Discussion
It's been a little while since I sold my last 'noticeable' car (Lingenfelter Corvette Z06) and I'd forgotten how other drivers tend to react... is it just me, or do some other road users tend to act like idiots when they see an Aston/Ferrari/Lamborghini/Maserati/etc?
I was minding my own business driving to look at a wedding venue yesterday and, on 2 occasions, I had drivers pull-up behind me at lights so close that they must've been about 2" from my rear bumper. Then, on a country B-road, I had Mr. Audi A4 S-Line decide to tailgate and try to goad me into some kind of race. Makes relaxing driving somewhat difficult!
Just venting :-)
I was minding my own business driving to look at a wedding venue yesterday and, on 2 occasions, I had drivers pull-up behind me at lights so close that they must've been about 2" from my rear bumper. Then, on a country B-road, I had Mr. Audi A4 S-Line decide to tailgate and try to goad me into some kind of race. Makes relaxing driving somewhat difficult!
Just venting :-)
Yep, totally agree with the tailgating syndrome.
I've never experienced this in over 30 years of driving but since I got the Aston back in April, I've had about half a dozen incidents.
Are they trying to make me go faster or just trying to see what postcode is printed on the number plate? W
rs!
I've never experienced this in over 30 years of driving but since I got the Aston back in April, I've had about half a dozen incidents.
Are they trying to make me go faster or just trying to see what postcode is printed on the number plate? W
rs!I always make a more "conscientious" effort to drive well when in the Aston - not that I don't any other time, but I know that more people are looking and will either say "look at that tt in that Aston" or "nice car!"
Saying that, the one incident I recall in recent months is, when joining a national speed limit dual carriageway one evening, a Ford Focus was sat out in lane two doing 40mph. I hung back in lane one giving the guy plenty of room to move over, but he didn't. So I pulled out into lane two behind him and waited...and waited. Nothing. Now I too was doing 40mph in lane 2. So a quick flash from several car lengths back and he moves over. OK, I thought, no biggie. Maybe he just wasn't concentrating. Then as I pass him at no more than 70, a hand comes out of the window and I get the finger from him. Charming!
Maybe I should stick to driving my Audi...!
t in that Aston" or "nice car!"Saying that, the one incident I recall in recent months is, when joining a national speed limit dual carriageway one evening, a Ford Focus was sat out in lane two doing 40mph. I hung back in lane one giving the guy plenty of room to move over, but he didn't. So I pulled out into lane two behind him and waited...and waited. Nothing. Now I too was doing 40mph in lane 2. So a quick flash from several car lengths back and he moves over. OK, I thought, no biggie. Maybe he just wasn't concentrating. Then as I pass him at no more than 70, a hand comes out of the window and I get the finger from him. Charming!
Maybe I should stick to driving my Audi...!
I came from a 355 (3 years) to noble m12 (3.5 years) to now my V8VR (5 months) and I've had more goading/tailgating in the AM than the combination of the previous 2! All I can assume is they know it's not particularly a fast car? Or they just want to look at it's beautiful lines up close!
johns355 said:
I came from a 355 (3 years) to noble m12 (3.5 years) to now my V8VR (5 months) and I've had more goading/tailgating in the AM than the combination of the previous 2! All I can assume is they know it's not particularly a fast car? Or they just want to look at it's beautiful lines up close!
I had a 355, too (wish I still had it with the CRAZY prices they're fetching now). Man, owning a Ferrari is divisive! I had lots of goading in the 355 and, unfortunately, a few nasty reactions from other road users, including the car being spat at while I was driving it. Majority of reaction was positive, though and there were a few times I would get back to the car having parked it in a car park and see people taking selfies with it, etc.My technique with tailgaters is to reduce speed, thereby increasing the gap to the car ahead, because I don't want to do any sudden braking.
One odd thing, is that years ago on a suitable length of straight, you could briefly indicate left and the following driver knew it was an invitation to overtake. Often now the following driver presumably thinks you are going to turn left, and just stays behind. I know the Highway Code has changed, but where is the common sense? I even came to a halt once, before the following driver realised it was perfectly safe to overtake. As long as these idiots are in front of me, then I am happy.
Generally, when driving my Aston Martin, I find other motorists seem polite, especially with the famous pulling out from side roads.
Mind you, my Aston Martin is the budget model. Does that help ?
Edited by Jon39 on Friday 25th August 10:44
Generally I've found it to be a night and day contrast between my 2 cars. With the daily driver being an Audi TT, other drivers cut me up, wont let me out of junctions, and gawp in amazement at the dynamic headlight system with its Knightrider'esque indicators swooshing sideways (probably more due to it being an Audi driver actually indicating at all).
With the Vantage, it gets a lot of admiring glances, a bit more friendliness at junctions, and in one instance, a truck driver on a single carriageway road who went out of his way to pull over as far as he could, wave me past and put his window down to hear it. A flash of his headlights and a fist pump later - he appeared to be one happy trucker.
There's been times on motorways when I've ended up being boxed in behind a HGV by someone who's pulled up beside me in lane 2, and just sat there having a look before moving on. I guess they're relatively rare cars in the grand scheme of things, and fellow road users want to make the most of a glimpse at one.
With the Vantage, it gets a lot of admiring glances, a bit more friendliness at junctions, and in one instance, a truck driver on a single carriageway road who went out of his way to pull over as far as he could, wave me past and put his window down to hear it. A flash of his headlights and a fist pump later - he appeared to be one happy trucker.
There's been times on motorways when I've ended up being boxed in behind a HGV by someone who's pulled up beside me in lane 2, and just sat there having a look before moving on. I guess they're relatively rare cars in the grand scheme of things, and fellow road users want to make the most of a glimpse at one.
fuelracer496 said:
With the daily driver being an Audi TT, other drivers cut me up, wont let me out of junctions, and gawp in amazement at the dynamic headlight system with its Knightrider'esque indicators swooshing sideways (probably more due to it being an Audi driver actually indicating at all).
Haha very good. I've never thought of that - make Audi indicators a flashy feature and the owners are more likely to use them. Just need them on black Vauxhall Insignia company cars now, who out-tt Audi drivers 5-1.You want to try driving in a group of 'interesting' cars. 
Last weekend had a little convoy of a 458, 360, 911 and the Vantage, bringing up the rear was a dangerous place to be, vans would cut you up to get behind a Ferrari and change lane without a glance in their mirrors to get a better view.
Last weekend had a little convoy of a 458, 360, 911 and the Vantage, bringing up the rear was a dangerous place to be, vans would cut you up to get behind a Ferrari and change lane without a glance in their mirrors to get a better view.
Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff