Drivers who assume a classic car will be going slowly!
Discussion
Over the past few weeks, this has become so common, it now happens on nearly every journey.
Drivers in modern cars who appear at junctions, and offer a 'half glance' in your direction. They see an old car, automatically assume it will be travelling slowly, or decide they don't want to be stuck behind it, and so pull out.
This then cues a 1974 brake technology induced 'heart in mouth moment' where you're not quite sure if she'll anchor up or not. Luckily, the brakes are a lot better than the initial bite gives the feeling for, on the Beetle, Stag and Jensen.
But really, is it just me? Or do all classic owners currently have modern cars completing rather tight manoeuvres in front of them?
Drivers in modern cars who appear at junctions, and offer a 'half glance' in your direction. They see an old car, automatically assume it will be travelling slowly, or decide they don't want to be stuck behind it, and so pull out.
This then cues a 1974 brake technology induced 'heart in mouth moment' where you're not quite sure if she'll anchor up or not. Luckily, the brakes are a lot better than the initial bite gives the feeling for, on the Beetle, Stag and Jensen.
But really, is it just me? Or do all classic owners currently have modern cars completing rather tight manoeuvres in front of them?
Dr Interceptor said:
Over the past few weeks, this has become so common, it now happens on nearly every journey.
Drivers in modern cars who appear at junctions, and offer a 'half glance' in your direction. They see an old car, automatically assume it will be travelling slowly, or decide they don't want to be stuck behind it, and so pull out.
This then cues a 1974 brake technology induced 'heart in mouth moment' where you're not quite sure if she'll anchor up or not. Luckily, the brakes are a lot better than the initial bite gives the feeling for, on the Beetle, Stag and Jensen.
But really, is it just me? Or do all classic owners currently have modern cars completing rather tight manoeuvres in front of them?
No, it's not just you. I drove a 1934 car for a weekend a while ago and it was annoying that by leaving sufficient of a gap between myself and the car in front someone would nonchalantly pull out of a side road in front of me causing me to brake and drop back behind them. Drivers in modern cars who appear at junctions, and offer a 'half glance' in your direction. They see an old car, automatically assume it will be travelling slowly, or decide they don't want to be stuck behind it, and so pull out.
This then cues a 1974 brake technology induced 'heart in mouth moment' where you're not quite sure if she'll anchor up or not. Luckily, the brakes are a lot better than the initial bite gives the feeling for, on the Beetle, Stag and Jensen.
But really, is it just me? Or do all classic owners currently have modern cars completing rather tight manoeuvres in front of them?
People seem to forget that it's not always about the bhp available but the commitment of the driver that counts - the enthusiastically driven Morris Minor that overtook me the other day is testimony to that - he spotted the smallest of gaps in the traffic but went for it with all the momentum he could muster!
Having ridden motorcycles for decades I've got pretty much used to folk pulling out of junctions without leaving room... happens regardless of what I drive or ride, just have to try and be ready for it! The manoeuvre that really pisses me off tho', again when riding or driving, is the person who just has to overtake at the last minute where a dual carriageway ends and the traffic all starts backing up in one lane - having left sufficient room to slow/stop comfortably said pillock will cut in and stand on his servo assisted a.b.s system (often these moderns have discs front AND back!) completely wiping out all my safe braking space. Inevitably, once the traffic starts to move again they will either hold me up or find their progress baulked by others... (or if I'm on the bike I'll overtake in the traffic anyway).
Happens quite a lot when driving my 1930 Morgan. Within limitations of poor brakes and no rear shock absorber, it is capable of showing up quite a few modern cars.
One just has to let the idiots get on with being idiots and sometimes great delight can be obtained by repassing them in tricky bits. Goodness knows what they think when that happens, like the larger BMW I overtook on a roundabout.
One just has to let the idiots get on with being idiots and sometimes great delight can be obtained by repassing them in tricky bits. Goodness knows what they think when that happens, like the larger BMW I overtook on a roundabout.
yes! I have s MGB GT and the amount of times this happens is unreal! Nowadays I just expect it so drive accordingly, still frustrating though. Luckily the Bs brakes aren't too bad.
I guess most think a mgb will be driven by a retired gent out for a gentle ride with Mabel, not a 23 year old!
I guess most think a mgb will be driven by a retired gent out for a gentle ride with Mabel, not a 23 year old!
I fell foul of this once myself, but I didn't cut up the classic car. I was in the Alps at the base of the Grimsel Pass when I came upon a Jag Mk7 / Mk9 in front of me. Oh God, I can't pass this guy, I'll be chugging up here in second gear, I thought. So off we went, out of the first corner he booted it, so did I, second corner same again, next corner he was 50 yards clear, twice that next corner, never saw him again. Right then. Old Jags not exactly sluggish then.
I often have it in my MG too, I've got pretty good at judging what other people are likely to do and managing to avoid them well in advance. Someone really put me to the test the other day though, when he simply didn't see me approaching and pulled out of a junction just as I was about to pass him. A quick stamp of the brakes and a bit of a swerve and I just managed to miss him. I immediately pulled over as he stopped behind me, when I got out he apologised profusely for not seeing me and made a comment about that being "the trouble with black cars". An acceptable excuse at night if my lights were off, but not in broad daylight really.
Still, it livened up the journey home.
Still, it livened up the journey home.
The other "favourite" is when you have two lanes at traffic lights (one ahead only, one turn only) and they try to out accelerate you, cutting in front.
I once witnessed a cool looking yoof in an e46 cabrio try this on a gt6. The driver realised the yoofs intentions and absolutely tore away. The BMW driver pulled in behind and gave the triumph a blast of Germanic horn. I don't think the old boy realised though as he took off and disappeared with the bmw driver left looking a bit stupid...
I once witnessed a cool looking yoof in an e46 cabrio try this on a gt6. The driver realised the yoofs intentions and absolutely tore away. The BMW driver pulled in behind and gave the triumph a blast of Germanic horn. I don't think the old boy realised though as he took off and disappeared with the bmw driver left looking a bit stupid...
Used to get tailgated on the motorway far more in my classic mini cooper than I do now in a modern car. Usual thing where you're going as fast as the car in front.
One of my favourite moments in it was on the A38 in Devon. Very steep hill, Volvo sees mini and automatically pulls out to overtake. We were level for just long enough for me to see the look of surprise as he gradually lost ground on me.
One of my favourite moments in it was on the A38 in Devon. Very steep hill, Volvo sees mini and automatically pulls out to overtake. We were level for just long enough for me to see the look of surprise as he gradually lost ground on me.
I think it's just another indication of falling driving standards , no consideration , no perception and no courtesy towards other drivers .
It's strange how the arrogant ones tend to drive German made cars .
Is it just me or do others expect nice cars to be driven well , yet we are so often disappointed by the standard of driving.
It's strange how the arrogant ones tend to drive German made cars .
Is it just me or do others expect nice cars to be driven well , yet we are so often disappointed by the standard of driving.
vx220 said:
Not a classic, I know, but probably a similar situation...
It seems much worse with the roof off!?
Know how you feel. Stuck in the 50MPH average speed camera section on the M3 the other day in the XKR with some lorry sitting mere feet from my rear bumper. Didn't want to overtake, just wanted to see how close he could get to me, if I found I'd edged up to 52 or 53 and back off a tad he was so close he was having to brake.It seems much worse with the roof off!?
grumpy52 said:
I think it's just another indication of falling driving standards , no consideration , no perception and no courtesy towards other drivers .
It's strange how the arrogant ones tend to drive German made cars .
Is it just me or do others expect nice cars to be driven well , yet we are so often disappointed by the standard of driving.
FourBySlows seems to be the worst IMHO.It's strange how the arrogant ones tend to drive German made cars .
Is it just me or do others expect nice cars to be driven well , yet we are so often disappointed by the standard of driving.
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