Notice the sounding of horns. Whether people are giving a gentle warning tap when someone is drifting into a lane or laying on the horn because of road rage, the sound of honking horns is part of being on the road. Rolling up windows and turning on the air conditioning can reduce the annoyance of horn blowing.
Heed sirens. While pulling over to the right immediately seems like common sense, in an article for the International Association of Firefighter titled "Failure to Yield," author Mark Pandanell states,
"Time and time again...the driver will continue through the intersection even if they have to change lanes to move around the stopped vehicles." Trying to discern where the sound is coming as quickly as possible will allow time to merge safely out of the way.
The grinding sound of construction machinery or the rattling of a jackhammer can feel like it's jarring your brain. If the banging of passing concrete trucks or digging backhoes bothers you, concentrate instead on the earth vibrating beneath you as you roll up your windows and turn on some music to mask the sound.
Suspend judgment when being forced to listen to someone else's bad taste in music. Tell yourself that karma will take care of offenders by ensuring that they develop hearing problems at a young age, which should be enough to get you through the next few minutes until traffic opens up and you can leave them behind.
Be aware that even when people in the cars next to you seem to be yelling at each other, they most likely are not. Have empathy and consider that the overly loud volume of their voices may be part of their communication style or the natural cumulative effect of being exposed to traffic noise.
Look for the source of the horn blowing because it may be a train. Knowing how close a train is can help you determine if you should slow down and prepare to be stopped for awhile at a crossing
