NEWS COPY
By Richard Jenkins
Brits consider straying from their normal choice in a restaurant, sitting in a reserved seat on the train and not closing the curtains while changing as ‘adventurous’, a study has found.
While 36 per cent of the population claim to be ‘living dangerously’, many consider not paying for a plastic bag at a self-service till or even taking a new route to work as the height of adventure.
Paying a bill on the last day its due, sneaking your own snacks into the cinema and putting your feet up on a train seat are also seen as highly risky moves.
The study of 2,000 adults also found nearly half of the country are getting less adventurous as they get older, as 29 was revealed as the most exciting age.
Greg Tatton-Brown from online casino Casumo.com who commissioned the research, said: “Our survey was a tongue-in-cheek look at some things Brits may consider out of their comfort zones – which aren’t that wild at all.
“However, we also found some interesting things about why people believe certain actions are more adventurous than others, and what it means to be thought of as someone who is a little bit dangerous.
“At Casumo we believe adventure can be found anywhere – and if something as minor as changing your morning routine slightly gets someone’s pulse racing, we’re all for it.”
A quarter of adults think that getting a new hairstyle is a wild adventure, and a tenth get a thrill from hiding on a train to dodge a ticket inspector.
Sneaking out of work early when the boss isn’t in also made the top 50 list of not-all-that-adventurous behaviour, as did having an alcoholic drink before 5pm.
And so did buying something online without checking reviews first – with many Brits finding that too crazy to bear.
One in 10 Brits even consider trying a new recipe as an adventurous activity, straying away from their tried and tested favourites.
The study found that one in three Brits has been told that they’re not only unadventurous – they’re downright dull.
And the same amount have forced themselves to do something scary to prove to others that they’re no stick-in-the-mud.
One in 10 Brits have been dumped by a partner for not being adventurous enough, and more people believe they are the most spontaneous one in their relationship.
It seems many adults aren’t willing to put their money where their mouths are – with just one in 10 hoping to do a skydive, swim with sharks or do a bungee jump in the future.
Fifteen per cent of the nation try and avoid doing something genuinely exciting or adventurous for fear it might go wrong.
And more than half of respondents say they tend to stick to the rules in day-to-day life, with just 16 per cent styling themselves as ‘rule-breakers’.
Although one in 10 say they wish they could be more like people who break the rules, twice that many think that everyone should follow laws all the time.
Casumo.com’s Greg Tatton-Brown said: “Four in 10 of our respondents feel that ‘some rules are made to be broken,’ which is why they try and do it in their own little ways.
“Putting a tiny fist up to authority by being ‘adventurous’ and bucking rules in a very minor way can be satisfying, as long as it doesn’t go too far.
“And even a tiny jolt of adrenaline gained by not answering the door to someone you don’t want to talk to can spark a whole day, which we love.”
BRITS’ TOP 50 ‘ADVENTUROUS’ ACTIVITIES
1. Going on holiday alone
2. Having sex in a public place
3. Going skinny dipping
4. Taking on a huge physical challenge
5. Changing your career
6. Going on a last minute trip
7. Dramatically changing your hairstyle
8. Speaking in front of hundreds of people
9. Getting a tattoo or piercing
10. Betting a large amount of money
11. Purchasing a large item (car, house)
12. Taking up a new hobby
13. Learning a new language
14. Singing at karaoke
15. Going to an audience participation event
16. Decorating a room in an unusual colour
17. Chatting to a complete stranger
18. Speaking up when you see something wrong
19. Haggling on price when you buy something
20. Trying a new recipe
21. Learning to play a musical instrument
22. Going into a mosh pit at a gig
23. Sneaking into more than one film in the cinema
24. Going to a gig of a band you do not know
25. Straying from your normal order choice in a restaurant
26. Not closing the curtains when you get changed
27. Doing a live video on Facebook
28. Hiding in the toilet to avoid the train conductor
29. Ordering something that isn’t on the menu
30. Leaving work early when the boss isn’t in
31. Driving with the petrol light on
32. Sitting in a reserved seat on a train
33. Complaining to the waiter/manager about your food in a restaurant/sending your food back in a restaurant
34. Calling in sick to work when you're not really sick
35. Taking a different route to work
36. Walking through an airport scanner with an item you shouldn't have on you (lighter, phone)
37. Eating food as you walk around the supermarket
38. Changing your morning routine
39. Not answering the door even though you are in
40. Admitting to your manager that you've done something wrong
41. Having an alcoholic drink before 5pm
42. Taking your own food and drink into a cinema
43. Ordering online without checking reviews
44. Eating something past its sell-by date
45. Paying a bill on the last day it's due
46. Watching pirate videos
47. Not paying for a plastic bag when going through self-serve checkout
48. Turning up at a restaurant without booking first
49. Putting your feet on a seat in front of you
50. Not cancelling a restaurant reservation when you don't intend to go
ENDS
