Parking gets us hot under the collar

Parking is causing problems for millions of UK motorists according to research by car insurance expert Admiral.  It found that almost one in five (19%) have had to get someone else to park their car for them, while around one in six (16%) have had an accident and damaged their car while parking.

Admiral surveyed 2,000 motorists on their parking habits as part of its annual Survey of Motorists. While nearly one in five admitted they have asked someone else to park for them, twice as many (40%) admitted they find it hard to park if someone is watching them.

Spokesperson for Admiral, Justin Beddows, commenting on the results said, “For something so essential to driving it seems that parking is a big problem for a lot of motorists.

“More women (23%) than men (16%) were willing to admit they have to get someone else to park for them, but slightly more men (17%) than women (15%) have had an accident while parking. Maybe if some of the men we questioned asked someone else to park their car for them they wouldn’t have had an accident!”

Admiral found that it’s not only the ability to park which causes problems for motorists. More than a fifth (21%) said they have had a row with someone over a parking space, while more than one in six (17%) have left a note on someone else’s car criticising their parking.

Justin Beddows, continued, “As a nation we get hot under the collar about the most trivial things. Is it really worth getting upset over how someone has parked?

“If you are the type of person who gets wound up when they see someone parked badly in a car park, just think, maybe they are one of the many motorists who have trouble parking, and you can then feel a little bit superior about your own parking ability.”

However it would appear that some motorists are far from considerate when they decide where they park their car. Nearly a fifth of those questioned (18%) admitted they have used a disabled space in the past when not permitted to do so.