To think I am surrounded by twats

[TrixieBlue2016]

This aibu is based on multiple conversations I have had in the last week with friends and colleagues.

So male colleague had a minor cat accident thankfully no one was injured. His car is a 16 plate. The car who he was in accident with was a 03 plate. This is relevant.

So he blamed the other driver (I'm not sure who was at fault) and said the driver was 'at it' as he drove a old car. All drivers of cars that age don't care about their cars so was glad to be getting a new one.

I disagreed with him. Just because it is an older car doesn't mean they are looking to cause accidents for the insurance. This was before a meeting started so there was about a dozen people in the room. All but one other agreed with my colleague. Comments made included, having an old car is a sign they don't have self respect , mental illness , laziness and the driver criminal and is likely is on benefits, has a 'council' lifestyle (drink/drugs). I made a point of disagreeing with them.

I went home and mentioned it to DH. He agreed with me. DH mentioned it to his friends when we were out at the weekend, they disagree with me and made similar comments. Apparently most people think this, the police do, insurance companies do. DH mentioned it to his colleagues, same result.

So the majority of people DH an I have casually mentioned it to agreed with my colleagues. so aibu to think the people in my life are twats. Or am I wrong?

only have brand new cars and put private plates on them the minute the registration is updated e.g. if bought in March, the private reg plate goes on in September.

OMG. I've just realised that my friend does this. It never even entered my head until I read this. Explains why when I asked her if she was putting her plate onto her latest new car she said a bit coyly that "the paperwork takes quite a while, I'll get round to it". Then in March she changed the plate. DH has always said she's Mrs Bucket - looks like he's right.

DP and I also have a Volvo - again, old. We bought it with a private plate already one there and I find it embarrassing! I'd much prefer to have a normal age-indicating plate!

Mind you I don't think it is any more "worthy" to drive an old car than a new car. If someone wants to spend their money on a new car then it's up to them. Mumsnet is a bit weird, and definitely inversely snobby. about new cars.

I don't have a car at all. What does that make me? The village jester?
I love twats like your colleague only because I can trot out my two favourite sayings :
"You are all kippers and curtains" and
"Fur coat, no drawers".

carabos

I live in the west central bit of scotland hardly London.

The 16plate Twatman, was back in work today. He was raging that his insurance has decided to blame him. The other driver has a wee camera in his car. Apparently this was part of the older car driver's scheme.. Because he couldn't have been at fault. He has a 16 plate don't you know.

Our car is 2014 motability. We live in a housing association house on benefits

I drive a 16 year (in two weeks) old car and I know if she were in an accident she would be written off and I would be lucky to get anything for her. I'm not saying this makes me more careful but I'm certainly not thinking ...oooh new car if I prang her.

I'm car-less and I can't even drive
But then I am a bit of a hippy.
This is a new substrata of twattery I've never even heard of or thought about, poor you OP.

They are definitely twats

Car insurance doesn't work that way anyway, as they would know if they bothered to look at theirs. Insurers will usually pay out up to the market value of your car.

So thinking that people who drive older cars are out to make a mint on the insurance by claiming many thousands and buying a new car is just bollocks.

My car is elderly but reliable. I bought it a couple of years ago for just under £2k. Its market value wouldn't be anything like that now so I wouldn't even get back the money I put in.

Cars depreciate ( most do anyway). That is life. Many people buy second hand or older cars because they don't want to take the additional hit of depreciation on a brand new one, if they could afford brand new in the first place.

My car is worth so little that I don't know if it's pointless being fully comp to be honest. I think the book value is probably a couple of hundred pounds so I suppose any damage to it at all and the insurers will right (write?) it off.

I had an 08 reg, that I got rid of 2 years ago - I'd had it for 3 years, having upgraded an 03 (bought in 06). I had to get a new car this year (we had dropped from 2 to 1, but had to get the 2nd again for family circumstances) and I got an 06 reg. Our family car is currently a 12 reg, DH is torn between a slightly older car to get the kit he wants, or a much newer on (probably 15 reg - not brand spanking new).

But we buy our cars with cash rather than on any kind of finance. We probably have the oldest cars in our respective families. But they suit us. We also like good food, having decent savings built up, pay for expensive hobbies for DD, and are sending her to private secondary school in 2 years time.

As long as a car runs, it doesn't necessarily matter how old it is. It has a function. I'd prefer to spend my "lifestyle dollars" on things that actually enhance my lifestyle - like a really comfortable seat to curl up reading in. Or loads of new books when I see ones I fancy.