Rudeness causes Brits to fall out with friends

Two in three angry Britons have fallen out with a friend, relative, neighbour or complete stranger at least once in the past five years, according to new figures.
Picture: Phil WilkinsonPicture: Phil Wilkinson
Picture: Phil Wilkinson

The biggest factor behind the red mist descending is simple rudeness which has left one in four Britons (25 per cent) fuming, said a survey.

Other reasons range from noisy parties next door to being cut up by motorists, according to the survey of 1,000 adults.

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Couples argue the most, with nearly a third (31 per cent) saying they have had a serious row with a partner in the last five years – including 33 per cent of women and 30 per cent of men.

More than one in five (22 per cent) has fallen out with a friend in the same period and 17 per cent with a colleague.

Parents have become angry with children and vice-versa, although 14 per cent admit to arguing with their mother compared with just 8 per cent with their father.

But it is not just close friends and family who bear the brunt of people’s anger. Nine per cent of Britons have clashed with another motorist, 8 per cent with another person in a queue and 7 per cent with a complete stranger.

The figures from the study by car insurance giant esure also suggest it is the younger generation who get steamed up the most, rather than the image of a nation of older, Victor Meldrew-like moaners.

Almost a quarter of under-30s (24 per cent) say they argue with people more now than they used to, compared to a relatively mild 8 per cent of the over-60s, for instance.

More than one in five British people has become angry with a queue-jumper, 16 per cent with someone making too much noise and 11 per cent when their driveway was blocked by a neighbour.

Other reasons to be less than cheerful include a nearby party causing a disturbance, slow service in a restaurant, shop or elsewhere and the children staying out too late.

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Only 35 per cent of those surveyed said they had not fallen out with anyone in the past five years.

Mike Pickard, head of risk and underwriting at esure car insurance, said: “Over the bank holiday weekend, it is more than likely that some of us may get slightly hot under the collar – be it whilst out shopping, spending time with friends or stuck in traffic jams, especially around major shopping centres and tourist hotspots.

“We are urging all motorists to hold back their queue rage and stay calm behind the wheel. Venting anger at other drivers won’t get you anywhere and may lead to accidents, so sit back, try to relax and accept that queues are inevitable.”

People we have fallen out with over the last five years:

1. Partner (31 per cent)

2. Friends (22 per cent)

3. Work colleagues (17 per cent)

4. Neighbours (16 per cent)

6= Mother (14 per cent)

6= My children (14 per cent)

7. Motorists (9 per cent)

9= Someone in a queue (8 per cent)

9= Father (8 per cent)

10. A complete stranger (7 per cent)

Top ten causes of arguments:

1. Someone being rude (25 per cent)

2. Queue jumping (21 per cent)

3. Someone making noise (16 per cent)

4. Motorist cutting you up (13 per cent)

5. Someone parking on your drive (11 per cent)

6. Slow service (10 per cent)

8= Partner spending too much (9 per cent)

8= A party (9 per cent)

9. Kids staying out late (8 per cent)

10. Inflexible official e.g traffic warden (7 per cent)

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