PROUD British men would rather swim with sharks, walk a tightrope, hold a tarantula or have a tooth out rather than suffer a car breakdown, according to a new survey. Nearly a quarter of men questioned by Direct Line Rescue, said they would also rather do a bungee jump than break down on the road.

Many male motorists consider car trouble to be a “major blow” to their credibility. But despite the extreme alternatives, 20 per cent of men continue to drive around without any breakdown cover, according to the research. In comparison, 23 per cent of women said they would rather have a bikini wax, 17 per cent would rather have a tooth out, the same number would prefer to do a bungee jump, while nine per cent would opt to hold a tarantula.

Nick Cole, Direct Line spokesman, said: "It seems that men and women have very different feelings and emotions when they experience a car break down. Men tell us they feel frustrated and helpless if there is something wrong with the vehicle that they think they should be able to fix themselves. For women, there is the added dimension of feeling vulnerable, especially at night.”