Hormones make women safer drivers

[emad]

The female hormone oestrogen could give women the edge when it comes to tasks such as safe driving, say researchers.

Tests showed attention span and ability to learn rules were far better among women than men.

The Bradford University scientists told a hormone conference in London how tasks requiring mental flexibility favour women over men.

A woman's oestrogen levels may prime the part of the brain involved in such skills - the frontal lobe - they said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4406176.stm

[emad]

1. HATE to say 'I told you so'....but....

maybe those same hormones get us into trouble with those claims of poor map reading ability....

[HereSince1628]

2. But at least you get lost safely

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[CountAllVotes]

4. especially the ones with cellphones!

<eom>

:kick:

[PDJane]

5. Once upon a long time ago,

I worked counting traffic for the government. (I'm glad that job has beend taken over by machines.)

Women drivers tended to err on the side of caution, i.e., they would wait too long for a clear space, or would dither over something. Women have a tendency to have poor spatial relationships. Men tended to make errors of the daredevil kind. *shrug* I think it's as much socialization as it is hormones, however. Women who were athletic as children and teens managed to overcome the spatial problem.

[MindPilot]

6. They do seem to make a big leap from increased frontal cortex activity

to better driver.

He says men like risk-taking, the thrill of the chase and sensation-seeking, while women are more cautious.

Women's accidents tend to be at roundabouts and T-junctions but at slower speeds than men, who are involved in more serious crashes because they can't brake quickly enough.

Is he saying men have slower reflexes? Braking isn't the be all and end of of accident avoidance. Sometimes the brakes will get you in even more trouble.

I'm going to say this a sweeping generalization based on a logical leap that isn't all that valid.

[samplegirl]

7. i thought it was just the

W/04 bumperstickers giving me road rage!

:grr:

[moggie]

8. Women have better attention span?

I think that's a load of... ooh, shiny!

Sorry, where was I again?

I'm a guy, and I'm always amused by male reactions to suggestions that women drive better than men. For many men, calling their driving ability into question seems almost as hurtful as laughing at their penis. I've never understood this association between driving and manhood. I enjoy driving, and of course I try to do it as well as possible, but I don't measure my maleness by how well or quickly I drive. And I don't drive an SUV or pickup...