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

Do many 4x4 drivers know how to actually use all the diff lock stuff? I do wonder sometimes.

Impatient my small sports car is no less unsuitable for country lanes than a large 4x4 is in built up areas. Few cars are ideal in all circumstances.

There's a protocol round here.
The 4x4 drivers that are local automatically veer into the verge when they see another car, me included if I'm in our knackered pick up.
Unless you're a weekender in a shiny Range Rover then you have automatic right of way over everything; tractors, cattle lorry, cyclists, herds of sheep.
Apparently

If you own a vehicle you should understand all of its capabilities. In this case if you own a 4x4 you should understand the difference between high and low ratio and when to use the diff lock. I have driven off road in all weathers in the UK and Canada. I have yet to get stuck going across some pretty horrendous terrain. If you get a vehicle designed for cross country stuck on the side of the road then you are a bellend.

Part of the problem is that quite a few drivers have not the first inkling of how wide their car is, be that a corsa or a Terrano like mine.
I will always pull over as, well, I'm just courteous like that. But the poster's who have said that if both drivers were to inch over and drive with care are absolutely right.

And what fieldfare said too

I drive on narrow country lanes all the time in my non-4x4 and I have not noticed, nor do I expect, 4x4's to move over any more or less than anyone else. Most country lanes are a car and a half wide, so if both cars move over a bit they can squeeze through. There have only been a few moments when its clearly been my right of way and a car/van has decided to be really bulshy and expect me to go right into the mud to get completely out of their way, in those situations I tend to look pointedly at the driver and pull my handbrake up. They can sit there all bloody day if they are going to be rude to me, its not nice to be rude.

Impatient my small sports car is no less unsuitable for country lanes than a large 4x4 is in built up areas. Few cars are ideal in all circumstances.

The OP was talking about driving on country lanes with rocky uneven surfaces in which case a 4x4 would be suitable for the terrain.
Many modern 4x4's are only 4wd on demand and have 2wd functionality the rest of the time and are just as suitable for driving around town as many other medium and larger cars. If somebody does 50% rural driving and 50% town driving then a crossover could be a very suitable vehicle.

everlong, it's a technical term

I have no idea how to use it (or what it's properly called) - it looks complicated.

Impatient come on, it's not being 4wd that makes large 4x4s less suited to urban areas than smaller cars - you don't need anyone to tell you that.

Just because it is a crossover or looks like a 4x4 doesn't mean that anything is different other than the shape and the fee is no better equipped to be used more ruggedly than your bog standard mid sized car.

Well what is it then because many of them are quite fuel efficient these days, have lots of space for family stuff and can cope well with town or rural driving.
If we are talking about landrover defenders which only have 4wd capability then I agree that they are not suitable for urban driving but if we are talking about all types of cars with 4wd capability then I disagree that they are unsuitable for urban driving.
Is a 1.7diesel engine crossover (with actual 4wd on demand capability) any less suitable for urban driving than a 1.7 diesel saloon?

Parking? Narrow streets?

I have a large 4x4 for towing, plus a diddly Mazda 2 so have experience of both sides of the argument.

With the 4x4 I'm more than happy to leap into the verge, or go on to the rough stuff if there are no passing places in the vicinity, but what I really resent is the car drivers who just sit there and expect you to do that when there's a perfectly good layby, wider bit of road, passing place a few yards behind them. They seem to think that reversing is unnecessary if they meet a 4WD.

In the small car I find it scary at how "bullied" you are by large (not just 4x4) car drivers - pulling out in front of you, hassling you at lights and cutting you up - simply because you are in a small car. I know most of our passing spots round here and am happy to reverse whenever, but would hope that a 4x4 would go off road a bit if there were no other option.

What's that got to do with unsuitability? When I had a 4wd I could park it very easily, much easier than some people with super minis seemed to park. As for narrow streets; many non 4wd vehicles take up the same amount of space widthways as a 4wd, especially mpvs or some sports cars. Not all 4wds have the size and build of a range rover sport.

Johnny- the skoda yeti is a 4x4, would you deem that unsuitable for parking in town or navigating narrow streets? Is it actually much bigger than an average family car?
Your little sports car probably wouldn't be suitable for most families with 2+ children. Is your little sports car fuel efficient?

Armydad, would you like to come and give me some lessons in my 4x4? I am woefully aware that I do not use it to its full capabilties.

I did say large 4x4, Impatient. My car is quite old so not as fuel efficient as it could be, also I drive like a twat. A Lamborghini wouldn't be ideal in most towns either (not that I have one). Nor a big American muscle car.

I have nothing against 4x4s, I was just responding to your suggestion that unsuitable cars should stay off country lanes, that's all.

Mines not a 4x4 but I follow that laws of the road. I don't want the huge ( and expensive) tyres on my car to be ruined, and I don't want my doors scratched either. It's a few years old and I like to keep it nice, just like smaller cars do.

Maybe it doesn't count it's a Qashqai.

Driving very often on the single country road I'm amazed by the amount of people driving without consideration for oncoming traffic regardless to the type of vehicle. People are driving 50 mph + in the middle of the road. 4*4 or not why somebody should end up in the ditch to avoid such idiot?

My 10 yr old Rav4 is narrower than many more modern family saloon cars.

No diff lock or low range, but then it's not really an off-roader.

In my experience, most people buy 4x4s because they like the size, driving position etc - they haven't got a clue how to actually use them. (In fact if most of their drivers were asked to do some serious off road work, they would have a conniption or bog the car into a rut or something.)

I'd forget about any 4X4 ness and just think of them as any large car which you come across.

I did say large 4x4, Impatient.

Yes you did, so I apologise for not reading properly.

Going back to the OP: she mentioned 4x4's and ANY high axled cars. I no longer drive a 4wd as I don't do much rural driving anymore, but I do drive a high axled car. I wouldn't move over for a Clio or other small car unless it was totally safe for me to do so and not likely to cause me to get stuck or damage my vehicle. I would reverse or expect the other car to reverse depending which was most appropriate. High axled cars which are not 4wd's are no more suitable for veering into a verge or ditch than a little Clio.

I have a Freelander which is permanently four wheel drive, none of this two wheel drive nonsense. It is my only car. Well, dh has his obviously. It is a roomy, comfortable car. It is designed to be a combination of road car and off road car. I do the school run in it, the shopping, it has a lovely big boot and I get all the kids paraphernalia in it. And then when I want to pull a trailer full of corn round the farm to fill up the pheasant feeders it'll do that too.

The permanent 4x4 bit also comes in handy when it's icey. It seems to grip a bit better.

I thought I was bening sensible having a car with both capabilities. Seems someone will be professionally offended whatever I use it for.

If I can pull up the verge to let someone else pass then I will. It really depends who's got more space on their side of the road. I have had to sit tucked up by the hedge while another car mounts the verge round me, the driver looking cross, simply because I couldn't go anywhere. I don't know whether they thought my 4x4 was also capable of driving through a hedge?