Four 4x4's/SUV'S on a forty mile ride

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reohn2
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Four 4x4's/SUV'S on a forty mile ride

Post by reohn2 »

Yesterday four close passes(within 60cm one within 40cm)by four 4x4*'s(two Qashqua's one Audi Q5/7(?),one older LR Discovery)no other vehicles gave me problems,three out of those four were on wide road with no oncoming traffic of any kind,the fourth had an oncoming vehicle(another car,so nothing large)but had lots of space to the 4x4's offside :? .
It's not in isolation,I find proportionally I get more hassle in the form of close passes and other bully boy tactics from 4x4's than any other vehicles,this is an observation of a period of years,so I'm making no knee jerk reactions.

I got to thinking(yet again)yesterday if it was the width of the vehicle their drivers can't judge properly :?
By pure chance we have a Ford Kuga parked on our drive over the week end(youngest daughter's car(bloody young executives,as uncle Mort would have said for those familiar with Peter Tinniswood's work :) )this ain't no small family HB,but the regular overblown 4x4 vehicle size.
Imagine my surprise when I parked our Cmax next to it,the Kuga is about 10cm longer,and exactly the same width,though looks on the face of it,huge by comparison and the driving position is higher than the Cmax,which isn't low by any one's standards.
I owned Transits for 25 years or more,the Kuga's driving position isn't too far off in height and I always found the elevated driving position was great for driving and manoeuvring giving a much clearer view of the road than a standard car's driving position.
Proportionally I have very little problems with Cmax drivers,and I notice them more because we own one,the same goes for other similar type/sized vehicles by proportion.
I do get the odd small HB(Corsa,Saxo,etc) problem,but proportionally it's miniscule by comparison to the amount of those type of vehicle on the roads

Conclusions.
Proportionally IMHO more goons,idiots and social climbers,drive 4x4's than other vehicles,(with mid range German prestige vehicles coming in second),and if I get to see the drivers they tend to be 'normal' looking people usually in the 30's to 40's age range.
These are my observations and experiences,your's of course may differ,I'm by no means condemning all 4x4 drivers but there seems to be more of an ''I'm big and important and you're small and insignificant'' thought process and social hierachy problem going on ie; higher driving position,higher in the social standing stakes,psychological thing going on.
All IMO of course,but the problem is a real one IME :?

Worth a discussion?

*by 4x4's I don't mean Fiat Pandas but the usual car-on-steroids vehicle
Last edited by reohn2 on 28 Aug 2014, 7:41pm, edited 1 time in total.
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james01
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Re: Four 4x4's on a forty mile ride

Post by james01 »

reohn2 wrote:Conclusions.
Proportionally IMHO more goons,idiots and social climbers,drive 4x4's than other vehicles,(with mid range German prestige vehicles coming in second),


My own conclusions exactly.
tatanab
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Re: Four 4x4's on a forty mile ride

Post by tatanab »

reohn2 wrote:*by 4x4's I don't mean Fiat Pandas but the usual car-on-steroids vehicle
So provided the dirty great Jeep Cherokee has only 2WD that's OK? I imagine that the Nissan Qashquas that you commented on were 2WD as well, very few are 4WD. The perception that SUV equates to 4x4 (on forums, in the press etc) is a bit frustrating and I often want to respond when people complain about 4x4. There are of course many many ordinary looking cars that are 4x4 (Vauxhall Cavalier, Ford Sierra, Peugeot 504, Subaru Impreza, Skoda Octavia etc). In this case I am just being a bit evil minded but I really think your gripe is with inappropriate SUVs rather than 4x4.
reohn2
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Re: Four 4x4's on a forty mile ride

Post by reohn2 »

tatanab wrote:
reohn2 wrote:*by 4x4's I don't mean Fiat Pandas but the usual car-on-steroids vehicle
So provided the dirty great Jeep Cherokee has only 2WD that's OK? I imagine that the Nissan Qashquas that you commented on were 2WD as well, very few are 4WD. The perception that SUV equates to 4x4 (on forums, in the press etc) is a bit frustrating and I often want to respond when people complain about 4x4.

I take your point and was unaware that many of what I call 4x4 are infact 2wd,so it's more of a vehicle type than an actual 4x4.
There are of course many many ordinary looking cars that are 4x4 (Vauxhall Cavalier, Ford Sierra, Peugeot 504, Subaru Impreza, Skoda Octavia etc). In this case I am just being a bit evil minded but I really think your gripe is with inappropriate SUVs rather than 4x4.

Yes SUV's would perhaps a better description,though I suspect most people would know what I meant I've had a couple of problems with a local Jeep owner,it's a Jeep that looks like a proper jeep,brown hood green body with ' fenders' and headlights close together like old Landy's had,he's at the last chance saloon :roll: .

BTW you forgot to mention that Subaru's AFAIK are all 'All Wheel Drive' :wink:
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Four 4x4's on a forty mile ride

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
I owned a Subaru Sumo micro van, triple piston rear facing engine, its was a 1200 cc so 4WD, but the 1000 cc version was not 4WD.
Subaru Justy was the car going version with permanent FWD and selectable RWD, the Sumo van was permanent RWD and selectable FWD.

Without a doubt the best Micro van you could buy, Jap so ultra reliable, Twin side loading doors, selectable 4WD, but not diff front to back so best not use 4WD on the tarmac, but the button was mounted on the end of the gear lever so one click to select :) Whilst moving of course, no pulling levers (trying to select but not selecting whilst stationary :( )
Sumo 4WD was optional in other countries I believe on the 1200 cc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subaru_Sumo

I still own a 4X4 but its a car type one, the last driver who tried to use his vehicle on me was a Discovery..............
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al_yrpal
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Re: Four 4x4's on a forty mile ride

Post by al_yrpal »

I drive one of these.
http://www.mitsubishi-cars.co.uk/asx/?g ... gLPJvD_BwE Mine is a 4x4 version :twisted:

Before that, I had a series of s/h Merc C classes. The ASX is actually 2" wider than the Merc, its shorter but that 2" extra width makes is substantially more difficult to park. I love the driving position, its the most comfortable car I have ever owned. That extra 2" is no excuse for close passing cyclists. I stick to the French rules, 1 metre up to 30mph and 1.5m above that and never cut in ahead close. The highway codes 1 cars width rule is often unachievable IMO.
I ride a lot on quiet narrow country lanes. I find the vast majority of motorists, van drivers and lorry drivers careful and courteous. I always acknowledge their caution with a smile and friendly wave.
The worst drivers are undoubtably the ladies. They seem to have no idea that 2 tons of steel hurtling straight at a cyclist is frightening and intimidating. I think they are often scared to slow down. I havent noticed a particular problem with SUVs, they will often keep well over driving partially on a gravel verge to pass. But, in Lancashire things are obviously different. I am never concious of what car I am driving has some sort of impact on other people but I have been on the motorway, some people do move over for Mercs.

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
geocycle
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Re: Four 4x4's on a forty mile ride

Post by geocycle »

On a recent foray into france I played guess the nationality of cars approaching from behind. The best by far were the French who gave me loads of room, the worse were the Brits followed by the Dutch. I think the Dutch weren't used to seeing cars on the road given their excellent cycle network. It's a cultural thing, when driving in France I find most drivers to be less tolerant of others than British ones, but they have a much better approach to pedestrians and cyclists.
Ellieb
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Re: Four 4x4's on a forty mile ride

Post by Ellieb »

Beware confirmation bias OP
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Four 4x4's on a forty mile ride

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
As 4X4's are more likely to be the ones bought for pleasure not work and everybody wants one :?
Then it goes that well off people will own one but have no use for the 4WD unless they pull horses.
Its just another addition to the stable of merc's bmw's etc.
But we all cant afford those fashionable ego boosting slow stopping easy rollover coffins.
So what does the usual *&%%$£ drive :?: Any old car, I.M.O. the close passes and near mis's are just any old car / van / bus / hgv...........
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lisap
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Re: Four 4x4's on a forty mile ride

Post by lisap »

Oh dear, I own a horse, ride a bike, drive a 4x4 and I'm female. :oops:

There obviously no hope for me but in my defence I do not run cyclists off the road with my car, always pull over so other drivers can pass me on country lanes when on the bike and thank people when they slow down for me while I'm riding my young horse.

I live in a very hilly place, my 4x4 is covered in mud from being on the farm every day AND when it snows I wouldn't get off my property without it.

Am I excused :D
reohn2
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Re: Four 4x4's on a forty mile ride

Post by reohn2 »

lisap wrote:........Am I excused :D


From what? :wink:
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honwal
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Re: Four 4x4's on a forty mile ride

Post by honwal »

In the years I have been cycling, I think it is down to pot luck who is on the road when you are out on bike, a few weeks back me and missus had a Land Rover towing a Land Rover overtake us coming up to bend causing the car in the opposite direction kick up dust by pulling into and braking hard into the bank.

Only last week I shot off from missus to get home to have a cuppa ready for her, i had a car overtake me between two bends only to indicate at last minute to turn right followed by another car who thought the car in front was going to keep going, the driver braked and was in middle of road.

As for pecking order on road I think it is true with some people in there minds, its the same as most things some people think and care and some think and don't care.
PDQ
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Re: Four 4x4's on a forty mile ride

Post by PDQ »

al_yrpal wrote:The worst drivers are undoubtably the ladies.

I was afraid to state the same but now someone else has...........
For some years I though the worst offenders for close overtakes were young ladies, often in small cars. I wondered why that should be the case. I sort of came to the conclusion that they were the group most likely never to have ridden a bike and hence treated it more as an inanimate object.
The reason why this was the case? I thought that because young women have become sadly more vunerable in society in general they were(sort of) understandably less likely to go out on a bike.
I do feel that with something of a renaissance of cycling in the last 5 years or so (more cyclists about generally) this is less the case than formally and perhaps as a group they are not so likely to put fear into me anymore.
Just IMHO
james01
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Re: Four 4x4's on a forty mile ride

Post by james01 »

lisap wrote:I live in a very hilly place, my 4x4 is covered in mud from being on the farm every day AND when it snows I wouldn't get off my property without it.

:D


You could try walking :D . I'm being slightly facetious but the description of a farm or village being cut off is now used in the press simply when motor vehicles can't get through. It used to mean when people on foot couldn't get through - now that's what I call being really cut off :D .
LollyKat
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Re: Four 4x4's on a forty mile ride

Post by LollyKat »

Or couldn't you use the horse? "Jingle bells, jingle bells...."

:lol:
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