If you have a 4x4

[cucumberkaleidascope]

Aibu to think that if you have a 4x4 or other high axel car, that on small country lanes, you should move to the muddy/rocky/uneven side instead of someone in a Clio ?

I'm really not precious about my car, it's very old, filthy muddy and got a fair few scratches. So long as it works and drives ok, that's all that matters to me. The route I take to the yard everyday is very much a single track for parts of it. A lot of parts have enough room for one car on the Tarmac, but you could pass by another car if one or both of you move far over to the side. The edge of te Tarmac is a good 10 inch drop either side onto mud/ grass which is very uneven. If I were to have one half of my car on the Tarmac and one half off, the under side of my car would get scraped and have some damage/ bits pulled off.

So Aibu to think that when passing someone in a 4by 4 or similar car, they should volunteer to move over as I'm sure their cars wouldn't struggle in the slightest to go off rode (which is the purpose for that car anyway!)

Thoughts please ?

Thanks

I can see your point Cucumber and I do push myself into the hedge and into ditches but I am quite precious about my car, it's not old and am not happy about the scratches.

What do you do when you meet another ( non 4x4) car?
Reverse the situation, if you were in a newish, very expensive car and you met a bit of a banger would you be happy to scratch your car. It's swings and roundabouts really. They joys of driving in the country.

I move over, but then I have a land rover because I live rurally and expect to do this, scratches and all.

The only time I don't is soft verges -you are less likely to sink into these than me, my car is very very heavy!

This is a bug bear of mine, why should u risk damaging my 4x4 which I work hard to pay for just so your car is preserved? I will always be courteous and try to make room for anyone but really what would you do if you met a none 4x4?

Also 4 x4 still can get stuck in muddy grass verges!

But MrsCaptain,your car was new once and regardless of the make surely you don't stop caring. We had an old Discovery on the farm and yes, that got thrown around without a care but I'm not going to do that with a new RangeRover or my sons new Defender.

Hilarious! God forbid you should contemplate off roading in a 4x4

We live at the bottom on a mile long single track lane with ditches and hedges/trees on both sides. Thankfully not too much traffic as only 8 houses.

However I am often surprised at the number of drivers who come down the lane who expect me to move over or reverse just because I have a 4x4. Why should my car get scratched to pieces and not theirs.

Yabu! As others have said what do you do if you meet a non 4x4?

I regularly drive dp's land rover and where possible I will move over or wait in the passing places, but ime "normal" car drivers are generally pretty idiotic on roads like you describe and insist on pushing forward even when they are near a passing place as they believe wrongly that their car trumps the land rover.

Courtesy works both ways. Find a passing place to either reverse to or don't use these roads

I've had both sides of this and think both should squidge over slightly rather than push one right over.

When I was driving my (PFB)
Corsa and was expected to take it completely off to the side as important 'I own the road' Defender glides through on the middle of the road.

Then using the works landcruiser and having a teeny car parking its self slap bang in the middle of the road as it didn't want to stick two tires over the edge of the road. (I couldn't get by as they stopped in the middle)

Round 'ere we all squidge over slightly and it works fine no matter what car you drive.

Hilarious! I live in the Dales and most 4x4's never move over on the narrow lanes.. I have no problem tucking in to let people past in my little banger and always get a wave of thanks from non 4x4's, but rarely from the beasts. This of course excludes farmers and land rover drivers who always pull in and wave..

Yabu - the car closest to the last passing place should reverse unless it is uphill

The only place you need a 4x4 is in supermarket carparks... They are treacherous places where only a land rover the size of an army tank is able to navigate its way through.

What the hell do people think 4x4s are designed for?

One reason the 4x4 ought to move is that often, had it not been such a large car, both vehicles would have been able to pass each other (albeit with care).

Having said that, I drive along country lanes a lot in my little sports car and to date have never had a 4x4 driver not do the right thing. Maybe they're a nicer bunch round here - practical rather than Chelsea tractors iykwim.

How can they be Chelsea tractors if they are living in the country?

I am happy to shove my newish 4x4 onto the verge as it was bought to pull ponies around and does indeed go off road a fair bit. I am not happy to pull right over into the hedge when I know there is a hidden drainage ditch and shiny town car could reverse 100m to a passing point though.

That's fair enough, maria. My little car is far easier to reverse than something huge, so therefore I do so (assuming passing spots are fairly equidistant).

MrsB that was kind of my point.

Well if I am forced to drive down narrow country lanes in my 4X4 I try and drive with awareness of pull in spaces etc.....or slowly enough to ease over so that two cars can sidle past each other.

I would not just dump my car off into a 10inch drop with a lack of awareness as to what was there. That doesn't sound like safe driving on anyones part, and a flat on a 4X4 is bloody expensive!

Ime, some of the smaller cars hurtle through country lanes because they are small with a lack of awareness as to what may be round the corner. Which is a shame, because in a face off, I'm guessing they may come off worst!

the very size of the larger cars mean, they sometimes have to drive with more caution.....

Yanbu. It's not about protecting cars from scratches it's about protecting people from becoming stuck in a ditch!

The point of 4x4s is that they go off road!

A lot of Chelsea tractor drivers on here

I have a discovery, and will quite happily put my car up on the verge for a smaller car. As long as they also make the effort to move right over! I drive down small roads everyday (single track in places) and the amount of smaller cars that expect to sit in the middle of the road while I bump mine off road is very annoying, I know mine is a 4x4 but having just spent £1000 to repair tracking and suspension on my near side caused by moving it onto verges because other car drivers do not want to move to the side of the road has really pissed me off!!!! And I'm not saying that non 4x4 drivers need to drive in a verge, but 90% of the time both cars will fit past each other whilst still staying on the Tarmac :)

I'd go off road if it were safe to do so and it didn't involve driving into a hedge. Otherwise I'd presume the other driver having passed their test was just as capable of reversing to the passing place as I am, and if they're closer they should crack on.

And I'm with you Cathpip what's with the epidemic of drivers that just anchor up and let the other do all the manoeuvring. Turn the bloody steering wheel you muppet!!!

I drive a Freelander round our lanes and am always happy to be the one pulling onto the mud, grass, etc, simply because I know I'm much less likely to end up stuck if there's a soft bit. I've also been the one in the Astra who had to phone a farmer friend to pull me out.

I'm also happy to be the one reversing to a passing place unless I know it would be a very long way for me and only a few feet for the other driver. That's because I tend to assume that anyone unwilling to reverse isn't very good at it and is worried about damaging their car.

I think it's pretty selfish to have a 4x4 unless you have it for its set purpose. And says a lot about a person IMO.

Whilst I don't agree people should give way when it means their car is likely to get scratched I do think that the car that can handle the mud/grass/uneven ground should be the one that takes the bulk of it when giving way.