Psychology and Car prejudice

[Unkel Kunkel]

I ocassionally get   to drive different  vehicles.

Some people , especially other drivers,tend to react differently to me depending on what I am driving.I am the same ; the vehicles are different.

There  are some drivers of course who are  just totally “oblivious”- they will plough on, without slackening speed , stoney faced,  as they approach  an impassible gap  on their side of the road, with no awareness of anything - you could be siting on a large  brightly coloured tap-dancing  elephant and receive the same reaction.

Observations : Most drivers will let you out  of junctions - not so much if newish 4x4 or a BMW.( God knows what they do, but people  do not seem to like BMW drivers) Older LandRovers seem OK, as do Freelanders 1 &2 Ford Ka , Focus , CMax receive similar courtesy.Young women drivers have no prejudices - they don’t let anyone out.

Tailgating -if I drive a Skoda Yeti or a Berlingo  or older  French car,  drivers  of the Golf and BMW or Subaru persuasion will follow  incredibly close, occasionally crossing the centre line as if  demonstrating they are impatiently being held up by a lesser vehicle.Drive  something else at same pace, they keep a reasonable distance.Odd.

Between 4.30 and 6.00 pm any car I drive can become  transparent at road junctions. Any reaction  or display of surprise on my part  to this “last across “,  other than fierce  avoidance braking  is met with mouthed and gesticulated expletives, usually  from grumpy looking young men driving  small  vehicles and white small vans with several months of paperwork and discarded paper cups on the dashboard.

 Conversely, drive something “classic”  or old -especially very old , and the majority will smile, wave, give a thumbs-up, stop to take photos and can be cordial in the extreme.(The oblivious” ones are just the same, but  they are slightly more worrying as they assume you are able steer and stop quickly to avoid them).

The “ancient “ I was driving recently spluttered to a halt because of debris in the fuel tank- It builds up after 90 years.Several people came up, pictures were taken.Everyone was lovely.A smiling driver weaved his bus around the stranded car.There  were offers of help.I was  asked if they could get me anything.I needed a bit of wire to probe the fuel tap.Someone immediately set off home to his garage and returned triumphantly holding  a length of wire - which did the trick.He donated the wire as part of the emergency  equipment.The car burst into life.Hands were shaken , names exchanged.Everyone  parted company amicably.

I think the Driving Test should have a psychological section..  

 

 

 

 

[Anglefire]

I know what you mean - not that I drive anything particularly old (Just my 43YO spitfire) - but I do drive all sorts of stuff at times - Used to drive a Land Rover Discovery - I didn't drive aggressively, but with purpose (I always drive with purpose) but people would keep out of the way - BMW 5series - people were surprised that the indicators worked and that a left indicator did actually mean I was turning left. Honda Jazz - very much feel shut out don't get let out and others try and bully - surprised when that doesn't work! Pug 107 - similar to the jazz - just more surprised!

Skoda superb (current daily) - others expect an old man I think - well, I'm oldish! Motorways people wont let you out to the outer lanes - BMW or Land Rover and they just let you out!

I did drive a friends Defender 90 earlier this year  - but has a disco transfer box to drop the revs down for "cruising" and it has made first slightly higher so needs more effort to pull away - but even if you get it "wrong" people don't seem to care and let you go without any harsh words!

[NonMember]

Some drivers definitely act according to the model of the car, not the way it's driven. Some years ago I was driving down the B4100 north of Banbury (a 60mph single-carriageway ex-A-road) in my Vitesse behind three modern cars. We were all doing the same speed and keeping the same distance. An old guy in a Disco arrived on a side road, saw the convoy, waited for the  three modern cars to pass... then pulled out (without accelerating) in front of the one with 1960s brakes.

[Pete Lewis]

the Rorty Vitesse 6 would attract pull outs even  with both headlights on  and impatience from behind when the road was clear most had no chance of keeping up 

bad manners and aggression seems the norm from certain badges that breed contemptuous attitudes

the 2000 may be being  a tad larger doesnt attract pull outs but its a lot slower on acceleration but has long legs once its up for a challenge , 

there are a good few makes that make the driver grow horns ....there is a definite mind set that so not make driving 

     FUN   

its when their aggression and mistakes then involves the    unfortunate's  they leave behind 

why do idiots indicate(not some  bmw or audi)     Left on a roundabout whilst driving around it !!!!

well  its raining 

Pete

 

 

[dougbgt6]

35 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

why do idiots indicate(not some  bmw or audi)     Left on a roundabout whilst driving around it !!!!

You’re ‘sposed to indicate left as you turn off a roundabout, NOBODY does around here! 😡

Indicators are an extra on BMWs and Audis as most owners are excused use.

db

[68vitesse]

9 minutes ago, dougbgt6 said:

You’re ‘sposed to indicate left as you turn off a roundabout, NOBODY does around here! 😡

Indicators are an extra on BMWs and Audis as most owners are excused use.

db

I drive an Audi, always wondered what the left stalk was for.

Fitted a servo, to reduce the required pedal force, to the Vitesse as cars pulling out off side roads was causing a brown trouser problem.

Regards

Paul

[Pete Lewis]

39 minutes ago, dougbgt6 said:

You’re ‘sposed to indicate left as you turn off a roundabout, NOBODY does around here!

some one must teach them to do it as if you have brain it makes no sense unless you want to torpedo someone who thinks i can pull out as they are turning off here

no there .  no round a bit , keep guessing ,    dont move till you see the whites og the eyes or a twitch of the steering wheel 

but someone tells them to  they cant work it out for themselves .............can they ??

[poppyman]

The worse drivers around here are the type who have multiple overcoats on and wear a flat cap.... And that is in the summer... No indicators, 30mph (everywhere) pull out and stop in the middle of the road. Never had an accident in their lives, but have seen hundreds...... I live near a very large garden centre though...... It seems to attract them  

Tony.

[Chris A]

27 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

some one must teach them to do it as if you have brain it makes no sense unless you want to torpedo someone who thinks i can pull out as they are turning off here

no there .  no round a bit , keep guessing ,    dont move till you see the whites og the eyes or a twitch of the steering wheel 

but someone tells them to  they cant work it out for themselves .............can they ??

My driving instructor told me to watch the wheels they gave the true intention.

He also said the car to pay attention to was the one in front of the one behind. 😱

[Colin Lindsay]

Round here the norm is: "if you don't look at them they don't exist". Drive out in front of someone, cut in front of them, park and abandon your car in the town centre - but if you don't look at the car behind, or catch the eye of the driver, it didn't happen.

We also have the cheery wave - usually female, give the other driver a smile and a wave, or look exasperated, and that pays for all, no matter how dangerous or careless the manoeuvre you've just done.

 

[Jeffds1360]

It's a sad sad situation,  so many ignorant and/or brain dead drivers on the road. Maybe an annual reassessment could be introduced for those drivers who are logged as regularly causing a hazard. Maybe recognised clubs and e.g. AA members could report miscreants to a central database.... jobs for the boys??? ! 

Bit far fetched but is needed.

I have also noticed a great variation in other drivers actions depending on which car I am driving. When I had the Celics GT4's it was most unusual for anyone to pull out of a side street or roundabout in front of me! In the Honda, the Kia or the Hyundai it happens regularly. However.... in the Herald it is very rare! They wait and pull out behind..... to have a close look! Dabbling of brakes is often required!!.

[JohnD]

You think things are bad here?    You must have watched a dashcam video or two?     Those from the UK don't rise above the 'Tsk, tsk' level, ad people behave badly or thoughtlessly.   Watch a Russian one!!!!

There's a phrase used in air accident analysis "controlled flight into ground" as the crew, asleep, unconscious or chatting up the cabin crew, ignore all alarms and the obvious hazards.     That's Russian drivers.     Oblivious through drink, drugs or Slavic fatalism, they drive at great speed onto the face of calamity, and take no action.   They don't steer or brake, just crash.   And occasionally if the incident has women them up enough without incapacitating them, jump.out and pull a gun on the other driver.

It different world up there, Ivan Ivanovich!

[Pete Lewis]

4 hours ago, poppyman said:

garden centre though...... It seems to attract them

just been to one  no plants but good fish and chips + apple crumble   ....escaped !!!

I took me coat off

Pete

[poppyman]

10 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

just been to one  no plants but good fish and chips + apple crumble   ....escaped !!!

I took me coat off

Pete

What about the flat cap though??

Tony.

[Paulfc]

I’ve claimed for years that other driver’s attitude changed towards me depending which of our “moderns” (BMW 5 Series or Corsa) I was driving. My wife maintains it's paranoia. 

[Colin Lindsay]

2 hours ago, JohnD said:

    Those from the UK don't rise above the 'Tsk, tsk' level, ad people behave badly or thoughtlessly.   

If only their language stayed at that level... 

Joseph Wambaugh wrote a series of American Cop books back in the day, one of his sayings was that American Cops tend to sprinkle their conversations with the F-word, the more excited they get, the more they use it, and eventually in moments of real stress or danger they throw away all the other words and just use it repeatedly. It must be one of the conditions of having a dashcam in the UK.

[JohnD]

It's not just Americans (who also love "mother" and they don't mean the Alma mater!)

Russian dashcam transcripts:  https://twitter.com/DashcamDialogs

NB VERY strong langauge!

[Iain T]

I'm a BMW driver and after I've finished looking at the turbo boost dial, fiddling' with the 'tinternet thingys, twiddling' with the ride controls and shouting at the insane sat nav I quite often look out of the windows to see what other drivers are doing...😇😂

I think most who drive older cars have a totally different view on modern day driving. It does change your technique when you can't stop or swerve......

[Steve P]

We seem to have hundreds of Uber clowns around here in their hateful Prius hair dryers,never indicate,park anywhere they like between jobs,and normally have no idea how to drive or where they are going,just rely on the i-phone clamped in its holder in their line of sight.

S

[Pete Lewis]

2 hours ago, poppyman said:

What about the flat cap though??

I had a flat cap when i had a rusty herald in 1966 called it my herald hat

not worn one since , its still lurking in a drawer somewhere  

might get it out for olde tymes sake but lack of hair might ned some gaffer tape 

Pete

[Anglefire]

I wear generally a flat cap when driving my Spitfire. Helps keep the sun or wind off my bonce. 

Gratuitous picture attached

 

 

 

[poppyman]

42 minutes ago, Anglefire said:

I wear generally a flat cap when driving my Spitfire. Helps keep the sun or wind off my bonce. 

Gratuitous picture attached

 

 

 

The wearing of a flat cap when sunny, A pal says it stops his head looking like a "baboon's arse"

Tony.

[Colin Lindsay]

That, believe it or not, is my ideal vision of my future, or so I've been telling people for years. An old codger in a flat cap, driving a convertible Herald with the top down, doing 40 on country roads with a string of traffic held up behind me.

I'm getting there, slowly...

[Anglefire]

To be fair, I don't drive at 40 on the country lanes - nearer 60 when legal to do so.........

[thescrapman]

I think part of the problem is that people think Triumphs are slow like most other classics.

Little do they know... 🙂