Movies and pop culture have instilled the notion that women are the only ones who are antsy before big dates, but a new survey conducted on behalf of AnastasiaDate by Harris Poll found that it’s actually both sexes that experience nervousness when courting the opposite sex – and with men, the type of car they drive can be a big source of first date butterflies.
The results of the survey – which was conducted in anticipation of Gumball 3000, the annual 3,000-mile international motor rally that this year will run from Miami to Ibiza, Spain, with U.S. stops in NYC and Atlanta – made some interesting discoveries about the male psyche. It seems that as much as men love and take pride in their rides, there still exists hesitation caused by the image they believe their car projects to women.
It turns out that a quarter (25 percent) of the men surveyed question the status of the car they drive when picking up women on a first date. Additionally, 30 percent of men think that women are more interested in the type of car a man drives than the kind of job he has (looks like women aren’t the only ones who stress over their first impression on dates).
So now that we know women aren’t the only self-conscious ones when dating, here’s some advice on how guys can help themselves out against the first date jitters:
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What’s most important for men to keep in mind when dating is confidence, charm and good manners. No matter what kind of car you show up in, it’s who you are and how you present yourself that makes the most lasting impression. The importance of chivalry ranks high among women, as the majority of women in our poll (78 percent) think that a gentleman should pick his date up in his car on a first date.
- The type of car that you drive can create preconceived notions about who you are as a person,
So it’s important to be confident and let your personality speak for itself. If you drive a broken-down jalopy that you use as a combination closet, office and trash bin, it would be in your best interest to give it a wash and vacuum before picking up your date. Women recognize when men put in the extra effort, especially on the first date, as first impressions can make or break the evening.
- If you’re lucky enough to be able to pick up your date in the latest luxury car, don’t think that this puts you at an advantage. According to our poll, men who drive expensive and exotic cars were actually viewed by women as show-offs (50 percent) or arrogant (35 percent).
In the end, what matters most when dating and leaving a good impression aren’t superficial like the car you drive or your occupation. Your personality traits – including charm, a positive self-image, intelligence and humor, along with chemistry and how you interact with your date – are the factors that help ensure a successful start to a relationship.
If you’re interested in seeing more interesting stats on what your car says about you to women and how it may impact your dating life, check out the full results of our survey here.
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