A55HOLES on the road

[CSX66]

A conversation with my wife this morning got me thinking. We recently bought a new car for my wife, not brand new but new to us. Her previous car is a 06 Jetta we've owned from new. It's been a nice car but it looks pretty generic by current standards and there are a lot of them about.

Her new car is 2012 CC. It's a very pretty car with a nice sleek shape to it. They are often compared to much more luxurious sedans but it's still a VW Price we paid was on par with a Commodore of the same age.

Anyway I'll try to get to the point here. My wife reckons everyone hates her on the road. People won't let her merge into traffic like they did in the Jettaand she has been abused several times by drivers. She's not a bad driver, she indicates to change lanes and isn't the type to carve her way through traffic.

So what is it? Does the average Joe hate flash looking cars?

The thing that disturbs me is that someone would verbally abuse another driver "You F##&ing B!&$#!" etc even when my daughter is in the car.

Move the situation into a supermarket. You are strolling along the aisle with your trolley on your way to the baked beans and a large lady in front of you is moving slowly. You don't push your trolley right up close to her butt and shout "Get out of the way you fat cow! I bet you wouldn't be moving slowly through the fruit and veg aisle!"

What is it about the insulating shell of a car that makes people think that it's OK to let rip at another driver?

We've probably got a wide variety of daily driver cars on here. What are peoples attitudes to your car on the road?

Cheers

Mike

[Tuan]

You're in VIC. Not that it matters.

It's the same in Sydney ... actually not that bad ... don't think me or the missus has been yelled at for merging lanes ?! Geez ........

Nothing to do with car IMO, all to do with the driver I'd say ....... when you are a passenger in the car with her, does this happen ? After all, there is a skill to lane changing ... these are *my rules* not the correct road rules lol (please take with a grain of salt):

* No I don't care what car it is that's merging into my lane

* If I have left enough room to the car in front, a quick indicate from you and you're in - that's acceptable

* Merge smoothly .. I hate people that think they are F1 drivers and need to yank the whole car at a 45 degree angle *exaggeration* to get into my lane .. take it easy already !

* Be assertive but do not force your way in, if I need to slow down or slam on brakes, you should not have merged (as you could have caused an accident). Just wait for the next car to let you in .. show some patience.

* Don't cut me off. If there isn't enough room to merge, just wait for me to pass or slow down yourself so you can get in behind me.

* Don't indicate for too long and not merge. It's annoying and it is a sign of a weak/unsure/blind/clueless driver

* Thank you wave. No matter what you've done or how badly you have merged, this usually makes everything OKKKKKAAAYYYY

End of the day, you're still going to be late to work anyway, so what's the point

No comment from me on the supermarket issue.

[sports racer]

I hate to state the bleedin obvious but I never get this sort of treatment in my MK2 Golf.

[CSX66]

People were very courteous when I used to drive an old lifted Ford F100 4x4 with swamper tyres and bull bar. Never had any trouble merging. :p

[Snail Style]

I was wondering this on the way to work yesterday too. Had a guy in an i20 slow down and block me when I thought we would just both go around a slow moving truck and be on our way. So I pulled behind the truck before the merge, he sped up and cut the truck off at the merge, then I caught up to him at the lights.

Now before that occurred, was no where near this other car or had any contact with him, he had come from a different direction. So when I stopped at the lights and looked over to ask him the standard "what's your malfunction?". he was just sitting there looking dead straight ahead while giving me the finger. So this basically reinforced my two rules of the road, some people are just assholes for the sake of being one and everyone gains 50kg + 3 feet to their body size, but when the thought that their actions might take them out of the vehicle they quickly lose that confidence.

[brad]

My wife drives flash cars (including a CC for a short while). She doesn't get abused. She's 160cm tall and weighs 50kg so she's not an imposing presence.

Maybe your wife isn't allowing for the extra length of the CC?

Possibly she's less assertive with the CC because it's new / bigger / she's not used to it yet?

Does vehicle colour have anything to do with it?

Does she drive with lights on? - I find it helps a lot.

edit: I'll admit that I yell at some people. I figure it's less destructive than punting them off the road which is probably what they deserve.