Does the car you drive affect other drivers' attitudes towards you?

MrFunex

MrFunex

MrFunex

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17 Oct 2005
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Southampton
Well, as above really. I've recently moved from a diesel mondeo to an ST220 variant.

It seems now that everyone wants to out-drag me at the traffic lights, overtake me when it's clearly not safe to do so, cut me up, not let me out of junctions as much, and sit right up my back bumper in an attempt to prove some point.

I don't think my driving style has changed and I've never been a particularly aggressive driver anyway. Is it the bright paint scheme, the huge shiny wheels or big shiny tailpipes that brings out the hatred in people? My car doesn't look 'chav' by any stretch of the imagination, but it does seem I'm getting the wrong sort of attention from the wrong sort of people!
 
Without a doubt, yes!

When I had my Alfa, people always seemed to let me out, didn't get tailgated often etc - people seem to like Alfa drivers!

When I had my old yellow Xsara, people were constantly cutting me up, tailgating me etc.

My current Mondeo gives a bit of a mixed bag, although people do quite often slam on their brakes and move over to the inside lane when I come up behind them in the outside lane - not something that ever happened with any of my last cars, quite possibly because the local police use a few silver ST TDCIs with markings only on the rear pillars, and the Zetec-S doesnt look that different at a glance.
 
i don't notice any difference from driving a diesel mondeo to my audi tbh, i don't really drive any different either.
 
wez130 said:
i don't notice any difference from driving a diesel mondeo to my audi tbh, i don't really drive any different either.
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I think in terms of image and perception to Joe Public, they're pretty similar cars. A lot of people wont know the difference between a decent A3 and a bottom spec A4 repmobile.

The differences start to show if you drive something a bit different - small hatchbacks on motorways dont do well for example. Anything that stands out a bit is asking for attention too
 
How about the other way around - does anyone find they treat other drivers differently because of the car they're in - consciously or subconsciously?

For example, I wont ever let anyone in an X5 or Range Rover pull out, unless the highway code compels me.
 
Yes, i won't let chavs or old women out infront of me at junctions.

Don't have a problem with RangeRovers etc but those who i think will drive slow don't get a look in, i cba sitting behind them.

I had some chav up my bottom in his Mk5 fiesta with racing stripes on, was prolly a 1.4 or something, soon as we slowed down and the car infront of me turned off i had fun making him go backwards in my mirror.
 
I've had the 172 about 6-7 months now and not really ever had anyone baiting me or perhaps I just don't notice it much.
 
Driving an ancient hatchback leads to a lot of mouth breathers crawling all over my rear bumper for having the temerity to be in front of them.
 
I think so. When I had my old Oldsmobile, I would always get let out of side turnings, even if it really inconvenienced the guy or girl doing it. When I drive my mate's Bentley or XJ8 or Granada estate, the same happens. But if I'm in my Seicento, then it seems like open warfare....though funnily enough, I still get let out of turns by BMW drivers. I never have worked that one out, but it seems to happen too often to be a coincidence!
 
iaind said:
How about the other way around - does anyone find they treat other drivers differently because of the car they're in - consciously or subconsciously?

For example, I wont ever let anyone in an X5 or Range Rover pull out, unless the highway code compels me.
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It's a mental struggle to let white vans out because I know my visibility will suffer. I sometimes let them out anyway then overtake for fun; everyone's a winner!
 
People seem to move over on dual carriageways/motorways more than they did than when I had my fiesta. Though this may be down somewhat to the fact that the leon can easily keep up with/get past most cars on motorways in general, where as a 1.25 fiesta of powahh sadly couldn't ;)

I used to get chavs trying to race me in the fiesta, downside of having alloys and lowered suspension :(

Now I just get people who tailgate me in 30s then can't seem to keep up once the NSL appears and I do ~60 round most corners :D
 
JRS said:
I think so. When I had my old Oldsmobile, I would always get let out of side turnings, even if it really inconvenienced the guy or girl doing it. When I drive my mate's Bentley or XJ8 or Granada estate, the same happens. But if I'm in my Seicento, then it seems like open warfare....though funnily enough, I still get let out of turns by BMW drivers. I never have worked that one out, but it seems to happen too often to be a coincidence!
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Oldsmobile....Bentley....XJ8.............Seicento? :eek:
 
Yup, without question. It's not so much about junctions or being cut up, but driving something proper quick tends to get people out of the way on motorways more. I NEVER tailgate people, never have and never will but I do close on cars quickly then leave a gap and that does tend to get most people to move over. It's not agressive or intimidating more of a "jesus where did that come from" and tends to work well. You can tell the difference as people will indicate into the middle lane rather than simply pulling back in. You will of course always get the mirror avoiders and pig heads but such is life.
 
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