11 Things That Immediately Make People Feel Uncomfortable In Someone Else's Car
It's never a good thing to feel unsafe in someone else's vehicle.
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A | Shutterstock It's virtually impossible to make it through life without riding in someone else's car at some point. Whether you're in a rideshare or carpooling with a friend, you're going to end up in a vehicle that isn't yours. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same standards, even among friends and family, so there are certain things that immediately make people feel uncomfortable in someone else's car.
People can have widely varying opinions about what makes a car suitable. Someone's concerns about another person's car could be so bad that they even contribute to amaxophobia. According to the Cleveland Clinic, this condition "makes you feel anxious or fearful when you drive or ride in a vehicle, such as a car, bus or plane. With it, you have a fear of driving and may also get anxious being a passenger."
Here are 11 things that immediately make people feel uncomfortable in someone else's car
1. A dirty interior
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It's rare that you would come across a car that is truly the picture of cleanliness, but some cars are cleaner than others. Some car owners simply aren't worried about how sanitary the interior (or, for that matter, exterior) of their car is and assume everyone else feels the same way.
Unfortunately, they don't. There's something very unsettling about getting into someone else's car just to find that it's filthy. It makes a person incredibly uncomfortable.
A study performed by Aston University in the U.K. actually found that cars typically contain more bacteria than most toilets. The five germiest parts of a car were found to be the trunk, the driver's seat, the gearstick, the back seat and the dashboard.
Microbiology lecturer Dr. Jonathan Cox said, "Often, we will clean our cars based on whether they 'look' clean versus whether they actually are clean. But you would never even think about eating off your toilet seat."
While someone's car may be perfectly clean to them, to someone else with an entirely different standard of cleanliness, it could be seriously lacking. This is something to keep in mind when getting into someone else's car. Even someone you know and trust could have a car that's so dirty it makes you uncomfortable.
2. The driver using their phone
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This is another issue that is relative depending on the person. Some have no problem with texting or talking on the phone while driving and wouldn't have a problem if their driver did the same. However, a lot of people would take issue with that. For many, driving while using your phone is simply unacceptable.
There's a good reason for that. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defined distracted driving as "anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving." In other words, it's not just using a phone, but also eating or using the radio. In 2023, distracted driving was responsible for 3,275 deaths in the United States. No one wants to become part of that statistic.
While a lot of things can constitute distracted driving, one of the biggest offenders is definitely phone usage. It would make perfect sense for a passenger to do a double take if they saw their driver on their phone.
This could lead to some awkward conversations, as you expect to be as safe as possible when traveling with someone else but also don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, especially if you know them personally. It's just an uncomfortable situation all around.
3. A smelly car
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Similar to a car being dirty, one of the more obvious things that immediately make people feel uncomfortable in someone else's car is a foul odor. A car smelling bad can be just as concerning for some passengers.
Some smells, like food or sweat, could indicate that the car is dirty even if it looks neat. Other scents, like the smell of smoke, could leave a passenger wondering if they are being exposed to some kind of health concern, or if the driver may even start smoking while they're in the car, leaving them at the mercy of second-hand smoke.
Some smells go beyond cleanliness and even indicate there is something wrong with the vehicle. AARP's Jodi Helmer said the smell of rotten eggs could be a sign that the exhaust system is struggling. Meanwhile, a sweet scent resembling maple syrup could mean that coolant is leaking out.
The first thought you have when smelling something unpleasant in a car is that it's just not clean, but it could be something more serious than that. Beyond just being dirty, it could be a sign that the car is not operating properly, which could put you and whoever else is in the vehicle in danger.
4. Loud music playing
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The music you listen to can be a surprisingly sensitive subject. Depending on what someone is comfortable with, they may feel like the content or language of the songs the driver is blasting through the speakers may be a bit much for them. There's also a chance they'll find it too loud, not like the genre or artist, or just prefer not to have music playing at all.
The internet is littered with Reddit and Quora posts asking just what you should do if you can't agree on music when you're in the car. NPR Music host and writer Steven Thompson argued that the driver always picks the music. "Everyone's lives are in the driver's hands!" he exclaimed. "Giving up sonic autonomy is the least the passengers can do."
However, this doesn't really solve the problem of what to do if you're not comfortable with the content of a song, particularly if there are kids involved. That can lead to some awkward conversations. If you're the driver, it may be best not to play music at all, or to play something extremely neutral everyone can agree on.
5. A stranger in the car
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Whether you're in a rideshare and the driver is the stranger, or you're riding with a friend who's driving another friend that is not an acquaintance, there's a good chance you'll end up in the car with a stranger at some point, and doing so can be downright unnerving.
If you're not a people person or not getting a fairly welcoming vibe from this new person, what exactly are you supposed to talk about? How are you supposed to handle the interaction? These kinds of questions can leave you feeling very uncomfortable.
Ridesharing has become so common that there are now even options specifically made for kids, according to Kidpower International. If the car ride is for a child, looking into one of those options may be your best bet. But using caution and trusting your gut in any situation in which you're in a car with a stranger is always smart.
If you're not comfortable being in the car with a stranger, definitely avoid rideshares. If you're in a friend's car and a stranger is present, just ask for an introduction. Chances are that if your friend trusts them, you probably can too. But, again, the most important thing you can do is trust your gut. If it tells you to get out of a car, then you should.
6. Too many people in the backseat
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Back in the day, people actually used to see how many people they could fit into a car just for fun. If you're confused, you can ask your parents. Regardless, sometimes getting into a packed car can feel that way, even if there is technically room for everyone. Or, maybe the driver has gotten a little lax about following the law and is allowing passengers to double buckle, or not buckle up at all.
Whatever the situation may be, it can be incredibly uncomfortable to get in a car just to find out that it's packed. Insurance company BMI Company noted that this can be especially troublesome for younger drivers, as it causes a major distraction.
Unfortunately, new drivers are also usually the most popular and the ones everyone suddenly wants a ride from. The insurer recommended, "To avoid getting yourself into a dangerous situation (not just for you, but for your passengers, too), decide early on how many passengers you can handle before feeling overwhelmed."
Really, this rule should stand for adults too. If a passenger ever gets in a car and thinks, "Wow, there's a lot of people in here," they absolutely have the right to get out. You're not required to ride in any situation that makes you uncomfortable. Drivers should also be aware of this issue and know that having a large number of people in their car may lead to some discomfort they don't want to cause.
7. The driver being a bad navigator
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No one likes to get lost. Unfortunately, some people aren't very skilled navigators and can end up getting lost pretty easily. This is yet another of the things that immediately make people feel uncomfortable in someone else's car.
If a driver doesn't really know where they're going and is likely to get lost, that could definitely make a passenger uncomfortable and unsafe. After all, they could end up in a part of town they aren't familiar with at all that couldn't be farther from where they were trying to go.
Using a GPS app or device can actually be another cause of distracted driving, so it's good to have someone who's willing to help with those things. Advent Health recommended that a driver ask a passenger to control their GPS and read instructions off to them so they are not distracted by it. This also puts separate people in charge of driving and navigating, which can be beneficial.
If someone is a passenger in a car with a truly bad navigator who isn't willing to accept help, they need to consider their own safety. That always comes first. That may not be the best person to ride with, and essentially entrust your life to. Maybe consider a different friend or relative the next time you need a ride.
8. Alcohol in the car
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Sometimes there can be alcohol in a car for a perfectly innocent reason, like someone just purchased it and is transporting it to their home. But if there are open bottles of alcohol in a car, or everyone in the car seems drunk, that's a major red flag. Again, a passenger is at the mercy of the driver and always has to take their own safety into consideration.
According to the group Absolute Advocacy, a passenger should never get in the car with a drunk driver and do everything possible to keep them off the road. Ultimately, if they choose to drive, that's their choice, but the passenger should not get in the car as that could make them legally responsible for anything that happens as well.
Transporting alcohol from one place to another is one thing, but consuming it in the car is quite another. That carries legal implications that could affect the passenger. It's best to avoid this situation altogether if possible.
9. An unsafe driver
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The truth is that some drivers are just better and safer than others. That doesn't necessarily mean someone shouldn't be on the road, but it would probably make passengers less comfortable with them.
If you get in a person's car and realize they're not a good driver by your standards — or, maybe by anyone's standards — it's one of the things that immediately make people feel uncomfortable in someone else's car. There's no need to end a friendship over this, but you might not want to ride with them anymore.
Virginia State Police recommended that anyone who encounters a reckless driver reports them by calling police with their license plate number. Of course, that won't do you much good when you're in the car with the driver, and definitely won't help if you want to maintain a friendship with the driver.
Instead of reporting them, a better first step might be to try talking to them and seeing if they are open to feedback. If they aren't, you may just need to avoid being in the car when they're driving.This can definitely lead to some awkward conversations and situations, but you should always put your safety first.
You don't want to be collateral damage in your friend's quest to continue driving even though they're really not good at it. If they don't understand that, maybe they aren't really your friend.
10. A pet in the car
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There's nothing inherently wrong with having a pet in the car. Most people love pets and would be happy to have the chance to pet a cute pup. Not everyone feels that way, though.
Some people deal with severe allergies that can make being around an animal dangerous. Also, if you don't know the pet that's in the car with you, it's entirely possible that you just won't feel completely comfortable with them. You don't know what their nature is or mannerisms are. There's nothing wrong with that, and it doesn't make you any less of an animal lover.
Animal behavior expert Stephanie Gibeault said, "You wouldn't rush over to a stranger at a party and ruffle their hair, so why would you run up to a strange dog and pat them on the head? Just as we have social etiquette for meeting new people, dogs have rules for greetings too."
It's important to not be overzealous and make the animal uncomfortable, but if the situation is the other way around, try saying something to the driver, or whoever it is in the car who owns the pet. At the very least, they could keep the pet in their lap or at their feet instead of letting it roam freely around the car.
11. Eating in the car
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If the driver is the one eating, it can be chalked up to yet another case of distracted driving. But that doesn't make it any less disconcerting when someone else is the one doing the eating. There could be strong smells and messy food, and it's even worse if it's being passed around. It can be a nuisance and just not something that someone wants to be a part of.
Fast food expert and writer Bill Oakley noted that driving while eating is dangerous, and one should proceed with caution. He also warned that leaving bags and wrappers in the car can lead to a smell that may be nice for the person who enjoys the food, but an annoyance to everybody else. Basically, eating in the car is something that can't be avoided at times, but that doesn't mean it's a pleasant experience for anyone involved.
It's sure to make a passenger uncomfortable when someone is eating in the car they're in, especially if it's the driver. It could be a sign that they aren't compatible with that person when it comes to riding in their car. If that's the case, don't be afraid to speak up.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor's degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
