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Bandar Seri Begawan - I hope this road bully, this horrible mad man who nearly cost four young, innocent lives would read this.

For the bewildered school kids it was a nightmarish ride to remember. It is a miracle that they escaped serious injuries. But easily things could have been sadly otherwise. A heart-breaking tragedy was surely in the offing.

And thanks to Road Rage. It is alive and well in Brunei.

Schoolgirl Fatin Muzini, 18, the driver, suffered fractured lingers. Nineteen-year-old student Adee Mahirzah Mahusin had a cut lip and a smashed up nose and passed out as the SUV overturned.

Qays Musini, 15, broke her ankle and cut her forehead, and Md MorHadi Junaidi. 17, had a slash on his ear.

Their ordeal began as they returned to town one night last week from Jerudong after visiting friends.

As they reached the intersection which fork out to Gadong and Berakas, Fatin decided to take the Berakas road after a moment of indecision and turned right. She says, of course, she signalled before switching lane.

That apparently annoyed the man who was driving closely behind in a white car. He instantly turned a monster on four wheels.

Tailgating closely the man gesticulated rudely at the children. He weaved in and out many times cutting in to the front, putting on the most hideous facial expression as he thrust his head out of the window

"We were frightened out of our wits. I think he wanted us to stop. But we were too overcome with fright to do that. So I drove on the best I could," said Fatin.

The terrified children, who huddled in the car, could only watch in fear as they sped along. Fatin tried to keep her cool as she drove. But she was constantly harassed by the bully.

But things came to a head at the Jerudong-Berakas junction as Fatin tried to get away from the aggressive driver who tried to ram her.

In the confusion the SUV skidded and turned turtle with a frightening crash. The young kids were trapped in the car and eventually had to be rescued by a man living nearby and taken to hospital.

I am telling this story because I would like to highlight the fact that there are a number of road bullies on Brunei roads who may harm others. Possibly their numbers are growing. Are Bruneians getting to be so uptight as to behave this way on the road? What has come over them?

My police friend tells me that road rage is a term used to refer to violent behaviour by a driver of a car, which thus causes accidents or incidents on roadways.

Is it a medical condition? Doctors in some countries think so. They term it as "intermittent explosive disorder". Whatever you call it is a serious problem.

My social worker buddy has a simple solution. Keep smiling, man! Stop silently cursing at other drivers on the road. Your ill-will could take over your self-control. You could be the next bully on the road.

But I am afraid we are all guilty of being annoyed on the road some time or other.

"Look at that stupid driver. He has no common sense," we sometimes tend to say to our self in frustration. But watch out: There is a potential road bully in you.

Remember all of us make mistakes.

And for this particular dastardly character who drove off that night leaving the four young people in this dire situation I do not have enough words to describe him.

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