Is it ok to drive in a bad mood ?

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I had some arguements to the point of breaking in tears before I had to go out and drive somewhere for something and it got me thinking of whether or not it is a good idea to drive in a bad mood. Whilst driving my alarms kept coming on even though the doors were shut and at one point it annoyed me and I raced up a hill to turn into corner to shut the door properly, then without realising I moved the car when I hadn't taken it out of parking gear and had two cars waiting behind me and then annoyingly later the alarm came on again I had only just opened window and turned the air conditioning off. I don't know why the car keeps doing that, I mean one minute it does it and one minute it doesn't I feel stupid for my behaviour and worried that some people might of thought I was reckless.

It's okay to drive in a bad mood so long as you're not too worked up to give the task adequate attention.

Exactly. If one thinks their bad mood will affect their ability to drive safely, they ought to wait until they calm down, but otherwise there's no reason to not do it. Besides, going for a drive precisely in order to calm down is apparently quite common.

I agree but I do NOT understand how driving can calm people down considering how common road-rage is Most everyone I've talked to is stressed out by driving due to how reckless other drivers can be. Some people really should only drive in video-games, it's OK to drive as recklessly as you want in Grand Theft Auto

Being in a bad mood driving a two-ton steel coffin that frequently *puts* the driver in a bad mood?

I guess sometimes it's unavoidable, since we live in a society where cars are practically needed to go anywhere while pedestrians and bike riders are treated like garbage while the body count from car accidents gets bigger every day.

I have experienced it; can't even begin to explain or define the mechanism of why/how it does, but I have lived the reality that it does.

I would guess it helps because of leaving the house or other stressful environment the person was at. However if there was another method to quickly leave & get where your heading like taking a short walk in decent weather or magically teleporting, that would be just as if not more relaxing as driving would be. Of corse I may be very wrong.

Driving involves a certain level of engagement that makes it difficult to have enough mental bandwidth left over to also be fully consumed with your problems. Driving is something most people take seriously, they understand the risks involved so they can't help but invest substantial attention towards the task. As long as it goes well it's inherently rewarding (in terms of dopamine) so that helps maintain focus.

Yeah it's fine. I'm in a bad mood weekly and drive around. I find it therapeutic.

Walking could be similar because it is the Doing of a thing.
It could well be that it is the physical Doing of the driving which makes a difference.
It didn't seem to be the destination of the driving, or any destination, just the activity of driving itself.

Escaping to the destination of the teleporting could be a thing which makes a difference, but the teleporting itself seems more a thing done to you than an activity you Do.

Thanx for the explanations kitesandtrainsandcats & funeralxempire. It makes more sense to me now. I guess it's harder for me to understand since I cant drive(my vision is too bad) & I have problems focusing in general & daydream constantly due to ADD. If I had normal 20/20 vision I'm sure I would find driving super stressful if not impossible cuz of the focus that's required & my slow mental processing speed. Plus the way some other drivers act sometimes, they have major anger problems or are just in an extreme hurry to get themselves killed. People like this should never drive unless it's in video-games

probably depends on the individual and the definition of "bad mood". Rage, Distress, Frustration, Anxiety, and so many other feelings can be included in the term "bad mood" Better to drive when feeling calm and clear headed under any circumstances. Self care always first.

Probably better than flying an airliner

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British ... Flight_548