Size does matter

[AREA]

My main day to day hack is a Merc CLS with a few other toys for fun and sunny days. Very rarely do I find myself being cut up, pulled out on, tailgated etc. etc.

My 17 year old daughter is learning to drive so I've bought her a Fiat 500. As needs must I often have to take the L plates off and drive the car back after she's driven to college, friends' houses and the like.

On urban roads my driving style isn't any different between the CLS (or the fun cars) and the 500 relative to speed limits, distance from vehicle in front, positioning and both cars are nice and visible with DRLs. Around town I'm probably accelerating at the same rate as well.

But what gives with the attitude of other motorists to the smaller car? People pull out of side roads in front of it, ride on the back bumper, try to overtake on blind bends. It's as if I've become invisible. I've had to do more emergency stops in 20 miles of Fiat 500 driving than 20,000 miles in the larger cars - seriously!

Is there some kind of sized based motoring hierarchy I've been hitherto unaware of that weak minded motorists adhere to in order to derive some perverse bullying pleasure?

[drivin_me_nuts]

... no there isn't. I get the same crap in the lexus as you get in the 500. There are always insecure, angry, jealous, impatient and late morons around. Give a simian a car and he'll drive like an ape.

[Rawwr]

Probably because the CLS just screams mafia. Is it black?

[gareth.e]

People have different attitudes to having collisions with small cars compared to big ones or 4x4s.. I also think it is partially down to the stereotype of who is driving the car too.

Edit: you have some lucky daughters!!