Once referred to as ‘menaces of the road’, van drivers are actually more respectful and polite according to a new report.

The phrase ‘white van man’ was coined in 1997 by a radio presenter, and became associated with rudeness and poor quality driving.

But a report prepared by the Socal Issues Research Centre from Oxford, makes an attempt at exploding the myth.

The report authors claim that like other negative stereotypes, research indictes that the perception of the typical white van man is a “gross caricature of the reality”.

What the radio presenter was infering was that a popular perception existed of white van man as being more agresssive and discoureous that other motorists.

But many ordinary motorists said the so-called white van man still creates problems for others on the road.

‘Chauvanist pigs’

One driver told the BBC: “They come right up behind you from behind and flash at you if you don’t move out of the way.”

Another said: “They tend to be on the whole chauvanist pigs that don’t look out for cars and pull out in front of you without warning”.

Around 200 van drivers were interviewed in petrol stations, lay-bys and motorway service stations up and down the country.

Warmth and humanity

The humble white van driver even wins approval it seems from those behind the wheel of emergency services’ vehicles. They supposedly feel that white van man is the most aware on the road, is are the first to make way when the emergency service sounds its siren.

The study also mentions – apparently as an indication of the drivers’ real warmth and humanity – that they are more likely than not to own and care for a pet.

It adds, more realistically perhaps, that given today’s road conditions and workloads “it is no surprise that some van drivers appear to be in a perpetual hurry”.

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