Britain’s top 50 commuter bugbears revealed

Commuters across the UK have confessed to their greatest irritations on the way to and from the office each day, whether dealing with dawdlers or braving other people’s body odour. The study was run by SPANA, a working animal charity that provides free treatment to horses, donkeys, camels and other animals frequently used in the workplace or commute for developing countries.

Offenses to the nose and ears were common in the list, especially to those who commute on public transport. Amongst the most irksome commuting woes were strong smelling foods and standing under the arm of a fellow commuter holding the handrail on a hot day, while others admitted that noisy children, ‘terrible music’ and people swearing or being aggressive on public transport were among commuting complaints.

Car users have it just as bad, it seems, as de-icing the car ranked second highest in annoyances, and a major complaint was having to deal with wreckless drivers on the road as many complained of last-minute lane changers, traffic-weaving motorbikes and cyclists that dart through the red lights. The pain doesn’t stop once you reach the office however, as many expressed frustration of finding a parking space.

Across the board, getting stuck in traffic was the number one bugbear of Britain with the average person getting completely fed up with their commute within just 13 minutes of travel. But when taking the same journey to and from work each day, small problems can seem much bigger over time, according to SPANA, and sometimes a shift in journey route, a step back and some perspective can make all the difference.

“These annoyances aren’t the end of the world, particularly when compared to some of the problems endured by people and animals in developing countries – and the journeys they have to face,” said chief executive of SPANA, Geoffrey Dennis, who is hoping the statistics can raise awareness of working animals who often traverse tough terrain, carry great weights and get little rest, water or shelter.

“SPANA is working to ensure that working animals have access to veterinary care when they are sick or injured, as well as educating owners about how to best care for their animals.”

The top 10 bugbears are listed below, and you can view the full list here:

1. Being stuck in traffic for hours on end
2. De-icing the car
3. People who change lane last minute and nearly cause an accident
4. Traffic lights that seem to serve no purpose
5. People talking loudly on the phone on public transport
6. People who hog the seat with their bags
7. Tailgating
8. Getting in the car and having to wait for the condensation to clear
9. Middle lane drivers
10. Aggressive people