People Who Only Make Phone Calls When They’re Alone In The Car Almost Always Have These 11 Specific Personality Traits
maxbelchenko / Shutterstock Chances are you’ve been there personally. You get a phone call while you're with friends or at the dinner table, and you immediately excuse yourself before answering. You need to be alone, or there’s an aura of self-consciousness when you’re around others. Maybe it’s simply a matter of respect, where talking on the phone around someone else feels like a waste of their time and energy, and you’re careful about offering dignity.
People who only make phone calls when they’re alone in the car almost always share specific personality traits in common. Whether it’s a sense of embarrassment, social awkwardness, or simply being conscientious of respecting others, they’re always talking while running errands or sitting alone in the car.
People who only make phone calls when they’re alone in the car almost always have these 11 specific personality traits
1. They’re private people
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People who only make phone calls when they’re alone in the car are almost always inherently private and prefer to keep their information between themselves and the people that they actually trust.
That’s why you’ll never see them speaking on the phone in a public space or around a group of people, because even if it’s entirely subconscious or they have nothing to hide, they can’t help but keep their business to themselves.
2. They’re deep thinkers
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Deep thinkers, who need to be moving or multitasking to focus on conversation, may have a shorter attention span when speaking with others. They appreciate depth in conversations because they need something intriguing to keep them entertained and occupied. They zone out and start getting lost in their own thought spirals.
Taking phone calls from the car and driving around while listening to someone speak is part of the way these deep thinkers keep themselves present. They need the extra stimulation to focus their energy and attention.
3. They struggle to say ‘no’
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For people who struggle to end calls when they’re done or set a boundary on their time when talking on the phone, driving is the perfect excuse. If they’re almost home or running errands in the car, they can avoid the bluntness and awkwardness of ending a call with these excuses.
While learning to set boundaries and say no, both in these small ways and in larger situations, is important, sometimes relying on these makeshift exit strategies to avoid discomfort is the perfect way to build confidence.
4. They fear being perceived by others
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While the most intense effects are during impressionable ages, a study published in the Stress and Health journal found that people worrying about perceived judgments on their appearance had higher levels of anxiety, stress, and mental health concerns.
It’s not just a basic level of anxiety or a passing worry about how they look, but a system of thinking that leaves them feeling uncertain and self-conscious all the time.
5. They’re self-conscious
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While self-awareness often predicts a person’s self-consciousness, because the more aware you are of behaviors and quirks, the more likely you are to judge them, many people craft their entire lives around a foundation of insecurity. It’s more nuanced than it seems, often with things like trauma and past experiences playing an elusive role.
Even in small parts of everyday life, worrying about how other people are perceiving them and feeling self-conscious influences how they behave. People who only make phone calls when they’re alone in their car might have these specific personality traits. They’re too self-conscious to chat in front of someone or even have the attention on them in a group setting in person.
6. They need safety for vulnerability
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From using their alone time to dive into complex emotions to being fully enclosed in their cars for a sense of safety on the phone, people who only make their phone calls when they’re alone may have specific personality traits, like a need for safe vulnerability. Especially for men, who tend to rely on romantic partners for vulnerability, security is important, even if it’s on the phone.
As a buffer to the real world and their anxieties, having hard conversations over the phone and in the car is the perfect safeguard.
7. They’re independent
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People who associate their cars with a sense of freedom and autonomy may be more likely to take phone calls from inside their cars. They’re always exercising some level of independence, whether it’s a coping mechanism or a simple manifestation of adult autonomy, even if it means controlling conversations with a time limit in the car or protecting themselves from being perceived by others.
While hyper-independence, of course, harms well-being as a misguided coping strategy for unresolved trauma, the right balance of alone time, independence, and balanced social connections can be the perfect recipe for life satisfaction.
8. They’re introverted
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People who have naturally introverted personalities often need alone time and solitude to recharge their social batteries, which is why they’re careful about the people and interactions they make space for. People who only make phone calls when they’re alone in their care almost always have these specific personality traits.
Whether it’s the technological buffer between draining interactions and connecting with someone, or the physical isolation that comes from being inside a car, these introverts would much prefer to run errands, talk on the phone, and drive than be subjected to crowded spaces and social perceptions.
9. They’re multitaskers
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People with low attention spans, who often need a lot of mental stimulation to stay focused, may be multitaskers at heart. They talk on the phone while driving and fidget during conversations, all to hone their concentration and attention.
However, as experts suggest, multitasking can sometimes reduce accuracy and efficiency. For example, if you're talking on the phone and driving, you’re not only less present with the person you’re speaking to, but you’re also more likely to drive poorly.
10. They often seek control
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People who like to have a strong sense of control over their lives, whether it’s how others perceive them or how they navigate everyday life, may actually be more likely to make phone calls from the car. They like being alone and being able to say and do things without other people’s advice or judgment.
Even if it’s simply being able to switch their personality from talking on the phone with one friend to interacting with another, they don’t have to explain the difference in character, tone, and vibe to each other.
11. They’re overthinkers
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For people who fall into the habit of constantly replaying conversations and overthinking interactions with others, it’s not uncommon for them to need something to grab and distract their attention. When they take phone calls in the car, driving and focusing on other things can help to protect them from falling into these anxious spirals of overthinking and second-guessing themselves.
Even if it’s just a space where they don’t have to consider how other people are perceiving them or listening in on their conversations, that’s part of the reason why many people take phone calls from their car.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
