4x4 do you own one and do you get hostilities from other drivers

[Blueglass]

I have just aquired one and get constantly picked on. And before you ask it is not my driving

Did everyone get out of bed on the wrong side this morning?!

"Which have several CEOs on their board(multinational companies), since I found that out I've always been a bit sus as to how 'independent' Which really is.Thats probably just my suspicious mind though"

They dont.

have to go to ds's music lesson now

I think the thing I object to most is the generalisations. Everyone who has a 4x4 drives the same/looks the same/behaves the same? You wouldn't say that about any other sort of car - OBVIOUSLY there are good and bad in every walk of life. If you saw someone with long hair hitting their children in the supermarket, would you harp on about EVERYONE with long hair hitting their children? It just doesn't make sense. If you don't know me, you can't comment on my driving/my lack of respect for the environment, because you don't know.

TBH, this is pathetic. Doesn't everyone have enough real problems of their own to worry about rather than debating something so ridiculous. Yet another 'issue' for people with too much time on their hands to get worked up about. Along with objecting to people's planning applications, reporting people with no tax on their cars etc. Live and let live fgs.

nope - an open forum if you want to let live dont go parading ound an open forum then get all arsey when people have views.

Yes, but different views/opinions is different from blanket bigotry. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't say you hate all black people/lesbians/single mothers, but it's somehow socially acceptable to lump 4x4 drivers together as an object of hate.

Incidentally, '4wd cars' could mean anything from a £200 wreck to a brand new £100K car, and any size/shape/manufacturer in between. Obviously they're not all the same. Stop putting people into boxes for your convenience in jumping on the bandwagon.

Surely the solution is fair and simple: you require everyone who wants to drive an off-road vehicle to pass an appropriate off-road driving test, demonstrating their ability to safely handle the vehicle under the circumstances for which it has been built, with due consideration to the safety and wellbeing of others both on and off metalled roads. The road tax charge on these vehicles should reflect their emissions status, the physical damage a heavier vehicle makes to the national highways and the additional space they take up over a normal, 2 wheel drive car. The insurance should reflect any additional danger they pose to other people such as pedestrians over a normal sized car and bullbars should never be allowed on the public highway.

THAT would sort it out! The 'serious' users would comply, the yummy mummies on the school run would either fail the tests (judging by a lot of the driving we witness) or would give it up as all being too hard.

I have the same 4x4 as all the other mummys at dss school. I thought it was part of the uniform. It does make it a little difficult to find the car in the car park.

I will admit that I think big 4x4s are antisocial and probably should be banned. They are lovely to drive though.

lots of knickers twisted today ne c'est pas

and breathe ladies

We have a 4x4 pick up for DH's work and driving to inaccessible places which there are a few around here. All the farmers have 4x4's, can't see them driving across mudy fields rescuing sheep etc in a nissan micra for example

lol spidermama - but for clarification what are wannabe knobs? ..I thought one was either a knob or not a knob??

Am guessing that you are something of an authority on this topic?

I can see how ill-advised posting on this thread is, but I feel I need to justify myself for some reason.

I'm not condemning 4x4 drivers. I do think that ideally for a car over a certain size, you should be required to take an additional driving test where you are taught a slightly more defensive driving style, but it isn't a big deal to me.

I don't really like the idea that people are buying massive cars to protect their little darlings at the expense of other people's children's safety, but I guess that's human nature. There's nothing I can do about it. Nor can I stop kids doing graffiti everywhere or many other antisocial acts. I find it puzzling that someone who is brave enough to buy a 4x4 these days would be unaware of the general feeling of disapproval from many quarters, for many reasons.

For those who actually need a 4wd car, doesn't it slightly get on your nerves that the urban drivers have focused attention on them and made them a social evil?

I'd love a bus. I'd keep it all to myself and drive past people at the stop. And I'd frighten old ladeees at the crossings.

But some 4x4s are actually quite small - especially compared to a more socially acceptable 'people carrier'.

Can I say that really and truly I think we 4 x4 drivers (especially expensive posh ones) know quite well why we bought them - safety aside - it's for posing and perceived status isn't it? Can we at least be honest about that? And a lot of the animosity is about pure and simple envy.

Think if we're all grown up about it we can admit that this is what is boils down to in a lot of cases.

If that makes me a knob, then so be it, it still makes for bloody fantastic driving. (Oh and by the way, I am a defensive AND considerate driver - my other car's a prius so what the hell kind of assumptions and prejudices can you inflict on me?)

lol crystal - have you been on the vino! You might regret that straigh talking admission of your motives in the morning.

I honestly don't think (I'm critically self examining atm) that I got mine for perceived status and posing. Have never really needed that external validation.