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Editorial: Road rage

By The Times/Ledger

Once again crime has fallen in the 107th Precinct. Thanks to aggressive police work, virtually every category of serious crime has declined. Against this hopeful background, the death of Vishwanath Jadunath stands out as a grim reminder of the fragileness of life and the perils of uncontrolled anger.

The senseless killing of this father of two young children will touch many lives. Jadunath was the victim of road rage. While his wife and children watched, he was allegedly stabbed to death by an angry motorist. Last week police arrested Chris Delallana, 20, and charged him with the killing.

It appears nearly certain that no one wanted this to happen. According to witnesses, the killer became enraged when Jadunath drove his van too close to some children in a busy parking lot. Jadunath got out of the van. His wife says he was trying to apologize when the discussion escalated into an argument and violence.

While most people in Queens don't carry weapons, there are few drivers who haven't experienced what has come to be called road rage. Some become enraged because the driver in the car in front of them is going below the speed limit, holding up dozens of drivers with important things to do. Other drivers lose their tempers when impatient drivers honk their horns a second before the light turns green or weave in and out of traffic at reckless speeds. Some show their displeasure through a hand gesture or flashing headlights. Others are more aggressive, purposely cutting the offending driver off. Since they never know the state of mind of the driver in the other car, they don