Safe Speed Forums

I find the stickers quite useful - I never park next to a car with them or a baby seat.

I have an Impreza and my wife has a 325 compact, we have them because they are good to drive, practical, within our budget and, imho, inherently safer due to their sporty nature. These cars have a certain image associated with them but I would not allow that to prevent buying the 'right' car for me. I have to assume that other people choose cars for their own reasons, the main one being financial I suspect. I try not to judge other drivers just by the car, at the very least I look at the driver as well as the vehicle and then reserve the final opinion for the way they drive.

Big Rod - I rather like the MV6 and considered one a few years ago, it is just bigger than I need.

P.S. One of my best friends drives a 4X4

Both great cars, and it sound like you have a good reason for owning them too. I agree not to stereotype based on the car, however I think that since plenty of other people do then it is something you need to factor in your buying decision, and can make the difference between two otherwise similar cars (in my case between the WRX, STI and the twin-turbo Legacy)

IOW you shouldn't stereotype, but people do, so expect it.

Having said that, last night, I left a roundabout into L2 of a 2 lane dual carriageway on a bit of an incline with a queue of 5 or so HGVs in L1. I was flooring it up to the redline in every gear in my crappy 1.8 Civic hire car, but apparently this wasn't fast enough for the car behind who was right up my arse, front foglights on and flashing his headlights.

When I get past the HGVs and pull over to let this guy past, what did the car turn out to be... a blue "new age" WRX with gold alloys and an STI spoiler. *sigh*

What's to get over? They are just one of the miriad minor irritations in life.

While 99% of stickers are just 'I'm in a club, a fan of etc type.' the baby on board type are clearly of a different nature, unless they merely want to say look I can breed or I have a pet. They are put in the car to encourage/inform other drivers to act differently near them. Like we should think there situation matters compared anyone elses.

Good point made about not parking next to them though. Avoiding putting another dint in my car is the last thing a harrased parent cares about when getting there little treasures in or out of their car.

Barkstar

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The difference between intelligence and stupidity is that intelligence has limits.

I have to admit that seeing a car adorned with "Another courtesy car supplied by XXX Bodyshop" always makes me wonder about the abilities of the driver.

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Less Kodak, more Kojak.
In times of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

Right up until the point where you end up driving one after an accident caused by someone else...

As I said in my previous post Barkstar, the sticker on my wife's car is on the nearside of the car in the bottom corner of the load area window. How is that trying to influence other drivers on the road? The only time you'd see it on the road is if I were overtaking you! It's a functional addition to her car, not an adornment!!



If you're of the disposition that you'd rather not park next to a vehicle with a 'BOB' badge in the window for fear of your car being damaged then you should be grateful for the warning!!

I have once damaged another car when putting my child into his car seat, (just before Christmas actually!), The driver of the car had noticeably left extra space for which I was grateful. Sadly it was a very windy day and the wind caught the door, (I had it jammed against my knee!). However, I left the other driver a note and paid for the damage to his car.

I know I'd be livid if I returned to my car with a dent in the door and there was nothg by way of an explanation and/or offer to compensate.

Perhaps your opinion will change if you ever decide to sire children Barkstar! (Apologies for the assumption that you're male!)

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If I have to explain you won't understand.

What %age of accidents couldn't have been avoided by the 'innocent' party with better observation, planning etc?

I stand by my stereotype!

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Less Kodak, more Kojak.
In times of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

Correct on one out of two assumptions Rod, been there, done that, didn't buy the sticker! Seriously though it wasn't about your sticker in particular, just the general mind set of those that have that sort of sticker.

Barkstar

_________________
The difference between intelligence and stupidity is that intelligence has limits.

The "Baby on Board" stickers were originally an American idea to alert emergency crews - in the event of an accident - to the fact that there was an infant in the car and that they should therefore look for it (easily forgotten without such a reminder) (but hasn't this been covered on another thread?)

The initial idea was extremely sensible, and Big Rod's use of the sticker is in a similar vein. What we now see are the extremely stupid spin-offs from the original - "Little Princess on Board"; "Small Person on Board"; "Cheeky Monkey on Board" and all the rest.

What these are really saying is "Utter Pillock on Board - and the imbecile is actually driving, so watch out!"

Cynical? Me? Never!

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Save a cow - eat a vegetarian

I did once see a car with "Small person on board" - being driven by a dwarf.

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I won't slave for beggar's pay,
likewise gold and jewels,
but I would slave to learn the way
to sink your ship of fools

Saw simililar thing on security vans parked together , and on the rear window of the Escort --"Security dogs in Transit " -- always wondered why we needed to know that ?

I saw a fine example of stereotyping yesterday.

I was travelling anticlockwise on the M25 somewhere around J9 at about 8am, traffic flowing freely, so making brisk but safe progress in lane 3 (of 4), with a BMW 330Ci in fairly close company.

Another BMW, a new 5-series estate with twin tailpipes but no badge, comes flying up from behind and goes past. The traffic in front, including the 330, doesn't get out of lane 4 quickly enough for him, so he goes past them on the inside.

330-man is suddenly transformed from sensible driver to maniac and gives chase... There follows a 100mph+ motor race with both cars slicing across the motorway between the traffic from lane 4 to lane 1 and back to lane 4, until I couldn't see them any more.

All things considered, it was one of the most pointless and aggressive examples of willy-waving that I've seen in years...

Putting aside the deviations from our "normal" driving style that may be imposed by dynamic limitations of the vehicle in question (e.g. poor acceleration / braking / roadholding), it is definitely true that certain cars exude a "character" that encourages a certain type of behaviour. It is related to things like noise levels, steering feel, throttle travel and gearing.

On holiday in New Zealand last year I had a rented Holden Statesman WL with "old school" 5.7 litre pushrod V8 and four speed autobox. With 340bhp it was capable of that unstoppable airliner-on-a-runway delivery that big V8s can do - but it didn't encourage that kind of driving, it "preferred" to be wafted, and it contributed to a very relaxing holiday, not to mention managing 26-27mpg.

It was quite amusing actually - I'd had an otherwise identical car in Sydney the previous week but with a 3.6 litre V6 and five speed auto. Landing in Auckland at 10pm in the dark, I was thinking about finding my hotel and getting a good night's sleep, and I wasn't really thinking about the car. But on the journey into the city, it did occur to me that this particular Statesman was quieter and more laidback than the one I'd got out of, and I wondered how the New Zealand spec models were different. It wasn't until the following morning that I realised exactly what I'd been given...

On the other hand, I have driven cars in the past (e.g. Peugeot 406 1.8) with relatively low torque and therefore relatively short gearing, that seemed to "like" being whanged up to high revs in every gear and driven fast.

My present car (Volvo S60 T5) I regard as "neutral" in this respect- it will potter along without fuss or commotion and without "wanting" to be pushed, but if you choose to use the full range of the loud pedal, everyone else starts going backwards.

What does all this mean... well, if you are by nature a safe driver, with good observation and attention to detail, I think you will still be safe regardless of what you are driving. You won't start tailgating or pulling out in front of people just because today you happen to be in a BMW. But you might find yourself adopting a "sportier" attitude and others' perceptions of you may be altered as a result.

I'm reminded by the above post of the short time I was loaned a Prelude while I was between Accords and the expected delivery was forestalled on account of some incomplete prework by the dealer.

That made me sportier - and I'm ashamed to say I might have exceeded the speed limit once or twice on the open road, and done a few overtakes for the same reason dogs lick their genitals. It made me no more agressive though. I was not root-arsing ready to overtake, just biding my time and, er, overtaking!

It's interesting that this topic should come up today.

I have been gived a 3cylinder Vauxhall Corsa today, which I used to go shopping.

If anyone knows Bicester Road in aylesbury, it's a 2-lane non-DC with a 40 limit and one of my regular complaints here is people who think it was a 30.

In the Corsa I forgot that it was a 40! Not just decided to do 30 anyway, I actually forgot until I was almost at Tesco.

So my question is, what is it about driving a Corsa that turns you into a drooling idiot?