Bad Driving Habits that Give Us the Ick

Getting the “Ick” for someone is guaranteed to be a fork in the road for a relationship and sometimes can put the brakes on completely. Whether it’s something completely unexplainable, trivial or silly it’s tough to get past this stage with success. Whether it’s the way he eats a burger or the way she says a particular word, it tends to happen at the beginning of a relationship when you are first getting to know each other and what someone may think is a cute quirk suddenly becomes incredibly irritating.

With this in mind, Carmoola has investigated the Driving Habits that are guaranteed to give your future partner the Ick  ❌

As a driver, it can be difficult to not get annoyed by the habits of other road users.  According to a recent survey of the British public, 70% have admitted to having experienced road rage during their motoring life. Whilst both Men and Women said they have experienced road rage, men are more likely to lose their temper on the roads than their female counterparts. But how does this add up when it’s your partner who is the annoyance? According to research, motorists feel four times more stressed or anxious if their significant other is in the car with them. 

After passing your driving test, driving becomes almost second nature but after multiple years of driving, it’s hard not to pick up the odd annoying habit along the way. Of the 10 most annoying driving habits that UK drivers have admitted to, speeding, bad parking and not indicating were the top three on the list. Women were the top culprits for lousy parking, with 39% admitting to this habit whilst 43% of men thought they could rival Lewis Hamilton in their vehicle as speeding was their worst habit. 

According to users on the r/AskReddit Subreddit, the most annoying driving habits include: 

• Not maintaining speed
• Speeding in car parks
• Coming to a halt at a roundabout although there is no oncoming traffic and the roundabout is clear
• Leave their blinkers on - sometimes for miles at a time 
• Unnecessary honking
• People who sing louder than the song playing
• Late braking

So, at Carmoola, we asked the team, what Driving habits would give you the Ick? And some of their answers were eye-opening! Collating their answers we have come up with the top 10 driving habits that most give us the ick - and why you should put an end to them before meeting your next partner!

1. Revving the engine 🏁

Not only is this a massive ick (no one is impressed with how loud your car is!) but it also can damage the inner workings of your car. When you rev your engine, you place additional and unnecessary stress on your car and its engine. This is imperative when it's cold outside—revving your engine before it has had time to warm up is especially damaging, as the engine's oil hasn't had sufficient time to circulate and properly lubricate your car. Police can also issue on-the-spot fines to drivers with custom exhausts or noisy engines making too much noise under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.

2. Playing Music Too Loud or Switching Songs Too Often 🎶

If I can’t hear what you’re saying - your music is too loud. Not only an Ick but turning up the volume could see you fined or even have your motor taken off of you. Listening to loud music is illegal if it's disturbing other people regularly - or if it's causing you to drive erratically. UK laws dictate the punishment varies depending on whether you're parked up or driving along as dealing with drivers pumping out tunes falls between the local authority and police.

3. Having a Dirty Car - Inside and Out 🧽

Not only is it gross - and gives your date an insight into how well kept the rest of your life is - drivers could face a hefty fine if their vehicle gets too cluttered and dirty. While there is no specific law against keeping your car clean, if it becomes a safety hazard and poses a risk to your ability to drive, it is against the law. The rule also applies to the outside cleanliness of your car, so if your windscreen is too dirty to see properly or if your number plate is hard to read, you could face similar fines. If caught ‘driving without due care and attention’, police can give you a £100 on-the-spot fine and three penalty points on your licence. With a more serious claim, you could end up in court facing a £2,500 fine or even a driving ban.

4. Breaking too hard 😳

Not only could it end up with your date’s face imprinted into the front windscreen but it’s super damaging to your car as well. Braking too hard can even damage the brakes themselves. Since car brakes work by establishing an increased amount of friction between the pads and the wheel axles, those pads experience wear as well. This means that they eventually wear down to nothing and become ineffective at slowing the vehicle down.

5. Insisting on having ALL the windows open 🥶

We all know that one person who insists on an open window for a whole car journey whilst you’re freezing cold and can't hear anything over the sound of other cars rushing by. If we wanted to feel the chill of the open air we would’ve gone by bike. Be respectful of your date - are they comfortable? 

6. Driving in the wrong gear ⚙️

The smell of burning is not great for good date vibes and stalling your car is a massive turn-off. It may sound like an obvious one… but being in the wrong gear can cause unnecessary strain on your engine. You may want to sit in a higher gear because you think it will save you fuel, but the truth is that holding off from moving down the gear when the engine needs it will put an unnecessary strain on your engine. Staying in too low a gear is also not a good idea, as you will be able to tell from the moans and groans of your car’s engine.

7. Going painfully slow on motorways 🐌

Whilst we may want the date to last as long as possible, don't drive under the speed limit just to extend the time. Whilst we would never encourage anyone to speed up unnecessarily or drive dangerously, if you are driving 30mph in a 40mph zone for no logical reason, then speed up. Driving too slow has the potential to cause accidents in several ways, including enraging other drivers and encouraging dangerous behaviour on the roads. It can create congestion and provoke tailgating or unsafe overtaking.

8. Smoking or vaping with the windows closed 🚭

We are not in a 90s music video and I didn’t ask for a smoke machine to set the mood. Whilst there are no laws prohibiting vaping – you need to be in full and proper control of your vehicle at all times. If you drive with obscured vision, you could be charged with driving without due care and attention. In most serious cases, drivers could face fines of up to £5,000 for not having complete control of the vehicle they are driving.

9. Middle Lane Hogging or Tailgating 🚧

The middle-lane hogger is not a sexy look. As well as being against the law, it can see other drivers resort to illegal undertakings or create frustration for other drivers who can face moving from the inside lane to the outside lane and then back to the inside lane. And it is an offence, coming under 'careless driving' as does tailgating, accidentally running a red light, or being distracted by eating or drinking. Rules introduced by the Government in 2013 gave police officers powers to hand out on-the-spot fines of £100, or three penalty points.

10. Not indicating ➡️

Not indicating correctly or failing to indicate when on the roads could leave you with a hefty fine. Despite there not being a specific offence detailing when your indicators should and shouldn’t be used, failing to use them can fall under the ‘careless and inconsiderate driving’ offence or be classed as driving without due care and attention. This offence could land you with a huge fine of up to £5000 and up to nine points on your licence.

Carmoola’s Recommendations for Having a Successful Driving Date: 

• No unsolicited driving lessons. 

• The speed limit is there for a reason - use it.

• Turn the music down - if there is more than one of you in a car - have a chat - we don't want to compete with whatever you've put on shuffle.

• No backseat drivers - the driver is in control unless asked. As much as you may be clinging to your seat, if you're not the driver - relax.

• Keep things clean - by that, we mean the inside and outside of your car. No one actually enjoys a messy car.

• No vaping - it's distracting and not enjoyed by everyone. No one wants to be in a grapefruit hotbox.
• Respect yourself and others on the road - passive-aggressive drivers are a massive turn-off. It's not big and it's not clever and chances are you'll end up causing an accident. 
  

If you’re guilty of any of these driving habits  we'd recommend following our advice...you'll be cruising in no time 😎

Leave a comment down below and tell us your biggest ick.