Lookers Reveal your driving Pet Peeves
We all have them – and if we are honest, are probably responsible for a few ourselves. Some days it feels like we experience them all in one journey. What are they? Driving pet peeves of course.
In a recent survey conducted by Lookers, drivers revealed the situations and behaviours that make them blow a (cylinder head) gasket. Do you recognise any of them?
*More women than men (56 v’s 44%) participated in the study and overall those in the age group 35 – 50 (67%) provided the most input. In terms of location, drivers from England were most responsive (44%), followed by the other parts of the UK as follows - Scotland (33%), Ireland (11%) and Wales (11%).
1. Motorists who don’t say thank you when let out. This was by far the most common complaint. Respondents felt aggrieved when, after demonstrating considerate and thoughtful driving, the interloper then fails to acknowledge this act of generosity. A special mention should be made here to those who drive at speed either on the empty lane of the motorway or at roadworks then expect others to allow them in at the last minute. It isn’t big and it isn’t clever.
2.Texting (or talking on the phone) while driving. A close second and despite penalties being applied to those who are caught, most of us still regularly see people texting or chatting while on the move. The law applies even if you are stopped at traffic lights, so be phone aware and if in doubt, read these guidelines.
3. Not using indicators. There are some drivers who believe that everyone else on the road is equipped with a sixth sense and will therefore be able to anticipate their next move. Our respondents mentioned that roundabouts in particular seemed to attract these types of drivers in droves. One remedy of course is to add mind reading to the national driving test – that ought to take care of it.
4. Using disabled parking spaces. For many this was a particular bug bear. And rightly so. Imagine what it must be like as someone with reduced mobility to find that an able bodied person has taken the last space in the car park. Shame on them. This appears to be a worldwide problem too. Russia has been in the news recently with claims that 30% of their drivers regularly park in disabled spots. In an attempt to reduced that number a Russian charity has developed the use of holographic technology. Utter genius.
5. Applying make up while driving. Now this is a growing trend. Along with its cousin – the wearing of pyjamas to drop kids at school – this past time is as risky as it is ludicrous. Insurers estimate that it can cause as many as 450,0000 accidents every year. The answer? Get out of bed 5 minutes earlier!
6. Tailgating. You know you are being tailgated when you look in your rear view mirror and can’t see the other drivers headlights. They are so close you can almost see the whites of their eyes. Best way to handle this is to stay calm, maintain your own speed and follow these handy tips.
7. People who won't allow you to overtake them. This one can be especially annoying. There can be drivers who bumble along like Miss Daisy, yet when you go to overtake them, they suddenly turn into Lewis Hamilton. This causes one of two problems. Either the gap you were aiming for disappears, or worse, you cannot get back in safely without causing the oncoming traffic to take avoiding action. To those who are guilty of this – more Dr Jekyll and less Mr Hyde please.
8. Drivers who dawdle through the drive-through. A little like those shoppers who attempt to pay for a full load of shopping at the 10 items or less queue. It never fails. If you are in a hurry the person in front will be ordering food for 30 children at a party and paying in small change. Take a deep breath.
9. Drivers who steal ‘your’ car parking space. You spot it from one end of the car park on a busy Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately so does another driver. You saw it first so it’s really your space isn’t it? Unfortunately they pip you to the post and nip in ahead of you. It can make you see red, however it’s not really worth losing your temper over.
10. People who leave dogs in cars. As a nation of animal lovers, it’s not surprising this one made the list. Reports have been made of heroic efforts to break dogs free from sweltering conditions in cars. At 70 degrees on a sunny day, after a half hour, the temperature inside a car can reach 104 degrees. After an hour around 113 degrees is not uncommon. You have been warned.
*Respondents locations - England 44%, Scotland 33%, Ireland 11%, Wales 11%
Age Group - 35 - 50 = 67%
25 - 34 = 22%
50+ = 11%
Sex: Female - 56%/Male 44%
