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Poll: Women drivers more likely to suffer from "parking stress"

02 October 2009 13:06 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Nijat Mustafayev â€“ APA-Economics. Women drivers are much more likely than men to suffer from "parking stress" that leaves them nervous at the wheel, according to new research, The Telegraph reported.
he survey found that female motorists are particularly prone to get in a spin if someone is watching and more than twice as likely to resort to asking another driver to park their car for them.
Three-quarters admit that backing into a space is at times too tricky even when there is sufficient room and more than one in five 22 per cent confess they are hopeless at the manoeuvre under any circumstances.
That compares with just nine per cent of men who admit they are inept at parallel parking reversing into a space next to the kerb - and half who are sometimes defeated by an adequate space.
The survey of 4,200 drivers - 1428 men and 2772 women - by motor insurer elephant.co.uk appears to back up anecdotal evidence that women have a blind spot when it comes to reversing into a gap.
"There is a definite difference between genders and their attitude to parking," said the firm’s managing director Brian Martin.
"Some people claim that generally women are not so spatially aware as men. This would certainly play a part in being able to park comfortably.
"The women we questioned were far more willing to admit they have trouble doing it. Nearly three times as many women say they’ve been unable to park."
Seventy-five per cent of female respondents said parking is more difficult when being watched by someone else compared to just 47 per cent of men who get stage fright at the wheel.
Eighty-one per cent get flustered when another motorist stops to wait for them whereas just 56 per cent of men find it stressful.
Almost one in three women - 28 per cent - admit persuading another driver to park for them compared to just 12 per cent of men.
And 47 per cent have left their car at an awkward angle to the kerb compared to only 39 per cent of men.
The research is backed up by the firm’s claims records that show that more women are involved in car park collisions - 56 per cent of claimants in the past 12 months are female compared with 44 per cent male.
It comes as several motor manufacturers begin to sell radar-guided cars that park themselves.
Volkswagen is one of the first manufacturers to fit a Â£580 electronic parking assistance gizmo on models designed to appeal to mothers on the school run including the Touran MPV and Golf Plus hatchback.
The systems rely on sensors that sound an alert when a big enough space is detected and then automatically steer as the driver operates the accelerator and brakes.
"It is much more popular than we imagined. As city centres become more crowded and parking gets more challenging, it will be even more popular - not just with women but their husbands as well," said a VW spokesman.
Ford and Mercedes have also developed similar gadgets to ease the strain during a manoeuvre that is often one of the most dreaded parts of the practical driving test.
AA research earlier this year revealed that 34 per cent of drivers would fail on parallel parking if forced to retake an L-test.
The manoeuvre learned by candidates in preparation for the appointment with the examiner was found to be the one most likely to cause qualified drivers to come a cropper.
A separate US survey commissioned by car firm Ford found that 35 per cent of women avoid parallel parking whenever possible.
"Our research shows just what a problem many motorists have with parallel parking. It’s something most people don’t like to admit - especially men," said Mr Martin.
The survey also revealed that 56 per cent overall have had a parking space ’stolen’ by another driver as they dithered over manoeuvring and that parking problems cause many motorists to blow a gasket.
One in five frequently get angry when unable to find a space and 17 per cent have got into a row with another driver over one.