Some people drive big cars because they are shit drivers?

[Doyoumind]

Like many places, where I live there are a lot of big 4x4 cars used for urban or suburban driving and not for driving through rough terrain.

I know there is a status thing connected to these cars but AIBU to say sometimes people who are not confident drivers drive them to feel more confident and cause a lot of problems by doing so?

My car is a small family car but I've driven a lot of cars and I know it's quite nice to be up high above the other cars.

But so often I see people struggling to park them and parking them badly because they don't seem to know what they are doing (even though they presumably have sensors and cameras).

Surely if you are not very good at driving you shouldn't be in a huge car that's too big for you to handle. Using it to boost your confidence is selfish and dangerous.

See, I think it's almost the opposite.

My theory is that a LOT of people are shit drivers. But there's a lot more 'tolerance' for shit drivers in small cars, so it's less apparent. People leave enough room for large cars to drive through so someone in a focus manages it without too much trouble. Parking bays in car parks are generally wide enough for people who can't park to manage when they're driving a small car because there's enough room around them.

The problem arises when they move to a big car - 4X4s for example - and discover that they have much less room to do these things (get past a bus, bay or reverse park, etc) and there's less tolerance for mistakes as you don't have as much room. Then you see them 'unable' to get past a bus, or taking up two parking spaces because they can't manage to fit into one. Or knocking over the width restriction bollards 🙄.

I live near a USAF base, so a lot of massive American cars everywhere. Most of them can't fit in a standard car park space and I'd say 80% of the drivers have no comprehension of roundabouts or zebra crossings. It can be an absolute nightmare sometimes. Every other day there are Facebook posts campaigning for stricter driving tests before they are unleashed onto the roads 😂 Obviously it's a different situation to UK drivers with large cars.

I live on the outskirts of a city and there is someone around here who drives the biggest SUV I’ve ever seen. It’s like the Starship Enterprise. The presidential motorcade would tell them it’s a bit much.

When they park at the local shops the back of the thing sticks out so far they block the road behind them. Part of me wants to find out who drives it so I can ask what the fuck they are up to that they need to drive that 😂

This is done intentionally to prevent scratches and door dings that night damage their precious car.

I'm not condoning parking over two spaces, but surely it's not unreasonable to not want your car dinged, scratched and damaged.

Are you serious? Have you never experienced terrible driving from people in small cars? because I certainly have. I have been rear ended and hit in a few no fault accidents and guess what?- ALL driving small /medium sized cars.

Of course some 4x4 drivers will be shit. But a shit driver is a shit driver, regardless of what car they are driving

hmm at the people who are accusing me of generalising when I said some, not all
Well what a pointless post then. OF COURSE SOME drivers of big cars will be shit drivers. SOME will be great drivers. SOME will have bought big cars because they want to show off. SOME will buy them because they need them. SOME will drive them because they are what the company provided for them. SOME will drive big cars because they are big people. Sheesh, what a pointless post.

What was the point of your post damn?

Bit bemused by this.

*Some people drive big cars because they are shit drivers.....Lots of shit drivers also drive small cars"

Eh, don't uou jist mean there are shit drivers driving all sorts of cars

My point was that I see some people struggling in big cars but they probably feel more confident than they would do in a small car. So the car gives them confidence but causes other people problems.

I'm not saying that people who aren't confident drivers never choose a small car.

@Montsti exactly the same here four kids and drive an X5 I need the space and feel safer in a car that is big and high up.
I've got side cameras, front cameras rear cameras and one that takes an aerial view so park very well!

We have a big car because we need it to carry stuff. It has no bearing on our standard of driving. Stupid to suggest it would.

This study showed that drivers of high-status cars (SUVs and other expensive cars) are four times more likely to cut off drivers in lower-status cars and three times less likely yield to pedestrians at pedestrian crossings, where pedestrians had the right of way

I think a lot of people who drive expensive cars (which are generally large ones) genuinely think their wealth (or ability to take out a very big loan) gives them more right to be on the road.

Car parks should have larger spaces, that cost more, for SUVs.

I've got side cameras, front cameras rear cameras and one that takes an aerial view so park very well!

So you rely on these cameras instead of looking properly?

Cars in general have got alot bigger, even small cars now are comparatively massive

Have recently moved back to where my mum lives and it's all little country roads, never used to be a concern getting 2 normal cars down them but finding I'm doing alot more stopping and starting to let people past

Do not see a correlation between shit driving and car size personally

I think the opposite, I've had small cars and big cars and I've felt less confident in the bigger cars because you have less space on the road to manoeuvre.

So you rely on these cameras instead of looking properly?

🙄

So you rely on these cameras instead of looking properly?

You can do both. But given the cameras often give you a better view I don't see why not

More chance of seeing a small child behing your car, with a camera, than by looking over your shoulder and mirrors

Or were you not aware of blind spots?

I love my big car. I've gone from a tiny little pootler of a car to a big, fast, powerful car.

I never felt safe in the little car. I feel much safer with the kids in the big car, people show me much more respect and don't pull out on me half as much. It has the power to enable me to overtake safely on the motorway, to pull out onto dual carriageways safely (the bit of the A303 I live near didn't have many sliproads, mostly just normal junctions, trying to go from a standstill onto a 70moh road is scary in a slow car).

Also, I don't drive it like a dick because I spent an awful lot of money on it, I like it and I don't want to hurt it, me or the kids.

Car parks should have larger spaces, that cost more, for SUVs

SUVs often don't take up any more space than an equivalent car. They are just taller.

I drive a tiny smart car and sometimes a large 4x4. I don't think my driving absolute changes when I swap between them, not dh's.

To be fair I've seen just as many rubbish drivers in smaller cars as I have larger ones.

SUVs often don't take up any more space than an equivalent car. They are just taller.

My experience is most are wider and longer too. And the doors are often wider/longer when opening them. There are certain car parks in our town we wouldn't take the 4x4 when we know we need to park up.

My heart sank when I read the title of your post as I am a shit driver with a big car!
I am, however, an extremely law abiding and considerate driver, so the size of my car is nobody’s business but my own.

SUVs often don't take up any more space than an equivalent car

Well maybe some, but a lot of them are HUGE and it's difficult parking next to them even in a small car like a Corsa or a Yaris.

I am, however, an extremely law abiding and considerate driver, so the size of my car is nobody’s business but my own

I bet you still slow down the traffic flow though. For example if you want to turn right and because you're so big, people can't get past you so a queue develops that wouldn't, if your car was "normal" sized. I say "normal" in quotes as SUVs are becoming the new normal!

Nope! I won’t drive a big car because I’m a shit driver 😂 (sorry to the Maserati I hit two years ago if you’re reading this) (sorry to Tesco insurance for having to pay out on repairing a Maserati)

Op you do realise that someone will come along shortly and accuse you of being jealous