To think that people judge your driving based on what car you drive?

[PointyLittleDonkeyEars]

I drive a 10yo Rover 45. For some reason, people assume that I

1. Will never, ever, ever want to overtake and quite enjoy sitting behind a Tesco lorry at 45 mph

2. Must be in the outside lane of the dual carriageway because I like the view, therefore undertaking me is OK even when I'm overtaking a whopping artic

3. Must be quintessentially terrified of any bit of road that has a bend in it, so will slow down to 2 mph on all bends, so overtaking me on a bend is fine?

Should I get myself a speeding ticket just to prove that I'm not a geriatric snail? (I know where the cameras are...) I could tape it to the inside of a rear window.

People pull out in front of me a lot.

I drive an old navy vw caravelle. I bet if I was driving a shiny red sports car (and doing the same speed) not so many people would pull out in front of me.

I had the same when I had my rover 400, I have to admit to leaving a boy racer in a kitted up Corsa for dust at the lights after he sat next to me revving the knackers off the poor car waiting for the lights to change. He hadnt reckoned on me being a 1.6 and him still only being a 1.2 despite the bodykit

But YANBU, and I think we are all guilty of it on occasion.

YANBU. I've recently got an Audi (DP's choice!) & people assume i'm a twat and move out of my way whether I'm speeding or not

Thing is, my car is actually really suited to being thrown around a bit enjoyable driving with some speed involved. It's a 1.8 so enough oomph, and it has that really great road holding that means you can throw it around bends (when your DCs aren't in the car with you)

DH doesn't drive, so cars will always be my choice .

I alternate between my focus and MILs pink battered toyota corolla. I definitely notice a difference in people's expectations of my driving depending on which one I'm in. MIL drives a brand new Kompressor at 25mph with a look of terror on her face! I think she's expected to be faster/more confident!

I used to when I lived in the UK. Especially disliked 2CVs. I have a Hummer here but fuel is free and it is essential for the roads and hazards here. I do have a fantasy where I take it back and simply drive over a 2CV (parked and empty obviously)

not sure
I drive an Audi A6, I think some men are impressed and think I'm a competent confident driver, and some men think I am a stupid blonde housewife who should let my husband get back in his car

not sure what the women expect

I drive a 15 year old corsa and get similar judgements. To be honest though I find myself doing it too. If I see someone driving something that resembles a washing machine I assume they cant drive fast. Similarly if I see a man driving a spotless shiny Range Rover, Audi or BMW I assume they are going to drive like a knob.

I think people definitely do judge. I changed my car fairly recently from a mid sized MPV - it was actually a 2 litre petrol turbo and was a wolf in sheep's clothing. I got ignored most of the time. Now I drive a big, black, fuck off Range Rover Sport and men either try to race me as the traffic lights change or intimate what they would like to do to me in the car I am staggered at the difference.

I never tire of the surprised looks I get when I get clocked in the 'Prumobile. Its a stealth beast and I think I'm the last sort of person the reps on the M1 expect to see behind the wheel.

Also, the majority of people wouldn't realise how rediculously powerful it is, there's no tinsel or after market fripperies on it to give it away and no one would have any idea its chipped to 340 bhp until they see me disappear in front of them. I heart it.

I drive my "chelsea tractor" most of the time and definately get judged. I actively avoid going out when it is school run time, as I have no school age kids, and get as irritated with the mothers at the school who just park wherever they feel like it, and no bugger will give way for me as they assume I am one of them!

My husband has classic cars, and I find it really embarassing going out in them because people just stare... husband loves it, but I just feel like we are in a goldfish bowl.

I get similar, witherhills

People definitely judge you by your car. My little pootling car is a little suzuki ignis now. I get let out from side roads and expected to pootle about in it, on the motorway I get overtaken all the time and no one would ever get out of it's way.

DH has a BMW 318 M Sport plus tourer. No one ever lets me out of side roads (other Bm's and Audis excepted) in it, but they do get out of the way on the motorway. I think people expect BMW = twat. So now I drive like that in it.

The difference in the people's behaviour is staggering.

when I drive my cute little girly car I can creep along at 10MPH looking for my turning and everyone waits patiently behind me and lets me out etc. The world is generally nice to me and people thank me for letting them go and always let me go..

when I drive DH's bigger car I get beeped to hurry up if I do 29 in a 30, or if I don't go the second BEFORE the lights turn amber. So much road rage! I don't understand why at first till I remeber I've switched cars. An I cannot get a space to pull out onto a busy road, noone lets me go

My driving instructor has had much hilarity over the last couple of months when men people look gobsmacked at me overtaking them in a driving school Corsa, particularly on the motorway.

Wallace, I get the same in my metallic blue one - they assume I'm slow when actually a rear-engine car will be quicker off the lights any day (we'll ignore the 0-30 in three minutes side of things)

I regularly look and when people pull out in front of me. How the fuckity fuck do you not see or hear a 40 year old bright green VW Beetle with a hole in the exhaust coming at you round a roundabout?!

We get the same in our split screen van, people pull right out in front of us, not thinking that a 1966 car will not be able to stop as quickly as a modern car, so stupid.

Drum brakes, Trixy? I'm still on them, cba to upgrade because the work perfectly well as long as I pay attention

DP used to have a splittie. With a 2332cc engine in. And air ride suspension. He got some looks in that, too

One day, your turn will come little Beetle

We have the same car as Withers, and I thibk it creates one of two impressions.

1. Scruffy middle class mum with dogs in boot etc etc. It is a big car though and I have had compliments on my parking etc, which is very sexist really as no-one comments when DH drives!
2. Twat, as I know many people hate Audis.

DH went and picked up another car last night, a vw golf that he is going to convert to electric as a work run around...god knows what impression that'll create!

I have no idea what people assume I'll be like. Nobody has ever said.

I drive a hyundai santa fe - any thoughts?

I do suspect that people think I'm a shit driver though. The previous owner of the car couldn't park for toffee, clearly, as even though the damn thing has all manner of beepy parking thingies, she managed to scratch it to fuck.

I take every possible opportunity to tell people the car was scratched all over before I bought it

DH had a sports car, I never noticed the difference that other road users had towards little cars like mine, until I used his car. Everyone used to let me out, it was great. I enjoy my little car (easier to park) but I do notice people are more aggressive towards me in it.

oh, meant to say that, because it's a big car, people don't tend to pull the crap they'd pull if you were in a little car. so I don't really get a lot of cutting me up etc.

YABU

I judge your driving based on what you do with your car.

I have yet to meet a Mercedes S class driver who can actually drive. They are all in their seventies and look shitless of scratching it or drive like they're holding their prostates. They should give it to me - I'd show them how to drive a car like that