A quarter (25%) of drivers who took part in our survey told us BMW was the car brand they most associate with being poorly driven, coming in way ahead of Audi (8%) in second place.
Vauxhall (3%), Ford (2%), Toyota (2%), Mercedes (2%), Fiat (1%) and Volkswagen (1%) all received mentions, with both Jaguar and Mazda not polling at all in our survey of over 1400 InsuretheGap.com customers.
And when it comes to the driving habits that annoy people the most, you may not be shocked to hear that using a mobile came out on top (58%), followed by tailgating (49%), not indicating (39%) and using the wrong lane (37%).
The survey results also revealed that gender driving stereotypes are very much alive and well, with men perceived to be simultaneously more likely to speed and more competent behind the wheel than women, who in turn are considered more law-abiding and courteous than men. Interestingly, when you break down the responses, both men and women gave very similar answers.
For instance, when respondents were asked which gender is the most law-abiding in their cars, 55% of men and 58% of women said women. This is in stark contrast to the less than 5% of men and women who said men are the most law-abiding. 40% said both sexes are the same.
The numbers were similar when asked about driving competency, too. 42% of men and 36% of women said men were more competent, whilst only 5% of men and 6% of women said women were more competent drivers. 55% agreed they were both the same.
Both men and women (66%) said that men are more likely than women to speed frequently, with just 5% saying women were the more likely law-breakers. 29% said there was no difference between the sexes when it came to speeding.
When asked about their opinions on other road users, nearly 60% of our respondents said that cyclists act as though they deserve more due care and attention compared to other road users. 31% said that van drivers are less likely to indicate compared to other vehicles.
Ben Wooltorton, Chief Operating Office of InsuretheGap.com, said: “Arguments about driving stereotypes between the sexes have been around since the motorcar was first invented, but it’s really interesting to see that there’s very little difference of opinion between the sexes on the perpetuation of these opinions.
“Also, maybe BMW drivers need to brush up on their driving skills in order to win over the UK’s drivers, as there’s a colossal roadblock in people’s negative attitudes towards them at the present time.”
