It's easier than ever to get angry this summer – but there are a few simple ways to remain calm

Air rage is on the up, and not just the alcohol-fuelled variety (although there’s that too). 

This summer is a bumper season for all air travel-related rage, because it’s been, well, uniquely challenging travel-wise. If your flight’s been cancelled, you’ve only slept for two hours propped up against a vending machine, the kids have permanent markered their faces, and there’s still no guarantee you’ll be home in time for that crucial meeting, even mild-mannered people may experience the red mist descending, which is why air travel rage tops the Summer Specific Rages (SSR) list. (And don’t whatever you do, don’t think “Right! We’re bloody well driving” because that will end badly too).  

We must not, however, accept this as another depressing fact of life, since rage is bad for health and relationships.

Big problem in France this year by all accounts. Huge. Doesn’t affect most of us but should you find your pool is being squatted by strangers don’t get mad, simply tell them that the pool is chemically imbalanced and they risk turning blue in the next 48 hours. 

We wouldn’t mind if it wasn’t for the leaks, and the fact that we only ever take showers (now and then) and were generally doing all the eco responsible things to avoid this situation but now our one and only tub of sweet peas must die. Nothing for it but to take some pictures for posterity and go and get a few cacti.

Have you seen the price of decent sun cream? It would be cheaper to cover yourself all over in truffles and yet some people, who have not paid for the sun cream, will casually squirt it all over and then lose the tube. What to do? Hide the good stuff and leave the litre of supermarket brand cream out in plain sight.

If you are not as yet aware of the full force of the summer 2022 wasp sting, then know that the resultant swelling may look like a rump steak (actual size) for three weeks. Solution: be alert, put out a distracting honey trap, stay indoors. Don’t blame the wasps, either, it’s all a big misunderstanding and they wish us no harm.

Such a small thing, but if the rosé is not chilled when you were looking forward to a crisp pale apricot glass that could tip you over the edge. And who forgot to put more bottles in the fridge? Stay on it everybody! Priorities!

It’s the summer. We are mainly eating salads and not so much as a bolognese or roast potato has passed our lips for months. What’s going on? Could it be the dips and the rosé? Is it the mayonnaise? Cut this stuff out and beware picnics. Picnics are the devil’s work. 

You want to sit outside at the restaurant or in the garden because that’s the whole point of going out in summer and you end up inside in the dark by the log burner and the stack of children’s colouring books. Solution: try again tomorrow and settle for a martini on the back doorstep.

The hardback which is too big and heavy and gives you wrist whiplash on your sun lounger can be infuriating. Leave the Beevors at home or take a Kindle.

Because this is the year you finally cracked and bought the swankiest pair you could find, on the basis that you were definitely going to get value per wear, and they were last seen on the pug in your son’s Instagram post. By all means lose your temper, then revert to your budget fallbacks. Easy.

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