Men don’t trust women drivers

NST: Most men do not trust their wives’ driving. And the reason: Women are too cautious and many drive slowly, holding up traffic. Some are impatient with male drivers.
Psychologist Dr Sher Alwi said at a seminar on Driving and Vehicle Safety of Women that women drivers tended to be more cautious while men liked to speed.
"Men feel superior behind the wheel. They feel women do not have adequate driving skills," he said.
"Men also feel they have more experience. They have been driving before World War Two while women started driving in the late 70s."
Dr Sher said such thinking was also due to the traditional role men played as the protector and head of the family.
"It is a natural instinct. They feel it is their duty to protect their family and feel uncomfortable if their wives take over the wheel."
He said it was difficult to change the perception unless women took an interest in learning to maintain the car.
"For example, women still tend to depend on their partners to fix a flat tyre or repair the car."
Crime analyst Kamal Affendi Hashim said some of the road rage cases against women were due to impatience.
"Sometimes women take a long time to exit from their parking lot. A male driver waiting for the bay gets impatient, especially if she is putting on lipstick or combing her hair."
He advised women not to put up car stickers which might indicate their marital status.
"Those who put bears or Garfield stickers on their cars are single while mothers usually put on ‘Child on Board’ signs."
He said rapists and snatch thieves might pick their victims using these indicators.