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

Never had a problem with big cars, I drive Volvo estates which are not that big but pretty long though they are very easy to park and reverse due to their great turning circle and good all round visibility, likewise I can handle my bikes as good as any regardless of their engine size or weight.

Mc Christmas, Volvo T5s are not exactly slow and need a great deal of respect for what some think are lumbering old land barges.

it wasn't the car, it was a lovely car. But i couldn't drive it.

i would love a V70 :)

I'm car savvy too and can park in tiny spaces. I used to be married to a sexist know all so I taught myself to avoid fitting in with his ridiculous stereotypes. Still get comments when I park as if its a big de to own a vagina and park well

V70s are class especially with the T6 engine, I still drive my old T5 wagon R which I bought in derestricted form, it is very hard on front tyres.

Drove an Aston Martin for my birthday treat. The bloke who taught me said just start out as if you were pottering to the shops.
Cunt

Ledkr I drove an Aston for my birthday too!

The guy that took me round was tearing his hair out because I wouldnt go fast enough! He kept saying "put your foot down!!" but I didnt want to drive fast, I wanted to enjoy the car and there wasnt enough time :(

I used to drive a 6.6 ltr monster truck that was specially imported from the states (it was a work thing) it literally took up 4 parking spaces at the supermarket as it was so long and wide. I took great pleasure from whizzing it into the tiniest / narrowest space then climbing out with panache.

I now drive a punto. I cannot park that bastard for love nor money in the back lane. Its like a mental block I have. No idea why!

Re: parallel parking not being on the driving test 20 years ago, I think this might be an excuse for finding parallel parking difficult just after the test, but given 20 years of practice, surely it should be possible?

YANBU. I prefer driving big cars and I can park much better than DH.

bling I went to the scary dad school of driving too!!!

My first lesson in a car was in a disused quarry and my dad had me doing figure of eights in reverse round a couple of tall plant things. Lesson no 2 was driving up a very steep windy hill and reversing back down it and vice versa!!

I'd love to drive an Aston

I did get to drive an for my birthday last year though which was awesome - the instructor said I was a natural and marked me 9/10

YANBU. I'm a great driver.
Funny how male drivers never get a bad rap.
There are some clueless female drivers though who queer the pitch for the others.

I can only reverse big cars. I had to sit my test in a Jeep Grand Cherokee, because I couldn't drive those small cars the instructors tend to have. I got no faults at all in my driving test and reverse park it often. I like a car you can see the front and the back of. I also drive a Renault Master van, long wheelbase. But I'm pretty sure I'd struggle with driving a Punto or similar. I just ignore men who try to give me reversing directions and concentrate on the maneovure. It makes them feel pretty stupid...

Perfectly capable should of seen the looks I used to get when towing my caravan amount of people who have said I couldn't do it is ridiculous you never know until you try, I find it harder to reverse a little car.

Trixy: that sounds even more hectic. Although I think my dad would have loved a few plants to make me manoeuvre round!!

Lesson no 3 was driving on a road where there was a drop into the sea on one side. My Mum was in the car, she booked me some proper lessons

Thats a great idea trixy! If everyone had to do that as part of lessons there'd be no reason to be worried about reversing in Sainsburys.

I don't usually get all that crap.

Maybe because I drive a VW Golf GTI (ex was responsible for the purchase, though).

Or maybe because I have a no nonsense attitude.

In fact, the last time I went to a garage to replace a broken side mirror, they didn't even charge me for the work. :)

I am actually much better in a big car than in a smaller one.

Comes from learning to drive in an old road monster and driving the farm trucks/tractor since I was 12ish I assume.

The only time I have had problems parking a car was in a friend's little 2 door. For some reason I just couldn't get a sense of the smaller body.

YANBU as I am a fab parker of our old Previa. I get tamping mad when people, actually men do that stupid arm helicopter thingy supposedly indicating whiich way to turn the wheel grrrrrr

I had no trouble at all parking a Sedona and a double cab pick up with a back on, but really struggled to park a smart forfour. The car I have had for almost 5 years has a huge turning circle and is a bugger to park, even if you can swing in forwards.

But after 2 years driving through Bath on a route filled with private schools I found that the Chelsea-tractor myth was actually based on fact, and got really fed up with the number of women driving huge cars who clearly could neither drive nor park properly.

There is no biological reason why woman can't drive/park big cars, but there are an awful lot of them out there who clearly can't. (and an equal number who believe their Micra/ Ka/ Picanto is the size of a Sherman Tank and drive accordingly)

AudrinaAdare - my claim to fame is that I was involved, in a minor way, with Steve on the content of Mind Driving (I'm a bit of a petrol head).

I will probably contribute to the rest of the thread once I've read it!

Yy, I'm sure if the nation had been through the scary dad school of driving, everyone would be much better drivers .

YANBU. I went to test drive a car recently and the dealer gave the key to my male companion. I made a grrr comment as I took it off him & did not buy the car, because he was generally an ejit. I happily drive, reverse and manoeuvre my 4x4 with double horse trailer attached, many men cannot do this. Grrrr