What’s your driving personality?
The other day, I started thinking about the different driving styles out there on the road. When I’m driving, sometimes I notice people and their habits or sometimes I just read the bumper stickers on the car in front of me while stopped at a light.
Just for fun, I scribbled down some of my observations, backed up by several, quick internet searches.
Ready to go down this road?
How do you hold your hands on the steering wheel? The way you were taught when getting your driver’s license? Left hand at 9 o’clock and right hand 3 o’clock. This steering wheel grip means you might be a little tense but at least you follow the rules of the road.
If your right hand grips the wheel from the bottom while your left-hand rests on your left knee, you’re not afraid of challenges and “you’ve got this,” all the way.
Driving with both hands casually on the top of the steering wheel, ready to play air drums (both thumbs play double bass) as soon as the right song plays on the radio means you’re cool and ready for anything.
If you’re a grip switcher – changing your hand positions multiple times while driving – you are confident, playful and pretty comfy behind that wheel.
On driving style, I didn’t include everything but here are some that I notice all of the time.
The Hang-Backer. This type of driver has no hurries, no worries. This driver is content to stay in the right driving lane until such time as necessary to maneuver into the passing lane. The hang-backer typically drives the speed limit and for some reason, prefers to take the left parking spaces at the grocery store rather than the right ones.
The Pusher. This individual camps in the passing lane, pushing the car in front until that person finally moves into the right lane. The pusher wants to get there in record time, wherever “there” is and likes the parking spaces closet to the cart rack for a fast getaway.
Equal Opportunist. This person primarily drives in the right lane, but has no qualms about easing into the left when there is little to no traffic. This driver enjoys the scenery and prefers the right-hand parking spaces, but in a pinch, will take the left without complaining.
The State of the Car
Car owners with trash in the car such as toys, wrappers, empty cans, crumbs, plastic bags, napkins stuffed in the console…these folks are not just sloppy but also are good at multi-tasking. They have more important things to do than visit a car wash.
Too many keys on the key chain – gravity is not your friend, my friend. Your ignition switch doesn’t need the extra weight. Take a few minutes and organize those keys; eliminate those keys that you don’t use on a daily basis. Drivers with too many keys have no issues with responsibility but may swerve a little towards hoarder status.
People who hang accessories from the rear-view mirror are comfortable in their skin – they don’t care what others think and could be labeled as nonconformists. Those folks with fuzzy dice, however, might be locked in a time warp and are at higher risk for placing pink flamingos on the lawn.
Drivers with first aid kits in the car are smart travelers. These people like to be prepared and usually keep water, battery cables and a blanket in the trunk of the car.
People who drive with ultra-bright LED lights might be a wee bit on the “all about me” side.
The Color of You
I made up some more stuff here, so bear with me. The color of your vehicle says a lot about you, right? Even if I’m off the mark, this was just for fun:
- Red Car – Not afraid of attention
- Orange Car – Friendly, trendy
- Yellow – Full of fun, happy
- Gold – Sophisticated, appreciates the good life
- Green – Values tradition, balanced
- Blue – Calm, dependable
- Purple – Non-conformist, creative
- Gray – Old-school, a “shaken, not stirred” kind of mojo
- White – Clean, attention to detail
- Black – Risk taker, power, ultra-confident
- Silver – Modern, forward thinker
- Brown – Practical, grounded
That’s it for now! Stay safe on the roadways and remember: Autoworks Service and Repair is your one-stop shop for everything under the hood.
