cover of episode Deep Reads: Guns. Knives. Bats. Hammers. Hatchets. Spears.

Deep Reads: Guns. Knives. Bats. Hammers. Hatchets. Spears.

2024/12/14
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People
A
Almir
A
Anthony Williams
C
Colton Bonk
D
Dean DeSoto
H
Haley
R
Ruby Kramer
Topics
Ruby Kramer：报道指出美国社会普遍存在愤怒情绪，这种情绪也体现在日常生活中，例如路怒症。路怒症并非简单的瞬间情绪爆发，而是长期积累的愤怒情绪的体现。 Dean DeSoto：多年的教学经验让他相信，国家社会现状会反映在道路交通状况上，路怒症日益严重。自2018年以来，涉及枪支的路怒症伤亡人数翻了一番，但缺乏全国性的数据追踪。德州路怒症事件中使用的武器种类繁多，事件发生迅速。 Almir：社会压力（通货膨胀、工作不安全感、信息过载）导致人们情绪失控。个人的路怒行为是其长期创伤经历（例如童年战争创伤）和社会压力累积的结果。 Anthony Williams：警官日常工作中频繁遭遇路怒事件，情况日益恶化。大多数路怒事件源于人们糟糕的一天，但也有可能演变成严重的暴力事件。 Colton Bonk：长期酗酒和童年创伤导致其愤怒情绪失控，最终导致严重车祸。愤怒情绪会影响人们的判断力，并导致其为自己的行为找借口。 Haley：Haley的路怒行为与其童年创伤、吸毒史和社会压力有关。愤怒是一种掩盖其他情绪（恐惧、悲伤、空虚）的表象。 Ruby Kramer：报道指出美国社会普遍存在愤怒情绪，这种情绪也体现在日常生活中，例如路怒症。路怒症并非简单的瞬间情绪爆发，而是长期积累的愤怒情绪的体现。 Dean DeSoto：多年的教学经验让他相信，国家社会现状会反映在道路交通状况上，路怒症日益严重。自2018年以来，涉及枪支的路怒症伤亡人数翻了一番，但缺乏全国性的数据追踪。德州路怒症事件中使用的武器种类繁多，事件发生迅速。 Almir：社会压力（通货膨胀、工作不安全感、信息过载）导致人们情绪失控。个人的路怒行为是其长期创伤经历（例如童年战争创伤）和社会压力累积的结果。 Anthony Williams：警官日常工作中频繁遭遇路怒事件，情况日益恶化。大多数路怒事件源于人们糟糕的一天，但也有可能演变成严重的暴力事件。 Colton Bonk：长期酗酒和童年创伤导致其愤怒情绪失控，最终导致严重车祸。愤怒情绪会影响人们的判断力，并导致其为自己的行为找借口。 Haley：Haley的路怒行为与其童年创伤、吸毒史和社会压力有关。愤怒是一种掩盖其他情绪（恐惧、悲伤、空虚）的表象。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why has road rage involving guns increased in recent years?

The number of people injured or killed in road rage incidents involving guns has doubled since 2018, reflecting a broader trend of increased anger and aggression in society.

What are some of the weapons used in road rage incidents in Texas?

Weapons reported in road rage incidents include guns, knives, ice picks, 2-by-4s, tire tools, PVC pipe, plumbing pipe, bats, hammers, shovels, hatchets, ball bearings, marbles, frozen water bottles, bricks, stones, and even a spear.

What does Dean DeSoto believe about the connection between societal issues and road rage?

DeSoto believes that road rage incidents are a measure of the country's stress, trauma, and polarization, reflecting deeper societal problems beyond just reckless driving.

How does Almir's past trauma affect his driving behavior?

Almir's childhood trauma from the war in Sarajevo and subsequent experiences of bullying and abuse have left him with a short fuse, making him more prone to anger and anxiety while driving.

What was Colton Bonk's experience with anger and alcohol?

Bonk struggled with alcoholism and anger issues, leading to multiple DWIs, a domestic violence charge, and ultimately a severe car accident where he broke 23 bones after fleeing from a police officer.

How does Officer Williams handle encounters with aggressive drivers?

Williams approaches each interaction with empathy, often starting with a friendly greeting to diffuse tension, recognizing that many drivers are just having a bad day.

What societal factors contribute to the rise in road rage incidents?

Factors include inflation, job insecurity, constant exposure to news and social media, and the broader economic and social pressures affecting people's mental health.

How does Haley's past trauma influence her driving behavior?

Haley's history of abuse and struggles with mental health, including therapy and hospitalizations, contribute to her anxiety and recklessness while driving, as well as her difficulty with sleep and social media consumption.

What is the purpose of Dean DeSoto's aggressive driving class?

The class aims to teach drivers how to manage their anger and anxiety on the road, focusing on understanding the root causes of their behavior and promoting safer driving practices.

What is the significance of the lack of a national database for aggressive driving?

Without a uniform definition or national database, tracking and addressing the full scope of aggressive driving incidents is challenging, leaving much of the data collection to individual efforts like DeSoto's.

Chapters
The number of road rage incidents involving guns has doubled since 2018. There's no national database to track aggressive driving, but anecdotal evidence from a Texas driving instructor reveals a disturbing trend of escalating violence on the roads, involving various weapons.
  • Road rage incidents involving guns have doubled since 2018.
  • No national database tracks aggressive driving.
  • Incidents involve various weapons beyond guns.

Shownotes Transcript

Dean DeSoto has been teaching his driving class for aggressive drivers over the past 26 years. During that time, he has come to believe several things. One is that what goes on in the country will play out on its roadways. Another is that anger on the roads is getting worse. Across the country, the number of people injured or killed in road rage incidents involving a gun has doubled since 2018, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit research group. There is no uniform definition of aggressive driving across law enforcement agencies and no national database to track it, but DeSoto has been keeping his own tally, including cases in Texas involving guns, knives, ice picks, 2-by-4s, tire tools, PVC pipe, plumbing pipe, bats, hammers, shovels, hatchets, ball bearings, marbles, frozen water bottles, bricks, stones and, in at least one instance, a spear.

This story follows attendees of DeSoto’s class as well as a police officer who encounters rage from motorists in Texas). The piece was reported, written and read by Ruby Cramer). Audio production and original music by Bishop Sand).