On the 10th of August 2009 (Monday), shortly after the accident that involved the MEC of Public Works outside Louis Trichardt, I witnessed terrible impatience regarding a male driver who was riding high in a white Toyota Fortuner.

This happened at the intersection between the N1 and the road which connects to Elim (also referred to as 3 miles).

The driver of a small sedan was turning left from the Elim road to Polokwane (N1 South). As he turned, a white Toyota Fortuner was already on the N1, coming from Louis Trichardt and also heading for Polokwane. What I saw was that the Fortuner was way behind and that there was enough room for the small sedan to turn. The driver of the sedan did turn and realised that the Fortuner was coming from behind at high speed. As a result, he moved to the yellow line to allow the Fortuner room, so that it could pass.

Instead of passing, the Fortuner driver started pointing fingers, including the middle finger, at the passengers in the sedan. The driver of the sedan behaved well and did not respond to the gestures made. As if that was not enough, the immature Fortuner driver, who was now in front of the sedan, started applying the brakes, forcing the other driver to drive slower.

I found this to be very annoying and dangerous. As a result, I also learned something as a regular user of the road. If you are experiencing road rage or even when you think you have been offended, try by all means to remain calm and never respond to anything the other driver does. If he blocks your way, allow him to; if he forces you drive slowly, let it be. In that way he becomes an even bigger fool and a laughing stock.

More importantly, he becomes powerless to do anything further as he has no one to fight with. I have learned from the Limpopo drivers. I thought road rage was a lot more associated with drivers from Gauteng. Let us put in more effort as drivers to be patient on our roads. Once an accident happens, everything changes. Children, women or even pregnant women may lose their lives and you may have to live the rest of your life regretting what you did. Worse of all, you may discover that the people you have been fighting with or killed are your relatives.

Take care out there! - Mmbangiseni Terrance Magoro from Mashau-Magoro Bodwe.