Are New Zealand drivers thankless?

Wednesday, 19 June 2019

Psychologist Susan Wall on the health benefits of thanking... and being thanked.

A survey from independent company TRA, commissioned by BP, suggests that New Zealand drivers believe road rage and stress could be reduced if more people showed appreciation for courtesy on the road.

Problem is, there's no official 'thank you' understood by all.

The NZ Driver Behaviour Survey was commissioned in March, the busiest month on Kiwi roads. It covered licensed drivers who used their cars at least twice a week, with a 'nationally representative' spread of age, gender and region.

Waving is a popular thank you for Kiwi drivers. Not as clear as a bright green thumb though.

It found that 71 per cent of drivers have experienced road rage, half in the last year. Yet 95 per cent consider themselves courteous and 85 per cent said their mood had improved when thanked by others for good behaviour on the road.

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Seeing this could give you a hit of feel-good hormone dopamine.

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* What makes you angry on the road?

Other bit of the thank you device fits on your air vents: press and smile.

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Nearly 90 per cent say they show thanks regularly, but fewer than 40 per cent say they are thanked in return.

Nearly one third of Kiwis says they are confused about how to show gratitude from behind the wheel: a wave is used by 85 per cent, while 50 per cent smile.

Other common methods include a finger lift, toot, flick of the lights or a flash of the hazards.

Psychologist Susan Wall says being thanked can have positive health benefits: 'Experiencing appreciation can lead to the release of dopamine, our natural feel-good hormone, which enhances psychological, social and physical health.'

'We know road rage is impacting negatively on how we feel. Even being ignored by someone we have graciously slowed down to let in can make us feel annoyed.

'But if a driver signals their appreciation of courteous behaviour, we're more likely to feel happy and experience a sense of good will, which will likely lead to us being more courteous to others on the road,' says Ms Wall.

BP is introducing a Thank You Button in limited release: it's a two-part device with a 'thumbs up' light that attaches to your rear window and a button that activates it to be fitted to the air vents up from by the driver. It'll be free with purchases of $60 and over.

Yes, we can see what they've done there: BP green gets embedded into your brain every time you press that button or somebody else with the device thanks you on the road.

But it's a novel idea all the same and it gets the tick from AA Driving School general manager Roger Venn: 'A little courtesy and goodwill when driving goes a long way.

'Giving people a quick thank you can help the roads be a friendlier and happier place, which can only be positive for our driving culture.'