Top 50 driving irritations faced by motorists
Lane-hoggers, tailgaters, average speed cameras and drivers who don’t signal are among the most annoying bugbears for motorists, new research has revealed.
According to the study by Accident Advice Helpline, nine in 10 drivers get annoyed by others.
Worryingly, nearly two thirds of those polled admitted their own driving can be affected by irritants on the road, and at times they don’t drive as safely as they should themselves when trying to avoid other annoying drivers.
Overall, of the average eight hours a week spent driving, nearly a fifth of this time is spent getting annoyed by fellow road users.
Top 50 driving irritations
50) When you change lane in traffic because the other lane is going quicker – and the lane you change into stops dead
49) Drivers who take too long to park
48) People who turn into roads really slowly
47) People who drive at 60mph in the middle lane and get the hump when you undertake them at 70mph in the slow lane
46) Drivers who keep stopping to let people out
45) Drivers who ‘rev’ at traffic lights
44) People who pull away really slowly
43) Drivers who stop to let cars through despite there being plenty of room
42) Drivers who beep
41) Dithering at junctions
40) 50mph signs on the motorway
39) Average speed cameras
38) Drivers who leave their indicators on
37) People who have their fog lights on – in the summer
36) Drivers with loud music and the windows down
35) Speed traps
34) Hesitant drivers who won’t pull out of a turning even though you have flashed your lights eight times and waved them out three times
33) Drivers who refuse to overtake something slow like a cyclist or horse
32) When you catch all the red lights
31) People who change their speed really erratically
30) Drivers who never let anyone out
29) Drivers of white vans “who think they’re Lewis Hamilton” and do 100mph in the fast lane
28) Getting trapped behind a bus/tractor
27) Hidden speed cameras
26) Drivers who don’t wear seatbelts
25) Rubber neckers/slowing down traffic to look at an accident
24) Sunday drivers
23) Lane-changers
22) Braking suddenly
21) People who sit in the far right lane when they aren’t overtaking
20) Drivers who undertake
19) Cyclists who ride on the road when there are purpose-built cycle lanes right nearby
18) When lorries overtake other lorries and cause a massive tailback
17) People who fly past you when one lane is shut and try to squeeze in half a mile ahead of you when you’ve been patiently waiting in the queue
16) Road works
15) Drivers who don’t stop at zebra crossings
14) Traffic jams
13) Parking on an angle so you can’t possible park next to them
12) Fast drivers
11) Cyclists who go through red lights
10) People who go through red lights
9) Drivers who use the empty lane to get to the front of a queue of traffic and cut in at the last minute
8) Drivers who don’t say thank you
7) Slow drivers
6) Lane-hoggers
5) Parking over two spaces
4) Drivers who leave their full beam on
3) People texting and driving
2) Drivers who don’t signal
1) Tailgating
“It’s understandable for motorists to get frustrated but we are all guilty of causing danger to other road users when driving,” said David Carter from Accident Advice Helpline.
“It’s important to not let your emotions get the better of you when other motorists are driving dangerously, as this won’t always end well.
“We deal with the aftermath of accidents and know first-hand the devastating effects that car accidents can have on people’s lives.
If drivers are getting irritated on the road there’s a chance that this cause an accident which can alter people’s lives”.