Why do chav car mods make me so angry?
Discussion
Serious question.
Every time I see a nastily chav-modified car, I find it makes me angry. Why?
Case in point. Yesterday, I was driving along the Roman Road, and saw a very very nasty Vauxhall Cavalier. One of the late ones (sorry, don't know which mark) with big alloys and a pair of huge exhausts on it. And a couple of asian lads getting into it.
And I found that it made me actively angry. Had it been a normal, unmodified example the same car, I wouldn't have been angry. It was the modifications, and the noise it made when it was started up.
Ditto whenever I see one of the very very over-bodykitted Civics which seem to inhabit this area. Driven by exactly the same social demographic, and they make me angry in exactly the same way. Why? Why can I not just leave them to their own car mods, and if it pleases them so be it. Why does it irritate me so?
Does anyone else experience the same thing? Am I alone?
Oli
Every time I see a nastily chav-modified car, I find it makes me angry. Why?
Case in point. Yesterday, I was driving along the Roman Road, and saw a very very nasty Vauxhall Cavalier. One of the late ones (sorry, don't know which mark) with big alloys and a pair of huge exhausts on it. And a couple of asian lads getting into it.
And I found that it made me actively angry. Had it been a normal, unmodified example the same car, I wouldn't have been angry. It was the modifications, and the noise it made when it was started up.
Ditto whenever I see one of the very very over-bodykitted Civics which seem to inhabit this area. Driven by exactly the same social demographic, and they make me angry in exactly the same way. Why? Why can I not just leave them to their own car mods, and if it pleases them so be it. Why does it irritate me so?
Does anyone else experience the same thing? Am I alone?
Oli
I love them, they have got to be extreeeeme though.
It ilucidates the most funny hand signals from me.
Wikkid innit. If I pull up next to one at the traffic lights I rev the nuts off my car and then watch them nearly destroy their engines and tyres as I pull off like a normal person.
Fokkin mentoe, as they say in Plimuff.
Edit:- that reminds me of a funny story....
I was in Plimuff for some reason and I was awoken from my usual daydreaming by a bloody traffic jam. Under closer inspection there were cop cars everywhere, this massively "kevved up" Escort appeared to have suffered massive damage. It looked like a meringue which had been smashed. I thought "this looks interesting" and realised that the gigantic exhaust had come unshipped and taken the rear "gubbins" with it. A massive piece had dropped off. It looked like a ballerina with a dropped tutu. I could feel the silliness mounting inside me. There were police everywhere and then this "slutbag", a real footballers wife, just like car, kitted up, pumped up and blatantly adorned with filthy bling. Meanwhile I could see the whole exhaust system had dropped just like the car had given up dragging around and said "That's enough". My arm, acting under it's own will, wound the window down and I found myself saying "You should have gone to Kwik Fit, Luv!" the policemen chuckled and "Shazzer" lost the plot completely and started dribbling and swearing at me. Then she picked up a piece of something and started after me. I was being guided around this by a policeman and I just floored it. The old 998 mini laden with shite had a problem out accellerating her. It was like something out of Benny Hill in my rear view mirror. Very funny indeed. You probably had to be there. Thanks for the memory prompt.
>> Edited by love machine on Sunday 16th January 14:23
It ilucidates the most funny hand signals from me.
Wikkid innit. If I pull up next to one at the traffic lights I rev the nuts off my car and then watch them nearly destroy their engines and tyres as I pull off like a normal person.
Fokkin mentoe, as they say in Plimuff.
Edit:- that reminds me of a funny story....
I was in Plimuff for some reason and I was awoken from my usual daydreaming by a bloody traffic jam. Under closer inspection there were cop cars everywhere, this massively "kevved up" Escort appeared to have suffered massive damage. It looked like a meringue which had been smashed. I thought "this looks interesting" and realised that the gigantic exhaust had come unshipped and taken the rear "gubbins" with it. A massive piece had dropped off. It looked like a ballerina with a dropped tutu. I could feel the silliness mounting inside me. There were police everywhere and then this "slutbag", a real footballers wife, just like car, kitted up, pumped up and blatantly adorned with filthy bling. Meanwhile I could see the whole exhaust system had dropped just like the car had given up dragging around and said "That's enough". My arm, acting under it's own will, wound the window down and I found myself saying "You should have gone to Kwik Fit, Luv!" the policemen chuckled and "Shazzer" lost the plot completely and started dribbling and swearing at me. Then she picked up a piece of something and started after me. I was being guided around this by a policeman and I just floored it. The old 998 mini laden with shite had a problem out accellerating her. It was like something out of Benny Hill in my rear view mirror. Very funny indeed. You probably had to be there. Thanks for the memory prompt.
>> Edited by love machine on Sunday 16th January 14:23
Most of the time it makes me laugh. What gets me angry about them is when their highly visible activities backfire and they get seen by non-PH types as representing the entire performance motoring scene. And then the Daily Wail types 'want them all banned'.
Also - ever actually talked to them about cars? They seem to have no idea as to the real values or abilities of cars in general, think all hatches are 'hot' and will pee all over supercars on track, and that all the cars you've planned to buy they say you'll 'never have' in fits of open jealousy and ignorance (as they mostly cost less than their cars plus all the tat they've bought for 'em).
Obviously they're not all like that, but you can usually tell the ones that are depending on whether their car's 'maxxed' or 'laxxed'.
Also - ever actually talked to them about cars? They seem to have no idea as to the real values or abilities of cars in general, think all hatches are 'hot' and will pee all over supercars on track, and that all the cars you've planned to buy they say you'll 'never have' in fits of open jealousy and ignorance (as they mostly cost less than their cars plus all the tat they've bought for 'em).
Obviously they're not all like that, but you can usually tell the ones that are depending on whether their car's 'maxxed' or 'laxxed'.
I used to see a lot of nasty things down Roman Road when I lived in Bow. A car that someone has tried to make better in their eyes at least shows some willing to do something.
That said, it's over 5 years since I lived there so I'm sure it's all gentrified like everyone said it was about to be by now. No? Amazing...
That said, it's over 5 years since I lived there so I'm sure it's all gentrified like everyone said it was about to be by now. No? Amazing...
v15ben said:
I think that it goes against the ethos of PH. Spending all that cash on what is essentially a bad car and not (usually) adding any performance gains to the car!
Plus, as many photos I have seen will justify, the cars and often the drivers just look like wallies!!
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Two valid points there.
I'd like to add that perhaps they bring discrace to the autophile collective. And, as V8 mentioned, they oft' know nothing of cars.
love machine said:
Wikkid innit. If I pull up next to one at the traffic lights I rev the nuts off my car and then watch them nearly destroy their engines and tyres as I pull off like a normal person.
sweet. I do this quite a lot, but usually only when they've been acting the nob for a while...it's especially funny to see them get all antsy when we're level at the traffic lights because i've got the choke out and revving at 3000rpm with absolutely no intention of giving it beans
they then burn rubber and cain off making themselves look dumb and causing me much mirth edit: I don't really know why they provoke such vitriol from me though..although it's always funny to see someone who thinks they've got something great when they blatantly haven't
>> Edited by minimax on Sunday 16th January 14:35
Ditto.
Thing is, I've come to realise that they are the guys on the road who are likely to most admire your car (assuming you have a PH-type car) and have similar aspirations in terms of car choice, unlike the typical numpty who thinks a car is a car, rarely looks beyond the end of their bonnet, wonders why you need anything that can do over 100mph as "you can't do that sort of speed on roads today", and will chant the "speed kills" mantra at you if you tried to convince them otherwise.
*shrug*
Thing is, I've come to realise that they are the guys on the road who are likely to most admire your car (assuming you have a PH-type car) and have similar aspirations in terms of car choice, unlike the typical numpty who thinks a car is a car, rarely looks beyond the end of their bonnet, wonders why you need anything that can do over 100mph as "you can't do that sort of speed on roads today", and will chant the "speed kills" mantra at you if you tried to convince them otherwise.
*shrug*
Sadly one of Plimmuffs key attractions, the Royal Parade drag strip complete with "start lights" has been buggered by the planners. I saw a kev with a Mk1 Escort and though "odd choice". It was one of fastest things I have ever witnessed. Some of the "Kruzin buuyz" have got some pretty rude sportscars.
I'm reluctant to tar them all with the same brush.
I do think spokey-dokey chromed alloys should be sprayed black as an addition to a traffic wardens duties.
I'm reluctant to tar them all with the same brush.
I do think spokey-dokey chromed alloys should be sprayed black as an addition to a traffic wardens duties.
shadowninja said:
Ditto.
Thing is, I've come to realise that they are the guys on the road who are likely to most admire your car (assuming you have a PH-type car) and have similar aspirations in terms of car choice
Well, they divide into two then. Some of them do indeed aspire to better cars because they are enthusiasts, just on a bit of a budget constraint.
The others are showoffs. They speed round cities to show off, they play their music too loud to show off, they lard tat on their car to show off they money they can spend on it. If you gave them £10k they would, in fact, spend it on their chavmobile and continue to annoy everyone.
It's not just the numpties who can't see beyond the end of their bonnets so far as cars are concerned.
v8thunder said:
Ditto.
Thing is, I've come to realise that they are the guys on the road who are likely to most admire your car (assuming you have a PH-type car) and have similar aspirations in terms of car choice
Well, they divide into two then. Some of them do indeed aspire to better cars because they are enthusiasts, just on a bit of a budget constraint.
The others are showoffs. They speed round cities to show off, they play their music too loud to show off, they lard tat on their car to show off they money they can spend on it. If you gave them £10k they would, in fact, spend it on their chavmobile and continue to annoy everyone.
Hit the nail on the head there. An automotive "tattoo"
Yeah - a bit like random Chinese writing - dunno what it does, dunno if it'll look right, but I can afford it so it's going on 
I remember a story my driving instructor told me. He was driving down a dual-carriageway in his Fiat Bravo behind a chavmobile, when their bolt-on exhaust and a bit of their backbox fell off, shot under his car and ripped his sump guard clean off.
If he had been in his Westfield, it would have written off the car and injured, possibly killed him.
They have no mechanical skills either, see.
I remember a story my driving instructor told me. He was driving down a dual-carriageway in his Fiat Bravo behind a chavmobile, when their bolt-on exhaust and a bit of their backbox fell off, shot under his car and ripped his sump guard clean off.
If he had been in his Westfield, it would have written off the car and injured, possibly killed him.
They have no mechanical skills either, see.
Ive got a friend who despite my best efforts to parsuade him has put lexus lights, 17" alloys and lots of chrome bits all over his car. Its a black escort and the lexus lights look awful. The only "performance mods" (as he puts it)are a back box and K&N Air Filter Panel. Hes also spent £600 on ICE. The total spend on getting everything for the car (exc. insurance etc) must be nigh on £5k for a car that cost under £3k.
He doesnt need 5 seats, he doesnt need a boot (the only thing in it ever is the sub box and amp). Why not get a cheap / oldish Caterfield or similar FFS?
Someone else I who is making a Westfield using a Ford Sierra as a donor car and it will only cost about £4k apparently, very tempted to save up a bit and do that, but then would have insurance for 2 cars which is a bit excessive while at uni!
Before anyone points out that I also have an escort (no mods other than a new gear knob cos the original was tatty) I need enough space to get sailing kit in and the ability to tow a boat.
>> Edited by HughGabriel on Sunday 16th January 15:48
He doesnt need 5 seats, he doesnt need a boot (the only thing in it ever is the sub box and amp). Why not get a cheap / oldish Caterfield or similar FFS?
Someone else I who is making a Westfield using a Ford Sierra as a donor car and it will only cost about £4k apparently, very tempted to save up a bit and do that, but then would have insurance for 2 cars which is a bit excessive while at uni!
Before anyone points out that I also have an escort (no mods other than a new gear knob cos the original was tatty) I need enough space to get sailing kit in and the ability to tow a boat.
>> Edited by HughGabriel on Sunday 16th January 15:48
zcacogp said:
Serious question.
Every time I see a nastily chav-modified car, I find it makes me angry. Why?
Case in point. Yesterday, I was driving along the Roman Road, and saw a very very nasty Vauxhall Cavalier. One of the late ones (sorry, don't know which mark) with big alloys and a pair of huge exhausts on it. And a couple of asian lads getting into it.
And I found that it made me actively angry. Had it been a normal, unmodified example the same car, I wouldn't have been angry. It was the modifications, and the noise it made when it was started up.
Ditto whenever I see one of the very very over-bodykitted Civics which seem to inhabit this area. Driven by exactly the same social demographic, and they make me angry in exactly the same way. Why? Why can I not just leave them to their own car mods, and if it pleases them so be it. Why does it irritate me so?
Does anyone else experience the same thing? Am I alone?
Oli
Serious answer.
No it doesn't make me angry. I often smile to myself or laugh and sometimes I do find the antics of the bad taste boy racers entertaining, but rarely has it made me genuinely angry.
If it is affecting you in this way it may be the onset of a psychological disorder. (In you not the Chavs). This thread and your other post about your experiences with black uninsured drivers is indicative of a pathological dislike for blacks and Asians.
I would urge you to seek medical help. Visit your GP in the first instance, before it manifests itself in your day to day actions rather than just in your internet posts.
pp
ok i do admit i laugh at any car with spinners (plastic or metal) and chavved up 4x4s/pickups. a chavved up 4x4/pickup with 22" spinners driven by a 40something with a burberry baseball cap playing RnB loud out of his windows would make me have to park up to laugh it out of my system for fear of crashing 
but anyway, don't see many of them around here. (thank god)
but anyway, don't see many of them around here. (thank god)
shadowninja said:
ok i do admit i laugh at any car with spinners (plastic or metal) and chavved up 4x4s/pickups. a chavved up 4x4/pickup with 22" spinners driven by a 40something with a burberry baseball cap playing RnB loud out of his windows would make me have to park up to laugh it out of my system for fear of crashing
but anyway, don't see many of them around here. (thank god)
Sounds like Texas.
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