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

No I honestly reckon it's true - no wine involved. In a lot of cases a flashy 4 x4 is a status symbol car - only for a family - as opposed to a red two seater porsche for the singletons/newly divorced or whatever!!

I'm glad you don't need the validation...good for you....can't hurt tho can it?

The thing about people saying farmers drive 4x4s is tosh if you ask me. For many years the car of choice apparently for farmers was a subaru estate. They just keep going and going, can cope with most terrain and can also be used as a family car.

Farmers generally drive tractors in my experience. And then have a normal car too. Don't get many farmer driving BMW X5s or volvo big jobs.

I live in suburbia. Yes there are a number of unmade roads round and about. But people driving all-terrain vehicles is a recent phenomenon and nothing whatsoever to do with need - all to do with show. I truly do not understand why anyone would need one when there are large estate cars that do the same job in terms of hoicking hordes of children/pushchairs/shopping without the attendant risk to pedestrians and other road users.

Cos estate cars aren't flash..

Ok - I guess that is the case for some people.....and fair enough...

lilymolly are you kerry katona?

But I don't think my XC90 is flash either? - it doesn't have go faster stripes or anything (generally interested in this perception)

crystal i dont envy you, however i think you have proved my upcoming point - becuase 4x4s are vulgar

they are the david beckham of cars.

i envy mercedes drivers.

i think porches are also knob mobiles.

4x4s are imo distateful, neuveaux riche cars for the grossly vulgar 'me, me, me,' type.

think footballers wives.

i do not begrudge a jot the farmer, with a working farm who needs the muddy jeep.

Does her husband fit boilers then? Thought he was a cabbie cum dealer??

What does Greenandblacknotanotter know that the rest of us don't? (all agog)

The mas market for 4x4s is a triumph of marketing skill.

To have sold expensive vehicles designed for crossing the dessert to ordinary citizens in the country with a dense network of made-up roads sounds like a bet won by some red-bracered fast-talking green-flash-wearing, Paul-Smith-trousered wide boy in an advertising agency!

Welllll, My 4 x4 is Porsche, my day to day car is Prius, my weekend car is Mercedes convertible...so you kind of envy me and think I'm a knob and vulgar all at the same time iam!! I love MN - you can be all things to all people on here!!

And I'm not envious. Not a jot. Could have one if I wanted, but chose not to.

Good for you pooka!

Was pleased that in the news recently there was a report that sales of them has drastically dropped. Bad news for second hand sales too.

Thanks!

Is nouveau riche an insult then? Any kind of rich sound fecking good to me

I hope this thread never dies - it's really entertaining. And it provides a valuable public service as a cathartic stress outlet for many people who need to channel their angst onto a convenient scapegoat.

Dh has a 4 litre Audi A8. Go on - "come and 'av a go if you think you're 'ard enough"!

Sorry I really must leave this alone now. I'm getting rather childish

I think it's hilarious. I never knew you could be an enviable knob!

or a wannabe knob? Snort!

One of the best ones Crystal was from Moondog (and I quite like her direct posting style) who said on a previous thread that 4x4 drivers were ruddy faced, middle aged men with a tiny penis or I think the other one was women with alice bands and large bottoms. I forget exactly, but it was very good

She must have seen me and dh!! Only kidding - I dont have an alice band

Do you think we've scared them off yet with our general knobbyness and vulgarity?

Either that or the envy is too much to bare ...

I have to say I think it particularly rankles women especially to see a swish 4 x4 being driven by a young, perfectly groomed (and obviously kept) yummy mummy type - which I am not.

If it was just environmental stuff then everyone is guilty on some level and as for them taking up more room - a complete moot point unless they're going to start selling all cars with the same dimensions - a ridiculous arguement all in all.

Around here the worst drivers tend to be in 4x4s. I think it is because they are incompetent behind the wheel and have likely had a few scares, so they invest in a tank that makes them feel safe.

And puts cyclists, pedestrians and other drivers at greater risk.

I am with Miljee:
"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."

So the increased road tax, insurance etc - already applies doesn't it? If you own a two seater sports car would you be obliged to do a few monitored laps round brands hatch then before you could drive it on the road?