Red faces all round: Britons embarrass themselves four times a day

By DOMINIQUE ORMOND
Published on 07/09/2012 23:53

THE average Briton embarrasses themselves four times a day, according to a new study.

The survey of 2,000 adults revealed we are most likely to be found blushing in the workplace, while our own homes, shopping trips and the pub are also common settings for embarrassment.

Not being noticed by someone you are waving at, being honked at by another driver and snorting while laughing made the list of our biggest embarrassments, as did burping accidentally and drooling while sleeping.

The list also found sweat patches on clothing were a serious social faux pas and someone trying to get in the bathroom while you are in it was an encounter too far.

A spokesman for Ladbrokes, which carried out the survey, said: “Everyone does their best to be composed and cool wherever they are, but it isn’t always going to work and clearly there are many pitfalls.

“The good thing is once the awkwardness clears, the little things that throw us can eventually be looked back on and laughed about.”

Food going down the windpipe (“the wrong way”), a bus or train pulling away just as you run towards the doors and battling with a supermarket self-service checkout made the list.

Social media has brought people closer together, but also provided more scope for them to make fools of themselves, the survey found. Many people admitted to accidentally “liking” a Facebook picture of someone they found attractive or whose profile they should not have been looking at, the survey found.

Snoring on a train, getting stuck in a revolving door or accidentally calling someone “Mum” also featured in the top 50.

One in seven of was so embarrassed they have fled to avoid the stares.

A fifth of respondents experienced a public speaking nightmare, with the biggest embarrassment being a voice breaking or a high-pitched squeak.

For the majority, the biggest embarrassments were work-related, while gaffes in front of in-laws were also common.

One in seven said a relationship ended largely because of something embarrassing.

However, responses to embarrassing situations varied.

A third said they would “want to disappear” while more than half responded that natural reaction was to try to laugh it off.

“The good thing about this list is no-one is immune and we’re all guilty of having done at least some of these things,” Ladbrokes added. “We don’t always bring them on ourselves, of course, so it’s worth being aware of particular mates or people who might look to embarrass you when you’re off-guard.

“Certain situations have more potential for embarrassment than others, but the thing to take from all of it is there’s no point taking yourself too seriously.”