's reaction is to take their foot off the gas when something unexpected happens.

For example, a car turns left in front of you, cutting you off. If you yell and they look at you, then most likely just a bone headed move. If they just keep accelerating and don't look, then they saw you and just don't care.

I don't mind the negligent, distracted driver at all. The socccer mom on the cell phone is easy to avoid since she generally distracted, thinking about something else and her driving is usually slow and plodding and predictable. Its the jerk who sees you and is gunning for you that is dangerous. They miscalculate and your options and time frame in which to react are much more limited.

Add to that: loud revving of engine, shouting or gestures... horn honking, flashing of lights.

Good test... I tend to agree with your litmus test. The aggressive driver may also respond to your yell in a manner that is a clear indicator of their aggression.

Are you catalogueing them or something?

If it's intentional, they usually let you know, either verbally, or by taking another swing at you.

But I yell at them anyway, just for fun.

Q: What's the difference between a driver and an aggressive driver?

A: The aggressive driver is currently behind the wheel.

Okay, maybe there are a few drivers out there who aren't impatient enough to intentionally try to intimidate others, but I assume they're just pretending to be passive at the moment. At any rate, I essentially ignore the aggressiveness and focus on being in the way only when necessary to be safe and effective. Seeing me do that seems to calm them down.

But that is you... Don't you understand that some folks cannot just turn off their reaction to that sort of aggression?

You cannot take little "Miss Timid" and expect her to simply turn off aggression in her head. It simply doesn't work that way. Yet Miss Timid has as much right to ride on the roads as you AND the aggressive driver.

How are you gonna make that work in your classes?

I'll intimidate the hell out of her in class until she's inoculated.

I've known people who are too intimidated by freeway speeds to drive on freeways. They have as much right to drive from SD to SF as anyone else, but given their phobia it's impractical for them to do so. We don't have an obligation to make it easier for them, and we don't have an obligation to make it easier for Miss Timid to get over her propensity to be intimidated when cycling in traffic either. But that doesn't mean we can't try to help, and VC instruction is the best approach I know.

ISTR seeing where the law around here defines agressive as two or more moving violations at the same time, e.g. speeding and failure to yield.

I this is the best definition so far.

I'm pretty spot on with your description. But I also think that if it walks like one, quacks line one then it is one.

I actually had one that took the cake (and we suspect this woman hit our car but we realized too late). I went to a funeral for my wifes cousin. I parked facing out. After the service, the cars were to drive to the cemetery. The funeral workers put flags on everyone's car and we all lined up dutifully. This woman driving this SUV (she was parked next to me) decides not to wait and rushes out and cuts people off to get closer to the head of the line. All the way to the cemetery, she was tailgating the car ahead of her, at a light, she decided to jump ahead again and almost caused an accident!!! After the burial, she pulled the same stunt again, cars are nicely lined up, she pulls out, guns it and almost runs over one of the funeral home workers. Everyone was pretty stunned! Later, we found a pretty bad scrape on our car and based on where we were parked and where she was parked it was pretty obvious that she slammed/scraped into our car while parking.

Now, you have to be a special kind of stupid to do the above which makes me think it was an unconscious act.
I've seen drivers do such stuff unconsciously with no malice intended (but when an accident does happen intent is irrelevant).
Just yesterday, I was driving to work and some idiot (an SUV yet again) was one foot off my bumper. I am on a one lane road going the speed limit. When the road becomes 2 lanes, I pull into the right lane intending for them to pass me on the left. They pull right behind me and continually tailgate. I get frustrated and tap my brakes lightly. Nothing. I finally slow down and they almost run into me and have to swerve into the empty left lane to avoid me. I look over, and the woman has a zombie like startled expression on her face. Some people just have no clue and pay no attention when driving.

So I guess I would refine the description to be driving that is intended to intimidate or consciously or unconsciously puts others at risk.

Good definition.

A friend of mine did that in SF. It was a Honda or some other econo-box type car. He caved in the hood of the car (cheap piece of junk anyway). The guy jumped out and just went ape$hit on him, and my friend ended up with a broken collar bone. I don't know who was the real winner here...

Friend you just witnessed the on goings of the alqada snoozer cells.


REMEMBER SNOOZERS ARE LOSERS!!!!

Women and Asian drivers

https://www.azgohs.gov/quick_links/tr...ve_driving.asp

Arizona Law
Aggressive driving; violation; classification; definition 28-695. ARS-28-695
A. A person commits aggressive driving if both of the following occur:
1. During a course of conduct the person commits a violation of either section 28-701, subsection A or section 28-701.02 and at least two of the following violations: Failure to obey traffic control devices as provided in section 28-644.

• Overtaking and passing another vehicle on the right by driving off the pavement or main traveled portion of the roadway as provided in section 28-724.
• Unsafe lane change as provided in section 28-729.
• Following a vehicle too closely as provided in section 28-730.
• Failure to yield the right-of-way as provided in article 9 of this chapter.

2. The person's driving is an immediate hazard to another person or vehicle.

• A person convicted of aggressive driving is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.

...and old white guys, and soccer moms in Suburbans, and Suburu drivers (no matter what the nationality, skin color, or ethnic origin), and whomever drives those hotted up Hondas with black-out windows, and 35-45 year old suits in Beemers, and young guys with mullets driving jacked-up dualies, and Reservoir Rats of all colors, shapes , and sizes. These are only SOME of the ones I've run into.

Aggressive driver: Any person operating a vehicle stuck behind a passive-aggressive driver!

+1

my friend put a biker in intensive care when he did that to his car. my friends punishment a slap on the wrist the bikers 4000$ repair bill to my friends car. im sure the ahole that slapped my trucks mirror is regreting his action when i sounded off my 150DB horns on him