This is a true story. I had a black '91 Jetta GLI (did I hear Click and Clack radio fans laugh?). It's night, light traffic, I'm in the center lane at a red light, Chevy Suburb suddenly stops to my right. Light goes green, we go to the next red light. Very soon after this light, his lane changes to a Right Only lane. We go (I wasn't in a hurry, for once), he matches my speed up to the next red light, I had a clear lane, and I start wondering how the Surburb will make the turn... and suddenly he veers into my lane, hits my front fender with his rear tire!! So he stops in front of me, gets out, and it's the pastor of the church I used to go to! I swear to GOD! He wants to talk to me, so we park. I gave him a week to call his insurance company, but I had to! I was really tempted to sit in the front row that next Sunday.

The moral of this story: embarrass the bejesus out of ALL SUVs!

 

I'm class of 1970! And if we actually remembered those years, then we didn't have much fun, eh?

Clover

 

I'm on my way back from Indy, my father in his navigator ahead of me. This lady comes out of nowhere in this lexus truck, of course talking on her cell, and blows by me. First I was like what was that??!! I have the luxury of hand held radios and radio ahead to my dad. I catch up to her at the next stoplight and I was clearly expecting what happened next... She was behind a semi, knowing she was going to blow around it, I tried to go and pass both of them when the light turns green, it works but she cuts in sharply, (like her tires sqeal sharply), so close behind me all I can see is her Lexus liscense plate, I said to myself, Michael no time for road rage, just get this B**** on her way. I calmly cruised up she whips in the right lane, (again tires sqealing), She goes on her way and in the blur that went by I clearly saw this po-ed look. I'm like what did I do? I see her in the turn lane going to turn at the next stoplight and I'm like 100 feet and closing @ 65mph and I see her nose turn left into my lane she cuts me off, I hit the brakes, ahhh yes the JCW Brakes worked good!:impatient I have still have enough time though to show her I care, and flip my brights and horn. She turns gives me the finger. Again I'm like wtf did I do? She then continues to cut off my dad, who is my spot car, several times, who then calls the police. The dispatcher said they already had cars on the situation and right as my dad radioed me that I see two black blurs go by; two jet black camaro state troopers! About 3 minutes later I go past the pulled over broad who they made get out of her car, the troopers had blocked one lane so we naturally slown down, and I just couldn't resist returning the favor, in the form of a smiling, head shaking, THUMBS UP! She just stared!

Mikey

 

Ah.. the good ole days... Glad to see another "seasoned" enthusiast on here... I had some fun times back in those days.... but I'm liking things much better in the present.
Still young at heart, just a bit more responsible...
Cheers my friend!

 

I think drivers up north are all crazed. At least drivers who live within 100 miles of Indianaoplis. We drove up there for the F-1 Debacle, and it was relatively eventless, until we got into Indiana, and I swear there were at least 100 people blowing by at 100+ on a 70mph roadway, weaving in and out of traffic... in SUV's and Trucks. It looked like a rollover waiting to happen.

 

Actually, thats pretty well establish. Something to do with the weather, at least in N. America. The farther north you go, the faster they drive.

I thought Boston drivers were crazy until I drove in Montreal

 

I would say I'm the exception to that rule. Nobody around here seems to know how to drive. They don't know the proper procedure at stop signs, never follow the speed limit, turn signals are purely optional, it's like driving in a town full of idiots! I had a lady following me to school the other day talking on her cell phone comes rolling up behind me in her minivan, I'm doing 2 over the posted 35mph limit, flashes her lights and is right on my a$$, just then I noticed a cop was right behind her, she didn't even back off, she goes to pass on a double yellow, the cop hits the siren and pulls her over. I just don't see what the big hurry was, because 7:45 is a little early for soccer practice!

Mikey

 

I have a friend who has a bike, (Yamaha R6) and he recently got cut off by an suv causing him to get on the brakes hard and lose control. Fortunately, he only got out of it with some scratches, but major damage was done to the bike. This is one of my best friends who I've known my entire life, I'm glad he's ok. If I could hunt down the driver of that suv, I would break both his legs.

 

Maybe for you, but in Tampa SUV drivers and particularly large pickup drivers are overly aggressive and blatantly disregard rules of the road, endanger smaller vehicles, and act like complete asses. Somehow, they appear to think that because they own a large vehicle they can disregard all others on the road. Both my wife & I drive MINIs and a Mini, and have been repeatedly cut off intentionally with their "me first" attitude. WTF happened to common courtesy? Are persons identity & ego so caught up in the POS they drive they must act so recklessly? Well, Oct 1st is coming and in FL you can shoot someone who is endangering you..thanks JEB!

 

See my post above. Move this scene to other side of Walker Road intersection. Today, I saw this black Nissan 4-door pickup (close enough for SUV) about a mile earlier coming up behind me in a hurry. I happened to be in the right lane of traffic that was flowing, not with the Left Lane Lemmings. I changed to the center lane (of 3), the Nissan did too, who was about 5 seconds back. Traffic on both sides turned off, and I was at the front of the pack, so I squirted ahead to avoid the Nissan.

After scanning ahead for idiots pulling out of Costco (favorite for Left Lane Lemmings), I looked into my center mirror. Think of a NASCAR replay from the car in front. That instant two people died. I will always remember that scene framed in an oval mirror.

I was calling 911 before I could stop. This will be front page above the fold "if it bleeds, it leads" story Wednesday.

DON'T BE A LEFT LANE LEMMING!!!! 1. You are closer to the head-on position. 2. Emergency vehicles are not allowed to pass on your left. Your stereo and a/c on full blast can drown out their siren, and there you are blocking them. 3. Those rectangular white signs without numbers that read "slower traffic keep right" aren't a mere suggestion! Observe light traffic on a four lane to see if 3/4 are LEFT LANE LEMMINGS.

 

Another 70s child here - graduated in '76. The problem i have is i remember too much. There are advatages and disadvantages to this. Now that I have a 16 year old it is hard to get really angry when he does the same things i did. On the other hand remembering what i did at that age I know what he is up to.

The thought that this thread brings to my mind is that to me rude driving is not confined to SUV drivers. For some reason i think us MINI people seem to get more upset when the bad driver is in a much bigger vehicle like an SUV.

The other thought I have is about how different types of vehicles seem to have drivers with specific driver personalities. The ones that tend to tick me off the most are conversion vans. They seem to all drive like they are driving 18 wheelers. So slow. Then there is the big no style boats like the Crown Victoria drivers who tend to be 80 years old and can barely see over the steering wheel. Then there is the little car people including us MINI people who tend to drive like nuts with a lot a weaving. The driving style of the SUV driver that is observed in this thread also seems to be true of the drivers of bigger cars like the Chrysler 300 or those caddy STSs.

having said that, I usually don't like to generalize about anything or anyone but we all do it to some dgree. I do try not to judge anyone based on the car they drive but its not always easy to resist - especially of the conversion vans.

 

To the guy who mixes it up in NYC with the cabs........"we are not worthy" - Wayne and Garth. I just got back from NYC and it is worse than ever.

I am currently in a 12 step program for recovering SUV owners and (Hi Bob) and I can tell you that the sense of entitlement is amazing. I have ridden Motorcycles and worse bicycles in traffic all my life and defensive driving is the only way to survive.

 

I'm still alive because I profile. Save the political correctness for non-life threatening situations! If I see a rolling wreck with wheels at 10 degree camber, no license plate, filthy dirty, etc. I'm steering clear. Because illegal aliens don't carry insurance, or licenses, I'm not afraid to profile drivers too. Especially ones on cell phones! Basic m.o.: treat all cars as a threat.

 

What do you mean?

What the heck are you talking about? Emergency vehicles are allowed to do whatever they want. If you're talking about boneheads obstructing emergency vehicles, as far as I'm concerned they're fair game for the Darwin Club.

 

I like to think I am still alive because I don't profile. The clean nice family car or even MINI is just as capable of stupidity. The earlier statements about driving defenssively is the best advice. When I drive I presume evryone is an idiot.

 

I really couldn't comprehend that post either. What happened and what did it have to do with people in the left lane?

 

Ya'll are complaining about MINI's... try driving a miata in rush hours all day long, a total of 3 hours every day in the land of SUV's.

People acted like i didn't exist at all. That's a big reason i got the LY... now everyone sees me. Not to say they don't still act like morons around me, but i KNOW they can see me, so it makes me feel better.

But this reminds me of the other day. A road i take home goes from two lanes to one after a little stretch of road with highway entrances and exits and overpasses. People usually speed up as much as they can to be the first person when it turns into one lane... but i've noticed it's the people that try REALLY hard to be the first that always go 10 under once they're first in line. So i pay attention to who's going to end up in front of me father back, and can try and guess who i won't want to be stuck behind. The other day the road was empty around me for the first time ever at that time. I'm just about to hit the one lane spot, when this truck comes FLYINGGGGGG from a highway exit and cuts beside me (while it's turning into one lane, and he's hanging halfway in the grass DETERMINED to get in front of me) i just keep going and look up at him like WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING? Then i see someone's coming up behind us who just turned right from an apartment complex and catching up fast as well. The truck is probably about a foot from my driver side front fender and not letting off... i give him one last stare, a honk and i slam my brakes. The car form the apartments is forced to slam theirs, and the truck gets in front of me.

Wouldn't you know he goes from matching my speed of 57 in a 55, to 42 EFFING MPH IN A 55. oh, my, god. There's a cop that always sits in a lot up ahead, but he couldn't see all the way to where we were. I had to follow this punk for another half mile, still going 42, passing the cop, til we get to a passing zone. I drop it down to second and punch it. Of course, as i'm passing him, he floors it, but just doesn't have the pick up i do i guess, and i get in front of him. He turns left at the next street. OMG.

Oh, then i'm driving in a backroad after that, and this truck pulls out in front of me. he goes 23 IN A 45! I keep a distance so i dont get pissed off... but he holds that speed steady for about a mile and a half. Too bad i only take this road because it's fun in the morning with no one on it :( So we get to the stop sign to make a right onto a road that's 55. He pulls out, then i stop and pull out behind him. I know a passing zone is coming up, so i don't shift past 3rd gear, and he's still picking up super slow (it's an old 80's pos truck) so i get to the passing zone and punch it. As i'm picking up beside him, he floors it. I didn't shift in time because he made me panick, and then i realize i'm doing like 63 to try and get around him. I finally get in front when i hit about 65 (i never like to exceed 57-58 passing) and drop my speed down to 57 forcing him to drop his speed. Then he all of a sudden falls way behind (i guess he just kept on dropping it) just in time to pass a cop when the road turned to 45. I went on my merry way, then the cop pulls out behind the truck.... and tails him. ugh.

 

It's not MINI's, per se. It's sporty looking cars. My dad drove boring cars throughout the '70's, but bought a Porsche in 1983. He immediately found that other drivers would go out of their way to cut him off. We were almost killed several times, including one joyous day when a man threw a huge rock out of his truck at my window. I was 8 years old, and some jack*$$ was throwing stones at me for riding in a Porsche.

The door was deeply gouged from the rock (it hit below the window), and my dad stopped him and exchanged some choice words. A police officer later called us to tell us the dude's address, and suggested that the police wouldn't bother us too much if we wanted to pay the fellow a visit...

5 years ago, I borrowed my wife's brand new Beetle and was cut off by an SUV. I laid on the horn as the guy merged right on top of me, and he raised his hand out the window and waved. Had it been my car, I would have gotten out and keyed his, with him in it. As it was her car, and I couldn't justify it getting destroyed for my temper, I let it go.

In the MINI, I let nothing go. I spurred one choice fellow on toward the waiting arms of the State Police last week, and really enjoy tail-gating those who cut me off. They try to swerve, and I stick right with them. They brake, but they don't have Wilwoods. I get in front of them, hit the rear fogs while down-shifting, then nail the gas. I watch them fade into the background.

I'm a jerk, but never to considerate drivers. I know my roads, how the traffic moves, what makes it stop, and how to trap those who would trap me.

It ain't the MINI, it's the perception that you're better than them because you have a sporty car, one that they figure they probably couldn't afford. It speaks to man's inherent hatred and fear of the unknown, and innate jealousy that leads us to destroy objects of beauty because we cannot possess them.

 

Adrian, that was beautiful.

 

Am I the only one left clueless here?

 

Agreed 100%.

 

i was confused too.

 

I have to chime in here, i am an SUV driver (let the bashing begin) currently my 2004 Kia Sorento is in the shop because I was rear ended. My car has "suddenly appeared" infront of 3 people (2 of which have hit me) in the year that i have had her. The first time was a chick in a little honda accord who hit me from my passenger door to the head light. The second time was a guy in a brand new Toyota Tundra Limited who didnt even hit his brakes when he rear ended me. I was 15th in line at a red light when i appereared in front of him. The third time was just last friday when a lady in her Monte Carlo on her call phone wanted to be exactly where i was. I was all the way in the "chicken" lane before she realized she was cutting me off.

Both people that hit me told me the same thing "you just appeared".

I dont have the "suddenly appearing" problem in the MINI. The hubby and the guy at the body shop tell me it is because it is a cooler car and people notice me more. Granted my SUV is black and not as bright as the LY MINI but i still dont believe i cant be seen.

I personally believe that it is people multi tasking or just not paying attention to where they are driving, not what they are driving.

Again all personal opinion.

 

Not to be rude, but I think the last line of your signature sums it up: it's not what you drive, but how you drive it.

I've driven several vehicles, from the MINI to a Ford 350 delivery van, and never once have "suddenly appeared" in front of anyone and have never been involved in any accidents (except once, when an accident that had already happened rolled into me).

I did, however, work with a guy who got hit regularly. He blamed others, but I rode with him, and he drove through dangerous intersections without any regard to emerging traffic situations.

My father used to say that luck is when preparation meets opportunity. You might say that you've had bad luck in your SUV, but by the above definition, your luck is most likely induced by your driving habits.

I may be completely wrong. You may live in a vortex of stupid drivers. But your spouse is always supposed to stand behind you, and I'm guessing your mechanic rarely rides with you.

I'm not bashing, I'm just expressing a healthy dose of doubt.

 

How is getting rear ended have anything to do with bad driving habits? Not staying off the road when other people are driving?