A new study has revealed what many Brits are likely unsurprised to hear – BMW drivers have been voted the most-hated on our roads.
The unfavourable title comes thanks to a survey by vehicle finance firm, Moneybarn.
All the way back in April, the company asked 4,000 Brits for their opinion on who they thought were the ‘worst drivers on the road’, and almost 40% of respondents said they had a big problem with BMW drivers.
Although a desirable vehicle brand, BMW hasn’t always had it easy when it comes to public perception in the UK, and this latest survey appears to prove that.
Beamers just don’t seem to be very popular with other motorists.
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“It’s clear that BMW drivers have built up quite the reputation for them, hence the joke that BMW’s don’t come with indicators.” the Moneybarn report read.
“And to hammer home how the rest of the public seems to think about them, a quick internet search for the term ‘why are BMW drivers…’ sees Google suggest results such as ‘so hated’, ‘so arrogant’ and ‘idiots’.”
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Almost 40% of respondents said they had a big problem with BMW drivers / Credit: Pixabay (adymyabya)
Taking the runner-up spot on the list are of most-hated are Audi drivers, which again, may not come as much of a shock to Brits given the fact that they often anecdotally the most maligned motorists on the roads.
They were well behind in second place though, with just 14.1% of people choosing them.
“With a reputation for tailgating, owners of the German automobiles are clearly better thought of than those of BMWs, although they’re still clearly up there with some of the drivers that annoy us the most,” the report added.
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White van drivers claimed the third spot racking up just 7.9% of the vote, with the the top five rounded off by Range Rover (4.6%) and Ford (4.2%) drivers.
The report said: “Perhaps their lofty position gives Range Rover drivers gives them a sense of entitlement on the roads, or perhaps that’s just an unfair stereotype from those of us suffering from SUV envy?”
“There’s a common misconception that all people who drive a specific brand are worse drivers” / Credit: Pixabay
Speaking on the findings of the new survey, Tim Schwarz – Head of Marketing and Product Development at Moneybarn – said the figures will no doubt shock some people, adding: “It may come as a surprise that BMW drivers are disliked nearly five times more than white van drivers, as it’s a common perception that white van drivers aren’t the most accommodating on the roads.
“However, our research reveals that BMW drivers are the nation’s least favourite drivers, as 39.1% of people voted them the worst drivers, followed by Audi drivers (14.1%).”
He added: “There’s a common misconception that all people who drive a specific brand, such as BMW or Audi, are worse drivers, however it’s all subjective.
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“What you drive doesn’t make you a better or worse driver.” he concluded.
Featured Image – Pixabay (Toby_Parsons)
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We rediscovered an old Boddingtons advert and now we’re gasping for ‘the cream of Manchester’
Danny Jones
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If you’re from Greater Manchester, the name Boddingtons likely needs no introduction, but if you’re new to the area or part of the generation that’s young enough to have never clocked the legendary logo before, the ‘Cream of Manchester’ was known for making a good advert or two.
Answers on a postcard? Yes, we of course are referring to the classic ice cream van ad that featured a young Melanie Sykes serving an ice-cold pint of Boddingtons to a thirsty athlete, played by former EastEnders actor Ken George.
In fact, the recognisable TV presenter and British household name went on to feature in a few of them, including a contemporary recreation back in 2017, but it isn’t any of her appearances that recently re-captured our attention.
The old ‘Boddies’ ad that we stumbled across in 2025, more than 30 years on from when it originally aired, is the Gondola/’Just One Cornetto’ spoof filmed right here in the city centre along Manchester’s famous canal network.
Circa 1993. Recognise where it is?
Just as beautiful as Venice, if you ask us – and that’s just the pint…
As you can see, not only did the once beloved Boddingtons advert capture a glimpse of the River Irwell near the old Granada Studios and how Manchester’s waterways used to look back in the day, but it was also a pretty modern, ironic take for the time.
Inspired by arguably one of the most famous ads of all time, the Boddies marketing team and director Jeff Stark didn’t just imitate or poke fun at Wall’s Cornetto ice cream: they played on the genuine nickname and imagery drummed up by locals who drank it week in, week out.
The famous frothy white head and the ‘do you want a Flake with that?’ is the kind of joke you still hear to this day when someone overdoes it with a Guinness, but turning the glass into a golden ice cream was a bit of genius.
In fact, the old Boddies ad even helped launch the career of stingy ‘Gladys Althorpe’ herself, Anna Chancellor, who went on to appear in What A Girl Wants, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and many more.
She and Sykes weren’t the only ones either; another admittedly sexually-charged campaign released roughly a year later featured another familiar face in Sarah Parish (Doctor Who, Trollied, The Wedding Date) – again, always ending with a stereotypically Manc, if not at least Northern, punchline.
It was smash hits like these that saw Boddingtons dubbed not only Manchester’s most famous beverage but ‘the Cream of Marketing‘ for a time as well.
The beer may not be as prominent as it once was, but its legacy as part of classic UK telly is up there with R Whites Lemonade, Dairy Milk, Compare The Meerkat, and so many more.
You can see a super-cut compilation of some of their retro ads HERE.
Oh yeah, and if watching all this has made you get a thirst on like it did us, you’ll be glad to hear that while it may be difficult to locate these days, there are still a few places you can find a pint of Boddies in and around the area.
Featured Images — advertarchive (screenshot via YouTube)
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Nearly 60% of Brits are too ‘uncomfortable’ to use the toilet at work, new survey finds
Emily Sergeant
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The UK is currently in the middle of a toilet aversion epidemic, it would seem… or at least if the results of a new survey are anything to go by.
For some people, nipping to the loo at the work seems like a simple task as any, perhaps even a welcome break from the busyness or the monotony of their day-to-day duties, but for others it’s a much less pleasant experience – for a whole multitude of reasons, we might add.
Whether it be below-par facilites, a cleanliness choice, personal health reasons, or even something as simple as avoiding bathroom small talk with colleagues, a new survey by Victorian Plumbing has discovered that there is a widespread reluctance among UK employees to use workplace toilets – with more than half saying they find the experience ‘uncomfortable’.
The company’s new findings – taken from a survey of 1,000 Brits – uncovered that, overall, 57% feel uncomfortable using their workplace toilet.
Nearly 60% of Brits are too ‘uncomfortable’ to use the toilet at work / Credit: Point3D (via Unsplash)
As a result, two in five employees say they’ll only use their work bathroom when they are absolutely desperate to go, and more than one in 10 (13%) of employees admit that they avoid it at all costs, preferring to hold it in instead.
There was also some gender disparities in the results, as the study found that 26% of women admit they never use the workplace toilet for bowel movements, compared to just 9% of men, as for many women, it apparently comes down to the fear of being judged or feeling embarrassed (57%), encountering colleagues (55%), and being overheard (54%).
More than 4% of women said they’re more likely to use the toilet at work while on their period, however, and 18% cited that they have to due to medical conditions like endometriosis.
But do these actions have consequences? Of course they do.
Around one in 10 people will avoid going altogether / Credit: Victorian Plumbing
With the average employee spending more than 36 hours per week at work, according to recent statistics, avoiding the workplace toilet could likely cause some real damage, so it’s no surprise that 41% of Brits say holding it in during the work day causes them physical discomfort or pain.
A further 39% confessed that the habit leads to stress and anxiety, and three in 10 have found that it reduces their focus and productivity.
The results from the survey are what prompted Victorian Plumbing to create the ‘Superior Stalls Policy’, which aims to inspire employers to reconsider their workplace bathroom setups so employees are more comfortable.
“Brits feel far less comfortable using workplace toilets than their own at home, and this doesn’t sit right with us,” commented Alex Woods, who is a bathroom expert at Victorian Plumbing.
“Yes, there’s no place like your own toilet, but with the average Brit spending over 36 hours a week at work, everyone deserves to feel at ease – even in the loo.”
Featured Image – Possessed Photography (via Unsplash)
Emily Sergeant -
22nd June 2021 
