We all have our peeves when we’re driving, especially when it comes to what other motorists are doing. We drive in the hope that we get to our destination without a hitch, but even if we’re careful to avoid being caught up in something that makes it a little problematic, other drivers’ carelessness and lack of driving etiquette could ruin our trip.
A survey of UK Driving Habits Revealed what makes it difficult for us to get on with the task in hand and what annoys us more than anything else. Some of the answers given were less than surprising, although there were a few responses which showed what gets on our collective nerves more than anything else when it comes to what other, more negligent drivers do when behind the wheel.
Put that phone down
Even though hands-free kits and Bluetooth technology are cheap and easy to use, the biggest annoyance of drivers in the UK was other motorists using their phones while driving. Just over half of people in the survey said it was their biggest annoyance, which is understandable. Using one while driving can be dangerous, especially if the driver loses concentration.
The second biggest problem was incorrect or non-existent signalling, something 29% complained about. 9% said they were irritated by people applying makeup in their car, 8% said they hated loud music while a small number said that people trying to set up their satnavs while driving was something that got on their nerves more than anything else that came to mind.
Driving through the ages
The survey also revealed that there are significant differences between the age groups on the road. The most trusted group of drivers were the 44-60-year-olds, who polled 43% of the vote. By contrast, 17-25-year-olds were among the least trusted of all, polling just 9% when asked which age group the most trustworthy was while driving. The over-61’s polled even less with just 7%.
26-34-year-olds were deemed the most susceptible to falling victim to road rage, scoring 24%, just one percentage point higher than those aged between 17 and 25. At the other end of the scale, just 10% said they has seen someone over 61 get angry behind the wheel, perhaps proving that older drivers are more likely to be calm, even in a sticky situation such as a crash or in heavy traffic.
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