GREENVILLE, S.C. (June 12, 2013) — Seeking your thrills? Check out Chitown.
According to the new BFGoodrich Tires "Adrenaline Index," it seems Chicagoans are the biggest thrill-seekers in the country. Michelin North America Inc.'s BFG brand surveyed 3,500 Americans across the nation, finding that more than one-third of Americans are self-proclaimed "thrill seekers" who thrive on new adventures and enjoy activities that will provide an adrenaline rush.
And the survey found that among cities, Chicago topped the list as the thrill-seeking capital of the U.S.—with 58 percent of Chicagoans saying they seek out adventure or adrenaline-fuelled activities. Rounding out the top five cities with the most adrenaline are New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Orlando, Fla.
Miami residents, according to the index, actually put their money where their mouth is, with thrill seekers saying they spent an average of $1,637 annually on extreme activities, compared to the national average of $733.
Extreme activities on wheels were the most popular method for feeling an adrenaline rush, Michelin said, with car clubs, auto racing and four-wheeling topping the list of responses. Approximately one in five respondents also said they owned specific equipment—most prominently an extra car or truck—to fuel their adrenaline lifestyle.
Duane Thomas, brand communications manager for BFG, said the survey "shows that many Americans get their thrills from driving fast around a track or by taking their vehicles off-road. Even if your passions aren't on wheels, many extreme activities are in remote, hard to reach places, making the right tire your ticket to what we call 'playground earth.'"
The survey also dispelled the myth that men are the more adventurous of the sexes. Data indicates women are just as likely to seek out adventure, label themselves "weekend warriors" or set aside money for adrenaline-fueled activities, Michelin said.
Other highlights from the Adrenaline Index:
• More than one-third of Americans are self-proclaimed thrill seekers who thrive on new adventures (38 percent) and enjoy activities that will give them an adrenaline rush (36 percent);
• 41 percent of men vs. 36 percent of women said they thrive on new adventures, and 29 percent of men thrive on taking new risks, while 25 percent of women agreed;
• Persons looking for excitement prefer to do it on wheels—with car clubs (19 percent), racing (18 percent) and four-wheeling (17 percent) netting out as the most widely pursued activities; and
• 16 percent of Americans said they owned an extra car or truck solely for recreational purposes.
Index results were compiled from a phone survey conducted April 9-19 by BFG and Braun Research of 3,500 Americans, including a national sample of 1,000 nationally-representative Americans and 100 individuals from the each of 25 largest cities in the county. The margin of error for the national sample is +/-3.1 percent and for each market +/-9.8 percent.
To derive the scores for the index, Michelin said each metric tracked in the survey was given a value and values were totaled, with a potential total of 150 points for each participant. Respondents from each market were averaged together to provide an "adrenaline score" for each city included in the study and provide a national average.