SUV hatred?

[C8PPO]

10 days ago, on a bit of a whim, I changed my Ford Ranger truck for a P38 Rangie. Just fancied a bit of waftage for a while in something which will still carry a muddy dog and tip fodder.

Anyway, I may be imagining this, but I think I'm encountering what can only be described as "SUV Hatred". Twice now, on different journeys, I've been baulked down to 55-ish mph in lane 3 by a small, "economical" vehicle, who has held me there for a while before pulling over and letting me through, whilst glaring/sneering at me as I pass. Nothing ahead of them for a good 1/4 mile or so, nothing in L2 preventing them pulling in. It's not a MLM scenario either, as I'm being baulked with brake lights to make the point.

I'm not driving like a tt, just a regular 70 or so on the motorway, not tailgating (one of my absolute pet hates), I haven't fitted aftermarket DRLs, the car's standard and a subtle dark blue colour.

Not that bothered really, I like the car and might trade up to an L322 later in the year anyway, but I'm just curious - anyone else experienced this?

[Matt UK]

I drive the wifes Lexus RX300 jobbie on the weekends and don't seem to be treated any differently to other cars I drive.

[RemainAllHoof]

Doesn't surprise me but that driver was being a dick.

[Beyond Rational]

Nah, it's just a thing called chance.

Most of the population look sneery, they can't help it, pity them.

[HellDiver]

You were being held up by a small car while driving a Rangie? You're driving it wrong then.

[Deva Link]

A colleague has a VW Touareg and his wife won't drive it as she says she always seems to get hassle from other drivers.

[RobM77]

HellDiver said:

You were being held up by a small car while driving a Rangie? You're driving it wrong then.

Most small cars will be a hell of a lot faster than a Range Rover

In answer to the OP though, you may get a bit of this targeted road rage (I do driving a BMW), but if you want a Rangie, then buy it, drive it and enjoy it, and try and ignore the haters. People are stupid and prejudiced - just let them get on with it.

[zeb]

I found this when I had my X5, worse now in the rangie, sometimes I think i'd get a better response if i had 'gaddafi on board let me through' signwritten on it....

[The Moose]

Can I ask what part of the country you guys are in?

The reason I ask is that I wonder if it depends where in the world you are.

I am just West of London and have driven an X5, Landcruiser and Cayenne around those areas a fair bit and have never experienced that. Maybe it's to do with jealously, looking like a rich bd etc??

Cheers

The Moose

[mat13]

You need to fit one of these



Dead handy for moving peasants out of your way

[zeb]

The Moose said:

Can I ask what part of the country you guys are in?

The reason I ask is that I wonder if it depends where in the world you are.

I am just West of London and have driven an X5, Landcruiser and Cayenne around those areas a fair bit and have never experienced that. Maybe it's to do with jealously, looking like a rich bd etc??

Cheers

The Moose

north west matey

[The Moose]

zeb said:

The Moose said:

Can I ask what part of the country you guys are in?

The reason I ask is that I wonder if it depends where in the world you are.

I am just West of London and have driven an X5, Landcruiser and Cayenne around those areas a fair bit and have never experienced that. Maybe it's to do with jealously, looking like a rich bd etc??

Cheers

The Moose

north west matey

What I've quoted above would be my guess - the scummy 'if he's rich enough to afford it, that is a bad thing' that is so ingrained in the people of this country...

Cheers

The Moose

[J4CKO]

I do think there is a bit of jealousy but also a lot of SUV's tend to be badly driven and due to their size and being "flashy" its very noticeable where perhaps a Focus wouldn't be noticed, some drivers do seem to think they are special when they have an SUV.

I don't get Jealous, could get one if I wanted, they don't do it for me as a road vehicle, I dont mind Full Fat Range Rovers, its the legions of Orange Mummies in Sports and bloody Q7's that seem to be the main offenders.

[zakelwe]

It might have been an Aygo / C1 / 107 or similar other small car with too long gearing ( to eek out the mpg) so they were not dawdling, just struggling. The Aygo does 50-70 in 5th in over 20seconds. Mine used to be fun but the long gearing was a bugger. 5th goes all the way to 145mph .. it's only got 67bhp.

PS Have you found yet that people will not let you out of side roads as well?

[C8PPO]

The Moose said:

Can I ask what part of the country you guys are in?

Live in Kent, the two cases I mentioned were on the A12 and on the A1M.

No, I'm happy with my choice (in fact very happy; it was something of a cheap experiment to determine whether I'd want to spend out on an L322, and so far the answer is a definite yes) and I'm not that bothered by the haters as long as it doesn't involve slashed tyres, etc, but I was just curious as to the extent (if there is one) of the problem.

L322 will be LPG powered though - will that make it "greener" than their eurochariots???

[C8PPO]

zakelwe said:

It might have been an Aygo / C1 / 107 or similar other small car with too long gearing

I think today's was a Citroen of some sort, but bigger, C3 maybe, and this definitely this wasn't the cause - there was obvious, visible braking to slow me down and hold me (unless I undertook, which I didn't, wouldn't want to reinforce their stereotypes!)

zakelwe said:

PS Have you found yet that people will not let you out of side roads as well?

Not yet - did BMW make the P38?

[Matt UK]

C8PPO said:

Live in Kent, the two cases I mentioned were on the A12 and on the A1M.

I know the A21 very well too.
Don't worry, it's nothing to do with your car, they would not have even looked in their mirrors to see you.
There's a powerful magnetic charge on the central barrier that automatically pulls cars into L2 and holds them there until they tear themselves back into L1 20yrds before their exit.

[Diesel Fury]

Nowt to do with it being an SUV, some people are just a pain in the arse

I got followed home a couple of days ago for overtaking someone who was doing 30 in a 50. They leant out of the window when I stopped and told me that just because I have "a fancy sports car" I had "no right to go driving like a lunatic". I stopped laughing long enough to tell him I didn't excede the speed limit and that a Punto is not what I'd describe as a fancy sports car.

Yesterday I got a hateful glare from someone who couldn't get their C1 up a hill at more than 25.

Some people just have either a terrible attitude to other drivers, probably down to stereotypes and generalisations, and others just have underpowered cars and no idea how to drive them. You'd likely get the same thing driving a Fiesta at some point.

[The Wookie]

zakelwe said:

PS Have you found yet that people will not let you out of side roads as well?

Have to say, splitting most of my driving time between the 997 and BM, it's always a genuine shock when I jump in the Landy or even the 928 and see how differently people respond.

I get let out of junctions, people move out of the way instead of sitting in the outside lane in front of me for miles, people leave gaps open heading into lane closures instead of closing the gap to block me out, it's VERY noticeable when you're acclimatised to driving a ttmobile.

[C8PPO]

Diesel Fury said:

Nowt to do with it being an SUV, some people are just a pain in the arse

The strange thing is (and this is NOT a "Worst I've got two big cars ever" post!) my other car is a Monaro and I've never had anything but curiosity, interest, smiles and thumbs-ups in 4 years of owning that. Mind you, that does 2.5mpg more than the P38!