Small city type cars attract bullies?
Discussion
Help me out with this one guys. I bought my daughter a Citroen C1 to learn to drive in and noticed while I used to sit with her that other drivers would intimidate her all the time. Tail gating and all the usual stuff. I assumed this was because there was a red L plate stuck to the back, but still not justified of course. Same again when the green L plate went on. But interestingly, two and half years down the line, it still seems to happen. I drove it from Dulwich to Sevenoaks yesterday and got exactly the same thing! Two different people with full beam on, a tail gater, and just a general feeling of intolerance around me. I wasn't driving slowly or differently to when I'm driving any other vehicle.
So the question is: Does this really happen to people driving these tiny cars more than average sized cars? Or am I just imagining it because I'm somehow feeling more vulnerable as the driver of a tiny little car? Had any experience of this?
So the question is: Does this really happen to people driving these tiny cars more than average sized cars? Or am I just imagining it because I'm somehow feeling more vulnerable as the driver of a tiny little car? Had any experience of this?
DanL said:
It happens. Not quite the same, but when I had the S2000 taxi drivers at the station would pull out on me despite it being my right of way. Doesn't hapen in the 6 series. Whether this is size related, or because they don't expect a BMW driver to let them out I couldn't say! 
Car racism! 
Unfortunately I think size matters in this case because when I had my motorhome nobody seemed to argue with me. Even a wagon in Belgium when he tried to block the outside lane(road angels I call them) because of road works in a zillion miles ahead thought better when he saw me tonking down pulled back in!
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I suppose it's something you associate with small cars - bought as eco cars so never driven at the speed limit, bought by an older demographic, seem underpowered with 1 litre engines etc.
The exception are the small Aygos/C1/107/i10's/Smarts that I see at rush hour when they are driven by Banzai speed pilots on a mission to get home or to The Orifice.
The exception are the small Aygos/C1/107/i10's/Smarts that I see at rush hour when they are driven by Banzai speed pilots on a mission to get home or to The Orifice.
ZOLLAR said:
Yeah I think it happens, few years ago I had a small fiesta and people would sit right behind me, don't get it at all in the Land Rover.
Admittedly if they did I would know as the headlights wouldn't be shining into the cabin
Do you think this is a fact or could you be perceiving things differently in the Landy? Even driving more confidently in the Landy?Admittedly if they did I would know as the headlights wouldn't be shining into the cabin
Buff Mchugelarge said:
I get it in the other halfs Micra all the time. From all sorts, but quite often middle age women in newer, larger cars.
100% This. Only had it a couple of weeks. But people pull out on me, try and bully through tight gaps, move over even less. Jump in the Octavia with xenons and look at me LED dick lights. Very little of the above happens!
jvr said:
Unfortunately I think size matters in this case because when I had my motorhome nobody seemed to argue with me. Even a wagon in Belgium when he tried to block the outside lane(road angels I call them) because of road works in a zillion miles ahead thought better when he saw me tonking down pulled back in!
I believe the term is "Road Captain"
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I believe the term is "Road Captain"
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I think the tailgating thing is unintentional - if you can easily see over/round the car in front, you tend to follow it closer because the increased visibility gives you a (mostly false) impression of safety; if it's a bloody great SUV or van which completely blocks your vision, tailgating feels much less safe and/or natural.
The Elise is terrible for attracting tailgaters.
The Elise is terrible for attracting tailgaters.
kambites said:
I think the tailgating thing is unintentional - if you can easily see over/round the car in front, you tend to follow it closer because the increased visibility gives you a (mostly false) impression of safety; if it's a bloody great SUV or van which completely blocks your vision, tailgating feels much less safe and/or natural.
The Elise is terrible for attracting tailgaters.
Interesting, I hadn't thought of that. And then of course a car like a C1 has no boot and the driver is quite close to the back as well as the front! This would appear to bring the car behind forward by a few feet.The Elise is terrible for attracting tailgaters.
It can be great fun when you are in a small yet fast car. Especially when you are just our cruising and someone gets up your ass. In those moments it can be amusing to leave them far behind, especially going across deserted roundabouts or tight corners twice as fast as their barges could ever manage. Or if you have enough power even leave them trailing on the straight. Some people are rather surprised when a small car properly shifts.
Not just small city cars but also if it's a hatch and from a brand that suffers from badge snobs. The difference I get treated in the 13year old Fabia snotter and anything else is just ridiculous.
This is despite there being largely no difference in the driving manner on my part. That includes the gap that almost always opens up when entering an NSL section if appropriate. It might be only a 1.4 8 valve Fabia, albeit in decent nick, but there are very few of the bullies in the 30 who subsequently aren't left behind. I'll go further and completely unscientifically say that the ones who do overtake in the NSL are the ones who have also maintained a proper following position in the 30.
This is despite there being largely no difference in the driving manner on my part. That includes the gap that almost always opens up when entering an NSL section if appropriate. It might be only a 1.4 8 valve Fabia, albeit in decent nick, but there are very few of the bullies in the 30 who subsequently aren't left behind. I'll go further and completely unscientifically say that the ones who do overtake in the NSL are the ones who have also maintained a proper following position in the 30.
Sometimes you get the opposite situation, when you get a driver in a small car making a point.
An example: I'm driving along the empty M25 at 75+ or so in a CLS. A Ford KA pulls out from the middle lane into lane 3 driving at 70 or less, so I slow and sit behind them. Bearing in mind there is no traffic in lane 1 or 2. They just sit there holding me up, probably making a point. This goes on for a little while until I grow bored of their game. Eventually I pull back into lane one and engage warp drive to get past, then carry on as I was all along.
In summary some people are very odd.
An example: I'm driving along the empty M25 at 75+ or so in a CLS. A Ford KA pulls out from the middle lane into lane 3 driving at 70 or less, so I slow and sit behind them. Bearing in mind there is no traffic in lane 1 or 2. They just sit there holding me up, probably making a point. This goes on for a little while until I grow bored of their game. Eventually I pull back into lane one and engage warp drive to get past, then carry on as I was all along.
In summary some people are very odd.
We get this in our Aygo all the time. I find that I have to drive it smartly in order to make safe progress through the traffic which involves thinking way ahead of a situation that you can see occurring up ahead; it's not as simple as foot-down and overtake. I find we get a lot of aggression when overtaking someone or merging at a point when two lanes become one as everyone seems to hate "the little car getting one up".
My OH said she wishes we we in the other car (C63) when stuff like this happens so we could muscle our way out of these situations but, it never happens in that car as everyone almost seems to avoid it.
My OH said she wishes we we in the other car (C63) when stuff like this happens so we could muscle our way out of these situations but, it never happens in that car as everyone almost seems to avoid it.
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