As I kept a sensible distance from the car in front I had to remind myself to keep my eyes on the road, even though it was clear his weren’t.

I was fascinated as well as feeling on edge, stunned and infuriated to watch this young bloke taking more interest in getting his hair right than adopting the same approach towards his driving.

His vehicle began to drift away from the centre of the road getting dangerously close to the kerb prompted by his ‘look no hands’ whilst giving his hair styling his full attention. 

I yearned for the ability to have the power to just zap him from the road, out of my path and anyone else’s!  Let’s face it’s only a matter of time before this quiffed haired obsessed individual has an accident especially if he continues to confuse his car for his bathroom mirror actively demonstrating the concentration of a well-groomed goldfish!

This driver vastly overestimated his own driving abilities, underestimating or diminishing everyone else's!  So self-assured thinking he's perfectly capable of sorting out his locks, no doubt chatting on his phone and probably eating a sandwich at the same time as steering.  Here is a great example of Mr Num Nuts living in his own little fantasy world where he thinks he is king of the road, looking good.  But corpses don’t need great hair which is one attention for detail he’s missed!

The primary need of every human is to feel safe and secure. Once those needs are met, it really frees us up to concentrate on other more important things, like changing lanes without looking, tailgating other drivers and leaning on our horn during a traffic jam just to alert other drivers that we're displeased with the situation.

So why do we do these annoying and sometimes dangerous habits and behaviours from behind the wheel which doesn’t seem to matter whether the L plates are freshly off or whether you have been on the road for donkey years!

Some more personal pet hates are; -

Non-Wavers/Acknowledgers

For me this is the most annoying driving habit as it doesn’t take a lot to raise your hand and say thank you when on the road and when someone kindly lets you into their lane, or lets you cut across the line of traffic.  It is not a huge gesture, but means a lot in a world of people demanding or thinking that they are owed something.   It really gets my goat when motorists just blank me as if they have an automatic right for me to let them go or when they give me a withering dirty look - yet still elect to pull out.

And what really really winds me up is when other drivers see you coming but refuse to pull over into a free space and keep driving towards you when they can see you have nowhere else to go – what is wrong with you?

Tailgaters

More than an eighth (13%) of drivers have had an accident or near miss as a result of tailgating.   This frequency of inconsiderate driving can’t be good for motorists’ morale.  It is not only annoying but can be highly dangerous too.  So back off dickhead and learn the art of patience!

Speedy Tailgaters

When you're driving over the speed limit and somebody STILL tailgates you, hypothetically speaking, because you're a good citizen. Though, even when you're hypothetically going over the speed limit why are they doing that?

Starers & Glarers

When people just stare at you when you have both stopped at traffic lights and even after you make eye contact and look away you can still feel their gaze just watching you and judging. Even worse when you catch someone doing something they shouldn’t be doing like picking their noses or zapping a spot in the drivers mirror!

Slow Reactors

People who seem surprised that green follows red. Listen up driving dudes and dudesses, those red lights are only temporary. You will have to start driving again, soon. Do you really need to check your phone, rummage through your handbag or reapply your lipstick? Pay attention people!

Revving Uppers

We all know that this annoying practice of accelerating indicating you want to set off quickly and beat me at the lights. Your message is loud and clear 'As soon as these lights go to amber, I’m going to be carving you up'. Yeah, yeah, whatever…. Perhaps if you got in the right lane to begin with you wouldn’t feel the need to cut everyone up!

Middle Lane Hoggers

This is for all the people who drive in the middle lane of the motorway screwing up lane discipline and safe driving for those in all other lanes and you know who you are - shame on you!  Do you feel safer in the middle lane? Well, your driving is inconsiderate and dangerous for others. Move over!

Non-Indicators

This one really pushes my buttons – when people are driving round a roundabout and then leave it right to the last minute to indicate, or don’t bother to indicate at all. Newsflash - I left my crystal ball at home – how is anyone supposed to know which way you are thinking of going!

Multiple Parking Space Monopoliser

Oh my days!  People who take up two parking spots

Unless you're drunk or you afraid of someone parking next to you and banging or scratching up your car which in either case you should just leave your car at home!  Don't you think others need a parking space...it's very rude! 

Simple rule here: when you get out of the car, look at it before you walk away. Not sitting between two white lines?  This shouldnt sit well with you so move it and stop being so selfish!

Lane Changer

When changing lanes in slow-moving traffic, you might think this is saving you time and advancing you up the queue, but science has shown you don’t reach your destination any quicker than those who stay in the same lane. You merely impede the flow.  Patience is a virtue - make this your motoring mantra!

Right Hand Petrol Pumpers

The vast majority of pumps will reach across a car, so it doesn’t matter which side you pull up to refuel, as long as you park nice and close. Please just pick the empty one.

Accident Vultures

Rubbernecking.

It's the phenomenon that occurs when people decide to slow down and stare at an accident on the roads especially the motorway. Well, it ruins everyone's day and you need to stop doing it.

There's a part of the human psyche that, for some reason, wants to see twisted metal and carnage. That's why we rubberneck but what people don't seem to realise is that rubbernecking will breed even more problems than the accident itself.

Unless there is a way for you to stop and help the people in the crash, keep moving. You're only creating more problems down the road. Literally.

Zebras not Crossing  

We are a nation confused about who legally has the right of way where it comes to Zebra Crossings and when to stop   By law - a car needs to come to a standstill to allow an individual to cross only when the pedestrian has already set foot on the zebra crossing, as dictated by rule 195 in the Highway Code.

However, drivers that have no consideration for children or elderly people need to have a severe word with themselves

Speed Camera Brakers

Did you miss the part of the sign that says “average”? That means they’ve been clocking your speed over the distance since the last camera, or over several cameras, so driving 20mph above the limit then braking for the camera is not going to work, my friend. 

Dawdling Dangerously

For those that choose to drive below the speed limit you are dangerous, dangerous, dangerous!  As much as I 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.   Look in your rear-view mirror. See that build-up of traffic behind you? 

Unsurprisingly, your own driving can be affected by irritants on the road, and at times you probably don't drive as safely as you should when trying to avoid annoying drivers.

Of course, most of us don’t see these faults in ourselves more than one in four (27%) of UK drivers also claim to be the best driver they know and 37% say they are a better driver than their partner. 

There are over 32m licence holders in the UK and 38% of people admit to road rage which means 12.16m people get angry when driving. 

Driving can be testing at the best of times with potholes to navigate around, cats to try and avoid as well as the great British weather to contend with which could present you with a flood or snowstorm all on the very same day!

Even with all these obstacles to a peaceful journey, we make life even more difficult for each other by displaying some less than exemplary driving behaviours while behind the wheel so it time to steer clear and park all your bad and annoying habits and stop driving all the other motorists crazy!

It takes 24,637 bolts to put a car together and just one nut to spread it all over the road!