BUSY streets beat supermarkets, multi-storeys and parallel manoeuvres when it comes to Britain’s parking nightmares.

At least, that's according to the findings of a latest survey on how we park our cars. 

According to UK firm Select Car Leasing, one in three say they dread trying to find a space on hectic roads because of other impatient drivers.

And women motorists fear the situation most, with 40 per cent saying they are uncomfortable parking on a busy roads as opposed to 24 per cent of men.

But it’s males who are the most wary of supermarket parking – 11 per cent admitting they run scared of the trolley-dash compared to nine per cent of females.

Select Car Leasing Company Director, James O’Malley, said: “Most of us consider ourselves competent drivers when out on the open road, but when it comes to parking it’s not uncommon for people to have a major wobble.

“Top of the list for parking scenarios most likely to make you feel uncomfortable is trying to find a gap on a busy street, usually while there’s a queue of drivers behind you growing more and more impatient.

“It’s also not a shock to find parallel parking second on the list – with almost one in three (28%) motorists saying it gives them the jitters.

“But what is perhaps surprising is the difference between genders, with supermarket parking being the only given scenario men fear more than women.”

Drivers in Wales (50%) are most afraid of parking on busy streets – even beating London motorists (31%).

More than half of Brit male drivers (51%) claimed they aren’t shaken by any parking situation, as opposed to 27 per cent of women.

The UK’s most confident parkers are in Northern Ireland, where 62 per cent of respondents said they were comfortable parking in any scenario.

That was followed by South East England (45%) and North West England (43%).

The most nervous parkers overall were again found in Wales – with just 21 per cent saying they are confident in any parking scenario. London (29%) and East Anglia (34.7%) were next on the list.

Thirty-nine per cent of females admitted they felt uncomfortable about parallel parking compared with 15 per cent of men.

Meanwhile, one in five Brits (20%) are anxious about parking at big events such as football matches and concerts.

Women (11%) feel more under pressure than men (6%) when parking while their partners are in the car with them.

But both genders (9%) equally fear not finding a spot while on the school run.

Mr O’Malley added: “Cars have been steadily getting taller, longer and wider since the 1970s.

“That’s largely down to today’s stringent crash regulations, with more room needed to accommodate adequate protection measures such as airbags.

“But modern roads haven’t been getting any wider – and neither have parking spaces.

“Which means it’s actually more difficult than ever to squeeze into those tight gaps, leading to increased levels of trepidation.

The survey, conducted by Select Car Leasing via OnePoll, quizzed 1,000 UK motorists.

UK PARKING NIGHTMARE SCENARIOS 2020

*Respondents asked “Which of the following parking scenarios make you uncomfortable?”

  • Busy street - 33 per cent
  • Parallel parking - 28 per cent
  • Multi-storey - 21 per cent
  • Big event (football match, concerts etc) - 20 per cent
  • Parking at night - 14 per cent
  • Supermarket - 10 per cent
  • School run - 9 per cent
  • Parking when partner is in the car - 9 per cent
  • None of the above - 38 per cent

PARKING NIGHTMARE SCENARIOS BY GENDER

FEMALES

  • Busy street - 40 per cent
  • Parallel parking - 39 per cent
  • Multi-storey - 24 per cent
  • Big event (football match, concert) - 23 per cent
  • Parking at night - 17 per cent
  • Parking when partner is in the car - 11 per cent
  • Supermarket - 9 per cent
  • School run - 9 per cent
  • None of the above - 27 per cent

MALES

  • Busy street - 24 per cent
  • Multi-storey - 17 per cent
  • Big event (concert) - 17 per cent
  • Parallel parking - 15 per cent
  • Supermarket - 11 per cent
  • Parking at night - 11 per cent
  • School run - 9 per cent
  • Parking when partner is in the car - 6 per cent
  • None of the above - 51 per cent

MOST CONFIDENT PARKERS BY REGION

* Respondents who said they were ‘comfortable with any parking scenario’.

  • Northern Ireland - 62 per cent
  • South East - 45 per cent
  • North West - 43 per cent
  • Scotland - 42.8 per cent
  • West Midlands - 39 per cent
  • Yorkshire & Humber - 38.4 per cent

LEAST CONFIDENT PARKERS BY REGION

  • Wales - 21 per cent
  • London - 29 per cent
  • East Anglia - 34.7 per cent
  • East Midlands - 35 per cent
  • North East - 37 per cent
  • South West - 38 per cent