Driving through a busy town like Long Island City (LIC) can be stressful. Many drivers fall victim to anger and other strong, often violent, emotions. When road rage starts brewing, you need to know how to handle yourself.

Rideshare drivers aren’t immune to angry thoughts and feelings. However, you must always conduct yourself in a positive manner. Avoid a dangerous road rage situation by practicing these techniques.

Create Room in Your Schedule

It’s tempting to pick up back-to-back rides to increase your earnings. However, overbooking yourself may cause unnecessary stress. Driving through LIC during rush hour on top of anxiety may lead to a road rage incident.

The best thing to do is create room in your schedule. This way, you aren’t rushing from point A to point B. Give yourself time to meet drop-off and pick-up deadlines all day.

Get Plenty of Rest

Poor sleeping habits leave people restless and quick to snap. As a professional rideshare driver, you need to be on your best behavior at all times. Make sure you get plenty of sleep before hitting the road.

Develop a soothing nighttime routine that helps you wind down. Listen to calm music, invest in blackout curtains, and get out of bed at least an hour before your first drive. This way, you’ll have enough time to wake up and start the day in a positive mood.

Follow Best Driving Practices

You can’t control other people’s driving habits. Even so, that doesn’t mean you can’t follow the best driving practices. Adhering to traffic laws and being a courteous driver is the best way to avoid a road rage situation.

Leave plenty of space behind the car in front of you. Use your blinker, and let people in when they need to merge. Don’t use your horn to express anger; only use it to alert another driver of your presence or danger.

Don’t Antagonize Other Drivers

Rideshare drivers are often victims of road rage. Keeping your cool is essential when another driver lashes out. Use your professionalism to de-escalate the situation; your and your passengers’ safety is the top priority.

Don’t antagonize other drivers by getting into arguments or entertaining bad behavior. Apologize if you were in the wrong, or ignore them completely. While getting the last word might feel satisfying, it’s not worth your professional reputation or well-being.

Practice Empathy

You never know what someone else is going through. It’s easy to react negatively when something doesn’t go your way. However, practicing empathy will help you stay calm and give you a different perspective.

That person who cut you off might be having an emergency. They may be a new driver learning how to navigate LIC. A little kindness goes a long way; pay it forward and watch it come back to you.

If you want to be a successful TLC driver in LIC, you need to know how to act in all situations. Luckily, Fast Track Mobility is here to support you! Rent an affordable car from us to start your rideshare career today.