I have identifed a "type" who drive 4x4s in London, wondered if it was accurate...

[CountessDracula]

I live in SW London, home of the tossy 4x4s that never see a hill or any mud.

It seems to me that these cars are often driven by teeny weeny pinstick women who are married to big rugby player type men. I think it follows that if you are an ickle bickle lollipop of a woman and you are attracted to a huge manly bear of a man that you like to be pwotected by your big man and so you feel the need for the same type of pwotection from your car.

Do you think I am right?

I mean, usually people are attracted to their own physical shape etc aren't they?

Here endeth the poisson psychology.

Jampots, Saab don't yet make an x5 equivalent, and no one really aspires to drive a saab, so I like them. Apart from them being too low, and being easy fodder for oncoming 4x4's - am waiting for some 4x4 to drive over me one of these days!

not me, MissChief, mines an 8yr old ford KA and I live in Surrey dahling (about 1km from SW14 but importantly in Surrey not London)

yeah, never got that how can richomnd, kinfston etc be in london and surrey, wha't theat about?

yup Richmond is one of the london borough which straddles London and another county - I think there are a few. It was strange moving about half a mile and going form London to surrey. And even stranger that my GO surgery wouldn't keep me on their list as it was too far to do a home visit - wtf, could walk it in 20 minutes max (home visits? Whats one of those then?)

yep the London borough of Richmond also includes bits of Middlesex (where I am, and which only really exists in name and postally) and Surrey.

mad

so who is slagging saab drivers eh? eh? eh????

you're on your own love. Still, I'm sure you're a lovely safe lady driver.

Pearly pink lipstick is often required to drive them in Kent and highlighted, straightened hair like soemone else metioned.

Otherwise (especially on the Barnes to Chelsea school run) I go with the stick thin type description.

You must alays (when travelling by 4x4) drive in such a way as to perilously remind everyone of 'that article they read once about how their five year old will probably be killed if knocked down at 30mph by a 4x4 as opposed to someone in a 'regular' car'.

Haven't read the rest of the thread CD but I was only saying to DH the other day about the Prado/small man syndrome ....
Maybe a similar theory but the Prado is one of the bigger 4WD around and there are loads in Auckland. Whenever I see one parked inevitably the person that gets out is a small bloke (no taller than 5'7") who needs a stepstool to get in.

1. TC's is not white. It is a lovely colour.

2. Much of the problem is attitude. Some 4X4 drivers have a considerate attitude on the road, but many don't. The reason 'ordinary' folk like wot are on this thread get so miffed about them is that they invariably don't slow down when facing an oncoming car in a narrow stretch of road, they won't pull in to let oncoming traffic pass, and the drivers often find parking and reversing difficult / scary (blind spots, parking spaces too small).

(Aside from safety, economy)

3. The design is essentially inspired to frighten; to overpower with brute force / volume occupied, to convey tough / militaristic styling through raised ride height, big wheels, flared wheel guards or 'slab like; ('tank like') design. They are for the insecure.

Message withdrawn

Saab-heads... they do have a 4X4 / SUV thang in the States !

Saab 9-7 X (You can get more info from Saab.com / go to USA)

I "get it" just fine, thank you -
I just think that there are some posts on this thread that make it clear that people are making judgements and assumptions about drivers of a certain type of car and I find that somewhat unnecessary - that's all.

See hub2dee's points 2 and 3, coolmama. Plus my point - they really are hellishly dangerous for pedestrians, especially children.

I think it is just rich people! These Chelsea tractors cost a fortune and use absurd amounts of fuel.
I dip in & out of the yummy mummy set in Wimbledon & I've heard so many feeble excuses for why they have one of these ridiculous vehicles: I'm worried about the ice on the track where I take my daughter riding; my bad shoulder makes it hard for me to turn my neck & its easier when I'm sitting up higher; the children prefer it; my husband says I'm such a bad driver I won't be safe in anything else..............
Bollocks, your just rich & you want everyone to know about it!!!!!

bugsy2's post is exactly what I am talking about

Here, here, Pruni!

true Bugsy!

round here the drivers should just stick a notice on their foreheads saying "I'm richer than you and I don't work and have a cleaner and a babysitter for all my hair appointments and a prat of a dh who thinks driving a big 4x4 makes him sporty and interesting" suppose it would have to be a big sticker!! Maybe it should go in the rear window?,

Nice pic from CD's landcruiser owners' club above

Obviously, looking at where it's parked, it needs all that metalwork in front in case it encounters a buffalo or something.

yeah, you get a lot of buffalo's round our way too!

A friend of mine used to say a man's penis size was inversely proportional to the size of the vehicle he drove.

IME, he was right!

yes, 4x4's are taking over from fortysomething man getting a porsche, now he gets the biggest 4x4 he can afford and show's the world and his adoring wife what a macho man he is now.

I'm afraid if you drive a massive fck off tank with totally* unnecessary accoutrements like the bull bars on that Landcruiser in the picture JanH posted (imagine those colliding with a pedestrian and compare it to a normal car front), then people are going to make judgements about you. Fact.

I agree, ssd. It's also the epitome of the 'I'm all right, Jack, so f*&k you' mentality. It basically blares out, 'My car's safe, so who gives a toss about you and your kids in your tiny one?'

I think ownership of these polluting, dangerous vehicles should be restricted to mobility cars and those needed for business use.