UK drivers are an angry bunch according to a new survey on what makes drivers see red when they are on the road.
Over 1,700 UK drivers told InsuretheGap.com, a specialist provider of GAP (Guaranteed Asset Protection) insurance, what angers them, with men twice as likely as women to feel ‘always’ angered by other drivers (66% men v 34% women).
The top three activities most riling drivers are:
- Tailgating (49%)
- Using a mobile phone (45%)
- Pulling in or turning without using indicators (38%)
Although, over a third (34%) admit that they, too, are guilty of some of these driving behaviours that makes them so angry when other drivers are doing them.
Other questionable-driving activities making drivers angry include: pulling out in front of you without warning (35%); cutting in a queue of traffic (33%); and hogging the outside lane (30%).
Men’s pet hate is persistent or random breaking, while women’s is another driver taking a parking space they were waiting for.
When asked how they respond when ‘angry’, drivers said they:
- Beeped car horn (82%)
- Flashed lights (76%)
- Gestured at another driver (48%)
- Swore at another driver (35%)
- Combination of swearing and gesturing (28%)
Only 2% had physically confronted another driver, with 10% verbally confronting another driver and 4% had blocked the other driver in using their car. An additional 5% leave an angry note and 4% make-do with a rant on social media.
Ben Wooltorton, Chief Operating Officer at InsuretheGap.com, said: “It’s easy to think that we’re all perfect drivers, but what’s interesting here is that people are honest enough to admit that a lot of the things that rile them on the road they’re guilty of too. There aren’t many of us that can say we never forget to put our indicators on or might drive too close to the car ahead so perhaps we shouldn’t get quite so would up when other drivers do it!”
*1726 UK drivers surveyed by InsuretheGap.com. The drivers are customers of Halo Insurance Services Ltd.
