Nearly half of motorists regularly talk to their cars

Soldato
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LONDON (Reuters) - Nearly half of motorists regularly talk to their cars, giving words of encouragement ahead of a long trip and lavishing praise for a job well done at journey's end, according to research on Monday.

A survey of 2,000 owners also found 40 percent thought their car had a personality and was capable of being upset whilst 19 percent worried about how their car was feeling.

The poll, conducted by organisers of July's British International Motor Show found women rather than men tended to have a close relationship with their car. Giving a pet name to their car but not their human partners was admitted to by 20 percent of women

The survey that revealed fully 47 percent of drivers talked to their cars also looked at how people felt about their cars across the country.

Drivers in the southwest worry most about their car's feelings, with 36 percent admitting concern compared with just 15 percent in the Midlands.

Drivers in the northeast were most likely to attribute a character to their vehicles with 68 percent saying their car had a personality, compared with 28 percent in Wales.

More people chat happily to their cars in the southwest than anywhere else in the country, with 54 percent enjoying a good chat, compared with the more taciturn Scots where 26 percent indulged.

Half of all cars on East Anglian roads rejoiced in a pet name compared with just 31 percent of cars in the southeast.

I'm actually surprised that so few motorists do, I'd assumed it was much more prevelant. Most people I've ever been in a car with at the minimum (if they're blokes) call their car 'baby'!
 
I talk to my car, usally after giving it a good thrashing she will get a little stroke on the dash board and a well done. Unless shes been naughty in which case I'll tell her off.
 
That reminds me of the end of Dukes of Hazard. I don't tend to talk to my car unless it's being crap, then I shout at it to let it know it's been bad. The chevette has yet to feel my wrath as it's not gone wrong(touch wood). I don't really give my car a personality though.
 
My car has no name and i don't have a 'Chat' with it, but i will say well done after its had a thrashing, or done a long journey without any problem.
 
I say "come on" to the car when driving mums car up a hill or it might be "come on u peice of ****"
Depends what mood im in:D
 
With the amount of people who insist its worth putting up with their Alfa Romeo breaking 5 times a day becuase it has 'character' I'm hardly suprised people think their car has a personality even though its a man made object :p
 
People are also man made objects Fox ;)

and even if you argue that my pot plant Perry gets talked to most days!

Infact I'll talk to anyone who will listen, maybe even those who dont....
 
I dunno, some of that's a bit weird!

Having a chat? The car having feelings? Nooo... I can't say I worry if I've made my Penny upset or angry - but I admit she's a feisty little thing sometimes :D

After a ton of trouble with rear silencer falling off, some really creaky rear suspension, a head gasket blowing and (I suspect) none of my sensors working - she's such a smooth ride (ahem) that I couldn't give her up...
 
I've talked out loud, not necessarily to the car. Its usually when I give it some welly. I remember doing a highly spirited drive to Shrewsbury two weeks after having new tyres fitted. I do remember saying this thing is a potent weapon, everything feels balanced and it does exactly what I want.
 
Mine only gets spoken to when going flat out down the lanes.
Normally it goes something like "Don't you dare understeer on me you ******* ****"
 
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