Forget road rage – good manners on the road can improve the journey for everyone.
From screeching horns and angry hand gestures to sighing, shouting, expletives – and this isn’t even the scene of a snarl-up. According to figures from our recent AXA car insurance survey, this could be just an ordinary drive on the roads of many British cities!
Have a look at the gestures above; does the 'finger wiggle'look
familiar? You might find it does if you live in Aberdeen, Belfast,
Glasgow, Wolverhampton or Chelmsford - the places that fared the
worst out of 30 UK cities in our research on respectful towns. 91%
of Aberdonians say they have experienced disrespectful driving in
the city - which includes talking on the phone behind the wheel,
cutting in front of others and making offensive hand gestures.
This sort of driving can of course be frustrating. But it's
likely that expressing your feelings withThe Fist Shake(also known
as 'the Grrrr') will simply result in more shouting, swearing and
horn-beeping from fellow drivers. Half of the people who had come
across disrespectful car users in Aberdeen said they had been in an
accident because of it. So it's wise not to encourage anger behind
the wheel, which can lead to dangerous driving.
Wouldn't it be nice to introduce a friendlier attitude on the
roads? We found that there are polite drivers out there - 93% of
car users in Cambridge show respect for those in need of a
designated car parking space and few (2%) feel the need to make
offensive hand gestures at others. Have you ever been on the
receiving end of 'the after you'gesturewhen faced with the stress
of a busy junction? You probably responded withThe Thank You
Kindlyand drove off in a better mood.
So, next time you feel angry on the road forget 'the Grrrrrr',
hold back on the horn and find the opportunity to give someoneThe
Thumbs Up. Because getting angry during a traffic jam isn't going
to get a line of cars moving - but a friendly wave could lift your
spirits.
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