Why Do Some Drivers Speed for No Reason at All?

It happened again today. Actually, it happened twice. I was driving along, doing the speed limit, when a car suddenly cut in front of me, overtook at an uncomfortably close distance, and sped off as if the road ahead held some urgent destiny. A few seconds later, we were both stopped at the same red light.

This situation feels strangely familiar.

The driver who rushed past now sat calmly in front of me, waiting. No dramatic advantage gained. No time saved. Just a brief burst of speed followed by complete stillness. When the light turned green, the journey continued, often with the same pattern repeating itself further down the road.

This raises an interesting question. Why do people do this?

Speeding past others gives the appearance of progress. It looks decisive. It feels active. Yet in everyday driving, especially in city traffic, it rarely achieves anything. Traffic lights, congestion, and speed limits have a way of equalizing everyone. The driver who races ahead and the driver who stays steady often arrive at the same place at the same time.

The illusion becomes even clearer when heading to a shared destination, such as a shopping center. Cars weave, accelerate, and brake aggressively, only for everyone to end up circling the same parking lot moments later. The only difference is the level of stress experienced along the way.

There is something oddly amusing about it. The urgency. The close overtakes. The dramatic acceleration. All for the reward of waiting together at the next set of lights.

Perhaps speeding feels like control in a world full of delays. Or perhaps it is simply habit. Either way, it often produces the same result. A brief rush followed by a red light and a familiar face in the rearview mirror.

Sometimes, the fastest way to get nowhere is to hurry for no reason at all.