Confused.com released an interesting survey. “Paradise City” is the most dangerous song to listen to while driving. The Guns and Roses classic with pounding drum seems to make people drive carelessly. Using the mobile app “Motor Mate” they were able to monitor the driving of regular joes. The test set at 250 miles is long enough to cause trouble. 3 hours in a car is enough to make me hit a wall anyway but add some GnR and it’s a wonder anyone makes it out alive.
The company states that rock music cause men to drive more aggressively and that hip hop has the same effect on women.
London University psychologist Dr Simon Moore comments: “Music that is noisy, upbeat and increases your heart rate is a deadly mix. A fast tempo can cause people to subconsciously speed up to match the song. Also, listening to music you don’t like can cause stress and distraction, and that also negatively affects driving.” e recommends the best music to play in the car is material that matches your natural heart rate.
Confused.com recommend Aerosmith’s I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing, Kings Of Leon’s Closer and David Bowie’s Life On Mars.
I say if you get in the car with me and put on Aerosmith or Kings of Leon you’d best buckle up cuz I’m gonna put you through a wall. I am a very aggressive driver. I have no patience for ‘Sunday drivers’ and the speed limit is a guideline not a rule. I am a left lane cruiser and a rotary hopper and I will never change. When it comes to music there is most definitely an effect.
I know that ‘Radar Love” by Golden Earring is by far the most bad ass driving tune of all time and that will never ever change. I know that “Reptilia” by The Strokes can get me from Hartford to Boston in just about an hour (if on constant repeat) and makes me feel like I’m in a video game. I know that Blue October is the band of choice when my passengers feel I’m going to kill someone (using the old ‘music soothes the savage beast’ theory) as Mary Magpie on that one. She saw her young life flashing by as I barreled to New Haven years ago and in a frantic hail Mary move to save her own life clicked on the album Foiled and literally my speed and recklessness halted. Miraculous!
Music absolutely impacts behavior. Put on Seger and you just ruined my day. Put on Morrissey and everything is gonna be OK. Put on Guns and Roses while I’m driving and you’re fair game.