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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

When you're stopped in front at traffic lights, why does the car level with you want to race you when the lights go green?

24 replies

wishingchairagain · 05/05/2011 17:33

Do people feel inadequate when the car level with them is going faster? This really makes me laugh, particularly when it's someone in a tiny banger of a car that is doing the racing, face all strained and determined. I feel like shouting at them "I'm not having a competition you twat, my car is just more powerful and picks up speed faster". I am quite happy to "lose" by the way, and keep a safe driving speed.

Why do people do it? Or is it just my town that is full of such twats?

OP posts:

YankNCock · 05/05/2011 17:34

I think they have nothing else to live for.

Faithless12 · 05/05/2011 17:36

See I hate the people who get in the wrong lane to then do this and cut you up in the process. People are always surprised at how fast the prius goes it's quite scary how fast it gets to 30.

lynehamrose · 05/05/2011 17:36

Why does it bother you that your car is more powerful? Does it really matter?

peppapighastakenovermylife · 05/05/2011 17:38

Are you sure they are racing you rather than it really being you who is bothered?

Goblinchild · 05/05/2011 17:38

Is it universal, or just male drivers you have observed?

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 05/05/2011 17:41

I've seen this, usually with young, male drivers when I'm in the midlife crisis car MX5 (a two-seat convertible - mine is 12 years old). Doesn't happen when I'm driving the Focus.

Bogeyface · 05/05/2011 17:45

I think it is a need in a certain type of person to be infront just in case you do something outrageous like drive at the speed limit! My ex in particular always hated being in a line of traffic, he would always have to be at the front of the line if he could.

THere is a particular set of lights near us where it goes from 2 lanes to 1 after the lights and there is always a race there. My personal best was a bunch of lads in a hot hatch revving up and looking over at me in my MASSIVE people carrier full of kids, ready to burn me off.

But I had a 3 litre turbo something or other, and I just accelerated, ok so maybe a leeetle bit faster than normal but not much, and left them for dead :o Normally I wouldnt bother but that day I just got the devil in me!

Original poster

wishingchairagain · 05/05/2011 17:51

Goblinchild Always a male. Just once it was a female but while stopped she switched her radio on, music blaring away to the next county, so I put my windows up. This seemed to enrage her .

lynhamrose It doesn't bother me, did I say so?

peppapig Yes I'm sure, it looks quite obvious!

Bogey at left them for dead.

OP posts:

NoCarbsBeforeMarbs · 05/05/2011 18:40

It doesn't happen to me, wearing my specs in my Megane, with my DS (4) upfront.

Happens to my dad in his Honda Civic, and XH in his Mini Cooper S.

Think it depends on what you're driving tbh.

nijinsky · 06/05/2011 14:38

I would love to buy a BMW. They are German, well built cars and I suspect the diesel ones are more reliable than the equivalent Mercedes. But they are invariably driven by twats. Especially since I've been paying more attention to them. And yes, they do try to race you at traffic lights. Even although I always drive off fairly steadily, I'm driving an auto 3.2 litre engined car and they end up embarrassing themselves. Even the salesman was a twat and tried to race someone at the traffic lights while demonstrating the car. Put me right off.

nijinsky · 06/05/2011 14:38

My apologies to any nice, calm BMW drivers. You just don't live around me.

florencedougal · 06/05/2011 14:42

why do you feel like shouting anything? I just ignore them and let the race away

shrugs

KaraStarbuckThrace · 06/05/2011 14:44

Nijinski - DH has a 3 series BMW estate, diesel and it is the high powered one that goes like shit on a stick.
No offence taken, DH does drive mostly sensibly. Although we do like to wind up the barries in their shitbox modified clios/novas/corsas by beating them off the lights in what looks like an old man's car
Especially when they are sitting madly revving their engines, where as we're sitting their with the engine off (it has a fuel saving auto start thingummy that stops the engine when you stop the car and put it in neutral, and turns it on again when you touch the clutch)

nijinsky · 06/05/2011 14:46

"Nijinski - DH has a 3 series BMW estate, diesel and it is the high powered one that goes like shit on a stick."

Thats my point. They think they do. But they are always still really slow. They just think their car is magically going to double its engine size because of them driving it. Are 3 series not superminis?

Nancy66 · 06/05/2011 14:53

Because they're twats.

The same people who, when two lanes are merging into one, will do anything to get ahead of you

KaraStarbuckThrace · 06/05/2011 15:01

Nijinski - I think YOU misunderstand.
3 series are NOT superminis - they are astra/focus sized.
And yes it is the high powered version. However the ones you encountered probably have the standard engine.

IgnoringTheChildren · 06/05/2011 15:06

Umm, sometimes my DH does this - but he's not trying to race you! It's mostly because he normally rides a motorbike (not a really sporty, powerful one and he doesn't ride it like a twat either) and he finds driving the car a bit frustrating if he doesn't get to accelerate quickly and drive at the speed limit. He particularly doesn't like being stuck behind an annoying twunt who isn't really paying attention and lets their speed drift between 30-37 mph in a 40mph zone but then speeds up to do 40mph in the 30pmh zone...

Anyway he will therefore take any safe opportunity to pass other cars (unless he's absolutely convinced that you aren't driving in a way which will annoy him!) in order to be able to drive in a smooth, within the speed limits and non-sweary fashion but he really isn't racing you! I, on the other hand, will happily sit in the car behind you and turn the air blue if your driving isn't to my liking.

JamieAgain · 06/05/2011 15:08

Because they have a little penis. Except IgnoringTheChildren's DH. And Bogey

ExitPursuedByALamb · 06/05/2011 15:09

Car rage

BatFlattery · 06/05/2011 15:11

Nijinsky - 3 series are not superminis, they are family-sized saloons!

My impression is that most of the ex-BMW nobs are now driving Audis, so BMWs can now be owned by the rest of us...

JamieAgain · 06/05/2011 15:13

A milk float could get off the blocks faster than our Camper Van, so I have a little smug chuckle to myself at the wasted energy of the who get all bulgy-veined about racing.

JamieAgain · 06/05/2011 15:13

people who

Gentleness · 06/05/2011 15:37

If it is a really slow driver that you've been stuck behind in the outside lane because they don't have the brains to realise they should just move over - then anyone would be perfectly reasonable to use the opportunity of the lights to get past them.

Isn't it just normal to want to get on at a reasonable speed? Race or not, I can't see the point of hanging back...

(oh and don't even start me on BMW drivers who think they have no need to follow basic courtesies in driving or parking)

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 06/05/2011 16:13

I do it because it's fun and I'm a bit of a twat.

OldLady the young, male drivers in mine

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