We bumped into some
old friends yesterday. My wife was driving.
I like to think I’m a reasonably good, safe driver, unless
of course something out of the ordinary occurs, like other cars on the road. Or
pedestrians. Or cyclists – they’re the worst. Or tractors, dustbin trucks, road
works, animals…
But, of course, I am a 'woman driver'. Which is just the
worst type of driver you can be, obviously… but why?
I have been driving for two years, and if you know me then I know you’re thinking about the number of attempts it took me to pass my test, but that is beside the point. Assessments in driving, whether within the realm of insurance, maintenance or even parking spaces, are based on gender. But why?! Surely, and perhaps I am being a little ignorant here, there is no definitive evidence to suggest that all men are fantastic drivers, whilst women become a risk to everyone within a two hundred mile radius the minute they can see a car.
A mayor of a town in Germany designated particularly “hard”
parking spaces to be just for men whilst wider, well-lit spaces close to the
exits of the car park were specifically for women, and although it turned out
to be a bit of a publicity stunt as opposed to outright sexism, it got me
thinking… especially since today my lovely little Sunmobile had to go to the
garage for its M.O.T.
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| One of the designated parking spaces in the German city of Triberg. |
Last year, taking Sunshine for her M.O.T, which she passed
of course because she’s wonderful, the men in the garage parked her, ready for
collection, in just the most ridiculous way. I had to do about a twenty-three
million point turn before I could leave. And they just stood there. Watching.
Laughing. (Well maybe they weren’t laughing, but three of them just stood in a
row to observe my dodgy driving). It was horrid, and so today I made a decision
to swallow my pride and reinforce all gender stereotypes:
Mr Car Man: 'Miss Baker, your car is ready for collection
now.'
Me: 'Could you please ensure that it is easy for me to drive
it out of the garage?'
They did it! And when I got there I was so relieved that it
was not going to be a repeat of the previous year’s driving shenanigans that I
did not feel any embarrassment at all. So whilst I disagree with the unnecessary
assumptions of female and male driving skills, I admit I am disgraceful at
parking and getting out of stressful situations… and so I welcome designated
areas for useless parkers…
However, it isn't just parking where women are provided various allowances...
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| image courtesy of http://www.sheilaswheels.com/ |
Sheila's Wheels, an insurance company designed specifically for women, offers the following under their comprehensive car insurance:
- 'Free 24-hour confidential counselling'
- 'Handbag cover up to £300', you know, for all our precious lipsticks and whatnot.
- 'Female-Friendly Repairers', who, most likely, all have to do a pre-employment misogynist test.
But it's not only Sheila's Wheels who are exploiting our own presumptions that we're second-rate drivers in comparison to men. My Purple Garage (in my hometown), which sounds a little bit like something you can buy from The Early Learning Centre, prides itself on being 'where women in the know go'.
Ladies, whilst I am thrilled that you've found a garage you're comfortable with going to, an uncomfortable number of the reviews on the website reviewed the colour of the garage to be one of the positives. Seriously?! No wonder we have this reputation!
Hands up if you're a hypocrite...! Here are some female driver stereotypes which I happily display: I've named my car, in fact all my female driving friends have named cars, many of which are in some form of relationship - romantic or otherwise - with Sunshine. Furthermore I have a cuddly ladybird named Dot who sits in my car, not to mention my Snoopy seatbelt covers.
But this is what annoys me. I can be driving bang on (usually a little over, but shh) the speed limit in my yellow Ford Ka and I guarantee at least one car will overtake me on every journey I take. I can be a passenger in my Dad's Mini Cooper or Alex's black Ford Focus, driving at exactly the same speed I would be, and cars will happily stay behind. It is as if people see a 'female' car, and just predict slow or dodgy driving.
It will not be until the end of the year that insurance companies will be stop being allowed to calculate their insurance costs dependant on gender, and whilst I'm all for gender equality, I just cannot see it happening within motoring mind-sets... and I'm not sure I care too much.
Apologies for a very indifferent, conclusion free article.
Harriet Baker
'I like to think I’m a reasonably good, safe driver, unless of course something out of the ordinary occurs, like other cars on the road.'
ReplyDeleteYeh, I've been in your car. Oh, the road rage! Oh, the language! ='(
But in all seriousness, thre's nothing wrong with women drivers. The majority of near-death experiences or near-collisions I have seen or been in involved in, as a pedestrian or passenger, have nearly always been the fault of a male driver.
One of the reasons I don't drive =D