It must immediately be stated that driving is not fun for everyone. However, there is a large group of people who enjoy driving, preferably on a quiet motorway. The later evening hours are ideal for the driver who calms down from navigating behind the part of his/her car. In Germany (Berlin), research was conducted in 2011 into driving in general and driving behavior in particular.
Feeling for driving
Although we persistently state that men and women can actually drive just as well, it appears that among experienced drivers, men give themselves a higher score than women, 8.2 versus 7.4. When the same question is asked about the opposite sex, it turns out that the woman always has a slightly lower stake. The woman thinks the man is at a 7.7 and the man thinks the woman is at a 7.3.
If you then carry out concrete testing, it appears that men and women are not inferior to each other. The only thing that is clearly evident is the freer behavior (guts/daring) that men have behind the wheel, versus women who drive just a bit more carefully. This is also confirmed by the same test group, with the comment of a number of women (23%) being remarkable, namely the fact that a car is an object of use. Among men, the type of car and the power the car has are much more appreciated (76%) and could influence behavior (the latter has not been tested). The stereotype seems to be confirmed.
In the crib
Previous research (University of Alabama, 1997) has shown that people becoming calm in the car has to do with the safe environment that exists in the womb. Safe in a light moving environment with a pleasant temperature. As stressful as driving can be, it calms many people down (traffic jams are an exception to the rule).
Application
The application focuses on commuting, with freedom and your own mobile home at the top. There is also a group of around 12% of drivers who are considering public transport when it is more reliable (in terms of times) and has sufficient luxury (at least a normal seat).
Significantly less, but still relevant, is the typical use as a second car, which does not mean that it is a second car, but rather what the car is also used for, such as :
- Shopping.
- Transporting children to and from school.
- To and from social activities (yourself or a family member).
- Transport people (often elderly or disabled) who have difficulty walking.
Holidays are a special aspect, because some people consciously want to travel by car and others do not. If there is no car, but you would like to go on holiday with a car, then the rental car is interesting. More and more special family rates are being used. One in three people has been on holiday by car more than once.
Together in the car
Sitting in the car together is a completely different aspect. For applications as mentioned above, together in the car gives a completely different picture of driving. Men mainly comment on unsafe driving to women and women often comment on late or aggressive braking, but also tailgating (34% of women make this comment to their partner). It is perhaps remarkable that proportionately more women than men comment on driving behavior (one in four).
Responsible
Both men and women clearly indicate that responsible driving is more important to women, with reckless driving, pressing the accelerator extra when the road seems quieter and driving under the influence being at the top.
- Tailgating also plays a role (over 60% of men, versus 28% of women, do this to a greater or lesser extent).
- Do not indicate any direction (48% of men versus 13% of women do this sometimes, the criterion being that no other traffic is observed).
- Overtaking on the right and continuously driving on the left are the same and are considered irresponsible by both men and women (with one in three men doing this occasionally and one in seven women).
Finally
I doubt whether Germany is so different from the Netherlands, perhaps the Germans are just a little bit neater in traffic and the percentages for the Netherlands could be a bit higher. The latter is an assumption and has not been used in a study. But decide for yourself whoever the shoe fits, wear it!