Sydney
Sydney has a well-deserved reputation for informality. Most people - even bosses - are happy to be called by their first name, taxi passengers ride up front with the driver, ties are rarely worn and only the most obsequious waiter addresses a diner as 'sir' or 'madam'.
But the city's image as a laid-back urban paradise populated by surfers, beachcombers and latte drinkers doesn't tell the whole story.
Just ask Tim Green, head of emergency at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He says he and his team are seeing an increasing number of road-rage victims. Most of the injuries are caused by drivers too impatient to stop at traffic lights or hurt during a payback attack.
'There can be a high price to pay for letting off steam,' he said. 'It often starts with a horn blast or a hand gesture, then escalates into someone being run off the road or dragged from their car and assaulted.'
Dr Green's anecdotal evidence supports a report released this week showing that Australians are engaging in road rage in record numbers, particularly in retaliation against aggressive and dangerous driving by other motorists.
The survey of 2,503 drivers by insurance company AAMI found an alarming rise in antisocial behaviour by motorists, including verbal abuse, tailgating, being forced off the road and criminal damage.