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Netscape) When
Consumer Reports' National Research Center polled 895 drivers to rank 20 common driver complaints on a score of one to 10 -- where one means "does not annoy you at all" and 10 means "annoys you tremendously" -- texting on a cell phone while driving came in as number one. It was followed closely by able-bodied drivers who park in handicapped spaces and tailgaters following too closely. Here's the top 20 driving pet peeves and the score:
- Texting on a cell phone while driving: 8.9 out of 10
- Able-bodied drivers parking in handicapped spaces: 8.7
- Tailgaters: 8.4
- Drivers who cut you off: 8.3
- Speeding and swerving in and out of traffic: 8.2
- Taking up two parking spaces: 7.7
- Talking on a cell phone while driving: 7.6
- Not letting you merge into a lane: 7.6
- Not dimming high beams when approaching: 7.6
- Not using turn signals: 7.5
- Slow drivers dawdling in the passing lane: 7.3
- Jaywalkers stepping in front of your car: 7.3
- Excessive horn honking: 7.1
- Slowing down to "rubberneck" at accidents: 7.0
- Not turning on headlights when it's raining or at dusk: 6.8
- Drivers who are indecisive about when to turn: 6.6
- Slow drivers on a two-lane road who won't pull over: 6.5
- Not going when the light turns green: 6.1
- Bicyclists who don't let you by: 5.8
- Cranking up the radio volume: 5.7
For 14 of the 20 gripes, women were significantly more annoyed than men. Drivers under age 35 were less annoyed by other drivers cranking up the car stereo volume, compared with older drivers. Drivers under age 35 were much more annoyed by drivers who didn't go as soon as a traffic light turned green. City drivers were more annoyed than rural drivers by slow traffic, swerving drivers, jaywalkers and limited parking spaces. Rural drivers were more annoyed than city drivers by those who didn't turn on their headlights when it was raining or getting dark.
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