what the FUCK is that advert for 4x4s doing at the top of this page????

[CountessDracula]

I cannot believe it

How about one for air rifles too?

Hear, hear, foxy. See below for my proposed change in the law governing car buying

i have just turned around from pc to find ds has totally trashed lounge.
rich teas mashed into carpet, cds all over floor, toy box emptied, tv has the 'snow' thing on the screen,clean washing basket emptied....

arghhhh.

see you later!

they should also have separate twat insurance

I think foxinsocks story is a good example of bad driving, it could have been kind of vehicle..

I actually find old folks driving micras and the like more of a menace on the road than 4x4 drivers

Apart from my neighbour who reverses his car all the way onto my drive to turn out onto the road, because he is too fecking lazy (incapable?) of reversing using only the shared area, not my private bloody drive. Arse. He only has one car and a triple width drive so there is no bloody excuse. DH and I manage to manouvre our cars without ending up outside their lounge window.....

Ruty - you can argue against the safety issue. My Volvo XC90 is a 4x4 but scores 2 out of 3 for pedestrian safety which is consistent with the majority of family cars on the road (check out the stats). Yes some 4x4s score only 1, but mine isn't one of them, and does rather better on pedestrian safety than some popular family cars which are not endlessly villified...

As for rich - yes I am rather - sorry about that and all (people can't deal with that in this country can they!), but I'm most definitely not stupid.

Consequently, I've moved my car to the middle of my drive so that he has no bloody choice but to do it properly. It's petty but it really gets my goat.

The thing is, 4x4s are probably safer for the kids in the 4x4 [if the driver is not a twat] because it is so heavily built and high up - but it seems obvious to me it is not very safe for the cyclist or pedestrian [again, even if the driver is not a twat!] so it seems a bit of a an unequal challenge out on the road, if you see what I mean.

I did say usually HMC - of course there are exceptions, like yourself - I was really going on the kind of people i see driving them around where i live. Anyway, i didn' mean to offend. Let me say sorry. Honestly.

lol ndp!

there was a programme on the other day that showed that occupants of 4x4s (based on past accident statistics) were actually no safer than those in a 'normal' car

I do wish they would address the reversing blind spot (and that applies to peep carriers aswell) - some of them do (think the volvo one may be one that does)

actually roll over is a problem in landrover Discovery, range rover etc because they are high up, this catches out drivers who tend to think they are safe

You can get a special mirror which shows you what is happening in the area immediately behind a vehicle like a landrover..of cours lots of 4x4s are to all intents and appearnaces like any other car eg panda, legacy and many others

DG - agree - we have the same car I think! However, I don't find it hard to park, I've got used to it now. I lurve mine - so, so comfy and spacious.

Agree with Hula - 4x4s always get a pasting but there are plenty of other vehicles that have just the same issues- plenty of people carriers, vans, buses etc around

Ok ruty, but I am mighty sensitive about my 4x4 because in general they and their owners are constantly getting lambasted, but actually my Volvo doesn't deserve it and nor do I [weak watery smile emoticon whilst appealing for empathy and understanding]

Love your post hmc - you are right about being 'rich' (which I am not btw) - sooooo, right.

I love the Volvo XC90 - tis yummy

round here the most dangerous 4x4s are the ones that are stationary but about to move off - I don't know how many times somebody has almost reversed over me and ds whilst chattting away blithely to their own child in the front seat. Quite a few times unfortunately. and we've been splashed by huge waves of rain puddles from 4x4 zooming down narrow streets. I know other cars are capable of doing the same, but for us it has always been a 4x4. They're out to get me!

Why thank you Gdg - it is rather lovely, and I am slightly passionate about it. Must be impending middle age....

I've told DH that he needs to go and have a word about it. I'd do it but I'm persona non grata with him next door, misogynist pig. Grrrrr. Maybe if I liked him, I'd feel less territorial ? Interestingly, when DH's car is parked here too, neighbour has no choice but to huff and puff and do it properly. On the (extremely) rare ocassion that his wife drives the car, she always does it properly too, so it's not like there isn't enough room.

I know some drivers can be careless but pedestrians do have some responsibility for their own safety - you can anticipate the possibility that a car is about to move.

I've got rear sensors ruty so I can guaranteed I wouldn't reverse into you....

Me too - and my car beep, beep, beep, beeps as it's reversing too for extra pedestrian safety

(btw, thanks for reading my vent re neighbour, foxy. I know it's pretty uninteresting to anyone else but it is my current pet peeve)

Gobblychops drives a 16 wheeler, that's why she has the reversing beeps .

is it my imagination or do women drivers of 4x4s seem to get the most stick about their lack of ability to drive properly..I think you just notice 4x4s more than the other badly driven vehicles