To think women are perfectly capable of driving and parking "big cars"?

[Kingcyrolophosarus]

and to hate the casual sexism from male garage workers

Took car to the garage, patronising young guy " would you like me to reverse that out for you?"
No thanks, I've been driving since you were in nappies mate. I've had this car for 5 years, it belongs to me, not my husband. I know how to look after the engine, I know what tyres it takes, and I can fit those tyres by myself

Car hire guy when I was changing a car( for price reasons) "is it too big for you, can't you park it?"

Tyre garage guy
" ooh these are really expensive" proceeds to quote 30% extra
Er, you really think I don't know how much they cost?
I'll go to a garage that doesn't assume I'm stupid thank you

[PigeonPie]

AudrinaAdare, Steve held a sort of seminar / consultation for some friends and DH and me before the book was published to see what we thought of it. We were all petrolheads interested in driving and were able to make comments about what he was saying. Great fun those were the days - pre children!

[Glitterknickaz]

I've driven large cars, even drove a long wheel base van for work.
The only vehicle I have had an issue with reversing is our bloody sharan (current family car). I have no idea why but the arse end is never where you think it is. Despite it being big and square it just defies all logic and laws of physics.

As I say can do it all in my large citroen, have also driven a Shogun and as I said long wheel base Movano van but I just can't do this one. It's bizarre.

[trixymalixy]

bling are you my sister? that sounds exactly like the kind of thing my Dad would have made me do!

laqueen the cool older brother school of motoring sounds much better to me!

[trixymalixy]

bling are you my sister? that sounds exactly like the kind of thing my Dad would have made me do!

laqueen the cool older brother school of motoring sounds much better to me!

[EmmaNemms]

I drive a 4x4 as i live in the sticks but can't say I am a great driver. I don't like getting it into small spaces but have had no accidents as I drive quite cautiously. But not at 30mph in a 50 limit for example. Generally, I fit the negative stereotype of women drivers. Sorry about that.

[ArbitraryUsername]

I know how to add screen wash. I just don't bother and let DH do it, because otherwise it'll migrate to being 'my job' and I'm fed up with jobs creeping my way over time. I get the garage to do everything else because I can't be bothered and neither can DH.

Other than the parallel/reverse parking issue, I am a much better driver than DH. Even the PILs say so. And I am brilliant at navigatating and map reading, and generally remembering how to get places even when I've only been once before (none of which DH can do; seriously, we've lived in this city for 2 years now and he still requires directions to get to places we go all the time). Our 3 year old is better at navigating round this city than DH. I am also much better at parking in supermarket car parks than him (I can drive in, reverse out but not the other way around).

[flyingspaghettimonster]

I parallel parked the other day for only the second time in nearly 3 years of driving. I was so proud of myself I almost danced on the pavement. I promptly went home and reversed into our garage, for the first time ever.

I am utter shit at such things, and I have a regular sized car. Cannot even imagine trying with a large car. I also do not know how to change oil, tyre or heck, even windscreen cleaner fluid.

[ShallIJustShutUpThen]

Well, I can't park or drive 'big cars'. I had to drive a massive car for work once and I was in a state of utter panic trying to park it.

You know that stereotype of woman driver with no spatial awareness? That's me they are talking about.

It isn't like I'm a pathetic little woman who can do nothing but I can't handle a big car.

[Beamur]

I drive the 'big' car and it's not an easy car to park, but I usually manage it, although there are some places that I won't try to get it in.
DP usually drives our smaller car and on the occasions I drive it, it amazes me how easy it is to manoevre!
I've not had a crash that was my fault since passing my test.

[FryOneFatManic]

I actually like driving. In fact, DD reckons I was humming louder the faster we got on the motorway on Saturday. I can check oil and check other stuff. Not so good at changing tyres, but I think I'll be looking at a quick 4 week course at the local college, if they still do it, that covers these basic things.

So far the only accident I had was a small shunt on black ice one Xmas. Otherwise there have been two accidents to my car, both caused by blokes reversing into the side, once when I was nowhere near the car. No points on the licence, the family members who have are all male.

[smilingthroughgrittedteeth]

We once went to a big family event, my nan (who is not old and doddery in any way and this is going back about 5yrs) was driving because my grandad had, had a drink, I was driving my mum, aunt and cousins home and was behind dn and dg and dp and uncle were in the car in front of them.

My nan hit the wing mirror of every car parked at the side of the road and then "forgot" to brake at traffic lights and went into the back of my dp's car thankfully no injuries or damage we had to leave their car there and drive everyone home, then DP and I only people apart from nan who hadn't been drinking had to drop his car home and go and pick theirs up, drop it back to them and drive home again because grandad was worried about leaving it over night.

To this day dn swears it was my dp's fault for stopping suddenly and doesn't understand why no one will get in the car with her!

My mum, aunt and I all drive 4x4's, horse boxes, vans etc taught by my grandad who was a lorry driver and a driving instructor, he refused to teach my nan because he said some people just aren't born to drive

[Poledra]

That seems perfectly reasonable to me Zombie

Not that I once jumped out of my car to press the access button on the gate for one of my company's offices and looked round to see my car rolling backwards into the road, oh no. Wasn't me And I think the security guys might have finally deleted the CCTV footage by now

[ArielThePiraticalMermaid]

My mum did that.

[ZombiesAreClammyDodgers]

I met someone who ran over her own foot because she failed to put the handbrake on and it rolled over her foot when she had got out

[Xenia]

I've never had a crash since I passed my test at 17. We have fewer accidents. We are the better drivers.

This is funny though

[ThinkAboutItTomorrow]

LaQueen - i contest the shit driver award....i failed my test many times but by far the most crushing was the time i forgot to start the car. Coasted down the hill and then got to the main road turning at the bottom and couldn't figure out why i was getting no traction on the accelerator. Sick to the stomach doesn't even begin to describe how i felt as i realised what i'd done. The tester said i should do the test anyway, 'as good practice'. A truly miserable hour.

Never sure which was worse, failing in the first 30 seconds or the time i crashed about 500m from the test centre on the way back. "you had passed up until then, but i'm afraid contact with another vehicle has to be an automatic fail"

[Sparklingbrook]

[MoelFammau]

YANBU. I love driving big trucks around. Have taken 7.5t trucks across Europe. Yet the PATRONISING comments from garage mechanics about reversing a bloody car... my DH is a lousy driver but never gets the shit I get.

[DinosaurSchool]

I must admit that when I heard Bradley Wiggins had been hit by a woman driving a white van my heart sank as it plays straight into this stupid stereotype.

[Poledra]

Queen, any size of car can be problem for you, not just big ones. A few years ago, when I was looking for a new company car, one of the cars on the list was a VW Golf (think it was the Mark 4). I just could not get that car in a comfortable driving position - I'm 5'10" with long legs, and if I had the seat back far enough for my legs, I was stretching for the wheel. Shame, as it was a nice car.

[Poledra]

God, I love multi-storey carparks! At the last place I worked, you could get a fabulous tyre squeal going round the corners even at a nice safe speed if you swung the wheel tight . My boss's office was near to the car park and he said he always knew when I was on the way in...

I have to admit, my parallel parking skills have deteriorated over the years. We used to live in London with on-street parking and I was ace at parking. Now, I don't have to do it so often so take a bit more time over it. Still wouldn't not do it though.

DH cannot drive, but does have better spatial awareness than me - when I do have to parallel park, I'll often ask DH if he reckons I can fit the bus into the space

[Queenofsiburbia]

I know I'm a good driver. I'm not a stereotypical cautious slow woman driver but yet never had an accident in 10+ years of driving & just 3 points last year. I'm much more observant than husband.

I drive husband's automatic estate, farm trucks etc, but recently bought a manual estate (upgrade from polo!) and am so disappointed by how impossible it's been to get a good seat position. I'm small; 5'2", and it's impossible to depress clutch, touch brake, adjust steering wheel etc to make it driveable. I know that I'm not only uncomfirtable but also dangerous. Having to sell it after just 2 weeks!

If large cars are hard for some women to drive I think that's because they are designed for an average height man -not exactly our fault!!! Sitting with everything maxed out restricts movement & ability to see properly (at roundabouts for eg).

I'm hoping to get behind a disco next but will try it out first this time!!!

[WineGoggles]

YANBU. I can reverse into parking spaces whether I'm driving my little car or the pick-up truck. Only difference is the visibility is worse in the truck and I have to rely solely on the wing mirrors. I can also reverse the truck into my drive, making 4 wiggly maneuvers and placing it exactly where I want [feeling rather pleased with myself]. But I think it's all down to being taught how to park and being able to practice in an no pressure environment. Oh, and I've passed my advanced driving test, so sod all those who say "women can't drive". And can reverse a trailer.

I would urge anyone who has difficulty with parking to have a lesson to learn how to do it rather than feed the stereotype.