Driver stereotypes

[VehiGAZ]

Maybe just one of those days when the weird things happen?

You certainly have a point about people assuming that any little twitch of the steering wheel by someone in an "extrovert's" car is an attempt to run them off the road, but there's little to be done about that. It's like Carlin said - anyone who drives faster than you is an animal; while anyone who drives slower than you is an idiot.

I am what just about everyone would call an "aggressive driver" in that I drive fast, I use all the lanes available to me, and I don't wait for people to to arise from their left-lane slumber to get past them. I make my own opportunities on the road. I'm well into the 99th percentile on this - occasionally someone passes me (the lunatics!), but in general I'm the one that is passing everyone else on the road. My preferred highway speed is 95 mph (not in the VX, though).

But - I don't cause any accidents or kill innocent children by the dozen wherever I drive. Heck, I don't even cause people to hit their brakes. I'm smoothe like butter. But I get my share of negative attention, especially when I'm outside CT (where the daily commute runs at a steady-as-a-rock 80 mph). It's probably worse when I'm in one of the extroverted cars (Mini, VX, 928).

I don't know if this rambling is actually answering your question - I guess I'm saying that my driving definitely gets negative attention, but it is done (mostly) in extroverted cars, and I am indeed a freaking lunatic to most people on the road.

[tom4bren]

Next time yer in VA, lemme know so I can stay home

[etlsport]

yah! i agree with u gary... i do it too.. when i see a suburban on 22's i just assume that hes gonna drive like a jerk.. saw a rabbit today with a euro plate on the front.. pretty much assumed he was going to try to pass me the first chance he got but he did (well he tried... i wouldnt let him )

also noticed i get a lot more angry looks when i drive by since adding the PV... even if im not actually going that fast or accelerating that hard.. people just hear it and get angry.. little old lady at the bottom of the hill shakes her fist at me all the time in the vx.. but never in my roommates legacy.. and he drives faster than i do

[nfpgasmask]

Its minivans. I stereotype them bigtime. Its always the minivans driving crazy...I don't get it.

Bart

[WormGod]

Allow me to add to the stereotype, though, it seems to be rather thruthful around this way....

Funny that you mention minivans, because around this way, they drive like they are late for a funeral. Wait, let me back up a sec.... in general, just about anything around here that eats up gas, less than 20mpg, drives like it has been stolen. I swear, and because of this, the next time I hear someone who owns one of those things complaining about gas prices, I am gonna happily wear the silver bracelets for punching them right in the mouth. It's not so much that they own the thing, I don't care, but seeing the way the majority of them drive around here, their driving is hardly mpg friendly anyways.

My WReX is rather aerodynamic being the '06 hawkeye design. At highway speed (55-75) there is nil drag that I can feel affecting my momentum. But then, a giant Tahoe flies by doing 75+ considering I am doing 75. We all have seen the brick design of those. Can you imagine how much more drag that thing is fighting compared to a more aero, lower profiled vehicle? Let alone how much more fuel is being BURNED to fight that drag?

But, I am not just gonna pick on the SUV and minivan owners. Considering some clown in a '04 STI was speeding through traffic today on the highway on my way to work. I could see him for about 6 miles shucking and jiving through traffic.... and in the end when he finally caught me, it looked to be all just to catch up to give me a wave. C'mon man. It seriously ain't worth all that.

I tell ya, if mother nature doesn't kill us all off, driving will.

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

Its minivans. I stereotype them bigtime. Its always the minivans driving crazy...I don't get it.

Bart

for me it's Canadian's in minivans...they always seem to want to rocket past me on the interstate which usually cause me to rocket right back..lol.

[pbkid]

mdwyer, ill agree with that...around denver i do get significantly more looks than around here...

see i grew up in castle rock, where the average is porsche and bmw, so my isuzu is kinda bottom of the food chain...

now im in the opposite in greeley lol...

[WormGod]

All things considered, the "location" may very well be the varied issue here as stated. Never really thought of that. This is the Washington, DC area and that means lots of fat cats on and around Cap-Hill. Too much money going around. The snob class. And when mom and dad get nice cars, their kids tend to get the STIs and EVOs the day they get their license (VERY sad truth around here). That also means the capital beltway overloaded with BMWs, Mercs, Audis, and Caddys for the morning and evening commutes. The rest of the day is giant, overpriced SUV, SUV, and SUV with soccer moms doing their shopping and running around for God knows what ever else (and how they manage to do it all with a cell phone glued to their ear is BEYOND me!). Me, well, I just fit into the center of it all as the guy going to and from work with a car that costs under $30k.

Maybe I am thinking too much into this, but I do think just about every car, by name and appearance automatically has a stereotype, regardless of the driver. I guess it is what it is and there is no changing that fact. It is pretty interesting though. We weak humans are quick to judge and finger point since we are at the top of the food chain, heh.

[nfpgasmask]

In general, I think people are dumb no matter what they drive

I agree. I should have commented earlier, that I think driving is the one thing that people are the most hypocritical about. I know I am. I grumble and spew obscenities when people turn without their signal, and then sometimes I catch myself doing it. The same goes for lots of other driving "errors" if you will. Everyone does it from time to time, the real problem is people who intentionally avoid doing the right thing. And there are loads of drivers like this.

The VX though, how can that really have a stereotype if nobody has ever seen one?

Good point.

Bart

[WormGod]

The VX though, how can that really have a stereotype if nobody has ever seen one?

Heh, ya well, that kind of IS my point, but I do see where you are coming from I think that puts us at that disadvantage though. When driving something that stands out, no matter what you do, no matter how small of an imperfection or mistake in some driving skill, people see it, because they are looking at this "out of the ordinary" vehicle, heh. Maybe, if anything, we are just cursed at as being "another compensator in an SUV", heh. I mean, it still comes down to "who the hell cares what people think about me and/or my driving". I htink the only reason I brought this up in the first place is because, perhaps I started to realize that, maybe I *DO* care what they think of me now, heh. Maybe I just need therapy.

I am not debating that everyone isn't guilty of some a55hattery in nearly any vehicle you put them in. I mean, c'mon, some clown in a rusted out, primered 90'ish Stang was trying to egg me on in my WReX last night.... seriously, can you even bother, especially when you are horrified by that vehicular sight? Besides, I show my balls at autoX.... he can be a man and do the same, but I imagine those kinds of folks are afraid to show their balls to people who aren't afraid to put it all on the line in front of other like-minded folks.

The fact is, flashy cars get your attention, and when they have it, you see everything they do. I watched a 1st Gen Viper hop the back tire over a curb on a turn a few days ago. Wouldn't seen his lack of turning skill in that car had I not been staring at that red beauty, hehehe.

I think it's moot though. Not like it can be changed ya know.

[nfpgasmask]

You know Gary, I think in your situation it must be a little different. Your VX is obviously more "street" whereas mine is definitely more "off road". Our VXes get a lot of attention, absolutely, but I think that out here, the people turning there heads and asking me questions are fellow off road enthusiasts. I don't think my VX puts off any sort of "street racer" vibe. However, in your case, being in a much bigger city out East, and having a more street looking VX, you probably get the street racer label slapped on a lot more often. I also think that maybe your mind set leans toward that also, being that your other whip is a Wrex. I mean, Reno is like the Super Duty capital of the world and I really don't think the average "normal" driver would look at my VX and call it an overbearing, gas guzzling SUV. I mean, maybe they do, I dunno, but to me it seems like the only people who notice me on the road are people who think the VX looks really cool, or really ugly. Anyway, just a thought.

Bart

PS - A couple weeks ago I had one of my favorite comments made. I was getting my mail and there were these two kids on bicycles (maybe like 13 or 14 years old) and as I was getting back in my VX one of the kids yelled over, "Hey, we love your car, it looks like the Batmobile!". The new Batmobile Tumbler is pretty sweet, so that was one of the coolest comments yet, especially coming from kids...

[pbkid]

wow...this is really amazing for me to read all of this...

out here in colorado....

1st, the VX isnt even that big of a deal....people look at me like, only 31's???

and then i try to get them a taste of PV and that doesnt even fade em when the chevy 3500 diesel flys by full throttle with a 6inch exhaust....

most of the SUV's and trucks around here seem to have a minimum of 6 inches of lift with at least 35 inch tires.... makes me look tiny...i dont even get noticed around all those huge trucks...

secondly, i drive my integra, and i admit that i drive a little on the fast side, but i never cut people off and i will never tail gate either....granted if theres a 3 lane highway and theres only 2 cars to be seen within 10 miles im usually doing at least 95-100....

my biggest pet peeve is the thing of when a lane is ending and some a55hat thinks that he is specail in some way and he gets to pass everyone...

my solution??

CB radio with PA output.....then i went and bought a marine grade PA and put it in my bumper.....

usually i scare them enough to make sure they dont try again...