Poll Finds Australian Male Drivers Should Put Their Hands Back On The Wheel
Posted by Clem Bastow on August 1, 2008
File this one in the “what did they expect?” folder: Australian Top Gear magazine has polled its readers and, surprisingly, found that the rev-heads are knuckle-dragging cavemen a little sexist when it comes to their fellow, female drivers.
In a survey of 3,000 readers of motoring mag Australian Top Gear, only 15 per cent said they felt comfortable when their wives or girlfriends were driving.
Almost half said they liked to point out serious flaws in their partners driving skills and many admitted they were embarrassed.
When reversed, most men said they couldn’t handle being corrected by women.
More than 60 per cent said that when a woman pointed out a fault in their driving they “sail on at 160km/h in a 50 zone – the car has airbags after all”. More than 30 per cent said they would want to push them out the door.
Almost 40 per cent of respondents said they would want to call the divorce lawyers if their partner corrected their car knowledge in front of their mates.
Okay, I know the multiple choice answers offered are meant to be “funny”, but pushing a woman out the door of a moving car? Theoretical violence against women is hilarious! Give these guys a Walkley!
The editor, Stephen Corby, tries to act repentant and tut tut his readers, feebly adding “If they’re all such good drivers, why do they crash more often than women?” but perhaps he should look at himself and his editorial team for offering the readers the chance to air their misogynist tendencies in the first place?
Incidentally, for once I would like to congratulate the Fairfax Digital photo team, for choosing to illustrate the story with one of my favourite road safety campaigns ever:
Says it all, really, doesn’t it?
Richard Jones said
Well, Top Gear Australia have a much better idea of their readership now. Expect many more scantily-clad car accessories in future editions…
Calippius Frogg said
Clem,
Regarding the pic at the bottom of this post – must you insist on making gender specific points by contributing to insecurity and poor body image in the opposite sex? It’s like robbing Peter to pay Paula, and it indicates double standards and/or a patchy level of self-awareness.
But hey, I’ve got a sense of humour – how about pairing the pic with one of a guy at a bar smugly peering off to the side, puffing up his cheeks. Let’s caption it with “Designer clothes and makeup. No one thinks slim of you”
Clem Bastow said
Nice try, Frogg – take your complaints to Fairfax Digital; they ran it.
Calippius Frogg said
They did, Clementine. However you agreed that it was appropriate, so you can’t absolve yourself just like that.
Clem Bastow said
Yes, in this context it is appropriate – men saying they’d throw their wife/girlfriend out of a moving car if she pointed out a fault in his driving (even if in jest)? Yeah, I think that deserves the international sign language for “little dick”.