Photo: netQuote
Like most mammals, human beings have a natural tendency to form couples. We're not solitary beings, and we enjoy the company of others, but there are times when we'd very much like to be left alone.
Driving, apparently, is one of those moments. Having somebody in the car can be both a blessing and a burden, and it all depends on the driving compatibility between the persons. Sadly, some of the pet peeves take time to surface and can become apparent after the big step was made.
Curious to know where your issues with your significant other sit compared to the majority of the Americans? Well, you're in the right place, then, as netQuote provided us with a recent study conducted on over 2,000 people engaged in relationships.
Somewhat surprisingly given the widespread penetration of satnav devices these days, the thing found irritating by most people is when the other partner does not listen to their suggestions. Well, we'll assume they listen, but they just chooses to ignore them. Other causes of friction in the couple, in order of relevance, are driving too fast, tailgating, braking too hard, playing music not everybody likes, making the temperature too cold (I think we all know what gender has an issue with this), making the temperature too hot (yup, this one's the other way around) or filling the car with trash or clutter. Surprisingly, nobody complained about road rage or swearing too much.
Speaking of gender segregation, both sides have an issue with the other not listening to their suggestion, placing this complaint on the first place. From there on, they differ quite a bit with males decrying their better halves for braking too hard, parking badly, driving too slowly or wasting time to park closer to destination. Females, on the other hand, are annoyed when we drive too fast, get lost or take a longer route (shut up, it's not longer, we know better), and the classic refusal to ask for directions.
When asked who's more likely to drive if both are available, only 12.1 percent of the women said they were, with nearly 58 percent of men saying they would normally grab the wheel.
But here comes the worrying bit. An average of over 10 percent of the respondents said they have had a relationship-threatening argument because of their partner's driving style. At the same time, the study shows that the more invested you are in a relationship, the more likely it is to find roadtrips stressful. 37.2 percen of the married couples said they don't particularly enjoy the idea of long trips together, with only 23.1 percent of those dating but living separately providing the same answer.
These are worrying figures that should not be taken lightly. If you already go to a psychiatrist, you should speak to them about this. If not, maybe it's time to get one. Driving together should be fun, especially on road trips. There are plenty of things out there that irritate us, let's not have one inside the car as well. Be considerate, listen more and enjoy the ride.
Curious to know where your issues with your significant other sit compared to the majority of the Americans? Well, you're in the right place, then, as netQuote provided us with a recent study conducted on over 2,000 people engaged in relationships.
Somewhat surprisingly given the widespread penetration of satnav devices these days, the thing found irritating by most people is when the other partner does not listen to their suggestions. Well, we'll assume they listen, but they just chooses to ignore them. Other causes of friction in the couple, in order of relevance, are driving too fast, tailgating, braking too hard, playing music not everybody likes, making the temperature too cold (I think we all know what gender has an issue with this), making the temperature too hot (yup, this one's the other way around) or filling the car with trash or clutter. Surprisingly, nobody complained about road rage or swearing too much.
Speaking of gender segregation, both sides have an issue with the other not listening to their suggestion, placing this complaint on the first place. From there on, they differ quite a bit with males decrying their better halves for braking too hard, parking badly, driving too slowly or wasting time to park closer to destination. Females, on the other hand, are annoyed when we drive too fast, get lost or take a longer route (shut up, it's not longer, we know better), and the classic refusal to ask for directions.
When asked who's more likely to drive if both are available, only 12.1 percent of the women said they were, with nearly 58 percent of men saying they would normally grab the wheel.
But here comes the worrying bit. An average of over 10 percent of the respondents said they have had a relationship-threatening argument because of their partner's driving style. At the same time, the study shows that the more invested you are in a relationship, the more likely it is to find roadtrips stressful. 37.2 percen of the married couples said they don't particularly enjoy the idea of long trips together, with only 23.1 percent of those dating but living separately providing the same answer.
These are worrying figures that should not be taken lightly. If you already go to a psychiatrist, you should speak to them about this. If not, maybe it's time to get one. Driving together should be fun, especially on road trips. There are plenty of things out there that irritate us, let's not have one inside the car as well. Be considerate, listen more and enjoy the ride.
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