Over the past two years, there has been a twenty percent increase in violent incidents on Israel’s roads. A few days ago, a couple crossing the street on a crosswalk was almost run over by a motor scooter. When they confronted the driver, he stabbed the man who confronted him and casually drove off, leaving the stabbed man to die.
A few days earlier, a motorcyclist did not like a comment from a car driver, so he knocked him unconscious with his helmet. In yet another recent incident, a driver threatened another driver with a knife, but resolved to slashing “only” the other car’s tires.
The spate of violent incidents is not something that a small country like Israel is used to seeing. In my opinion, the best solution to this problem is public exposure and shaming.
Nothing is more effective than hurting someone’s pride. The scooter driver who killed the man showed no sign of remorse when he was arrested. But if he had known that society would excommunicate him if he did this, that he would not be able to find a job, raise a family, or have friends because people would not want him around them, he would have thought ten times before reacting so brutally.
Sunlight is the best disinfectant for contamination. Likewise, exposure is the best cleanser for people’s misdeeds. The identity of such criminals should be known to everyone, including the details of their offense, and they should be severely punished and disgraced.
In addition to humiliation, the government and all the authorities should have zero tolerance for murderous bullies. There needs to be a consolidated, uncompromising effort to curb such behavior, and public opinion should support this policy.
Road rage can affect anyone. Especially today, when people are growing increasingly narcissistic and feel more and more entitled, they are more likely to become violent for no apparent reason. For this reason, I believe that only a powerful motivation that touches people’s most selfish interests can stop them from putting other road users at risk.
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