Brawling Brits turn Tenerife mountain road into road rage boxing ring
Road rage has almost become part of the daily commute in the UK, with horns blaring, heated insults shouted from a wound-down window usually accompanied by a rude hand gesture.
But those driving along a Tenerife mountain road witnessed a far more dramatic spectacle as two British tourists created a makeshift boxing ring.
In a showdown nobody asked for, footage shows a man attempting to square up to a burly holidaymaker beside a parked car.
Shortly after, he discovered, in one swift left hook, that he had seriously misjudged his opponent.
As the challenger crashes onto the tarmac, he appears to be knocked out.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.
However, moments later, he got back up, ready for round two, but this time, he hurled furious verbal insults.
Nearby cars slowed down to catch a glimpse of the fight, which was causing traffic along the mountain road.
The enraged tourist began accusing a woman who was with his opponent of taking a swing at his bike while he was trying to take a photo.
Once he stopped seeing red, the man climbed back into his white car and drove off.
The winding mountain road leading to the tiny hamlet of Masca was the boxing ring for the two British tourists.
The idyllic village of Masca, dubbed the ‘Machu Picchu of Europe’, is a tourist hotspot.
However, this brawl comes during the anticipation of renewed anti-tourism protests across Europe over the next few months.
All about road rage
Recent data from Warrantywise revealed that nearly 40% of UK drivers experienced road rage incidents in 2024.
It also revealed that road rage incidents peak during January.
The term ‘road rage’ was first used in Britain after it was borrowed by American psychologists who coined it to describe aggressive or angry behaviour shown by drivers.
The first documented case of road rage in Britain dates back to 1967, when a Birmingham motorist pursued another vehicle for three miles before forcing it to stop and assaulting the driver.
The most notorious road rage incident happened in 1996 on the M25 when Guy Paget pursued another driver for 400 miles through five counties.
This was dubbed the ‘Great British Car Chase’ by the media.
Research from the RAC Foundation suggests that British drivers are more likely to experience rage when they perceive a breach of queuing etiquette, reflecting deeply ingrained cultural values.
Source: Car Supermarket.com
In recent years, Tenerife has been at the centre of these growing protests.
Last October, Troya Beach was stormed by protestors who surrounded holidaymakers after breaking away from a planned march route to Plata de las Americas.
Two months earlier, in August, locals clashed with foreign tourists on a cycling tour in Valencia.
During this clash, locals could be heard shouting ‘Go home’ as tourists shouted ‘F**k you.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.