Malta’s drivers are not particularly known for their sense of courtesy. A scientific study sought to identify the best and the worst of them, writes Philip Leone-Ganado.
If you have ever got the feeling that certain types of drivers are nicer to you on the road than others, you may now have the science to back you up.
According to a study published in the latest edition of the Maltese scientific journal Xjenza, men in luxury cars, trucks or vans are the least likely to show courtesy to other drivers – while men over 40 driving family saloons are the nicest group on the road.
Study authors Edward Attard-Montalto from Bath University and Simon Attard-Montalto from the University of Malta spent 88 schooldays driving towards a congested roundabout from a feeder road, where they did not have right of way, and noting whether drivers on the main road let them pass.
In their analysis, carried out during morning rush-hour over a six-month period, they recorded the car’s make and model, the driver’s gender and estimated age, and whether any passengers were in the car, as well as the weather conditions at the time.
To standardise the test, they used the same car each time: a beat-up 1998...
