Have you noticed....

[stripped fred]

... how other driver's treat you differently depending on what car you're driving? The sheddier it is the wider berth they give you and as mentioned in another post the further away they will park from you in the supermarket. I also get less bullied in the 406 estate as opposed to the dinky astra. When in my mr2 though it's different altogether. No self respecting driver of a modern turbo diesel can possibly be outdone by an old sports car, no way! I don't tend to drive it fast but then again I'm no slouch. I will often let them have their victory, particularly when doing faster speeds such as on the motorway where i stick pretty close to the limit as the steering becomes a little lifeless over 80 as the bonnet lifts but occasionally they will be surprised by my turn of speed, particularly around corners. They also drive right up behind me and bully me out of the way. I parked at the shops nearby the other week and there were a couple of well rough looking lads in a corsa with big aftermarket wheels and bazooka exhaust. As they drove off they shouted 'wanker' at me and all i'd done was pull up and get out to buy some milk. I found it quite funny as I'm at an age where my ego isn't easily bruised. What was it that caused this reaction though? Jealousy? Pity? When i take my girlfriend's convertible out, especially when on my own, I'm sure I know what they're thinking (gay hairdresser) but I like to challenge their perception even if it does feel a bit nervous when i pull up alongside a car full of blokes especially when i've got the roof down. I don't put a flower in the vase though, that would be a step too far. I just find it funny how others perception of you changes and if I'm honest maybe I'm just the same about other drivers and their vehicles. This might be more psychology than cars but I think it's all related.

[Split_Pin]

I get a lot of shit when driving my Corsa however it probably has a lot to do with the fact that it is hideously slow and 'because Corsa Wanker'.

 

When I'm in my Astra I don't encounter too much bother but that may be because it's a bit faster and can get out of the way more easily.

 

I'd be interested to see how I was treated if I was driving an obviously old or slow car like a Minor or 2cv.

[xtriple]

Yep.

 

Used to be a lot worse on bikes: I had a 900 Honda and everyone treated me with respect/fear and I had very few incidents of smidsy. I used my then girlfriends bike for a while ( a Suzuki GP 100) and it was fucking terrifying!

 

In the Bentley everyone looks at me as if I'm a total wanker unless they like dogs when they laugh and point instead as there's a dogs head (attached to a fat body obviously!) hanging out of the window.

 

When I'm in the Mazda everyone looks at me like I'm a total wanker unless they like dogs when they laugh and point as there's a dogs head hanging out of the window (still attached..).

 

So, the conclusion? I'm a wanker but the dogs are amusing.

 

To be honest, I couldn't give a fuck what others think of me and my heaps. Some people do give me a bit of attitude as both of them are a bit.... flash, but I smile and wave which seems to either annoy or make them quit, then I boot the Bentley away from the lights or whatever and leave them in a cloud of about £200 of tyre smoke! The Mazda seems to be a bit 'm'eh' ....

[nisfan]

Ive been driving a 1998 'modern' 328 bmw for the past few months, in the past week ive started driving old shite again and its already begun: pulling out in front of me because they think im going slow, determined to get past even though im doing 70 in a 60 because 'old car'  wankers!

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

I find there is some truth in the cliché that no one will let you out if you're driving a modern BMW. It has been my experience, anyway.  I find people much more likely to let me out at a junction if I am driving my Jaguar. Changing lanes is easier in the Jag too. Other drivers are kinder and the excellent visibility and ample power make driving the Jag in traffic really easy.

 

I once had a Nissan 200SX. It was bizarrely invisible - people would drive at me like I wasn't there. Maybe it was because the Nissan was black and very low to the ground? 

[chodweaver]

Stripped Fred the truth he speaks!

 

I've given up trying to figure out WHY other people react differently to other road users' cars, though.

 

Please God, they can't all be as bigoted and judgmental as me, else we're all doomed, doomed I say!

 

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[LabRat]

With the forester it tends go one of 3 ways; when I've got the basset in the back, people tend to try and tailgate just to get a look at him, otherwise it's either "fuck me, keep out of the way in case the wheels fall off" or "it's an Impreza innit, he obvious wants to race so let's drive like a wanker to get his attention".

 

Driving the wife's modern 1.4 punto tends to elicit the sort of rage and dickish driving that makes me check I've not got Hitler as a passenger and "I run over nuns and kittens" scrawled on the doors! Mind you, it's a 77hp 1.4, so a ferrari it bloody well ain't...

 

 

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[Flossy]

I have found that in my v40 people expect me to be crawling along so people tend to pull out on me quite a bit. Being a bit new to the bike has seen me given plenty of room...

[Cheggers]

Since I've had the SL I've found nobody lets me out of side roads or waits to let me go first through narrow gaps, especially when the roof's down...I really don't understand the mentality behind this.

 

On a motorway or dual carriageway however, folks are very quick to move to the left and get out of the way, even if I'm not in a hurry.

[Richard]

Cheggers, yesterday.

 

[Tamworthbay]

I have noticed it on both size and badge. People were idiots when I drove when my wife's old Ka, but hardly anything when I was in the Passat estate, the bmw estate though gets dickhead reactions even though it's 15 years old. The MGB gt used to get let out everywhere as did the mini but the mini would get seriously cut up on faster roads, I think people just assumed I would be doing 40mph.

[Asimo]

My drive to work is hellish in the Insight, I have to take evasive action repeatedly. It is tiny and green and gets less respect than a bicycle from some road users.

 

So much easier in the Connect, which seems to be both visible and respected (feared?), even more so if I am wearing Hi-Vis.

[Liggle]

Any remotely sporty or modified 'normal' car I've had (Civic Type R, 328i Sport, MR2) was the worse for this - every man and his dog was trying to bait you in to racing. 

 

My current modern BMW is borderline invisible, people drive at me, don't let me out of junctions etc. but no-one baits me to race in it at least which is the most frustrating.

[Tickman]

..... if I was driving an obviously old or slow car like a Minor or 2cv.

This is the reaction I get in the Minor

It's not that slow, I just can't stop in a nano second if I hit the brakes.

 

I usually take the same road position despite the car I am in, Volvo 940 or Minor and usually get given the space I want / need. 

It probably helps the Minor looks like you couldn't tell if it had another bump!

[gordonbennet]

People are just utters wankers on the road now, doesn't matter what you drive, even in me road tanker they'll pull out, fail completely to see the brightest yellow lorry on the road and because no bastard can control their oversized for them Aldis on roundabouts come close to hitting it when they straighten the roundabouts out as they overtake on them...they also drive up a motorway slip road and the whole acceleration lane at exactly the same speed as me (52 mph) when i've got a line of vehicles overtaking me and nothing in front of me for 300 yards but that 250hp pile of wank they bought can't possibly accelerate to get out in front of me and bugger off, oh no they have to make a big drama of having to brake and pull out behind me then they get frustrated as hell cos i won't look at them when they pull alongside to give me the coffee handshake.

 

Over time i've developed the art of knowing where they are but never acknowledging or seeing them and absolutely never making eye contact in the mirror no matter how close they tailgate or how stupid their actions are, the terminally dim i sometimes give a round of applause.

Landcruiser best for this, cos the spare wheel is bolted to the back door the curve of the top of the wheel means the closer they get the less i can see them, and if they're stupid enough to risk running that up the arse well get on with it.

 

Country is simply overcrowded, the resulting stress is spilling over onto the roads.

[Ronnie L]

My wife and I drive radically different vehicles. She drives girly little motors which she describes as 'funky' or 'cheeky'. Over the past few years she's had a Micra, a Citroen C1 and a Fiat 500 cabriolet. All have been new cars. By contrast, I drive an old, battered and work-hardened 4x4 pick-up. It's rough as a badger's arse but it does the job (carrying loads and towing) and I absolutely love it. Sometimes I drive the wife's car and get treated with considerable disrespect, eg get peeped-at if I waste 2 seconds when the lights go to green, having someone 6 inches from my back bumper when driving at 30 in a 30 limit or get various uncomplimentary hand gestures if I slow down slightly while I figure-out which way to go at a junction. By contrast NONE of these things EVER happen when I'm driving the old pick-up in EXACTLY the same way. I am convinced it's because they think a guy driving a little car is going to be some kind of wimp but they don't want to push their luck with the bear in the battered 4x4 because of the high possibility that he will pull you over and haul you straight out of your open driver's side window.

[sierraman]

I think if the cars older and a bit battered people might assume cutting you up mightn't be a good idea, given the dents you probably don't take any prisoners.

 

You get the usual 'even gets his trousers on finance' Audi driver up your arse all the time though. Even though his Bluemotion bollocks diesel runs out of steam mid overtake he'll likely pull in on you.

 

In a 15 year old Mondeo people will likely assume your either poor, just committed a burglary or minicabbing.

[Richard]

Years ago my dad got a BTCC replica S40 as a courtesy car while his diesel 940 was in for a service. He noticed a big difference in other drivers with that, quite a lot of them seemed to want to race him.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

It's probably more to do with being a big ugly, miserable looking fucker, but I don't really notice any difference in how other road users treat me.

But, I do notice a difference in how I drive depending on what I'm driving..

If I'm driving something really posh, I tend to drive much better and more courteously, something an increasing number of Shiters are probably finding out.

The thing is the slightest mistake or momentary lapse of attention is more likely to be loudly criticised by other road users. I remember Rowan Atkinson writing in Car in the 80's, he'd just bought a Bentley ( an Eight, I think) and he recounted that when he stopped on yellow lines outside his local newsagent he heard a passerby comment. "Look at that, because he's got a Bentley he thinks he do whatever he likes" he wrote " funny that no one ever says anything when I park my Marina van on those same yellow lines"

Saying that it's very hard not to drive a modern powerful 4x4 like a prick. 400+BHP and massive traction and visibility means no gap or opportunity should ever be left untaken.

I always drive really slow things,S1 Land Rovers, 2CVs etc as if I've got something to prove, Ithat is never slowing down,losing momentum, leading to me complaining about people pulling out in front of me.

My oldest daughter is currently alternating between her modern Fiat 500 and the scruffy P reg C Class we bought a couple of weeks ago, she says other road users give her more room on roundabouts and less likely to tailgate her on her M1 commute.

[sierraman]

Rowan Atkinson has a Marina van?

[jonny69]

I don't get a lot of grief in the Anglia. I think it's one of the reasons I like driving it so much. Rarely have to use the horn. Shoot through tiny gaps because tiny car is tiny. Porsche drivers always make a big fuss as they pass, either overtaking on the motorway or on the other side of the road. Because of the numbers on the sides, every set of traffic lights is traffic lights grands prix. I used to get baited into it but these days I just usually let everyone get on with it and have their moment.

 

The Ami is a different story. I get quite a lot of aggressive pushy behaviour towards me, noticeably more from women drivers. I also get people swerving in on the motorway, like really **** me close stuff, and this is deliberate like I used to get in the Pop. The really funny thing though, is if I wear sunglasses when I drive, this behaviour is massively reduced. People are fucking hilarious. Lots of tailgating no matter the speed. I'm also really popular with the yummy mummies of Teddington, however, I can deal with this bit!

[danthecapriman]

I rarely get anything bad from other people when I'm driving the Mercury, no surprise really, as nobody fucks with you when your in a car that big! It gets a really good response from just about everyone tbh. People like to see it and are happy to let me out or leave me to burble along at 60mph in the left hand lane.

Capri is much the same, I think it's one of those cars that people generally like and they just leave you to it.

 

The Transit, is a bit slow and I do get the occasional twat who feels they absolutely must get out in front of me at all costs. It's not often but it happens.

 

The Granada seems to be a 50/50 mix though. Some people leave well alone given it's a big old beast and it's pretty rough looking. But some people seem hell bent on trying to racing me or tailgating no matter how fast I'm going! It's weird!

 

Worst by far though is my Sprinter work van, even more so if I'm towing a trailer. I regularly get people pull out in front of me, cut in, can't be arsed to wait or give way, tailgating, you name it. Driving it gets stressful sometimes.

But, I try hard to ignore it now. I just cant be arsed rising to it anymore.

[Guest Hooli]

Edited this to sum the thread up....

 

People are just utters wankers

[steveo3002]

people have to stonk past me in the polo even though im keeping up with the other cars ....happy to overtake me and sit behind a better car but cant possibly sit behind such a lowly cretin of a car lol

[Urko]

100% notice the difference between the Disco 3 (never usually see any issues) and Puma - people pull out straight in front, tailgate the actual flip out of me in it. 

 

I had a proper "incident" the other morning - partly my own fault for not just letting it go.

 

Some utter tosspot in a Zafira in angry Dad Silver did that "follow the previous car" thing that people often do at junctions - the car he was following came out of a side road to my left straight across my bow (as they were turning right) so I had to brake a little - but I still caught up the Zafira as he'd pulled out in front of me (turning to his left).  Clearly feeling it was my fault he'd appeared in front or me without warning, he brake tested me twice, then pulled over to make the right turn he wanted ahead.   I, ahem, may have made a gesture in his direction as I passed (I know, not big and clever)  - at which point he followed me to the next set of lights, where he drove up the inside of the car behind on the pavement so he could shout a load of abuse at me.

 

In general I don't make signs at people however much of a tosser I may think they are being - I know it's a mug's game.

 

I do enjoy driving the Puma, for all that - and it is great fun.

 

 

people have to stonk past me in the polo even though im keeping up with the other cars ....happy to overtake me and sit behind a better but cant possibly sit behind such a lowly cretin of a car lol

 

 

I recognise this phenomenon too.

[Rocket88]

No one messes with a 960 estate.................

[Roverageous]

EVERYONE has to be past the old rover. Usually my commute to work is early enough not to attract these morons, but yesterday I had to work in Gerrard's Cross which is a 45 min drive on the route to London via Amersham.

 

OH MY GOODNESS.

 

At EVERY opportunity Mr A3/A4/3-series/5-series/C-class/E-class had to attempt to overtake me.

 

Some made it, some didn't - I'm not going to change my rate of acceleration just to accommodate their preconceived prejudices.

[oldcars]

I have a Shuma a Reliant and a 75. Folk always think i am over the age of 70 and tailgate me. 

[bub2006]

Tend to not get bothered too much in the xantia or the escort van. I'm not small and apparently I look angry when driving so that and rough looking motors help. Volvo used to get tailgated a fair bit but the Ronie Pickering didmt

[meggersdog]

The mention of a V40 just reminded me.Driving mine through a 30 mph village with the traffic calming where you have to pull out into the opposite lane the other evening.Two youths with hats on backwards in mummy's 15 plate Nissan cashcow are right up my tailgate edging out into the middle of the road until we pass the last of the traffic calming.They overtake (still in a 30 zone) just before the level crossing so crossed a double solid white line to do so.It took less than a quarter of mile of NSL to catch up in an old diesel estate.

Why bother ?