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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel intimidated by expensive cars whilst driving?

186 replies

malificent7 · 09/06/2018 05:57

A bit of a generalisation here but I often find BMW, Mercedes, Audi cars etc drive much faster than me...often tailgate me and overtake when I'm on Maxim speed limit.
I feel that a certain kind of go getting person has the money to buy such cars and this is a wflwcted in their driving. This makes no sense I know! I can't help feel intimidated when a beautiful BNW or Mercedes drives behind me. I gave a bimbly Honda jazz!/

While we are at it....it's never those bloody tail gaters who get caught speeding is it?!

OP posts:
ISeeTheLight · 09/06/2018 10:20

YANBU. I'm not exactly a slow driver, on motorways tend to drive above speed limit. Currently driving a Ford but picking up a Merc on Monday. But tailgaters drive me nuts. Especially at night on country roads, I get blinded by their lights. And then I can't see and really don't want to do 60 on a road I don't know!
I find slowly slowing down can help. Might also try the windscreen washer tip!

welcomething · 09/06/2018 10:20

pretty sure that penalties for 'Driving without due care and attention' or 'without reasonable consideration for other road users' don't get issued to people driving below the speed limit unless they are causing a serious hazard.

You can be as sure as you want. My point still stands. There is absolutely no allowance in the law for age. Whether a penalty is issued or not, an offence is still taking place. Lots of people speed and don't get penalised, going too slowly is exactly the same. No allowance for age. If they can't drive confidently to the limit where road conditions allow, they should not be driving.

MumofBoysx2 · 09/06/2018 10:24

I find that too, I'm driving at the maximum speed limit allowed and people still want to get past! It's particularly annoying where I live there is a long single road 30mph and I get people right up behind me all the time. Usually it's aggressive BMW or Audi drivers

cindersrella · 09/06/2018 10:25

Welcoming we could go together 😂

welcomething · 09/06/2018 10:28

Welcoming we could go together 😂

Confused because driving like a dick is funny huh Hmm

PastBananas · 09/06/2018 10:30

Amazing how many people are criticising the OP's driving skills on here - assuming inexperience, or driving too slowly. YANBU OP - it isn't you, it's them.

There are huge numbers of self-regarding arseholes on the roads who drive big flashy cars, ignore speed limits and aggressively tailgate other drivers - for no reason other than they believe they are more important and try to intimidate others into getting out of their way. Courtesy and good manners went out of the window a long time ago.

I do a lot of motorway driving in the late evenings when the roads are relatively quiet. I will be shifting along (at a quite reasonable 70 - considering it is the speed limit) and I am always the slowest person. Everyone else drives far faster and i can be overtaken 100 times by these law-breaking nutcases in a journey of only a few miles.

Just because your car can go at that speed, it doesn't mean that you should.

cindersrella · 09/06/2018 10:31

I called van cameras wankers not driving like a dick funny..

truckdrive · 09/06/2018 10:34

If someone is up your arse then you are annoying them and should get out of the way.

I get this in average speed limit areas on the motorway. Them holding me up. I give them loads of horn and plenty of abuse when I go past them. They soon move over.

Lot's of people should have their driving licence taken away and should be made to take the bus.

welcomething · 09/06/2018 10:34

I called van cameras wankers not driving like a dick funny..

You called the van cameras wankers BECAUSE they catch out the dick drivers.

You work it out Wink

MoonsAndJunes · 09/06/2018 10:36

Welcomething
As you said yourself, there is no law and as I said, as long as a person isn't causing a serious hazard, there are no grounds for prosecution.

Neverender · 09/06/2018 10:36

I went for driving a BMW to a Fiat 500 and I found everyone was MUCH nicer to me, so i do think we are perceived differently based on what we are driving. I wonder sometimes what it would be like if we all had a brown Prius and how people would act then.

MoonsAndJunes · 09/06/2018 10:38

If someone is up your arse then you are annoying them and should get out of the way.
I get this in average speed limit areas on the motorway. Them holding me up. I give them loads of horn and plenty of abuse when I go past them. They soon move over.
Lot's of people should have their driving licence taken away and should be made to take the bus.

Come again?! Grin

BonnieF · 09/06/2018 10:39

I drive a BMW, one of the small fast ones, not a big SUV.

Patience is not my strong point. I do get frustrated by oblivious motorway lane hoggers or people driving at 39 mph on NSL roads.

I never tailgate dawdlers and pootlers. What I will admit to is overtaking them sharply at the first safe opportunity. I understand my car’s performance, so what might look like a risky manoeuvre to other drivers who have never driven a fast, responsive car is perfectly safe from my perspective.

JustHereForThePooStories · 09/06/2018 10:39

There’s a disgusting amount of generalisation and reverse snobbery on this thread.

MoonsAndJunes · 09/06/2018 10:40

There are huge numbers of self-regarding arseholes on the roads who drive big flashy cars, ignore speed limits and aggressively tailgate other drivers - for no reason other than they believe they are more important and try to intimidate others into getting out of their way. Courtesy and good manners went out of the window a long time ago.

This ^

welcomething · 09/06/2018 10:42

As you said yourself, there is no law and as I said, as long as a person isn't causing a serious hazard, there are no grounds for prosecution.

I never said there was no law. I said there was no exception in the law for age.

truckdrive · 09/06/2018 10:44

I have the feeling half of the women on here have to be overtaken by trucks on the motorway when they are dawdling along at 50mph or some other ridiculous speed. They will make excuses saying "I go at the speed I feel comfortable doing" when in fact they are just a menace and should be banned from driving for life.

If you have passed a driving test (I am very nice to learners) then you get no sympathy from me if you can't drive properly. Send your driving licence back to swansea with a covering note saying you don't deserve it.

MoonsAndJunes · 09/06/2018 10:44

Welcomething

Me: Would be interesting to see where it says in the Highway Code that all cars should travel at the speed limit.

You: It doesn't. But neither did I say that it did.

BlueLightPanda · 09/06/2018 10:46

i drive a new car (still little car) OP and i find drivers are nicer to me now than before when i drove my little banger!

I do find drivers in big BMW, Range Rovers and mercedes always want to overtake but i don’t mind now!

PoisonousSmurf · 09/06/2018 10:47

I have a rear dash camera and a sticker to say so. They soon back off when they know they are being filmed.

welcomething · 09/06/2018 10:48

Me: Would be interesting to see where it says in the Highway Code that all cars should travel at the speed limit.

You: It doesn't. But neither did I say that it did.

I think you are having trouble understanding.

The post you have quoted above was where it says in the Highway Code ALL cars should travel at the speed limit. Now it does not say that, and I never said it did.

But you quoted me previously as saying there was no law. I most certainly did not say there was no law. I said the law was inconsiderate driving and there are no exceptions for age.

So, either you can't read, are having problems processing my posts, or you are deliberately trying to twist what I said to suit your point?

cindersrella · 09/06/2018 10:49

When you are driving along on a main road you are unsure of and tucked away down a hill, half way behind a tree and a wanker van is there you get done for 32mph on a 30mph road this is why I say they are wanker vans. 2mph over!

MoonsAndJunes · 09/06/2018 10:52

welcomething
Maybe you have trouble understanding that not everyone who drives below the speed limit is causing an obstruction or a serious hazard.

MoonsAndJunes · 09/06/2018 10:55

So, either you can't read, are having problems processing my posts, or you are deliberately trying to twist what I said to suit your point?

Or possibly you have misinterpreted what I have said all along?

welcomething · 09/06/2018 10:58

Maybe you have trouble understanding that not everyone who drives below the speed limit is causing an obstruction or a serious hazard.

No, I totally understand that, because the road conditions will dictate what speed is reasonable. What I said again was that 'my mum is 70' isn't one of those variable road conditions.