Research on Couples arguing whilst in a Vehicle

I like it when companies use a bit of initiative and produce excellent research pieces. It’s probably fair to say that actually easyCar have done a fair good piece here on how couples argue.

I would like to think that the majority of arguments are stemmed from some kind of financial issues, and indeed these count for a high percentage (41%). Luckily, however, this research piece seems to point towards the fact that a lot of arguments British couples have are due to problems behind the steering wheel.

Apparently:

37% of couples argue whilst driving abroad – a figure one can only imagine would be higher is the sample size was larger. Total Sample of 4,173 adults

According to leading psychologist David Moxon, ‘drivers need to simply recognize their driving habits and adapt them accordingly to suit the other members of the vehicle’.

Drivers motoring traits become more pronounced when travelling on unfamiliar foreign roads and the top driving irritants for loved ones are poor map reading (48%), driving too fast (28%) and not understanding road signs (21%).

Professor Moxon has identified four key types of UK drivers when abroad: the SatNavvies which make up 43% of the population, the Planners (37%), the Road Signers (19%) and the Freewheelers (13%).

SatNavvies are characterised by their reliance on the shiny piece of equipment adorning their dashboards. So attached are they to this piece of electronic wizardry, they are unlikely to believe it’s capable of any inaccuracy until they’re bonnet down in a ditch. The downfall of this type is that 69% end up arguing with their passengers when driving abroad because they believe the machine is all-knowing. The number one tip for partners of SatNavvies is to relax and enjoy the ride, not a lot can be done to fight the machine.

Doesn’t it infuriate you when you sit in a car with one of these types of people? They seem to rely so heavily on a ‘gadget’ that they forget that when driving a car it’s paramount that you use the initiative you have been giving and in certain situations you do indeed, ‘follow your heart’.

The next most frequent driving type is the Planner. Drivers in this category like to organise all routes in advance of heading abroad, often using three different advisor sites to plan their journey down to the last comfort break. This approach leads to significantly less disagreements with just half (54%) arguing with their passengers. Anyone finding themselves stuck with a planner can rest assured they’re in safe hands as they’re the most likely of all types to end safely at a prescribed destination.

My dad is one and indeed anyone whose parents were born in the period between the 50s/60s will probably fit this category. I never want to be a true planner, plus I never want to rely solely on an out of date map… You tend to find that people who fit the planner category of driver are the ones who believe they are always right!

The third largest driving type is the Road Signer (19%). These drivers are impatient to start on their adventure. They dismiss map reading and shun SatNav in favour of relying heavily on road signs, regardless of whether they can actually understand them. Unfortunately this is not the most diplomatic approach and like the SatNavvies, 7 out of 10 Road Signers end up quarrelling behind the wheel. The top tip dealing with this type is to research the route in advance in order to gently guide in the absence of road signs.

This ties in nicely with the idea I put forward that “these people rely solely on out of date maps”. Of course there is nothing wrong with reading signs to direct you but, mix that in with being in a foreign country and not understanding what the actual sign means; then you have situation where you are bound to get lost…

The final and smallest group at 13% of UK adults is the Freewheeler. This type drives through natural instinct alone, not bothering with the hassle of maps or SatNavs, they trust they will instinctively know which way to turn when they come to that all-important crossroad. It may be a great life philosophy, but one in two (54%) Freewheelers still end up in driving disputes. Top tip: miraculously discover a map in the glove-box.

Thankfully I have never had the pleasure of an extended driving session with a true Freewheeler – apart from one time, which of course didn’t last very long as we quickly took his privilege away! And thank goodness we took that privilege away as we were using a van rental service and it could have been disastrous if we had broken or smashed the van up!

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