Mike is late for an appointment with a new client and he is sitting fuming in the morning traffic. He has already had a shouting match with a taxi driver and nearly collided with a cyclist. His blood pressure is going through the roof, he is sweating, his heart is pounding and the diesel fumes he is inhaling from the bus in front of him are not helping the situation.

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Things to remember

• Allow for traffic problems on the way to appointments
• Reduce the exhaust fumes you inhale by recirculating the air in your car
• Play soothing music to calm your nerves
• Remember that getting to an appointment or to work is not a competition with other drivers
• Make sure you are alert, especially in slow-moving traffic
• Remind yourself that being agitated makes you a lot more accident-prone
• Leave your ego at home when you get into your car. If someone pushes in, or drives like a maniac, back off. There is no point in getting involved in an altercation - and you never know when someone might be armed.
• Getting home two minutes later is infinitely preferable to lying in hospital with a fractured jaw.

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