Considering how much time we spend inside our cars as opposed to outside, when interacting with and using them of course, it’s probably safe to say that it’s more about the outside perspective than it is about an internal one. You might drive the most beautiful car ever, but since you’re inside of it most of the time that you’re interacting with it, we can argue that its looks are to please others, can’t we?
Okay, so that’s admittedly an overly simplistic way of looking at it, but there is a huge element of truth to it. However, the car you drive is in many ways a reflection of your personality, assuming of course that you had a reasonable budget to work with, which allowed you some freedom of choice.
The kind of car you drive or the kind of accessories you pick to adorn your car with, more often than not, could be a reflection of your personality. Take, for example, a case where you’re an avid traveller who likes to go places such as mountains for treks and off-roading; you might look the type who loves the 2023 Sequoia, the Hilux, or the Land Cruiser from Toyota.
You might, similarly, be one who fits the hatchback-driver persona if you’re the typical family man. Of course, there’s an estate wagon to complete the look too. Think about it – If you were to be a fan of history, and have a special appreciation for vintage aesthetics, would you not be drawn to a classic car like a Corvette or Mustang? And for such a car, you need classic-looking plates from the Best Number plate builder available. Ideally, you should be able to design a number plate with a vintage appeal. The examples of matchmaking can go on and on.
I mean even if we could all afford it, we wouldn’t all be darting around in Lamborghinis and Ferraris, would we?
Looking at the car you drive, do you reckon it matches your personality? Vehicle leasing company LeaseCar UK conducted an interesting and fun survey, asking UK residents what their thoughts were in relation to the cars people drive. How are drivers perceived based on their cars?
BMW drivers, brace yourselves for somewhat of a confirmation of the lingering clichés!
So according to the respondents, BMW drivers lead the way as those who would be considered to be bad drivers, followed by Audi and Merc drives. Having been on both sides of the BMW fence, I can honestly say that I sort of understand where everybody’s coming from. From the point of view of the drivers, top-tier mass market car brands such as BMW, Audi and Merc come with the type of quality that makes you a confident driver. You likely have a more powerful machine than many other drivers around you, so you might perhaps be more inclined to flex a bit of that power and handling prowess.
Obviously from the perspective of someone looking in, the subsequent actions taken on the road can be seen to be bad driving.
It could also just be a numbers thing, because the likes of Alfa Romeo, Ford and Vauxhall all fall within the next bracket of cars owned by people deemed to be bad drivers.
That’s not to say that all who drive such models are bad at driving. Among first-time car owners or new drivers, there is usually a preference towards stable and easy-to-drivers from Ford and Vauxhall. Those eager drivers who get their licence early by booking driving test cancellations slots are the ones who make the most use of these everyday use average models. They are the ones who are taking up the roads the most, for better or worse.
Otherwise, Beemers, Mercs, and Audis top the list again (in that order) when it comes to the perception of their drivers being angry!
As far as colours go, apparently the angriest and worst drivers interchangeably drive red and black cars, with white coming in third under both these considerations.
Interestingly enough, drivers of black cars are considered to be the best-looking, so draw whatever conclusions you will. Drivers of pink cars are at the bottom of the good-looking scale, but they’re also apparently the least angry drivers, according to the survey! How could you ever be angry driving a pink car, or merely making the decision to buy one in that colour?
These findings would obviously need to be taken with a mandatory pinch of salt, because the likes of auto insurers look at metrics such as the best and worst age-groups into which drivers are classed, as this helps them determine the risk associated with the subsequent insurance premiums to quote. Interestingly enough, according the survey, the worst drivers are those who fall within the youngest age group (17-30), followed by the elderly (61+).
