Posted on 03/12/2007 11:54:51 AM PDT by Smogger
Are an "Auto-Bahner" or an "Auto-Matic"? Allstate Insurance Co. sponsored a study of 2,500 automobile owners and came up with five distinct driving personalities.
If driving itself does not really excite you, but the car that you drive does, you are probably like 23 percent of those surveyed who were dubbed "Auto-Matics." Auto-Matics, while generally safe and confident drivers, also have been guilty of speeding on occasion. Auto-Matics are likely to feel that the car that they drive is "distinctly styled," "attention-getting," "trendy" and "extravagant."
The next most common driving personality, representing 21 percent of the drivers surveyed, were the "Auto-Nomous" drivers.
These drivers enjoy looking at the scenery when driving and consider themselves "rugged" and "powerful."
Auto-Nomous drivers think of themselves as "good drivers" and their car represents a place of comfort to them. Auto-Nomous personalities are also the least likely to own an economical vehicle and are the most likely to drive a pickup or sport utility vehicle.
Not surprisingly, they are also the group that is most likely to complain about fuel prices. Of these drivers, 63 percent are male. Those who drive "fast" and "aggressively" and have little patience when other drivers make mistakes fall into the category of the "Auto-Bahner" personality.
Eighty percent of the drivers who identified with this group admitted to having driven 20 miles or more over the speed limit.
Understandably, Auto-Bahners were also the most likely to have been pulled over by law enforcement officials within the past five years, with more than half of those surveyed having received moving violations.
One-third of Auto-Bahners also admitted to driving after having three or more drinks. Of all drivers surveyed, 17 percent were determined to be Auto-Bahners. Of this group, 63 percent were male.
If the word "practical" describes both the way you drive and what you drive, you are likely an "Auto-Pragmatic." Fifteen percent of those surveyed fell into this group, with a driving style they considered "safe" and "cautious."
Auto-Pragmatics prefer cars that are safe, convenient, economical, environmentally friendly and practical. Most Auto-Pragmatics took particularly good care of their vehicles - inside and out. A good percentage of this group were unemployed or retired. Women made up 69 percent of Auto-Pragmatics.
The final 15 percent of drivers surveyed were determined to have the driving personality dubbed "Auto-Pilot."
"Reliable" and "family oriented," most in this group would prefer to occupy the passenger's seat than the driver's seat. This was the least confident group behind the wheel.
Auto-Pilots rely on their cars for doing everyday chores, but do not feel that their vehicles represent who they really are. Women made up 71 percent of the Auto-Pilots.
Todd DeYoung, vice president of marketing at Allstate, explained his company is always trying to "gain a deeper understanding of the driving habits of Americans."
"The survey not only revealed the depth of Americans' opinions about driving-related issues, but it also produced unique personalities, or `Car-ma' based on actual driving actions."
Michelle Groh-Gordy is a longtime traffic school instructor and the owner of InterActive! Traffic School Online (www.trafficinteractive.com). Send questions to drivetime@dailybulletin.com or write to DriveTime c/o The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, PO Box 4000, Ontario, CA 91761. Some reader questions will be answered every other week.
I'm the kind who will get to work a half hour early if I can just get in front of YOU
;o)
Of course. In parts of most big cities you have to wait that long for all the people crashing the new red light to clear out of the intersection. Anyone around here who starts moving right away at a green light is suicidal.
Ping for later reading... this one should be good :)
Ah, another barefoot driver. Actually, I drive with my right big toe. I wear sandals even in winter just so I can flick the right one off immediately upon entering the vehicle.
You must have a better job too!
...and have little patience when other drivers make mistakes fall into the category of the "Auto-Bahner" personality.
I have patience when drivers make mistakes, but I want to explode when they intentionally drive like fools.
The car I have now or what I would drive if I had the choice?
..As an Auto-Bahner your Auto-Pilots make me sick. Stay off the freeways and major roads. Thanks.<<
My thoughts precicely. The only part of that that did not fit me was the three drinks part. And yet I like the distinctiveness of my car and also find it very, VERY practical so I fit into those groups as well.
I drive a Scion xB.
"Auto-pilots" should have their licenses removed.
Seriously.
Except when it's a 10 miles one lane road and a bar ditch on the right...
A what???
It is interesting that these two terms are so often combined. For some reason they never seem to label a driver as "aggressive" when they park themselves is the fast lane, and pile up a hundred cars behind them.
all you can do then is throw golf balls at them.... :)
I got a ticket the other day for doing something similar. At a merge with a stoplight, from the left, the first person through the green (merged) decided he wanted to merge to a right lane and stopped dead with his blinker on. Obviously, since it was at a light, no one was going to stop in the middle of the intersection to let this jerk in. Since I was about five cars behind him, I blinked into the lane on the left of him and passed him, then merging back in front of him into the original lane. Well the car immediately behind him was a cop, DID THE SAME EXACT THING to get in front of this car and flash me. I got a careless driving ticket. WTF? And for you who think I'm a hot-rodder, I haven't had a ticket since I was 19-- two decades.
Reminds me of what George Carlin used to say,
"Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anybody who drives faster than you is a maniac."
Trolls own cars?
Driving on freeways here, you'd better be aware of your surroundings all the time, or someone will make a rather stupid move.
As an Auto-Pilot you Auto-Bahners make me sick. Next time your selfishness, arrogance, and impatience kills or maims someone, make sure it's you and not some innocent person. Thanks!!!
I drive an F-250 also. It got bigger after I bought it. I was almost killed by an illegal alien running a red light while a passenger in a Nissan Sentra. Now my ass is above the roofline of a Sentra. I can see everybody and nobody can say they didn't see me. Nice truck. It's like an airplane over 90 on the desert freeways between here and Vegas once in a while. You can do it there because you can see many miles in front of you. Turn on your lights when you pass a long 18-wheeler convoy doing 85 on the I-15 and I-70 at daybreak. They appreciate that.
I really learned how to drive in Spain over 20 years ago. Those autopistas are fast. My crappy little Seat 127 was geared high. You don't talk on a cell phone in one hand and a cigerette in the other on those freeways. Those are racetracks. You pay attention.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.