Drivers reveal their pet hates on the road

Tuesday, August 12, 2014 - 13:00
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rage

You know you make me wanna shout

A survey of over 20,000 AA members has revealed drivers biggest pet peeves, something to bear in mind over the busy summer holidays.

Car users who litter on the road were surprisingly the biggest pet peeve, with 34% of those surveyed saying they felt it was very distracting and disgusting. Comments that came from the members said they’d even back plans for tough penalties for littering drivers such as points on their licence or fines.

The next biggest pet hate was slow drivers, with 15% pin pointing slow caravans as an annoyance. The full list included:

  • 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%

Edmund King, AA President, said: “Litter bugs have understandably emerged as the clear ‘winner’ in our summer selection of driving irritants.
“It is interesting that some motorists find anything that slows them down an irritant whether slow caravans or groups of cyclists. All road users need to show consideration for fellow road users whether on two wheels, four wheels, six wheels or even horse legs. Common courtesy and consideration on both sides can improve road safety and reduce road rage this summer.”

What do you tend to get annoyed at most on the road? Let us know in the comments below

12 Comments

  1. How about ignorant motorists that fill the countryside with their exhaust and noise pollution without a thought for how farm vehicles, horses, dog walkers, cyclists, and ramblers are expected to travel between properties, villages, footpaths, cyclepaths and bridlepaths!

  2. This Top Ten is pretty pathetic stuff. What about these? No indicator use – Texting while driving (usually young women) – Lane hogging – Inability to negotiate simple tasks with the caravan attached (like reversing) – Inappropriate speed (built up areas) – Inconsiderate parking etc etc.

    The test may have been made more difficult (?) but current driving standards are quite appalling

  3. As a driver of some 40 years I have driven everything from old bangers to high performance sports cars and as a business driver I am far from slow or unassertive. However…. With the proliferation of speed cameras on every road I, like most car drivers doing over 30K miles a year, carry some points on my licence. (Not for lunatic driving but just the usual silly things like 45 in a 40 mph zone for 50 meters between two 50 mph zones etc… We’ve all seen them…) Consequently, I, also like many business drivers, have become paranoid about sticking to the legal speed limit. How annoying, when we do, to find stupid idiots leaning on their horns and flashing their lights behind us to try and get us to break the speed limit! If they want to acquire more points that’s their business – don’t expect the rest of us to do the same – especially when our lively-hood depends upon keeping our licences!

  4. It has to be those motorists who insist on taking the outside lane of a roundabout irrespective of what exit they need – do they think they’re going to get caught up in the middle forever going round and round? Unless where it is clearly marked on the road, I was taught that anything past 12 o’clock meant selecting the inside lane which means not cutting up the rest of the traffic who use the roundabout correctly.

  5. I have seen police cars and even driving instructors on there own not indicating, I thought they had taken indicating off the driving test requirements. As for cyclists WELL

  6. I do not know why car manufactures still make cars with indicators on – no-one but me uses them. I certainly think the police should clamp down on all drivers who are too lazy to move their hand and put their indicator on. Please take note drivers out there and be more considerate to all road users.

  7. Drivers who dont use the Indicators.

  8. Cyclists cycling of the main road when there is a cycle path.
    there should be a law to punish them for this!
    I am also a cyclist but use cycle paths!

  9. Living in the country, I agree with the comment about horses. Thousands of acres of countryside and they insist on riding them on the road and then treat the motorist as if he/she has no right to be there. I have the same gripe about people who insist on walking their dog on the verges of country roads

  10. Smokers who not only throw their packaging out the window but then throw lit butt ends out the window which are a fire hazard and do cause fires.

    For some reason they do not think a butt end is rubbish ? Even when challenged in the streets.

    More fines and if it can be proved they caused a fire prosecution.

  11. Farm machinery taking up all the road because they think they can, I thought that’s what fields were for how would they like it if lots of car/vans etc started driving all over their fields obstructing them, Cyclists they tend to be idiots with a huge chip on their shoulders about motorised vehicles they seem to forget that motorists pay for the roads that cyclists think they own, and they go on either the road or the path when it suits them in there silly little leotard type shorts showing everybody that they have got a tiny cock & balls

  12. Horses. How can horses still be allowed on roads in the 21st century? You slow right down for them, you give them a really wide berth, and they still clear off in whatever direction takes their fancy. They might have been ok to get about in 1600, but not now.