Road rage and impolite gesturing topped the list of most annoying motorist behaviour in a new nationwide survey on Canadian drivers.
The new Environics Research study, which was commissioned by Goodyear Canada, found road rage and impolite gestures ticked off 74 per cent of Canadian drivers with tailgating, door dings and road hogs sharing the second spot at 72 per cent.
"People who tailgate, that is a big annoyance, people who cut you off, people who don't signal, people who nail their horn for the most ridiculous reasons," one motorist said about his top annoyances.
Automotive research expert David MacDonald says such annoyances are a constant reminder of the inconsideration that people have to deal with every day.
"We live in a pressure-cooker environment where driving is a necessary evil of day-to-day life. We all have different pressures and challenges we have to face and some of us handle it differently than others," MacDonald, vice-president of consumer research for Environics, told CTV's Canada AM.
MacDonald contends that people who complain the most about offending drivers on the road are actually the ones annoying other drivers with their bad habits.
By clustering those surveyed based on their frustrations, demographics, type of vehicle owned, and personal performance, the study identified the five most common "driver tribes" on the road in Canada.
- Panic Buttons
This driver tribe represents 20 per cent of motorists. They are generally older, retired females with a predilection for full-size vehicles. These drivers, usually over the age of 55, are deeply critical of those they share the road with. Their top annoyances include motorists who weave through traffic to gain one or two car lengths, drivers who indulge in road rage, and people operating vehicles unfit for the road.
"Panic buttons are a tribe that are really afraid of all aspects of driving. They are afraid of the risky behaviour of others and don't like other people's inconsiderate behaviours," MacDonald said.
"We find this is a segment that is really nervous on the road and puts themselves and others at risk because of that."
MacDonald suggests these types of drivers should enroll in remedial driver training classes or plan their routes so they are can avoid rush-hour traffic.
- Mind Your Manners
This group of drivers also represents 20 per cent of those on the road. The tribe typically consists of more women than men, who are more likely to drive SUV's. They are most bothered by inconsiderate motorists who steal other people's parking spots, park across two stalls, bang their car doors into other vehicles, tailgate and change lanes without signalling.
"What sets them off is the common courtesy that other people are lacking today," MacDonald explained.
He said the danger with this group is that they may act on their rage and "try to get even."
- The Fast and the Furious
This tribe tends to be made up of males aged 18 to 24 who drive sporty vehicles and are bothered by those who get in their way. They represent 20 per cent of drivers on the road.
"For them, driving is a game of chess and anything that blocks their move, makes them angry. They feel a sense of exhilaration when they are able to jump ahead of someone else," MacDonald said.
- Better Safe than Sorry
This tribe is the most responsible of the bunch and equally weighted in terms of gender. They make up 18 per cent of drivers and are typically between 35 and 44 years of age with school-aged children and a minivan or truck.
"They have a good understanding and appreciation of the risks out there and don't let the small things get them upset," MacDonald said.
- The Indifferents
This tribe also makes up 18 per cent of drivers and they are typically people with modest incomes $40,000 to $60,000. They live on the fringes of suburbia and tend not to get annoyed by much.
"You almost have to wonder are they really paying attention while they are driving," MacDonald said.
The survey included 1,697 licensed drivers in Canada with a margin of error plus or minus 2.4 per cent 19 times out of 20.
