A: road trip

Long drives and short fuses do not mix. A recent study shows that the average couple can last only 22 minutes into a road trip before they get into their first argument. That means most couples start bickering not long after they leave their driveway. The most common cause of car crankiness is clashes over directions, with 44 percent of the respondents to the Seat car company in Span admitting they fought over which way to go. “Many journeys can be stressful if you get caught up in traffic or cannot find your way,” says a Seat company spokesman. “But it seems much of the stress is caused by our own partner when we are behind the wheel.”