Other Road Users / 4x4 rant (merged)

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by Bluebottle

It tends to be BMW drivers stereotyped with not indicating or not taking any notice of other road users because it goes with arrogance.

As a BMW driver, who seems to be the only person in my area (irrespective of vehicle make or model) who indicates correctly and uses the proper lanes...

I would suggest that the reputation of a vehicle simply means you don't notice everyone else who's as bad!

So my rant is people who can't manage the speed limit on open roads and feel it's their duty to stop you passing because you're in a BMW. It's not that I'm arrogant, it's just that they're too slow. Outta the way! (And if someone catches me, I ALWAYS let them past at the first opportunity.)

Manners is about how you derive, not what you drive.

(ps, no offence taken by anyone else's remarks, in case it looks that way)

[Tim Falce]

I never notice any problems with BMWs, I just force them off the road in my Disco just the same as I do everyone else

[Tim Falce]

I have just been out in my new car and I noticed,
1: how agressive 4x4 drivers are to ordinary car drivers and
2: how polite other car drivers can be when you are not in a 4x4.

[Bluebottle]

Woolley, you're absolutely right.
Stereotypes appear because certain types of people tend to go for certain makes of car and, as you say, we don't notice the good drivers in these cars- same goes for every other road user mentioned in the thread.

Does anyone else think people should pass a test before being allowed to walk on our pavenents? Sometimes I wonder what they teach kids in school....

[Mathias]

Originally Posted by Bluebottle

Does anyone else think people should pass a test before being allowed to walk on our pavenents? Sometimes I wonder what they teach kids in school....

Blimey, yes. There should be a pavement code: 1. Walk on the left; 2. Don't randomly stop to rummage through your handbag: check behind you, indicate, pull over, slow down and then stop; 3. Walking while using a mobile phone, especially texting, is dangerous.

[gfm]

Well maybe on the mtorway they are.
While I don’t want to rant or denigrate the things, it does get my goat when I run up behnd a big RRover/Cayenne/BMWMthing sitting in the fast lane.
And I’m afraid I do think “On the basis you’re using too much fuel/you are in no way optomised to be trying to go fast in a thing like that, please get out of the fast lane."
They rarely do of course. They are the Volvo owners of 20 years ago aren’t they?
No wonder the greens have got hold of them.

[Logrence]

I completely disagree with the fact that 4x4s are somehow responsible for all of life's ills - does a car being tall somehow automatically make it bad? It annoys me that SUVs and 4x4s are being used as some sort of spank monkey by industrialists and the green lobby to take the eye off the ball.

Modern SUVs don't have bigger footprints than most cars, and certainly aren't any more thirsty than most cars...what's the big deal?

[Tim Falce]

I have a Discovery and I have just bought a Mondeo. The Mondeo is longer than the Disco, just as wide and is not a lot more economical. The Disco is designed for a purpose and my one gets used for it.
Stop whinging about other peoples cars, there are more serious problems to worry about than someone who wants or needs a certain type of vehicle. Are you jealous or something or just ****ed off that someone dared to use the same bit of road that you wanted to speed on? Alos there is no fast lane, just lane one, two, three and so on. As for 4X4 drivers being the Volvo drivers of 20 years ago, you and your ilk are the equivalent of the anti truck lobby of 20 years ago, just look where they got....nowhere (bigger trucks now and more of them).
BTW I have just bought a series 2.5 Landy to add to my fleet of gas guzzling behemoths

[gfm]

I'm sorry falcemob that you take it personally. Please, no offence meant. (Your avatar is extremely funny). Merely a personal point of view but a Disco and a motorway particularly the outside lane, I feel are not so natural bedmates IMHO. Your Mondeo, one of the best of course.
The Highway Code refers to the outside lane as an overtaking lane, or used to, not that anybody bothers with this nowadays.
I appreciate being put in my place by users of such barn-door machines and that's very much their attitude towards getting out of the 3rd lane when I want to pass.
I think my irritation stems from not only white van man but also these high up machines, but I can’t see beyond or through them. So you can’t run up behind in case they crash-stop which with a normal car isn’t a problem, because you can see through them to the high level brake lights beyond.
Not only were Volvos so extremely and unnecessarily ugly, they bred a sort of driver who patently knew nothing about driving or cars, and perhaps led them to believe they were safer crashing in a Volvo than other makes. Not good news for the rest of us.
I’m overjoyed that folk get good use out of the variety of vehicles that can use the road that best suits them. It’s just that I own the outside lane but I certainly don’t blame them for all life’s ills; not all.

[Bluebottle]

For the most part I'm not with the anti 4x4 bandwagon having owned one (1965 Series 2a Landrover) and got it suitably muddy.
The modern 4x4's are quite capable of cruising at and well over the 70mph limit so in that respect they don't cause me a problem. If they're trundling along at less than 70mph with a clear road ahead then yes you have a point, same as any other road user they are obliged to stay in the 1st lane unless overtaking. Can't see past them? Back off- does it really hurt your pride that much? If the vehicle in front of you comes to a dead stop as if it's hit a wall you should also be able to stop if you keep a safe distance, it's all in the book.
The biggest problem with 4x4's is their stopping distance and reduced ability to stear safely round an incident because of a higher centre of gravity which produces more body roll etc etc, we've probably all seen the demo's comparing a 4x4 and a normal saloon weaving along a line of cones, fine if you're aware of it's failings but people will insist on driving them as if they are normal cars.
Modern 4x4's aren't as bad with fuel as they used to be but at motorway speeds aerodynamics comes into play, that's where the BMW and Porkey 'soft roaders' have an advantage over things like the Landrover range, but I know which I'd rather have in a muddy field!

Don't even get me started on 'School Run' 4x4's which never see a speck of mud.........

[Vicki]

Originally Posted by Bluebottle

(I never need signs to tell me I've arrived in Essex!!)

*Taps Bluebottle on the shoulder and in a thick Essex accent says* Sorry, is there a problem with Essex drivers or do I just not notice it because I lived there for 10 of my 15 year life? Not offended just curious. The thing that annoys me is people RUNNING INTO TRAFFIC!!!! Is it not obvious to some people that if it is car vs pedestrian the car will win?

[Bluebottle]

Originally Posted by FerrariFanatic

The thing that annoys me is people RUNNING INTO TRAFFIC!!!! Is it not obvious to some people that if it is car vs pedestrian the car will win?

Oh yes, that one really annoys me, and it will always be the drivers fault!!
As for my comment about Essex, I quite often drive from Wycombe to Ilford where my sister-in-law lives and I do notice a deteriation in driving standards, particularly tailgating, when I cross into Essex

Tailgating- there should be a fine, a really HUGE fine for tailgating. If i'm driving at the speed limit, over the speed limit or even, say, 10 under the limit GET OFF MY BUMPER!!! No matter what you think your reactions are not that good and neither are your brakes. If I stop, you'll be in my boot just like the Alfa 156 written off all over the back of my (still running) Granada two years ago, and it will be your fault and your insurance.

Are you sure the car in front of me has high level brake lights? Many don't.

[Logrence]

It winds me up that people feel some deep urge to say what other people should or should not be driving!

Should people be banned from wearing trainers because they don't run enough in them!?

[Slippy Diff]

Originally Posted by gfm

I think my irritation stems from not only white van man but also these high up machines, but I can’t see beyond or through them. So you can’t run up behind in case they crash-stop which with a normal car isn’t a problem, because you can see through them to the high level brake lights beyond.

If you leave sufficient braking distance, it should not be a problem. You are most likely driving too close.

[Slippy Diff]

The average household toaster produces 20lb's of carbon a year. And fossil fuel use still only produces about 4% of the total of carbon dioxide each year. Just the human race breathing produces around 40%.

[Mike_Wooshy]

Originally Posted by gfm

I think my irritation stems from not only white van man but also these high up machines, but I can’t see beyond or through them. So you can’t run up behind in case they crash-stop which with a normal car isn’t a problem, because you can see through them to the high level brake lights beyond.

LOL your saying this, BUT when I come up behind a white van, they dont usually have rear windows, and if they do the majority are tinned, so your really voiding that point. As when I want to pass you I have to attempt to see passed you with my "X-ray vision". Also running up behind cars that you cant see pass properly is poor driving, thats why I get angry when people get right up behind lorries.
Although I really do think once people reach a certain age they really do need to re take their test, Ive only been driving 6 months or so but I've lost count of the accidents with old people. dangerous to those around them.

[gfm]

We are indeed indebted to Slippery Diff for highlighting a perfect piece of irony as can only befit an international website like ours.
But to have a guy in Waitakere, New Zealand suggest to me that I wouldn't have a problem as perhaps I travel too close to the vehicle in front is quite right. However, as I commute hardcore the busiest stretch of motorway in and out of central London daily ... how do I put this; I saw a gap once, about 1982 I think, three guys collided going for it!
Thank you for that SD.

[Bluebottle]

There is no excuse for tailgating, period.

As for 'hardcore' commuting, I used to commute between London and Luton on the M1 and my wife commute takes her on probably the busiest section of the M25 so we know commuting. I'll say it again, there is no excuse for tailgating. It's quite easy to drive a clogged stretch of motorway without tailgating, I know- I used to do it every day. On the bit of M1 I used I could keep up a constant speed if I stayed in the first lane, passing nose-to-tail traffic in the 3rd lane- Laugh? Me?
That dosn't work so well on the M25 but there is still no excuse for following too close. Think you've got good brakes so you'll be all right? What's got better brakes, a 20 year old Granada or an Alfa 156? See my previous post

[Bluebottle]

Originally Posted by Logrence

Should people be banned from wearing trainers because they don't run enough in them!?

Yes

[maximus]

Someone overtook me today on a country road because I wasn't tailgating! (and filled the gap I was leaving behind this other car) I was just one car that wanted to go fast as well but unlike him I didn't want to be right up other peoples backsides. There was a long cue behind this car, which should have been faster I admit but being really close to someones rear end doesn't get you there sooner! This guy then also stole my safety gap which I then had to slow down to build up again! (Not fun in a 1.3 Fiesta as it takes ages to build up speed again!) GRR.

[Bluebottle]

I really hate it when that happens Maximus, but all you can do is drop back to make a new safe gap- if you don't your no better than them and you may end up in their boot. You'll get there, what, a few seconds later?
I've often thought that people who insist on overtaking everything in sight whether it's safe or not, people who drive flat out all the time must really hate their cars because they want to get where they're going and out of their car as soon as possible!
I don't dawdle, I love a good quick blast but I'm not going to risk my life, my passengers life or the lives of other people in doing so.
Or risk breaking my car!

[Slippy Diff]

Originally Posted by gfm

We are indeed indebted to Slippery Diff for highlighting a perfect piece of irony as can only befit an international website like ours...

It is what I am here for, to promote discussion

Originally Posted by gfm

But to have a guy in Waitakere, New Zealand suggest to me that I wouldn't have a problem as perhaps I travel too close to the vehicle in front is quite right..

It is just that the comment below suggested it. I wasn't being clever (for once).

Originally Posted by gfm

So you can’t run up behind in case they crash-stop which with a normal car isn’t a problem, because you can see through them to the high level brake lights beyond.

P.S. What is a 'traffic queue' ?

[Bluebottle]

Originally Posted by Slippy Diff

P.S. What is a 'traffic queue' ?

I want to move to New Zealand!!!!

[gfm]

Bluebottle - are you a policeman?

[Bluebottle]

No, I'm a road user who is getting hacked off by not being able to drive anywhere without some twit sitting on my bumper. The only two accidents I've been on the recieving end of were both caused by tailgaters, I think I have a right to be annoyed by such stupid, dangerous driving.