Stereotyping by vehicle
Discussion
Dear every "Powerfully built company director" in the Leeds / Bradford area
I do like your shiny new Audi fastback, it's very pretty. I'm sure with its big rims and the acceleration from the massive diesel lump 10ft ahead of the front axle, it feels like a sports car in a straight line. However, it is not, and neither is it the size of an MX5. I'm sorry traffic conditions are such that I can get where I'm going before you, but please don't use your torque to try to squeeze past me when there's a traffic island just there. I'm only going to pass you again 5 seconds later.
HTH
A cyclist.
I do like your shiny new Audi fastback, it's very pretty. I'm sure with its big rims and the acceleration from the massive diesel lump 10ft ahead of the front axle, it feels like a sports car in a straight line. However, it is not, and neither is it the size of an MX5. I'm sorry traffic conditions are such that I can get where I'm going before you, but please don't use your torque to try to squeeze past me when there's a traffic island just there. I'm only going to pass you again 5 seconds later.
HTH
A cyclist.
Without a doubt any 'status car' is worth steering clear of. You see a lot of Mercs and Audis round here - usually tatty older examples - being driven arrogantly by tools who think they're the local mob boss. Some of them probably are.
Modified cars and rice rockets - rather split. Sometimes well driven, but often seem to be doing a zillion miles an hour down the high street irrespective of who they're about to take out with the wing mirrors.
People carriers with Addison Lee stickers on the back - just run.
People carriers or four-by-fours driven by yummy mummies (or less yummy ones for that matter) - anything could happen.
New vans - often seem to be quite well driven by someone who knows he has to explain any dents to his boss.
Tatty old vans - predominantly driven like a menace by people who work cash-in-hand and then yell at you at the lights for not paying VED.
Smart cars - will come barreling through the smallest gaps, because that's what people buy Smarts to do.
Modified cars and rice rockets - rather split. Sometimes well driven, but often seem to be doing a zillion miles an hour down the high street irrespective of who they're about to take out with the wing mirrors.
People carriers with Addison Lee stickers on the back - just run.
People carriers or four-by-fours driven by yummy mummies (or less yummy ones for that matter) - anything could happen.
New vans - often seem to be quite well driven by someone who knows he has to explain any dents to his boss.
Tatty old vans - predominantly driven like a menace by people who work cash-in-hand and then yell at you at the lights for not paying VED.
Smart cars - will come barreling through the smallest gaps, because that's what people buy Smarts to do.
I hear the car behind me and just know, without looking, what's about to come passed.
The diesel in the wrong gear will be a middle-aged woman in a Berlingo. Thrashing valves is White Van Man and the rumble of wide tyres is Mr Audi/BM/Merc who is very important and needs to be there right NOW!
Little old ladies in Peroduas will take forever to pass and Taxis will not have even noticed you're there. I must say, Kev Kars seem to be well driven in general.
The diesel in the wrong gear will be a middle-aged woman in a Berlingo. Thrashing valves is White Van Man and the rumble of wide tyres is Mr Audi/BM/Merc who is very important and needs to be there right NOW!
Little old ladies in Peroduas will take forever to pass and Taxis will not have even noticed you're there. I must say, Kev Kars seem to be well driven in general.
Chris71 said:
Without a doubt any 'status car' is worth steering clear of. You see a lot of Mercs and Audis round here - usually tatty older examples - being driven arrogantly by tools who think they're the local mob boss. Some of them probably are.
Modified cars and rice rockets - rather split. Sometimes well driven, but often seem to be doing a zillion miles an hour down the high street irrespective of who they're about to take out with the wing mirrors.
People carriers with Addison Lee stickers on the back - just run.
People carriers or four-by-fours driven by yummy mummies (or less yummy ones for that matter) - anything could happen.
New vans - often seem to be quite well driven by someone who knows he has to explain any dents to his boss.
Tatty old vans - predominantly driven like a menace by people who work cash-in-hand and then yell at you at the lights for not paying VED.
Smart cars - will come barreling through the smallest gaps, because that's what people buy Smarts to do.
I would offer up another couple of categories;Modified cars and rice rockets - rather split. Sometimes well driven, but often seem to be doing a zillion miles an hour down the high street irrespective of who they're about to take out with the wing mirrors.
People carriers with Addison Lee stickers on the back - just run.
People carriers or four-by-fours driven by yummy mummies (or less yummy ones for that matter) - anything could happen.
New vans - often seem to be quite well driven by someone who knows he has to explain any dents to his boss.
Tatty old vans - predominantly driven like a menace by people who work cash-in-hand and then yell at you at the lights for not paying VED.
Smart cars - will come barreling through the smallest gaps, because that's what people buy Smarts to do.
Toyota Prius - no idea why but every Prius in the Thames Valley seems to have 'cyclist filtering' glass which totally removes the cyclist from the drivers field of view, regardless of where the cyclist is in relation to the car.
Small 'budget' cars - almost exclusively driven by aging drivers who should probably have handed their licenses back several years ago, usually heard before they are seen as only gears 1 and 2 are used with an occasional foray into 3rd on a dual carriageway. As these cars tend to be on the small side the drivers don't feel the need to move over when overtaking a cyclist and invariably give ones chamois a spank with their cheap, plastic wing mirrors.....
MadDad said:
Toyota Prius - no idea why but every Prius in the Thames Valley seems to have 'cyclist filtering' glass which totally removes the cyclist from the drivers field of view, regardless of where the cyclist is in relation to the car.
Yep, definitely agree with that one. I always wonder why someone who's apparently that desperate to save money (or polar bears) drives rather than walks or cycles. They often seem to be quite aggressive on the road too.
Thinking about the comment above about listening to the traffic coming up behind brought something to mind. Actually, probably the most worrying thing of all is when someone about to go past you on a narrow road doesn't appear to have changed their speed at all.
I don't mind if they go slower to judge the gap better or if they go faster to reduce the time exposed to danger, but the ones who just don't seem to register your presence at all are always a bit worrying.
Chris71 said:
Smart cars - will come barreling through the smallest gaps, because that's what people buy Smarts to do.
Very true.The advantage of Smart cars however, is that because there's no bonnet, when you catch them at the next lights and stand in front of them, you can really see the whites of the driver's eyes when you're telling them what you think of their driving.
KIA Picanto*: I must get past you absolutely right now, right by this traffic calming measure/round the outside of this small roundabout. I can see the road on the opposite side is clear for a distance, but absolutely cannot wait the 3-5 seconds until we are past this obstacle. I must pass you right now.
- insert grannywagon of your choice here.
Chris71 said:
People carriers with Addison Lee stickers on the back - just run.
In London, on the main routes you can pretty much guarantee that any problems in the traffic up ahead will be caused by an Addison Lee. Same for that tingling spidey sense feeling that a car is about to go past far too close to you. Miraculously I’ve not been hit by one yet but they’ve tried their best. I once had to give up on the road and head most of the way along the embankment on the pavement after one tried to knock me off/onto the kerb three times in ½ a mile. As far as true danger goes, cars on diplomatic plates or big German limos or 4x4s driven by drivers/security are currently top of my list. Red Light Jumping and veering all over the place only to randomly stop have caused many an oh-s
t moment recently. I normally find white vans OK.
However today, I positioned myself in just to the left of the middle of the road to turn into our road and a bloody builders van overtook me! That's overtook, on the other side of the road just as I was about to turn!
On the other hand, another white van insisted I went first through some road works controlled by traffic lights. I pushed hard and managed to do the entire length of the single Lane at 25-30mph so I didn't slow him down.
Steve
However today, I positioned myself in just to the left of the middle of the road to turn into our road and a bloody builders van overtook me! That's overtook, on the other side of the road just as I was about to turn!
On the other hand, another white van insisted I went first through some road works controlled by traffic lights. I pushed hard and managed to do the entire length of the single Lane at 25-30mph so I didn't slow him down.
Steve
Being a bit specific here but, a 2001-ish Green fooked Passat on Polish plates being driven by a c**t between Burnham and Farnham Park near Slough.
Total waste of human DNA was stuck behind me for 2 - 3 mins in a very narrow unlit section of country road a couple of inches from my rear tyre revving the arse of his stbucket then slamming the brakes on, then repeating. As soon as the road became wide enough to try a suicidal overtake he did, leaving me in a shower of stones and diesel smoke...........I only prey that Dawrin catches up with him.
If you see a car fitting this description steer well clear, he is clearly a 'hater'..........
Total waste of human DNA was stuck behind me for 2 - 3 mins in a very narrow unlit section of country road a couple of inches from my rear tyre revving the arse of his s
tbucket then slamming the brakes on, then repeating. As soon as the road became wide enough to try a suicidal overtake he did, leaving me in a shower of stones and diesel smoke...........I only prey that Dawrin catches up with him.If you see a car fitting this description steer well clear, he is clearly a 'hater'..........
Edited by MadDad on Friday 8th February 23:25
the scariest by far are the Zafira VXRs, driven by boring middle aged men with children but who still think they have a cool sports car because its a VXR and are so desperate to prove that although its a people carrier, they havent lost it so htey drive like morons.... they cut me up, pull out infront of me, shout, swear, throw stuff, just mentalists....that said, they are only just beaten to the crown by Xsara Picassos which are always driven by mums distracted by children fighting in the rear seats thus looking out of their front/side windows is far less important than separating the children.
Strange, I was thinking over the weekend of starting a very similar topic 
In the past 10 years I've lived in NE Scotland, West Midlands, Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire and now North Yorks and I have to say there is almost no single user group who I'd view as the biggest 'menace' to cyclists, every group is as unpredictable as another!
In the past 10 years I've lived in NE Scotland, West Midlands, Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire and now North Yorks and I have to say there is almost no single user group who I'd view as the biggest 'menace' to cyclists, every group is as unpredictable as another!
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