Most Annoying Car Stereotype in Films or on TV?

[Astra Dan]

Occurs to me EVERYTIME someone in a film or on the telly locks a car, it has to make the 'whip whip' noise. No matter the age or type of car.

Another in American films particularly, cars always have a little skid noise when they stop, regardless of speed.

[gtdc]

Most of Driven.

[Petrolhead95]

In a lot of films they seem to drive in high revs all the time if that counts?

[Astra Dan]

Sly stone film? No seen that.

[gtdc]

Don't bother. it was very, very bad.

[wildoliver]

Down change to speed up. Usually about 10 times.

Driving down a straight road and moving the steering wheel back and forth.

[Perd Hapley]

It's stupid, but it always bothers me in animated shows that cars idle silently, and it seems that people leave them idling all the time because they never start the car, just drive off.

There's a moment in an early Simpsons episode where Homer goes from reverse to drive without taking a hand off the wheel, which someone calls attention to on the DVD commentary.

[Astra Dan]

Ooh, and when cars die, either through running out of fuel or from breakage/ damage, they always make the same knocking/ clonking sound.


Just remembered Uncle Buck's car. That did not idle silently!

[valiant1]

Astra Dan said:

Occurs to me EVERYTIME someone in a film or on the telly locks a car, it has to make the 'whip whip' noise. No matter the age or type of car.

Another in American films particularly, cars always have a little skid noise when they stop, regardless of speed.

What are you talking about???

No one ever locks the doors or winds the windows up in la-la land. Slam the door and walk away and it's always there when they come back.


Also love those american 67 speed gearboxes - they just keep changing up!!

[NelsonR32]

Need for Speed and the like. Seem to remember the last film they steal some American cop cars and have a race. Despite all being exactly the same spec they all seemed to find an extra 50bhp when they changed down a gear!

[Fleckers]

tyre screaching [wheelspin] when on a dirt road !!!

hows that happen?

never any traffic jams

no one ever need petrol

no one ever gets lost, unless its a horror film

always a parking space outside the shop etc they want to stop at

[Baryonyx]

People in soaps owning cars but never seeming to use them unless they're driving somewhere that will involve a crash or other life threatening experience. That'll be the lack of experience then.

[S1_RS]

In American films & TV, when a car chase happens on the freeway, all the cars are spaced out perfectly so they can drive through the gaps. Sometimes the drivers being overtaken, spaz out and yank up the handbrake so they spin off causing a pileup. Also whenever a car crashes, it bursts into flames!

[Camaro91]

Interestingly (or perhaps not), my Thunderbird used to do the little screeches on corners and setting off on dry days. I think it was a combination of cack tyres, long wheelbase and v8 torque

[McSam]

Camaro91 said:

Interestingly (or perhaps not), my Thunderbird used to do the little screeches on corners and setting off on dry days. I think it was a combination of cack tyres, long wheelbase and v8 torque

Or just a right foot made of lead?

[F1GTRUeno]

The whole...I'm faster than you so I'll accelerate to a certain speed and go past you and then you'll catch up to me and we'll keep swapping slightly in front of each other cliche they use to build tension.

Oh and thinking of Quantum of Solace for this one, the chaser is always able to keep up with the chased, despite the chased being in a 6.0 V12 Aston Martin and the chasers being in Alfa saloon cars.

[hyperblue]

swerni said:

Astra Dan said:

in American films particularly, cars always have a little skid noise when they stop, regardless of speed.

That would never happen in a British film.

You would never hear James Bond screeching his tyres while on sand

Was just going to post that one!

[Negative Creep]

Being able to hotwire anything, even a brand new car, in seconds.

Also its not a cliche but note how many have the rear view mirror and headrests removed for filming

[Astra Dan]

And the actors' faces lit up from underneath at night, despite the dash being mostly dark.

[tucks]

infinate gears, more ratios than the average john deer.