What’s the most irritating passenger habit for drivers?

Almost every couple has had an argument while driving. There are many reasons for tensions to arise between the driver and the person in the passenger seat when they are traveling together in the car.

Shopopop, a collaborative shipping company, has developed a survey with the aim of discovering what bothers a driver the most about these situations. Have you ever missed an exit because you didn’t get the right directions? Does the passenger always change the driver’s favorite songs? These are just some of the most irritating things users have shared.

How you behave while driving or in the passenger seat can become a key moment in a relationship. In fact, according to a study by Happycar.es, more than 79% of couples claim to have had an argument while driving. But whether you are single or not, it is clear that there are situations that can get on anyone’s nerves behind the wheel.

According to the Shopopop survey, having the passenger change the music when your favorite song is playing is one of the things that most annoy drivers, with 69.3% of people indicating that it irritates them. Close behind, 61.3% of respondents said that one of the worst things the passenger can do is get the car dirty when it has just been cleaned.

Of course, there is also a lot to be said about the moment of interaction during the trip, and here there is a division of opinion between those who prefer to chat with the other person and those who prefer silence. While 37.5% are annoyed when their co-pilot talks more than usual, 36.4% have no problem listening. Likewise, 42% have no problem if their co-pilot falls asleep, while 38.7% find it irritating.

As for the most hated moments for drivers with passengers, the top position is tied between passengers who are constantly asking to stop (32.6 %) and passengers who do not indicate the right exit (32.6 %). In third place, many drivers also complain about their co-pilot constantly reminding them of GPS directions (29.2 %).

Last but not least, Shopopop has collected some of the funniest anecdotes volunteered by people who shared a car with their ex. One of the oddest ones involved the passenger tapping their thigh twice every time the driver changed gears. Another person said his ex hated his favorite CD so much that she ended up throwing it out the window in the middle of the road. And then there are the classics: refusing to turn on the air conditioning and getting criticized for one’s driving style.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition