Motorists who spend many hours behind the wheel have a notoriously low tolerance for inconvenience while out on the road.
While inconsiderate driving and poorly maintained highways are always high on the ‘road nuisance’ list, urban legend would have us believe that most people are irritated by one thing above all others … grey nomads.
However, according to a recent survey, it is actually litterbugs who throw rubbish out of their car window who are the biggest annoyance to other drivers.
A survey conducted by the UK’s Automobile Association (AA) revealed that 34% or respondents said this anti-social group topped the list of things that annoy them most about other road users.
However, slow-moving caravans did come in second, with 15% of drivers getting hot under the collar when they encountered them. Groups of cyclists are the third most unpopular according the poll of 23,085 drivers.
“It is interesting that some motorists find anything that slows them down an irritant whether slow caravans or groups of cyclists,” said AA President Edmund King All road users need to show consideration for fellow road users whether on two wheels, four wheels, six wheels or even horse legs.”
For the record, British motorists were most annoyed by:
Throwing rubbish out of the window (34%)
Slow caravans (15%)
Groups of cyclists (13%)
Inconsiderate parking (10%)
Dawdling / lost drivers (7%)
Loud music with the roof down or windows open (7%)
Sightseers stopping without thought or consideration (5%)
Overloaded cars with no view to the rear (4%)
Groups of motorcyclists (1%)
None of the above (4%)
What most annoys you when you’re on the road? Comment below.
It is interesting that the survey on drivers’ pet hates was done in England. I am sure that the tolerance of caravan drivers is very much more liberal here in Australia as our roads are wider, faster and far more convenient for other drivers to overtake. I am 61yrs, love doing trips with my wife and have covered from Cairns to Alice and the Great Ocean Road and have yet to experience any sign of annoyance from drivers behind.
Yes, littering and noxious littering with nappies and toilet wipes etc are the pits. But guilty as charged with a slow motorhome plus we love bike riding! We pull over pretty often to avoid long convoys of vehicles behind us.