It will leave most male drivers astounded and probably surprise a large proportion of female motorists too.
A new study, conducted in the UK, makes the controversial claim that women are actually better at parking.
Although they take appreciably longer than men, they are more proficient at finding a space and positioning the car centrally within it.
The survey of 2500 drivers which rated them on different aspects of parking reveals that out of a maximum total of 20, women scored an average of 13.4, while the average male scored 12.3. This was despite the fact that a mere 18 per cent of women thought they were better parkers than men.
The first area analysed by Britain’s biggest car-park operator, NCP, was the ability to find a space. It found that impatient men often missed spaces by driving through the car park too fast. ‘The ladies’ slower approach meant they were better able to notice spaces, or spot when other drivers were about to leave.’
Positioning the car correctly before entering the parking bay was the next skill to be tested. Some 39 per cent of women opted to reverse in – the method preferred by driving instructors – compared with 28 per cent of men.
Slapdash males were also happier with the position of their car once in the space – and that cost them dear in the scoring. Only 29 per cent of men chose to readjust the car, against 56 per cent of women.
Fifty-three per cent of women were found to have parked centrally, compared with only 25 per cent of men. This final position was given the heaviest weighting in the scoring. On average, it took women 21 seconds to park, compared with 16 seconds for men. Over a lifetime, says the report, this translates into men spending nine days parking while woman take 12.
Intriguingly, the study noticed that men accompanied by a female passenger love to ‘pose park’ – attempting to squeeze into a small space when a bigger one is available.
The parking test was designed for NCP by Neil Beeson, who featured in an ITV documentary, Last Chance Driving School.
“I was quite surprised by the results because, in my experience, men have always been the best learners and usually performed better in lessons,” he said. “However, it’s possible that women retain the information better. The report shows that men need to give our partners more respect when it comes to parking. The facts don’t lie!” -Daily Mail