And parking rage seems to be on the rise. Just as we hear about road rage incidents from time to time, parking rage is now being reported in the mainstream media. Leslie Baldacci, a writer for the Chicago Sun Times, has not only reported on it, she's experienced it. The pressure builds and builds. Parking rage has similar roots but also has an added dimension.
People have a tendency to react differently when they feel there is a certain amount of anonymity.
The car provides that cloak of secrecy. While you would probably never consider acting on your rage in a group of people you know, it's somehow easier to let it out when you are secure in your car, with no recourse available to others. Psychologists give us fancy words, but the gist of it is that when we get in our cars, our purpose is to get to our destination. We may become frustrated by traffic and weather, and be concerned about what will happen when we reach our destination. Upon arrival at the parking facility, all this frustration, so nicely kept in check, comes Rage out when we can't find a space, or the space is too small, or the space we have been stalking for ten minutes is grabbed by an interloper.