The average person breaks 260 rules a year – including dropping litter, driving in the bus lane and putting their feet up on train seats, it has been revealed. Researchers found typically we ignore little rules and regulations around five times a week – around once every working day – or a staggering 16,250 in our lifetime.
Other rules we regularly break include avoiding recycling, train fare dodging, hopping on other people’s Wi-Fi and deliberately smoking in non-smoking areas.
Putting rubbish in a neighbour’s bin if yours is full, nabbing sugar sachets from cafes and cycling on the pavement also made the list.
The research was commissioned by cleaning specialists Kärcher as part of their ‘Kärcher Cleans Britain’ campaign.
Phil Springall, of Kärcher, said:
“It’s interesting to see that whilst we are all guilty of committing the odd misdemeanour, so many of us feel we could do with a boost from cleaning up our act.
“Most people are proud of the person they are and the way that they conduct themselves, but the number of people who can say they have never broken any little rules are probably in the minority.
“What’s important is that people feel positively towards their local area and that everything is in place to ensure that feeling leads to us want to improve where we live.”
The study also found sneakily trimming a neighbours’ hedge, sitting in a reserved train seat, or parking in disabled bays are also commonplace.
Parking on double yellow lines and not picking up dog mess are other features of the 50 most regular acts of defiance.
Having sex in a public space, sneaking items through self-checkouts and shoving leftover foreign coins in UK slot machines also made the list, along with lying about your kids age to save money at theme parks and leaving a building through a fire exit.
It also emerged that, while most of those polled admit to carrying out these misdemeanours, less than one fifth of us actually feel ‘guilty’ about our little rule breaks.
Two fifths cited ‘being in a rush’ as their most popular excuse for committing a rebellion.
And two thirds of people said they only ever feel guilty if they carry out a misdemeanour on a small business or single person instead of a large corporation.
However, when the shoe is on the other foot opinions change.
We get annoyed when we witness other people neglecting the environment and seeing others not pick up dog mess is by far the most common habit which annoys people (75%).
Throwing litter from a car window (59%), dropping chewing gum on the floor (57%) and leaving litter on the train or bus (44%) can also set tempers soaring.
It also emerged over two-thirds of people think litter and graffiti make an area look rundown, with other bug-bears including unkempt gardens and cigarette ends on the floor.
How our street, local area or community area affects our mood, with 80% of people saying it makes them feel proud when their area has been tidied up.
Phil Springall added:
“As industry leaders in cleaning, trusted to clean some of the world’s most prestigious heritage sites, together with Keep Britain Tidy we want to help Brits clean up in every way we can and urge all who care about their communities to do their bit.”
Karcher’s campaign is being fronted by television presenter and property developer, Sarah Beeny, who said:
“Keeping our communities clean and taking pride in our local areas is something I’m passionate about on both a professional and personal level.”
TOP 50 LITTLE REBELLIONS COMMITTED
1. Crossing a pedestrian crossing when man is red
2. Taking sugar sachets from cafes
3. Not recycling properly
4. Taking stationery from work
5. Passing parking tickets to other drivers to save them money
6. Not tipping in restaurants
7. Pocketing change when given wrong amount
8. Spraying yourself with tester perfume instead of buying your own
9. Eating or drinking at the wheel
10. Not clearing your table at a fast food restaurant
11. Hopping on someone else’s WiFi
12. Putting your feet on train seats
13. Putting rubbish in a neighbour’s bin if yours is full
14. Watching pirate videos
15. Cycling on the pavement
16. Downloading music illegally
17. Using your mobile whilst driving
18. Dropping cigarette butts
19. Driving in the bus lane
20. Dropping litter
21. Ignoring ‘do not walk on the grass’ signs
22. Not using hand sanitiser in hospitals / zoos
23. Walking in cycle lanes
24. Pocketing cash found in the street
25. Going over the weight limit on aircraft luggage
26. Saying you used your own bags at the supermarket
27. Having sex in a public space
28. Sneaking items through self-checkouts
29. Shoving foreign coins in UK slot machines
30. Urinating in public
31. Lying about your kids age to save money at theme parks
32. Leaving a building through a fire exit
33. Parking on the pavement or on double yellows
34. Turn left or right when signs say not to
35. Not wearing a seatbelt
36. Sitting in reserved train seats
37. Drinking on streets
38. Not picking up your dog’s mess
39. Chopping/ trimming a neighbour’s hedge without permission
40. Using a hosepipe when a ban is in place
41. Parking in a disabled bay
42. Eating food as you walk around the supermarket
43. Sticking chewing gum to surfaces
44. Eating sweets from a pick’n'mix before getting them weighed
45. Driving the wrong way down a quiet one way street
46. Driving on the brink of the alcohol limit
47. Cycling with no lights
48. Listening to music in the quiet carriage
49. Wearing something then returning it to the shop
50. Fly tipping
5 rebellions per week = 260 per year
260 x 62.5 (age of adult lifetime) = 16, 250
http://www.moneywise.co.uk/home-mortgage/improvements/10-things-will-affect-the-value-your-home
Calculated using official government figures on the average UK house price.
