1/4 Brits involved in parking disputes

New research by YourParkingSpace.co.uk has revealed that almost a quarter of Brits have seen or been involved in a parking dispute.

More shockingly, parking arguments often escalate from verbal exchanges, with nearly four million people in the UK having been threatened with physical violence.

Harrison Woods, managing director at online parking portal YourParkingSpace, said, ‘Our survey shows that UK motorists are at each other’s throats, often because of a lack of car parking spaces. Yet more disturbing is that the threat of physical violence appears to be prevalent, with many angry motorists prepared to use their fists to sort out a parking dispute.’

Of those surveyed, one-in-four said they had been involved in or witnessed an argument about car parking, while almost one-in-ten had been threatened with physical violence. More than one-in-ten Brits also knew of someone else who had come close to being assaulted over a parking quarrel.

The survey has found that stress levels have reached boiling point for almost for a fifth of people due to a lack of parking spaces, shortly followed by expensive car park charges, people who park in incorrect spaces and motorists who take up too much space. Just finding coins for a parking meter gets almost two million Brits hot under the collar.

Harrison added, ‘It’s worrying that so many people lose their temper over the everyday task of parking a car, usually because they cannot find a space available. Pre-booking a car parking space can take away the stress and avoid any nasty confrontations.’

YourParkingSpace.co.uk has provided five top tips to take the stress out of parking. They urge drivers to allow extra time for journeys, so not to rush around looking for a parking space if running late. Secondly, people can make use of new technologies if available, such as self-parking systems. Drivers should also think of other motorists by leaving enough space when parking, which will also make it easier to manoeuvre out of the space. Motorists can also e-book parking spaces. YourParkingSpace.co.uk list thousands of driveways, garages and empty spaces across the UK which are often close to town and city centres, local amenities and transport hubs.