to take the piss out of 4x4s

[JoanBias]

Picked dd up from school today, she pointed at I think a Landrover Freelander (I'm not an expert) in the car park, and said 'why is that there?'

I said 'maybe they're a farmer'.

Said vehicle had clearly been the subject of regular waxing, leather interior, and so on and looked the shiniest vehicle in the car park, so this was obviously not the case, certainly not in this area.

DD said 'maybe they built that building there?'

'Maybe', I said.

I could say 'because some people make inappropriate and antisocial car choices'.

But taking the piss seems better?

There's an assumption again; that I drive my car in order to look big and important. I don't. But as I said, I don't feel the need to justify myself to you or anybody else. My car is legal, taxed and allowed to be on the road. Just as yours probably is.

Genuine reason for large vehicle = I just want it and I'm prepared to pay higher road tax for it

Good enough for me

"Doing an awareness course won't help me see through a large vehicle." Nope, it wouldn't. But it might help you read the road a little better so that your view doesn't get so badly obscured. Hth

How do you tell by looking which vehicle is needed and which vehicle is to look big and important?

My car is a working car that is also used for the school run and swimming practice and brownies. How can you possible know what I get up to when I'm not loitering in the parish hall car park or outside of school?

Oh you ride a bike. Maybe you're a paperboy???

Heard that before.

Doesn't bother me.

Nothing wrong with paperboys.

What I mean is, yes, there are always ways to improve ones driving but if people used vehicles that were an appropriate size - as small as possible really - and didn't impact on other road users without good reason (ambulances are fine, delivery trucks are fine, etc etc) then it would generally I think make driving safer for all of us.

Well you'd just love our mahoosive American van. 4 litre, 4 wheel drive (all wheel drive). It's fitted with LPG so more economical but guess what, I don't feel guilty when we use it as I always recycle and try to walk most places. It's absolutely great in the snow but I wonder how many people we've pissed off by using it even just found the doors. Not that I give a flying shit

I also have to agree with the post that mentions people moaning about 4x4's then using them to tow their car if it's stuck.

"I don't have to justify myself to anybody, least of all not some twat who makes sweeping assumptions about children based on the car their parents drive. "

If you genuinely don't judge others by their choices, fair point. However, if you point out a man with a big medallion and tats as chavvy, I feel it is pots and kettles. And there is something incredibly selfish (not to mention crass) about big 4x4s (like RRs) as they do block congested roads. If they had no effect on anyone else, fair enough to ask people not to be judgmental, but they do, especially in an area with lots of them.

In fairness one of the reasons I have a big blacked out motor is so i can drive annonymously without people ramming me off the road because I am a girl in a small car which happened almost every day I had a shitocar. I appreciate that driving in the ME is different but I still like the feeling of being high up when I am in the UK. On our rare visits we usually hire a RR or similar because there are some utter wankers on the UK roads as well, especially you charmers who scratch cars who make you jealous.

My last car was a Freelander - it was smaller and more economical than the VW Sharan I now have (3rd dc). I miss having a 4x4 - we live at the top of a steep hill and getting out in the snow is impossible and I have occasion to go off road fairly regularly as I have friends and family that live on a farm/down a dirt track with lots of huge potholes/down narrow, overgrown, not properly surfaced road. I do think it's a bit shit/pointless to have one to drive around town, but hey ho, no point getting in a tizz about it really.

I would be very interested to see any evidence which suggests any 4x4 on the road makes the roads less safe Eds.

As far as I'm aware, serious and fatal RTAs have been reducing pretty much year on year for the last couple of decades. Interesting correlation with the increased popularity of the larger SUVs.

You have no idea what our 4x4 is used for but because it drives around cities, isn't covered in mud and a whole load of other assumptions,you believe it is unnecessary, the drive is stupid and my DCS are spoilt brats.

Whatever!

Honestly, if someone said: "oh look at those poor children in that old banger, they must starve at home" you would be (rightly) outraged.

How nasty is it to call children brats just because their parent drives a 4x4? This has fuck all to do with environmental conscience, road safety or social awareness, it's just PETTY and PATHETIC!

I have no idea what your reasons are, Rinders - I didn't say that was your reason. (not sure if you said that though?)

Similarly WearingGreen, that's your business.

Some people do drive these huge monstrosities to look cool. They have said so. I don't think that's very public spirited.

I wish people wouldn't read personal insinuations or attacks into posts that are generically based. I am so fed up of having to explain that I'm not talking about 'YOU' (generic) because I'm not stupid enough to think that I know your personal reasons for having your car.

It's just a viewpoint.

and Rinders, thanks, but I don't think I need help to drive properly or safely. I just would PREFER it if my driving was made safer by people having only the scale of vehicle they need, and people who were buying massive cars for the sake of it spared a thought for those of us who can't see past them.

Larry, I actually dislike the term 'chavvy', so I might judge you for using it. However, you shouldn't feel the need to justify yourself to me for using it

So ed, because you're shit at driving that's the fault of big 4x4's?

I have no evidence and I don't know how, statistically, the popularity of SUVs correlates with reported accidents.

No idea at all.

All I am going on is my own experiences of trying to manoeuvre safely in the presence of very large vehicles like these. And how bloody difficult it is.

How, by looking at a car, do you know whether it is unnessecary? Are you mind readers?

At some point the size of cars in cities will have to be regulated. There are already many areas brought to a halt in rush hour by large SUVs. What on earth do they do at the 6'6 width restrictions?

In SW London, there are clearly far too many. On a selfish level, some of them are nice cars to drive and be driven in. However, they do have a crassness and selfishness value that I could never embrace, especially those with tinted windows.

People have a right to drive what they want, but that has to be balanced against the effect on everyone else.

Anyone who believes that large SUVs are statistically significant in road accidents lives in certain VERY sheltered areas of London and the home counties. They are just too expensive to have any statistical impact.

Oh for fucks sake.

I'm not shit at driving. I've never had an accident, well I reversed slightly bumping into a sapling once at 2mph a few years ago.

And I've just explained my reasoning Everlong, I hope you can understand the subtle difference between it and what you're telling me I mean.

Please bear in mind I haven't said anything offensive on this thread nor have I made any assumptions about people's individual reasons for driving large cars.

SOME people drive them to be swanky - they have said so.
Many people don't.

Perhaps Larry. But how do you police that? I have one car, a big 4x4. I use it predominately in the country, which is where I live. But on occasion I venture into London or other cities and sometimes I will actually need to take the car & not use public transport, due to various reasons.

Good posts Larry. I agree with you on pretty much all of that, well, the bits that are within my scope of knowledge - yours goes beyond mine though.

I'm only going on personal experience.

I can't believe someone called me a shit driver!

Rinder,

Width restrictions. I guess you could get around (well, more through) those with a Hummer.