Does Stink Provoke Road Rage?
Believe it or not, experts say that offensive outdoor odors can affect our moods behind the wheel. Whether we know it or not — and all too often we do know it — we are constantly being bombarded by different odors that impact our moods, emotions and behaviors. Dr. Alan Hirsch, the Neurological Director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, says the bad smells that we experience while driving, from landfills to exhaust fumes, could actually prove risky, if not downright dangerous. “Unpleasant smells tend to increase aggression,” Hirsch said. “On days when there’s more bad-smelling air pollution, there is an increase number of motor vehicle accidents, suggesting drivers are driving more aggressively.” You certainly don’t want some random stink to turn you in a flame-snorting idiot behind the wheel of your car. While rolling up the window may seem like a quick fix, the odors actually still enter the car through the vehicle’s ventilation system. But Dr. Hir
