EDITORIAL - The same lesson as always

Police say they have arrested a man responsible for killing another man during a road rage incident in Makati City last Tuesday.

Stay-in-driver Aniceto Mateo, 65, was shot dead behind the wheel while entering the Ayala tunnel in EDSA. The culprit was allegedly another driver whom he earlier had an altercation with.

Police said the suspect shot the victim as he peeled off from the entrance to the tunnel; the victim was killed instantly after being hit in the right shoulder with the slug exiting from the left side of his neck.

The suspect is now facing charges for murder, but it could have been far worse; the two others in the vehicle with the victim could have also been hurt, or the victim’s vehicle could have spun out of control after he was killed and run into other vehicles in the tunnel entrance, causing a pile-up.

The lesson here, as with any other road rage incident, remains the same; always keep your cool.

We know that it’s hot outside and tempers can flare anytime and, yes, we know that not all drivers follow the road regulations, but people should know how to pick their fights; not everything deserves a reaction and not everything is worth fighting over.

On the one hand there are those things actually worth standing your ground for and even escalating with the proper authorities, but on the other hand there are those things that aren’t worth your while but to shrug off and go about your day.

Is a traffic spat really something that should ruin someone’s day? Does it insult one’s honor so much that it has to be something he can’t let pass? How on earth did this suspect feel so offended that he felt he had to shoot at the victim as a result?

We must never forget that it only takes a moment of rage, a momentary lapse of judgment, to change a life forever, and usually not for the better where road rage is concerned.