How Friday 13th Phobia Affects the Economy

How do you feel about Friday 13^th? Is it just another date on the calendar, or do you get spooked?

A surprising number of Brits are so fearful of Friday 13^th that they won’t leave the house to go to work or make business transactions – and their phobia actually affects the economy.

Conference call provider Powwownow surveyed 500 adults and found that more than a quarter were uneasy about the date.

One in 10 people won’t travel by train on Friday 13^th while even more – 16% – refuse to fly. A further 11% won’t stay in a hotel room bearing the number 13.

The fear is not evenly distributed however but varies geographically. People in Northern Ireland are far more superstitious than the rest of the nation – a staggering 64% believe the date is unlucky, compared to just 13% of the more down-to-earth Scots.

Our friends over the Pond have similar superstitious fears. A survey carried out in North Carolina found the economy was losing hundreds of millions of dollars because of paraskavedekatriaphobia (that’s the proper name for the fear of Friday 13^th), creating a significant problem for the American economy too.

Before you start checking your calendar, I can give you a tip-off: The next Friday 13^th is in October, so there’s plenty of time to book that duvet day!