A survey has revealed a surprising shift in British attitudes towards iconic symbols of the nation with the van coming out on top above the Royal Family.
While the Royal Family has long been considered a quintessential representation of Britishness, it appears that the humble white van has now surpassed them in the hearts and minds of many Brits.
According to the survey by insurance company Direct Line, a quarter of respondents (23%) believe that white vans are more iconic than the Royal Family, with other British staples such as Sunday roasts, black cabs, complaining about the weather, and queuing trailing behind.
The survery of more than 2,500 people found that 26% think white vans are more British than builder’s tea or a breakfast fry ups (24%).
White vans are even seen as a more iconic than a Sunday roast (24%), black cabs (20%), complaining about the weather (20%) and even the British national sport of queuing (19%).
The white van's enduring popularity is reflected in its dominance on British roads, with over three times as many white vans registered compared to the next closest color, grey. The majority of Brits (56%) also agree that white vans are an iconic symbol of Britain, and many see them as essential to the nation's economy.
Despite past stereotypes, the survey also found that attitudes towards white van drivers are changing. A growing number of people under the age of 45 now view them as hard-working individuals who contribute significantly to the nation's infrastructure. While the over 45s still see white van man as the menace of the roads.
Van drivers on the other hand think that stereotypes around white van drivers are outdated with 63% considering them as inaccurate. Just under three quarters (72%) claim that they are considerate drivers who respect the rules of the road.
Often viewed as living off a diet of bacon rolls, packet sandwiches and fast food burgers, with a dashboard littered with rubbish and copies of The Sun newspaper, when it actually comes to tucking into takeaways and having dirty vans 73% say that they try to lead a healthy lifestyle while 69% say that they keep their vans clean and tidy.
It's little wonder that van drivers have increased in people's estimations over the years. A recent survey by Peugeot revealed that van drivers are doing more to reduce their carbon footprint than car drivers.
In their free time more than a third (36%) of van drivers can be found cycling, compared to just 12% of car drivers.
Meanwhile, over three-quarters (76%) of van drivers choose to walk, exceeding 64% of car drivers, and when asked why they use alternative or carbon-free modes of transport, 47% of those who drive a van for work claimed that it was to reduce their carbon footprint which was nearly twice that of car drivers, just 27%.
