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Who do you dislike most on the road? Let us know in the comments box below if you agree with these survey results, and which area you come from. An east coast online survey conducted for insurance provider Budget Direct has revealed that taxis are the number one dislike on Sydney roads with 30 per cent, followed by 28 per cent for cyclists and 27 per cent for trucks.
In Melbourne, 36 per cent voted cyclists their number one dislike followed by trucks with 26 per cent and taxis with 23 per cent. Budget Direct spokesperson Richelle Ward said said Sydneysiders' dislike for taxis was likely to be due to the number of them on the city's roads.
"There are an awful lot of taxis in Sydney and with that increased amount taxis drivers feel like they can dominate the road and pull in and out of traffic," she said. "As for trucks, they just make drivers nervous around them. "They also can be difficult to pass and they reduce your visibility on the road."
In Melbourne and Brisbane cyclists were top of the list with one in three rating them their top dislike. One in four disliked trucks and as little as 23 per cent of Melbournites disliked taxis and only 14 per cent in Brisbane.
Ward said the lack of patience displayed towards cyclists was alarming, especially considering how vulnerable and exposed riders are. "Even though cyclists are not licensed they still have to abide by the road rules and they do have a right to be on the road," she said.
"The consequences for cyclists are as great as they are for motorcycles, perhaps more so, because of the lack of protection provided and drivers often being unaware of their presence." While the survey did not provide specific information about what road behaviour attracted motorists' ire, Ward said the biggest grievance was about any road user performing illegal activity or slowing them down.
"From past research, the biggest problem with bikes is the fact that they are difficult to be seen and that makes drivers nervous," she said. "I think some people also feel that cyclists should be held responsible for wrong doing like going through a red light and stop sign."
She said that at Christmas time, the volume of traffic was increasing and tempers likely to be frayed. "That's why it's important that drivers display more patience towards other road users," she said.
"While people are understandably tired after a long year, and being on the roads for extended periods of time can be frustrating and difficult, all vehicles have a right to be using the road so please be patient."
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