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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that if you drive a small car, you are fair game for intimidation!

155 replies

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 12/06/2013 22:33

DM is away this week, and has lent me her car. It is a Nissan Micra. EVERY time I have been out in it, I have been tailgated by a van/taxi/4x4. I don't get this in my large Citroen. I have driven the Micra in exactly the same way! If it was my own car, Id be tempted to apply the brakes! Angry

OP posts:
IDismyname · 13/06/2013 06:01

I usually drive a 4x4 (about 8 years old) but hit a deer a few weeks ago. Car went off to be mended, and I had a Fiesta in its place.

Wow! Talk about being intimidated!! What a change in attitude...

Mind you, I had this bloke behind me last night who kept hooting at me. Stopped at 2 sets of lights, he kept hooting and waving his arms. Eventually I pulled in thinking I hadn't closed the boot properly, and he just put his foot down and overtook me!

nooka · 13/06/2013 06:11

I drive an old rather beaten up half ton pick up truck specifically so I am easy to see and people don't think that I'm likely to protect it much in a squeeze. I should add that where I live there is plenty of space for huge cars (am in Canada). dh drives a Golf GTI which round here is considered pretty small. I always feel very low down in it! dh says he hasn't noticed anyone particularly cutting him up etc, but does enjoy pulling off very sharpish and beating the muscle cars Grin

If I saw a 40 year old Morris I'd be too busy admiring it to cut you up, I love classic cars!

BellaVita · 13/06/2013 06:18

Yep, is true.

Hulababy · 13/06/2013 06:58

This is strange to me as I find the opposite.

I drive a little Fiat 500. People flash to let me out at junctions, give way, and are generally just nice.

I sometimes drive dh's golf r. It's a hot hatch thing, fast, sporty. Not big on size big in power. Have way more issues - trying to race at lights, never let you out, aggressive drivers near by, etc.

ArrowofApollo · 13/06/2013 07:05

YABU I was tailgated by an Audi yesterday and I drive C4 Grand Picasso. And if she had gone into the back of me she would have had a much bigger repair billHmm
Some people are just impatient shits Angry

englishteacher78 · 13/06/2013 07:08

And this is why driving scares me!

SoupDragon · 13/06/2013 07:10

I've had a Fiat Panda, a Ka and something else small as courtesy cars before and never noticed it. I felt small and vulnerable in them though.

CityTiliDie · 13/06/2013 07:12

I think the problem is more with the owners of big cars being arrogant twats!

Especially german cars! They think they own the road and that the rules that apply to everyone else dont aply to them.

If we all drove cars appropriate to our needs then the roads would be so much safer and the amount of fuel used would be reduced along with the pollution, noise etc etc.

I love my 'small' car and its roof box when on holiday. A bit of 'left foot braking' does scare the crap out of twats in BMW's, berks in Mercs and arseholes in Audis.

SoupDragon · 13/06/2013 07:21

Yes, because all drivers of big cars are twats Hmm

aldiwhore · 13/06/2013 07:24

I'm not an old Granny! harumpf

I love my Nissan Micra, it's like a Go Kart, loads of fun. (Even if to others I'm crawling).

MackerelOfFact · 13/06/2013 07:24

I drive a silver Ka, and Mercs, BMWs and Audis seem to be inexplicably drawn to my rear bumper. Hmm

I am also invisible to pedestrians, which is most vexing indeed.

vivizone · 13/06/2013 07:25

I'm learning to drive and had my eyes on a very small, 1.nothing engine size car because I don't think I would ever be comfortable driving a BIG car. This thread has scared me! What car is considered small but people won't try to bully you on the road?

madasa · 13/06/2013 07:27

When I drive my nissan I am tailgated almost every time.

When I drive my old Moggie Minor hardly ever.

meglet · 13/06/2013 07:34

I used to drive a dinky little Ford KA and was forever getting hassle from other drivers. The funny thing was I worked for a fleet manager at the time so was regularly driving beefy company cars around the county, no one ever drove up my arse when I took a BMW or Jag Angry.

ComtesseDeSpair · 13/06/2013 07:37

I drive a Smart ForTwo and interestingly enough I never get tailgated or cut up. Maybe it's because a Smart isn't even pretending to be a match for a larger car (top speed of 86mph, downhill, with the wind behind you)?

DP's saloon is a target for idiots, even though it's sizeable and pretty powerful. But our ancient Land Rover commands respekt, innit!

LiegeAndLief · 13/06/2013 07:38

What you need on your small car is a ve large dent on the right hand front corner (I'm sure there is a technical term for that but I don't know what I is...). Particularly handy for pulling onto roundabouts or out of busy junctions.

GemmaTeller · 13/06/2013 07:42

Yep, I agree, I have a punto and I'm invisible!

DH hates driving it, cars pull out on roundabouts and from side roads right in front of it.
Its the most economical, tidy and reliable car but absolutely invisible.

When I win the lottery......

Hazelbrowneyes · 13/06/2013 07:43

I drive a BMW X5. I'm tailgated constantly. No one wants to let me out at a junction & no one wants to let me in at a filter lane.

Probably due to this misconception that people who drive big German cars are twats.

As an aside, I don't tailgate, I let out all manners of vehicles & I do witness extremely poor driving from all sides - no matter how big or small the car the car you own is, if you're a bad driver, you're a bad driver.

wigglesrock · 13/06/2013 07:44

I've never noticed it, my husband has a Ka, and I've never had an issue when I've taken it. I actually find it faster and nippier than the other car.

MrsDoomsPatterson · 13/06/2013 07:45

I am the same as Hulababy. I have never had a problem at all but I guess I'm a confident, decisive driver who can overtake you quickly. Nope, never had an issue!

higgle · 13/06/2013 07:51

Hulababy - agreed! Mine is a Fiat Panda but there is something about small Fiats that makes everyone smile and exude good will.

Sunnymeg · 13/06/2013 07:56

Micra's have a reputation as an older person's car. Some of them are driven badly by people who should no longer be on the road. I. have a Micra and it happens to me all the time. I bought it because I got the best deal on it, but my DH did warn me and was right about it coming with a reputation.Smile Smile

lljkk · 13/06/2013 08:03

Weird, we have humongus (beast can't turn) & teeny car (small engine slow), I don't notice any difference from other drivers.

hamilton75 · 13/06/2013 08:11

Fair game? of course not, there is no excuse for bullying/crappy driving. However, it probably does happen and possibly because people assume a woman is driving.

livinginwonderland · 13/06/2013 08:14

I have a Hyundai Getz and I'm always getting cut up, especially because my road seems to be full of people with huge BMW's and estate cars! It's especially infuriating because my flat is on a main road, so if it's busy, I have a nightmare just getting out of my parking space!