to think that 4x4 drivers are the most selfish w@*&(*&s ever???

[redrobin]

It makes my blood boil! They drive their big childcrushers whilst on the phone, they tailgate other smaller cars, they use enormous amounts of petrol, they block up roads, they look threatening...how can people choose to drive something like that? Do they have ha a selfish gene, do they think they are just better than other people so rules don't apply to them, or are they just thick?

(NOTE this is only about town drivers, i appreciate that they are useful in the countryside).

Sometimes, I think Jeremy Clarkson is winning.

[needmorecoffee]

goodness, another 4x4 thread. I only nipped away for a second. But I got an opinion ready and waiting....
Don't need them in the city, if you have 4+ kids get a Ford Galaxy. 3 kids fit in a normal car. 2 kids plus one in a wheelchair fit in a tiddly 1.2 Kangoo. And if none of you are disabled get a bus.
Cyclists, I cycle everywhere I can and tow all my gear, whether shopping, allotment stuff or a TV in a trailer. I don't wear lycra (heh, not after 4 kids) just normal clothes and obey all traffic rules. Like most cyclists. You only remember the bad ones! Just as us cyclists only remember the stupid drivers running red lights while on a mobile phone. Or all the ones who drove down my street today despite a 'road closed' sign and had to turn round.

[PeatBog]

3 kids, V.estate, but in terms of how green different cars are, I'm sure our big-engine diesel sometimes produces more CO2 than a lighter 4WD would - it depends how you drive them. Gently at 60mph produces much less CO2 than accelerating and braking between 30 and 60.

[redrobin]

Ingles, you have been officially excused (i DID say so in my OP) so long as you don't come anywhere near Sciennes primary school! and only wear your sunglasses in the sun.

[muppetgirl]

I did hear the congestion charge was for emmisions and some older cars have more emissions than newer 4 x 4 dh quoted a ford mondeo at me saying it was higher than a new 4 x 4

[Upwind]

I am also prejudgiced against boy racers in modified cars blaring crap dance music

but they do seem less of a danger than the inept urban 4x4 drivers

[ingles2]

LOL Aitch... I clean mine though!
now monster trucks....we laugh at them in the country... a friend drives one, like a huge pick up, but shiny and... silver

[muppetgirl]

Aitch, was joking I wouldn't wish my landy on my worst enemy. That is why dh has tried to get my dad to buy it

[idlingabout]

I agree that you can't make snap judgements about all 4x4 drivers on the basis of the car they drive but ime it is these cars which I see parked badly (ie parked over the line and effectively accross 2 spaces) , tend to be those who expect me to give way to them when the obstruction is on THEIR side of the road, park inconsiderately outside school gates etc. Yes, other cars do all of these things too but the majority of the time it is the 4x4's. I am also intrigued by the post which claimed their 4x4 takes up no more room on the road than other cars - I'd like to see the 4x4 that takes up the same small space as my golf.

[southeastastra]

loads of people round here have them mercedes kompressors now. so maybe the tide is turning.

[muppetgirl]

landrover freelanders are really big cars. Having driven a Mercedes Ml and a Volkswagen toureg landy's are small...

[liath]

Aaaah - Sciennes primary school! No wonder you're pissed off!

YANBU

[SugarSkyHigh]

i went through a phase of not being able to work out how to fold up my double buggy. Once I got so fed up in the high street trying to fold it up in order drive home, i just chucked it in the boot of my volvo estate unfolded.

is 4X4 boot big enough for that?????????

[tissy]

A Volvo estate will only hold 7 if you put 2 of your kids in the boot.....unless you get the XC90. I would not want my child in the boot, without airbags, rearfacing if a bus went into the back of me. (A bus did go into the back of my golf, and it was a mess).

[MadamePlatypus]

SugarSkyHigh, what kind of Volvo Estate do you have? We have a little Volvo Estate (V40), but I think the new Volvo's are different. Ours would comfortably fit 3 adults in the back, but not three child seats. I have been browsing the Volvo web-site, but can't work out what is the smallest Volvo you can buy and carry three young children.

[SugarSkyHigh]

not worried about anything going into the back of me because the boot's so long. likewise the front, with a long bonnet. In fact i would not feel safe in anything else now so i'm prob. no better than the 4x4-ers on that count!

[SugarSkyHigh]

madame, it's a V70

[liath]

We have the V50 and you can only fit 2 child seats in the back, madameplatypus. You can wedge a small adult in the middle but it's @@@@ing tight and uncomfortable. Dh says that with the XC90 we'll be able to take MIL on holiday with us!!!! Oh joy, I can't wait .

[StressTeddy]

Here we go again....

I drive a 4x4
I like my 4x4
I drive it very well and am not a monster. I can park it very easily and have NEVER taken up 2 spaces
I am a courteous driver and let people out wherever possible
I am a slow driver and don't feel that I own the road
I am sick of having to defend MY choice
I don't care what you drive, please stop attacking people for their choices
I thank you

[ravenAK]

Get a transit crew van. You can get either 3 car seats or 3 sweaty hairy arsed rock musicians in the back, plus extra sweaty hairies in the front.

& you can fit a stupid amount of stuff in the van bit.

& people don't hate you nearly as much as they would if you had a 4x4.

[marmadukescarlet]

sugarskyhigh, it is not legal to have tinted drivers windown or windscreen, so you should be able to see the driver.

[pedilia]

so what about the volvo xc70, that is a 4x4 but the looks of a car.....

[redrobin]

Ingles! Are you there? RavenAK has found you your new transport!

[tissy]

Madame, you could get a V50, and put one of the children in the front, or if you can buy new/ find a second hand one with the family pack, I think they have at least one built-in child seat, and you could fit a normal child seat in the middle of the back seat.

[redrobin]

StressTeddy...just wondering what YOUR choices say about YOU, really.

[liath]

LOL at the thread descending into a discussion on the relative merits of volvos .