Damsels in distress

A recent survey by tyre company Semperit has shown that 92% of Irish males would stop to assist a lady changing a wheel, but real-life research suggests a different reality.

When put to the test on Dublin’s streets, only one in 80 vehicles stopped to help. And ladies, don’t even think of getting a puncture south of the Liffey – Northsiders were far more likely to rise to the challenge!

The real-life test centred on two sites, in Blackrock and the Howth Road. Of over 800 vehicles observed, only 11 stopped to help a clearly distressed 23-year old Dublin student stranded at the roadside. The result contrasted greatly with a previous Semperit survey, where 9 out of 10 male respondents claimed they would stop to help.

Paddy Murphy of Semperit commented: “The results are certainly an indicator of the stresses and strains of urban life, where people find little time to help out others. That said, we male drivers emerge as an undependable lot – all talk, but very light on action!”

While it took a full hour to attract just 6 offers of help on the Southside, the rate of response was much healthier on the Howth Road, with 5 Good Samaritans appearing in a little over 20 minutes.

Van drivers, often the object of negative press, proved far more likely to assist than their car counterparts. In fact, two–thirds of all those who stopped were in commercial vehicles! Affluent Blackrock failed to yield a single chivalrous car driver.
“Carrying out this exercise was a bit of fun but there is an important underlying safety message for women motorists. If you get into a situation where you need to change a wheel on your car, you cannot always rely on being able to phone someone or on meeting a Good Samaritan motorist. We would advise all women motorists to take the time and learn how to change a wheel. With the proper up to date equipment and tools, you don’t need to be built like Arnold Schwarzenegger to be able to remove a wheel.”

A recent survey by Semperit showed 93% of male drivers said they were able to change a wheel, compared to 59% of females.