Driving style: is it my personality or The Highway Code?

After this and you will think again about your own driving habits and better understand when you notice some strange antics of other drivers. Could this be a new dimension to the highway code?

Drivers do not normally factor in their own personality when they think of their attitude to driving. They most often refer to driving in the third party, “Too many hog the middle lane. Too many go fast pointers. People just use the outside lane as a race track.”

But I purport that experience and skill are not the only factors which will determine your driving ability. I am a head hunter and career coach and from my research and experience of observing and assessing over 30k candidates I have discovered 4 distinct personality types: they are the Influencer, Supporter, Analyst and Creative.

See if you can identify the types at the wheel?

The Influencer personality is very aware of social status. If they can afford it they will buy a prestigious badge with all the ‘pigs and whistles’. They are showy and competitive and will rarely be seen on the inside lane keeping pace with the trucks. Tanking it in the outside lane and flashing the slowcoach in front is more their style. “Make way I’m coming through in my 3 litre top of the range!” is their driving persona. Changing lane and constantly undertaking in queues is synonymous with their impatient personality. Mistakes are never their fault and they frequently use their lights and horn to chastise the other road ‘idiots’.

And the Influencer will not be ' seen dead ' in an old crock and afford it or not they will grab one of those extravagant financial deals whereby you pay very little up front and the future will look after itself!

The Supporter personality is a people person, sensitive and caring. If driving alone they will enjoy using their hands-free mobile for social chat rather than business catch up. They are not speeders and will hold back to let drivers join their queue rather than the Influencer who will be sniffing closely at the bumper in front to give the message there is no room here or this is not your turn.

Supporters are moody drivers and if the social chat is the sudden conduit of bad or exciting news they will become distracted and their driving style will change. They may be driving something a bit long in the tooth which they will have closely bonded with and given it a name like Susie. They are not bothered about all the dents and see them as adding character to dear Susie. Supporters have a positive listening style and are receptive to learning from instructors. They are compliant with good road manners and have no truck with variable speed limits.

The Analyst personality is a conformist in terms of road signs. They are pragmatic and though they may not agree with the 40 mph sign on the traffic-free for miles dual carriageway they will philosophically comply. They will not react emotionally to the Influencer’s flashing lights but will continue to overtake on the outside at their safe speed, pulling in when there is a sufficient gap to let ‘that lunatic’ through and ignoring their rude hand signals!

The Analyst is not into small talk and if they are using the hands-free it will be only in response to an important business call. They may call their wife or partner just to inform them as to their ETA but any conversational development such as ” what's for supper? ” or “how are the children?” or “did you have a nice day?” is more the domain of the Supporter.

The Creative is also a non-people person. Similar to the Analyst their thinking construct has predominantly an analytical or deductive focus. The Creative will buy the satnav which looks smart in terms of design as well as functionality. They may be driving a small, quirky, around town job which has a rather ostentatious shape and colour.

The Creative is not ego-driven and will drive in accordance with the rules of the road keeping up with the traffic flow. They are patient and not influenced by status. Functionality, reliability and appearance is their criteria of car choice.  Unlike the Analyst who may change their car for a newer version as their mechanical bent tells them that the big end or something else big is about to go.

The Creative will find the light flashing and horn blowing strange as they are driving roughly in compliance with the highway code which they learned years ago and wonder what is the row about.

We might sum up the individual and dominant idiosyncrasies of the 4 Personality Types as:

Influencer:  car – big and flashy

Driving style – I’m coming through!  Flash flash.

Use of hands-free – I’m talking about me and you should listen.

Supporter:  car – long in the tooth. Its called Susie.

Driving style – patient, unselfish, goes with the flow.   Will only speed  due to external influence – meeting/bad news etc

Use of hands-free – Did you have a good day? Any gossip?

Analyst:  car – functional, within budget, not too old

Driving style – per the rules and traffic conditions, not a speeder

Use of hands-free – only when I have to

Creative:   car -personal, functional and smart. May keep it for a long time

Driving style – per the rules. Will adjust speed if running late etc

Use of hands-free – business and pleasure but no small talk

So next time you are motoring you can now add a new dimension to your highway code

and do a bit of personality spotting!