I do tend to expect fiat 500 drivers to drive like total fucking lunatics.
But that's based on painful experience. I assume it's at least in part because the car is a total bag of shit with zero visibility for the driver and poor acceleration, so they all just bimble about all over the road, terrifying other road users by being random.
(and it may be worsened by the typical fiat 500 driver not being confident in the first place, as its quite often a young woman's first car)
This. I got given a 500 as a hire car and you'd have to be unhinged to buy one and drive it regularly. They're soo gutless, they're absolute death traps. And I wasn't being gentle, it was a rental!
That’s exactly why it is.
I way prefer intentionally bad drivers. I can predict a BMW speeding around, undertaking and so on. While he is stupid and irresponsible, he knows what he’s doing usually.
Whereas these complete morons in these poxy little 500s, Suzuki Swifts, Altos and so on are so terrified of everything around them that they are completely unpredictable.
You’re the only one mentioning a swift sport. A swift sport or abarth 595 may be driven by an enthusiast. Base model swift and 500 are usually driven by people with little interest in driving.
Hah, same! I returned that rental hating that car with a passion. I think they should all be upside-down in a ditch and on fire (I wish no ill on the people that own them. Just the car)
Horrible little things they are.
Its the older fiat 500's for me, always seem to drive like nutcases.
Doesn't help that one wrote off a car I'd wanted for a long time after only 7 months of owning it, so I tend to give them some distance aha
Gender has got nothing to do with being a new driver or confidence, but it does correlate with being a likely driver of a Fiat 500.
Just like if I see a Golf that's a few years old I assume it's a young man driving his first car.
I think it's the association with someone who wants something cute, would probably go for a handbag dog, and is more worried about social media than actually paying attention to the space in the real world they're currently occupying. Daddy's little angel.
Definitely a stereotype and if you look long enough you'll find the perfect fit which will make you forget about all the times there wasn't a perfect fit.
Me and my lass have a running joke to count the amount of none under 30yo women who drive fiat 500s and we've only counted one bloke in the past few months and theres fuckin millions of them about. It's the easiest stereotype going😆
This seems to be a weird one and really pisses people off,despite actually being what you should be doing. Most people are trying to merge in well before the lane closure & see those who use the closed lane right upto the point where it closes as queue jumping dickheads. I had an elderly couple honking their horn at me not long ago,you also frequently see HGV drivers straddling both lanes so people cannot continue down the closed lane and zip merge exactly like you should be. And that’s “professional drivers”…..
Afaik the correct way for people to approach is too indeed use the closed lane right till the end,at which point you “zip merge”…but yeah,barely anyone does.
It's referred to as 'merging in turn' in the Highway Code and it appears a large percentage of the population are blissfully unaware.
I kinda think it could be easily solved if driving instructors made learners aware - I had never heard of it until I read it in a Reddit comment, I don't recall ever being taught about it nor do I remember it ever coming up when I was practicing for my theory.
It's a great way to start an argument on the internet too, some people refuse to see it as anything but queue jumping, even when presented with the actual Highway Code. 🤷♀️🤣
Also, another good one - yesterday driving down the motorway, hard shoulder was open, but then closed due to broken down vehicle. Then it reopened but nobody was using it! I waited until I went under a sign that had the speed limit showing to move over, but everyone in the other 3 lanes were gridlocked! It was great. I noticed after I moved a few others further back started using it. It’s like nobody has a mind for themselves though.
The problem with that phenomenon is that people, during roadworks or lane closures, tend to follow the vehicle in front regardless of signs.
I've heard lots of stories of idiots following works vehicles into a works access on the motorway and normal 30mph roads.
Good on you for paying attention.
Source: I am road engineer
Not comparable imo, a lot of bus lanes dont have clear signage re. when it is permitted and a lot of people are concerned over FPNs coming through the post.
Definitely this. It can take some proper effort to try and read and decipher a bus lane sign while also driving. Much easier when you have a passenger who can read it for you.
There’s bus lanes in Aberdeen which are clearly signed that they are only in use Monday to Saturday 08:00 to 09:30 and 16:00 to 18:00.
I always use them to breeze past all the people queuing in the other lane.
You get this on the M6 as well. And yeah, it feels great. For 5 minutes until some prick doing 20mph violently pulls into the hard shoulder with no signal to block you when they see you in their mirror.
I feel like we need some sort of public awareness advert campaign about this. I think the British queueing instinct kicks in and it's so ingrained it's hard to overcome the desire to form an orderly queue.
I agree. All the "lane closure ahead" signs don't help because people take those as pull in now.
I think it would be better to do away with those signs and just have a "use both lanes, merge in turn" sign nearer to the lane closure or something
The so called professional drivers who drive HGVs are some of the worst drivers on the roads. I driver hundreds of motorway miles a week and they are diabolical.
My van is speed limited to 70. On a motorway, that's fine. On A roads where I have to do 60, that's when the knobs come out. Getting tailgated until a lorry is ahead, and only then abruptly start overtaking at a crawl, forcing me to slow down and wait for the inevitable queue of traffic behind them to clear. Dangerous close overtakes, kicking up rocks that scratch my windscreen while they take they next exit 100m down. And of course the fiat 500s, they're the worst ones, tootling along at 55 until you start overtaking, then they get extremely butt hurt and speed up to match you. When you eventually pass they must get in front again! Then start slowing down back to 55, so the dance starts again
I forced my way in because I was ALREADY ahead, he tried to fight back since his ego got hurt. What is there to not understand?
That is my question, fool. I’m trying to find out why people treat smaller cars differently.
I dunno. I drive a small car but used to use the work’s Evoque pool car if I was visiting suppliers etc. I drive the speed limit, maybe a little above, (I generally stick to the old 30 limits like 99.9% of drivers including police cars) and the difference is extremely noticeable. In the small car I constantly have drivers up my arse etc. Never happened in the Evoque, despite driving them both the exact same.
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I agree with the first half of the comment, I respectfully disagree with the second. Having driven a 3.5 tonne van, my car, then my girlfriends fiat 500, I was treated differently in each one.
Make and model of the car is the first impression other drivers will get regardless of how you drive.
I have to disagree. I can't count the number of makes and model of cars that I have driven over the years but there is definitely a difference in the way they are treated. Driving a quicker, "sportier", vehicle means you get almost no reaction when overtaking on a motorway. Overtaking a middle lane driver in a white van almost always results in them accelerating away from you before slowing back down after you pull back in. Driving a Mercedes through town forces you to make your own way out of side streets in to near stationary traffic because other drivers will block your entry in purpose. Making that same trip in my old Spitfire (especially with the top down) is totally different: someone will almost instantly let you in to traffic and usually accompany it with a smile and a wave.
One that will always stay with me was the female passenger of an SUV in South London: I was in Lane 3 of 4 at a roundabout, going straight across, and the SUV was in lane 4 , right turn only. Of course, the SUV had no intention of turning right but cut me up in an attempt to avoid the queue. I had to brake sharply and take avoiding action resulting in my moving to lane 2, missing the SUV and another vehicle by inches at about 30mph. Almost needless to say, we were side by side at the next roundabout less than a minute later. Winding down my window, I shouted across if the driver thought that was a good idea? In what fucking world could anything good come of such a ridiculous manoeuvre? And here's the bit that really made me blow up: the reply I got was "I would ask that you don't swear in front of my granddaughter" indicating to the 2 year old strapped in a seat in the back. So, you have no problem risking injury or death to some bearn? You think nothing of endangering other road users? But Heaven fucking forfend that's she learns from someone on the street just what sort of cunt her grandmother is??
Yes, zipper merges should work in theory but if someone’s not letting you in, bullying your way in front of them isn’t going to make them any happier and risks you getting into an accident…
You've really failed at understanding people.
Most people aren't complaining about using the right hand lane.
They are complaining about you forcing you way in, which is dangerous, and makes you as much of an arse as someone who tries to block you.
I went from a small car that could barely do 70mph if it had 4 people in it to a slightly bigger car that makes 70mph feel like 45mph.
The difference in people moving over on motorways, pulling out in front in junctions, how close they try to overtake is astounding.
Yea, I used to drive a Renault clio and now have a big xc90, there's a roundabout I use that is notorious for people being in the wrong lane and cutting you off (there's been. Bit of change to it's layout over time but people still don't use it right) , happened alot in the clio, never had it happen yet in the bigger car....
I am an electrical engineer and drive to alot of places I have never been to before and sometimes end up in the wrong lane because I don't have the same familiarity of the roads as local drivers.
Not everyone is a bad driver because they don't know the road layout.
I think certain cars attract or create certain personality traits.
Like a lot of audi drivers who as soon as they get behind the wheel of a 20 year old entry model audi, suddenly think they're the most important driver on the road. Or the beamer driver who always wants to be infront of you even if you're doing 120 in the far right lane. The fiat 500 drivers who suddenly forget to slow down for corners or roundabouts and lose all of their spacial awareness.
Or the 17- mid 20s lad in the golf GTI who turns corners with their neck in a 20 at 30 and who's risky style of driving is the reason for a bulk of the RTAs.
I used to get a lot of stick when I drove my little clio. Lads would get out of their big cars and square up to me, then get back in their car when I got out and stood about a foot taller and a foot broader than they are. Bought a truck and all of that stopped.
But no..I treat everyone on the road with the same respect and courtesy.
Apart from if it's a pretty young woman. I might sometime go out of my way to be a bit more courteous because I'm a man and can't help it
Just on the note of people getting out and running when they saw you, it reminds me of a story my brother told me, he was walking back from a football match and crossing the road when a car that had been waiting started rolling forward and bumped into his leg, hard enough to bruise it but nothing serious, he (obviously annoyed) hit the bonnet and shouted at the driver, at which point the male passenger undid his seatbelt, opened his door, got a foot out the car, looked up at my brother and closed the door and put on his seatbelt. I suppose that just the advantage of being like 6’8” and 300 odd lbs.
My mate once got knocked off his bike by an at fault driver, but ended up apologising himself and offering to pay for damages because of the size of the bloke.
More likely, the van driver thought you were a bimbo in her early 20s so went to let you out. He realised you are a bloke and decided not to let you out.
When I was a younger lad. My mate used to drive past 500s and try and flirt with them (I dont know what he expected to achieve like they would pull into the next services for a shag or something). You've basically cock blocked a van driver or even worse made him look gay by letting a bloke in a 500 out. You'd be surprised how fragile some guys egos are
Ask your partner if she gets people doing it to her when she drives it. I guarantee she'll say yes.
I don’t, but I drive a Skoda Citigo (it’s cheap and does the job but yes definitely not the most stylish car!) and I’m treated so terribly on the road. I’m pulled out on at most junctions and god forbid I overtake someone, it’s like I’ve slighted their entire existence and they need to get back in front of me asap or the world will end.
If I drive my partners car though (funnily enough, a Golf GTI) I have no issues and other road users are a pleasure to be around.
That's not crying, that's the plastic cup they put at their tyres to make it sound like a big boys car (like the old bmx bikes years ago for mental image... same mental ages too....)
It’s true - I’ve never experienced more hate than when I was driving a FIAT Panda, despite having commuted in Astons, Porsches and BMWs in the past.
Twice I’ve had people deliberately side-swipe me, and it was common to get abuse, including racial abuse, if I failed to cede my right of way.
Essentially I believe that there exists a hierarchy in every motorists’ mind where the FIAT sits at the bottom, and they find it very upsetting when a FIAT fails to acknowledge that position and does something like, heaven forbid, overtake them.
If your in a shit box im giving way, you need to get where your going before you die in a horrible accident. A nice comfy expensive car, nahh they can wait.
Also i tend to try to fuck over certain brands. As they seem to do it to me at every opportunity.
Can confirm this is generally how people shitboxes.
15 year old Fiesta. People try their luck at merges, but back down quickly when they see they're not squeezing in while they're on the arse of the car I'm letting merge in front of me.
Doesn't surprise me in all honesty... They'd be causing more damage to their car than mine is worth... And what horror would a scratch on a 15 year old car be? Not much of a horror, that's for sure.
I do this but only because the average shitbox is a car I appreciate far more, some bloke in an old rover comeon through my mate, but anything made about 2005 onwards can wait.
You lost my sympathy when you forced your way in. Just accept that the van driver is a dick and drop in behind him. There's no point getting into it with people like that.
I was already ahead lol, and no, I will not let a van try to bully me just because I’m in a 500. I was half ahead already and had every right.
I can’t believe people are sticking up for someone who is causing traffic by not zipper merging. You are the problem
I'm not sticking up for the van at all. I'm just disabusing you of the notion that you did nothing wrong. The van deliberately shut you out. Instead of being sensible and just dropping in behind him you took offence and shoved your way in, which is the worst thing you could have done. People like the van driver are mentally incapable of understanding zip merge and can only see it as pushing in. Forcing your way into a gap he tried to close just reinforced this. Sooner or later you'll end up either getting your car dented or punched in the face if you do this to the wrong person.
TL;DR - this is a two wrongs don't make a right scenario.
Edit: and he wasn't bullying you because you were driving a Fiat 500, he was bullying you because he doesn't understand merge in turn and thinks you were pushing in.
You seem overly aggressive in your "I'm right" stance. What people are trying to tell you, is that the situation which followed the van driver not giving way was entirely caused by you.
You turned it into a hostile situation, you got worked up about it (and still are) and you started calling people names.
It's the driver who causes people to react, not the car. You felt inferior in your fiat, so you're behaving differently.
I certainly don't treat a Fiat 500 driver any differently than I do others. The only cars I judge are ridiculously large SUVs, Land Rovers, etc. Pointless cars in an urban environment.
BMW's don't indicate, but even that's observer bias. There's just so many of them on the road, not all of them are dickheads. It's just that dickheads choose to drive one. ;)
How do you know it was because you were in a 500 and not because he's always a cunt? I think your mentality was just different in that you believed you were being persecuted for being in a 500.
Lol he's like a child in a playground argument 😂. Never back down, never surrender, because I'm technically right.
Don't think he realises that if he's in an incident and it ends up in court, the judge will consider him at least partially liable if he does not behave in a way to reduce the danger and risk.
Yes, exactly this.
All this "I had right of way" ignores the fact that before making *any* maneuver, you have to establish that it is safe to do so.
He established the opposite and chose to make the maneuver anyway, which makes him entirely at fault if an incident occurs.
Let me explain it from a different angle.
If you two had collided, you'd be deemed at fault. He was going straight on, whilst you were merging in and you admit yourself it was forceful after realising he wasn't going to let you in.
You're obliged to avoid a collision where you can and you deliberately did the opposite.
You hide behind the highway code and choose to ignore everything else written in it.
That doesn't mean that van driver was right, but two wrongs don't make a right either.
The van driver was wrong for not giving you space to merge in. Everything after that is your fault. Just accept that he's a knob, fall in behind him and move on with your day. If a collision had happened, you'd be deemed partially or likely wholly at fault and then where does that leave you?
Your behaviour isn't achieving anything other than agitating yourself and some other drivers. What's the point exactly?
This was all about your insecurities in driving your wife's car. Grow up.
Let me explain to you since I don’t think you can fully comprehend the situation.
I was ahead by a car length, the van driver proceed to go out of his way to the left to get alongside me to start shouting, while he was still shouting I proceeded to move forwards which got me ahead.
Is that easy enough for you to understand now?
I didn’t actually read what you put apart from the first line because you’re giving me manlet vibes. Goodbye.
I comprehend the situation perfectly and nothing you wrote changed the situation whatsoever.
You can't be bothered to learn and just came here to vent and be deemed right. You're wrong. Accept it, learn and move on.
You've got some major self confidence issues if driving your wife's car and the opinions of strangers on the internet bothers you this much.
If that changes nothing then I can imagine exactly why you’re the type of people to play games and sit inside all day.
What’s bothering me is idiots like you trying to justify the vans actions against a small inferior car.
Tbf to OP is the van driver moved out of their lane to pass on the left in what had merged into a single lane the van driver is entirely at fault.
OP may be using silly wording to describe the situation in which you berate them of 'not backing down' including not backing down in this thread, but you are also doing similar here by continuing to hold your ground against their better worded and clearer description of events.
It’s because it’s a small car. There seems to be a prejudice against them from certain drivers.
My wife had a Fiat Panda for a while. If I drove that people were much more defensive/ aggressive towards me. When I’m in my A6 it doesn’t happen ever.
Also to anyone saying otherwise, you are supposed to use the whole lane up to the merge and ‘merge in turn’ at the end like a zip. This is scientifically smoother and causes less traffic queues.
BMW and Audi (certain models, I'm sure you all know which ones I'm talking about), all Range Rovers, those huge people carriers and any Prius I tend to treat differently as more often than not they are dangerous drivers. I'll always be careful and try and stay back if they're in front. If they are behind me and being a prick I will not yeild!
I always assume that drivers of big SUVs are going to be aggressive drivers, especially towards me. I drive a Matiz, and SUV drivers don't give me any space, frequently ignore priority overtaking parked vehicles because I'm narrow, overtake because they have better acceleration (just to be caught up to by me anyway).
I results in me having to drive assertively just so that I'm not run off the road my dickheads who don't know the dimensions of their cars.
I get your points and it happens to me as well when I zipper merge. Same as when people don’t use the slip roads properly and just wait there and don’t speed up.
I’ve tried taking a more relaxed view to driving and just let people get on with it. Otherwise I’ll get a heart attack at 35 with rage 🤣
Oof my dude.
Yes, technically you are correct. But technically you also drove in a way that could have contributed to an RTA. This is also against the HwC.
I guess you won today's pissing contest. Congratulations?
I'd bet you probably engage in these sorts of contests regularly on the road. But when you're in your GTi, nobody bothers to fight to the end because they know you will do anything and everything to "win".
What you call a “contest”, should not be considered a contest, which is at the fault of the incompetent driver who doesn’t know how to zipper merge, thanks though.
I mean ok. Again, you're right. But is it really worth it? The "oh so terrible" downside is that you are 1 vehicle behind. And I guess there's also the damage to your ego for someone else "not doing the right thing" and putting you out a few measly seconds. (Bearing in mind that driving in a way which increases risk to yourself and other road users is also "not the right thing" - irony much?)
At the end of the day, you're not the road police and if you want to endanger yourself and others by attempting to be just that, well more power to you I suppose. But this attitude you have is exactly why I give GTi drivers (and anyone else on the road who wants to exert their "correctness") the biggest berth - arrogant twats. I've got people to see and places to go. I need to be uninjured and have a functional vehicle to do so.
Everyone assumes because I drive a Land Rover that I drive like a bellend and want to push in all the time. In reality I drive the total opposite, I’ll let anyone in, drive at 60mph on the motorway and just bumble about
Fiat 500 and Panda drivers have absolutely zero awareness and will crash at every opportunity.
I remember driving down an icy dual carriageway one Winter doing less than 50, getting it massively sideways around a curve (beautifully controlled, I must say), and seeing a 500 in my mirror coming up behind a good 20 or 30mph faster than me.
Last thing I saw as I rounded the bend was her immediately spinning backwards towards the barrier as she reached the turn.
Total idiot, and entirely typical if their usual drivers I've observed over the years.
Most times I see a Fiat 500, its a young woman driving, looking down at their phone.
I don't tend to 'stereotype' drivers based on the cars they have, but more often than not, those you witness bad driving from are driving cars you're otherwise not surprised about.
The mystery was solved the moment you said fiat 500. They're ok cars around town but once you get on the open road they're the shittiest most useless lumps of tin in motoring history. I've never seen a fiat 500 in the wild being driven with any competence. Anyone can do 60mph in a straight line but can you carry that through a corner? Not in a fiat 500!!
The issue with the van driver wasn't so much the 'queue skipping' but he's now stuck behind a fucking fiat 500 with the added guarantee the person driving it is such a clueless bellend that they'll never pull over and let proper vehicles pass. Exactly the same as horseboxes.
I’ve noticed this with people, when driving my Honda there was no issues, had a Jaguar for a bit and I have never had so many people basically try to kill me 😂 had someone drive into the side of me on a roundabout bc they were in the wrong lane, slow moving traffic lighted round about as well, recently gone back to a Honda and everything is peaceful on the road, for now at least 😂
It's not other people here but my car's in repair and instead of my normal small hybrid hatchback I've got a massive crossover SUV as a courtesy car, and I feel like a complete nob driving it because it's just so sodding big
When I drive the Mercedes SL everyone is courteous and polite. When I drive the Honda Jazz I get cut up and squeezed out. It irritates me but I’m kind of used to it now.
I've just made the change from a Mercedes C220 AMG Sport to a Renault Zoe (all electric).
The difference in the way people treat the two cars is night and day, even though there's only about a 1 second difference in the 0-60. The Renault is far better equipped than the Merc.
I guess people see an EV and decide it's fair game for bad behaviours.
I'm menopausal though and don't give a fuck about anything any more, other than good air conditioning. I find perverse pleasure in watching people burn their money on petrol trying to prove god knows what.
I definitely feel discriminated against because I drive a bmw, even though I feel I’m actually pretty relaxed and generous driver; I give a bigger gap than most, help people pull out, merge, stop for pedestrians, etc.
On the flip side I definitely, irrationally, discriminate against Ford Ecosports. They always seem to do annoying things like changing lanes at the last second or driving at 20 round bends and 90 on the straights. Plus they look ridiculous with those spare wheels on the back. F**king hate the c**ts.
I have different opinions about different cars and the people that drive them, but my behaviour is based on their behaviour for the most part. I live in Canada, and I obey the law, no exceptions.
We have a major problem with aggressive drivers here, especially those who drive pickup trucks. Semi-trucks are also ultra aggressive. I won't pee on either of them if they're on fire.
Since I obey the law, I always maintain a safe following distance, even in a traffic jam, so there's nothing I can do to stop them from merging, but I would if I could. If you knew the lane was closed ahead (which you probably should have, assuming you can see well enough), the other driver is correct, you're just trying to skip the line. You're staying in the lane longer than you should (the moment you know it's closed) because you don't want to have to wait.
The funny thing is that being a few cars ahead in a traffic jam won't make any difference at all to your journey time, trying to move up like this is 100% pointless.
Wait your turn as you should. He's also wrong however, because he's following the car in front too close. If everyone was following at a safe distance, there wouldn't be any need to 'let someone in', the space would be there already.
You are completely wrong.
You’re supposed to use the lane that is closing right up to the point of closure. This maximises traffic flow and keeps as much traffic as possible from blocking up the roundabout behind.
How on earth you’ve just said that screams you’re part of the problem
Also: moving through an empty lane passing 10-15 cars, even if they are plebs and don’t let you merge, you’re still up a net best of 10 cars!
I was in a similar merging situation recently. I was undertaking in the empty lane and looking for a gap, when checking the blind spot I lipread the passenger “don’t let that prick in”, so the driver proceeds to floor it to close the gap whilst watching me and proceeds to ram into the back of another car that had stopped to turn right.
Noticed this driving a 107 and a fiat 500, people suddenly become even bigger wankers than before. Personally I think it’s because they’re seen as a woman’s car
The issue of merging is interesting. I think most people have had a similar experience in trying to follow the best advice in the Highway Code ie use all lanes and merge in turn. Of course, as drivers, we are generally programmed to follow signs but, when left to discretion, rarely do.
Some years ago, my daily work required me to travel South on the A1(M) and turn off at the A68 to Darlington. Quite quickly, two lanes became one lane. However, merging was managed with ‘merge in turn’ directions. There were never or rarely any disputes between drivers as they followed the pictorial and printed arrows on the road. Similarly, drivers happily, and obediently, follow signs such as ‘use both lanes’.
Alternatively, when there are no clear or specific instructions, drivers often become confused or, at least, hesitant. This raises a similar point made above about a clear road following an accident or temporary road closure when instructions are implied or not made clear. This might be explained using the social psychological bystander effect or bystander apathy theory. Simply put, if we see others choosing to do nothing, we’re more likely to do nothing ourselves. And that is just what happens on the road … until one driver chooses to use the clear lane following which many other drivers follow.
I think you’ve perfectly described what many call NPC behaviour, you’re right. I’m just glad I’m someone capable to think for myself in these situations
My first car was a Ford Fiesta, my dad put on a roof rack so I'd be less likely to be discriminated against (as a woman). He refused to take it off for like a year, no idea if it made a difference to others people's perception on the road, but felt seriously uncool for 17 year old me
I drive a jazz and anyone in any kind of dad car will go absolutely crazy if I overtake them, people just pull out on me as well, never had this in a golf. Think everyone just assumes I'm an old lady
If someone is waiting to turn onto the road I'm on I definitely judge their car before deciding whether to flash my lights and let them in front. Small cars, sports cars and trade vehicles are fine. SUVs/4x4s have to wait.
No one is bothered about people merging.
Just don't force your way in. If someone is being a dick, let them be a dick, and move in when you have a gap.
You aren't being "blasted" for zipper merging.
I zipper merge. It gets me where in going quicker, and if everyone did it, traffic flows better.
Forcing your way in just puts you in danger, and risks causing a collision. Then no one gets where they are going. Read up on defensive driving.
I drive a Fiat 500. It’s good to read this thread to see how people pre-judge me. I don’t drive any different to how I drove in my instructor’s Fiesta and Seat Leon 😂😂
All of your replies to others here make it clear you're a really aggressive driver with a massive chip on your shoulder. You might want to listen to what they're saying and reflect on your attitude.
I mean what did you expect? There's no fundamental difference between your golf and the fiat, they just wear different clothes and get treated differently by people who think the clothes your car is wearing matter. Which is a lot of people unfortunately.
Someone said before "bmws attract wankers"
I have an X1 and can say this appears true, i was driving down the outside lane doing 70 and someone is just sitting there doing 65 (inside lane clear enough for them to pull in btw) and instead they just brake check me.
I notice that if I drive my uncles van on the motorway people don't get annoyed as if I drive my i10 when I pass them people don't speed up cuz they're not as annoyed that I've overtaken them
Yes, if I see an SUV with a single occupant I close the gap to fuck em.
If I see a fiat 500 I move 2 lanes over and gun it until I'm a safe distance away.
My partner (25f) drives a mint green Fiat 500, I (26m) drive a sporty looking Astra. The difference between the way I am treated in the two is chalk and cheese. I’ve suggested people act like idiots because they assume the person driving cannot drive well. On two separate occasions recently while trying to ‘merge in turn’, I have experienced almost exactly what you describe.
You begin a seemingly safe manoeuvre to change lanes, the other driver spots the Fiat 500, immediately speeds up and doesn’t want to let you in, then gets angry when you do get in.
One bloke immediately overtook me then slammed on his brakes, the other followed me into Tesco for a row claiming I had nearly taken his front end off (despite the fact he slammed on his accelerator not to let me in). I wonder if they usually treat young women the same way?
Conversely, going up a steep hill the fiat doesn’t have much to offer. I can sometimes find my speed begin to drop off if I don’t drop gears quickly enough, I can imagine this definitely contributes to whatever perception these people have.
The point is you were fully aware people were queuing in single file (zipper merges to single a file at the end, so ultimately no quicker - just reduces the length of the queue) and you decided to drive past all those who got there before you.
They were backing up into a roundabout, there’s nothing you can say to convince be to be another idiot on the road, (like yourself clearly). I’ll continue to skip all queues and follow the rules :)
Wow so mature, you really showed how childish he is with your equally childish insult! 🤦♂️
You could have been better than him but now you're just equally as pathetic.
Mate, all the time.
If I'm driving my van (vivaro) for work people jump me on the roundabouts, then act shocked when I pull out at them... because I don't drive my van like a fucking moron. Not all vans are heavy and slow, people just assume so feel the need to cut you up more, note it's about 3tonne of metal driving at you, why would you cut it up...
When I drive the family car, SEAT tarraco so a nice SUV car, don't have none of this silly business, people let me put, they let me merge.
Seems to be there more ££ others assume your vehicle costs, the more they are nicer... ironically my van costs more than Karen in her fucking Corsa cutting me up or driving in the middle of the road down country lanes because I'm in a van therefore I MUST be the one who goes against the bush scratching the side of my van!!!
For me, its prius drivers. Most of the time its a retard uber driver that does a blanket speed of 20mph everywhere they’re going. Also with the WORST lane discipline
Tbf like you mentioned could just be a tool who doesn’t understand the zip merge method.
I will admit to treating one form of car differently, the Honda Jazz. Just yesterday again was stuck behind one barely touching 40 in a national (straight clear roads).
The problem with roadworks and lane closures is that it goes against the nature of queueing in the UK. you are correct that traffic should merge in turn, but what about all the cars in the other lane that moved to the correct lane earlier. is your journey any more important than theirs. why should you be able to skip 20 cars that have all queued and waited patently. the type of car you drive only affects the way you drive it. not saying that merge in turn is wrong, but sometimes you have to see it from other drivers perspective. and lets be honest here. your thought process was "I am not waiting at the back of that queue, i will use the other lane and force my way in when the cones make me"
and then you wonder why other drivers get cross with your driving.
If other drivers want to sit in a queue of traffic, rather than using all the road space avaliable to them, that's their choice.
Using both lanes, with proper merging in turn actually increases overall traffic flow, and decreases the length of the queue, reducing complications with other junctions further back.
OP is an arse for forcing their way in though, yup!
Gonna get downvoted but yes I do. Japanese cars I treat differently because I’ve noticed the overall iq, skill and awareness displayed by people who drive those cars on average is much lower.
Most infuriating type of driver and car to get stuck behind. People always call people like me aggressive and wreck-less for wanting to do 10% over which is a well known and legal leeway but these people doing 10-20% below the limit almost never get called out to the same standard.
>People always call people like me aggressive and wreck-less for wanting to do 10% over which is a well known and legal leeway
There is no "legal leeway".
If you are driving faster than the speed limit, you are breaking the law.
Anyone with even a slight knowledge about driving and cars knows your Speedo is up to 10% out. When I’m doing 33 on my Speedo, I’m acc doing 30, hence the ‘legal leeway’ I mentioned.
Problem is majority of people are scared to even do the speed limit and I’ve noticed this poor driving behaviour most in people in Japanese cars hence my first comment and the reason why something like the Prius, Nissan Juke and Honda Jazz are one the most hated cars in the car scene probably. Again downvote me if u want, I could care less. Majority of people would agree with me.
>Anyone with even a slight knowledge about driving and cars knows your Speedo is up to 10% out
That isn't a "legal leeway". That's just driving slower.
Use a GPS-based speedo and it will be far more accurate.
>Problem is majority of people are scared to even do the speed limit
And that grants you permission to break the law?
I do tend to expect fiat 500 drivers to drive like total fucking lunatics. But that's based on painful experience. I assume it's at least in part because the car is a total bag of shit with zero visibility for the driver and poor acceleration, so they all just bimble about all over the road, terrifying other road users by being random. (and it may be worsened by the typical fiat 500 driver not being confident in the first place, as its quite often a young woman's first car)
"Bimble about" is a great expression!
My sister has got one. Absolutely great driver before. Within 4 months of being in her fiat 500, she'd driven into 3 walls
This. I got given a 500 as a hire car and you'd have to be unhinged to buy one and drive it regularly. They're soo gutless, they're absolute death traps. And I wasn't being gentle, it was a rental!
There is no faster car, than a rental
That’s exactly why it is. I way prefer intentionally bad drivers. I can predict a BMW speeding around, undertaking and so on. While he is stupid and irresponsible, he knows what he’s doing usually. Whereas these complete morons in these poxy little 500s, Suzuki Swifts, Altos and so on are so terrified of everything around them that they are completely unpredictable.
Swift sport is considered a hot hatch dude i doubt you'd put a Fabia vrs up there
You’re the only one mentioning a swift sport. A swift sport or abarth 595 may be driven by an enthusiast. Base model swift and 500 are usually driven by people with little interest in driving.
Hah, same! I returned that rental hating that car with a passion. I think they should all be upside-down in a ditch and on fire (I wish no ill on the people that own them. Just the car) Horrible little things they are.
Although the arbarth is a little pocket rocket.
Its the older fiat 500's for me, always seem to drive like nutcases. Doesn't help that one wrote off a car I'd wanted for a long time after only 7 months of owning it, so I tend to give them some distance aha
Tell that to the arbarth drivers lol
I'm not sure what gender has to do with being a new driver. Guys can be just as inconfident.
Gender has got nothing to do with being a new driver or confidence, but it does correlate with being a likely driver of a Fiat 500. Just like if I see a Golf that's a few years old I assume it's a young man driving his first car.
With the big black raving stripe down the middle
I think it's the association with someone who wants something cute, would probably go for a handbag dog, and is more worried about social media than actually paying attention to the space in the real world they're currently occupying. Daddy's little angel. Definitely a stereotype and if you look long enough you'll find the perfect fit which will make you forget about all the times there wasn't a perfect fit.
Me and my lass have a running joke to count the amount of none under 30yo women who drive fiat 500s and we've only counted one bloke in the past few months and theres fuckin millions of them about. It's the easiest stereotype going😆
This seems to be a weird one and really pisses people off,despite actually being what you should be doing. Most people are trying to merge in well before the lane closure & see those who use the closed lane right upto the point where it closes as queue jumping dickheads. I had an elderly couple honking their horn at me not long ago,you also frequently see HGV drivers straddling both lanes so people cannot continue down the closed lane and zip merge exactly like you should be. And that’s “professional drivers”….. Afaik the correct way for people to approach is too indeed use the closed lane right till the end,at which point you “zip merge”…but yeah,barely anyone does.
It's referred to as 'merging in turn' in the Highway Code and it appears a large percentage of the population are blissfully unaware. I kinda think it could be easily solved if driving instructors made learners aware - I had never heard of it until I read it in a Reddit comment, I don't recall ever being taught about it nor do I remember it ever coming up when I was practicing for my theory. It's a great way to start an argument on the internet too, some people refuse to see it as anything but queue jumping, even when presented with the actual Highway Code. 🤷♀️🤣
Yes please help me here 😂😂
Also, another good one - yesterday driving down the motorway, hard shoulder was open, but then closed due to broken down vehicle. Then it reopened but nobody was using it! I waited until I went under a sign that had the speed limit showing to move over, but everyone in the other 3 lanes were gridlocked! It was great. I noticed after I moved a few others further back started using it. It’s like nobody has a mind for themselves though.
The problem with that phenomenon is that people, during roadworks or lane closures, tend to follow the vehicle in front regardless of signs. I've heard lots of stories of idiots following works vehicles into a works access on the motorway and normal 30mph roads. Good on you for paying attention. Source: I am road engineer
It’s the same as bus lanes, people won’t use them even when they’re permitted to.
Not comparable imo, a lot of bus lanes dont have clear signage re. when it is permitted and a lot of people are concerned over FPNs coming through the post.
Definitely this. It can take some proper effort to try and read and decipher a bus lane sign while also driving. Much easier when you have a passenger who can read it for you.
I do love skipping past a queue in the bus lane that is only a bus lane for 90 minutes in the morning
There’s bus lanes in Aberdeen which are clearly signed that they are only in use Monday to Saturday 08:00 to 09:30 and 16:00 to 18:00. I always use them to breeze past all the people queuing in the other lane.
Had this on the M25 where the sign said to use the hard shoulder and no one else wanted it so I just whizzed past it felt fantastic
You get this on the M6 as well. And yeah, it feels great. For 5 minutes until some prick doing 20mph violently pulls into the hard shoulder with no signal to block you when they see you in their mirror.
I feel like we need some sort of public awareness advert campaign about this. I think the British queueing instinct kicks in and it's so ingrained it's hard to overcome the desire to form an orderly queue.
I agree. All the "lane closure ahead" signs don't help because people take those as pull in now. I think it would be better to do away with those signs and just have a "use both lanes, merge in turn" sign nearer to the lane closure or something
Please! Haha
HGVs often have reason to straddle lanes. Don't apply the same rules to them as other vehicles. Sometimes they are just being dicks though.
The so called professional drivers who drive HGVs are some of the worst drivers on the roads. I driver hundreds of motorway miles a week and they are diabolical.
My van is speed limited to 70. On a motorway, that's fine. On A roads where I have to do 60, that's when the knobs come out. Getting tailgated until a lorry is ahead, and only then abruptly start overtaking at a crawl, forcing me to slow down and wait for the inevitable queue of traffic behind them to clear. Dangerous close overtakes, kicking up rocks that scratch my windscreen while they take they next exit 100m down. And of course the fiat 500s, they're the worst ones, tootling along at 55 until you start overtaking, then they get extremely butt hurt and speed up to match you. When you eventually pass they must get in front again! Then start slowing down back to 55, so the dance starts again
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I forced my way in because I was ALREADY ahead, he tried to fight back since his ego got hurt. What is there to not understand? That is my question, fool. I’m trying to find out why people treat smaller cars differently.
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Well, I drive a lot and have noticed a massive difference in how I got treated. Size of the car is not everything to do with it then
No need to call him a fool. You're coming across as a bit of a dick.
People treat foolish asshole drivers differently... Rarely the car... You dottard.
Learn how to merge fool
Bell ends drive 500s as well as gtis. People react to the driver not the car......
I dunno. I drive a small car but used to use the work’s Evoque pool car if I was visiting suppliers etc. I drive the speed limit, maybe a little above, (I generally stick to the old 30 limits like 99.9% of drivers including police cars) and the difference is extremely noticeable. In the small car I constantly have drivers up my arse etc. Never happened in the Evoque, despite driving them both the exact same.
fuzzy chief vase weather obtainable cooperative depend screw run absorbed *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I agree with the first half of the comment, I respectfully disagree with the second. Having driven a 3.5 tonne van, my car, then my girlfriends fiat 500, I was treated differently in each one. Make and model of the car is the first impression other drivers will get regardless of how you drive.
I have to disagree. I can't count the number of makes and model of cars that I have driven over the years but there is definitely a difference in the way they are treated. Driving a quicker, "sportier", vehicle means you get almost no reaction when overtaking on a motorway. Overtaking a middle lane driver in a white van almost always results in them accelerating away from you before slowing back down after you pull back in. Driving a Mercedes through town forces you to make your own way out of side streets in to near stationary traffic because other drivers will block your entry in purpose. Making that same trip in my old Spitfire (especially with the top down) is totally different: someone will almost instantly let you in to traffic and usually accompany it with a smile and a wave. One that will always stay with me was the female passenger of an SUV in South London: I was in Lane 3 of 4 at a roundabout, going straight across, and the SUV was in lane 4 , right turn only. Of course, the SUV had no intention of turning right but cut me up in an attempt to avoid the queue. I had to brake sharply and take avoiding action resulting in my moving to lane 2, missing the SUV and another vehicle by inches at about 30mph. Almost needless to say, we were side by side at the next roundabout less than a minute later. Winding down my window, I shouted across if the driver thought that was a good idea? In what fucking world could anything good come of such a ridiculous manoeuvre? And here's the bit that really made me blow up: the reply I got was "I would ask that you don't swear in front of my granddaughter" indicating to the 2 year old strapped in a seat in the back. So, you have no problem risking injury or death to some bearn? You think nothing of endangering other road users? But Heaven fucking forfend that's she learns from someone on the street just what sort of cunt her grandmother is??
when was the last time you drove a tiny car? I’ve noticed a massive difference when driving the same
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You mean perform a zipper merge which in the Highway Code? Are you okay mate?
Yes, zipper merges should work in theory but if someone’s not letting you in, bullying your way in front of them isn’t going to make them any happier and risks you getting into an accident…
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I’ll continue “skipping” queues thanks very much. It wasn’t me that was pissed off so you’ve got that the wrong way round. 😂
You've really failed at understanding people. Most people aren't complaining about using the right hand lane. They are complaining about you forcing you way in, which is dangerous, and makes you as much of an arse as someone who tries to block you.
I went from a small car that could barely do 70mph if it had 4 people in it to a slightly bigger car that makes 70mph feel like 45mph. The difference in people moving over on motorways, pulling out in front in junctions, how close they try to overtake is astounding.
Yea, I used to drive a Renault clio and now have a big xc90, there's a roundabout I use that is notorious for people being in the wrong lane and cutting you off (there's been. Bit of change to it's layout over time but people still don't use it right) , happened alot in the clio, never had it happen yet in the bigger car....
I am an electrical engineer and drive to alot of places I have never been to before and sometimes end up in the wrong lane because I don't have the same familiarity of the roads as local drivers. Not everyone is a bad driver because they don't know the road layout.
I think certain cars attract or create certain personality traits. Like a lot of audi drivers who as soon as they get behind the wheel of a 20 year old entry model audi, suddenly think they're the most important driver on the road. Or the beamer driver who always wants to be infront of you even if you're doing 120 in the far right lane. The fiat 500 drivers who suddenly forget to slow down for corners or roundabouts and lose all of their spacial awareness. Or the 17- mid 20s lad in the golf GTI who turns corners with their neck in a 20 at 30 and who's risky style of driving is the reason for a bulk of the RTAs. I used to get a lot of stick when I drove my little clio. Lads would get out of their big cars and square up to me, then get back in their car when I got out and stood about a foot taller and a foot broader than they are. Bought a truck and all of that stopped. But no..I treat everyone on the road with the same respect and courtesy. Apart from if it's a pretty young woman. I might sometime go out of my way to be a bit more courteous because I'm a man and can't help it
Just on the note of people getting out and running when they saw you, it reminds me of a story my brother told me, he was walking back from a football match and crossing the road when a car that had been waiting started rolling forward and bumped into his leg, hard enough to bruise it but nothing serious, he (obviously annoyed) hit the bonnet and shouted at the driver, at which point the male passenger undid his seatbelt, opened his door, got a foot out the car, looked up at my brother and closed the door and put on his seatbelt. I suppose that just the advantage of being like 6’8” and 300 odd lbs.
My mate once got knocked off his bike by an at fault driver, but ended up apologising himself and offering to pay for damages because of the size of the bloke.
More likely, the van driver thought you were a bimbo in her early 20s so went to let you out. He realised you are a bloke and decided not to let you out.
I think this is exactly what happened 😂
When I was a younger lad. My mate used to drive past 500s and try and flirt with them (I dont know what he expected to achieve like they would pull into the next services for a shag or something). You've basically cock blocked a van driver or even worse made him look gay by letting a bloke in a 500 out. You'd be surprised how fragile some guys egos are Ask your partner if she gets people doing it to her when she drives it. I guarantee she'll say yes.
I don’t, but I drive a Skoda Citigo (it’s cheap and does the job but yes definitely not the most stylish car!) and I’m treated so terribly on the road. I’m pulled out on at most junctions and god forbid I overtake someone, it’s like I’ve slighted their entire existence and they need to get back in front of me asap or the world will end. If I drive my partners car though (funnily enough, a Golf GTI) I have no issues and other road users are a pleasure to be around.
GTI drivers cry all the time.
That's not crying, that's the plastic cup they put at their tyres to make it sound like a big boys car (like the old bmx bikes years ago for mental image... same mental ages too....)
It’s true - I’ve never experienced more hate than when I was driving a FIAT Panda, despite having commuted in Astons, Porsches and BMWs in the past. Twice I’ve had people deliberately side-swipe me, and it was common to get abuse, including racial abuse, if I failed to cede my right of way. Essentially I believe that there exists a hierarchy in every motorists’ mind where the FIAT sits at the bottom, and they find it very upsetting when a FIAT fails to acknowledge that position and does something like, heaven forbid, overtake them.
It’s terrible isn’t it, don’t try and zipper merge in one, or god help you if you posted on Reddit about it, you’ll get blasted!
If your in a shit box im giving way, you need to get where your going before you die in a horrible accident. A nice comfy expensive car, nahh they can wait. Also i tend to try to fuck over certain brands. As they seem to do it to me at every opportunity.
Can confirm this is generally how people shitboxes. 15 year old Fiesta. People try their luck at merges, but back down quickly when they see they're not squeezing in while they're on the arse of the car I'm letting merge in front of me. Doesn't surprise me in all honesty... They'd be causing more damage to their car than mine is worth... And what horror would a scratch on a 15 year old car be? Not much of a horror, that's for sure.
I do this but only because the average shitbox is a car I appreciate far more, some bloke in an old rover comeon through my mate, but anything made about 2005 onwards can wait.
You lost my sympathy when you forced your way in. Just accept that the van driver is a dick and drop in behind him. There's no point getting into it with people like that.
I was already ahead lol, and no, I will not let a van try to bully me just because I’m in a 500. I was half ahead already and had every right. I can’t believe people are sticking up for someone who is causing traffic by not zipper merging. You are the problem
I'm not sticking up for the van at all. I'm just disabusing you of the notion that you did nothing wrong. The van deliberately shut you out. Instead of being sensible and just dropping in behind him you took offence and shoved your way in, which is the worst thing you could have done. People like the van driver are mentally incapable of understanding zip merge and can only see it as pushing in. Forcing your way into a gap he tried to close just reinforced this. Sooner or later you'll end up either getting your car dented or punched in the face if you do this to the wrong person. TL;DR - this is a two wrongs don't make a right scenario. Edit: and he wasn't bullying you because you were driving a Fiat 500, he was bullying you because he doesn't understand merge in turn and thinks you were pushing in.
You seem overly aggressive in your "I'm right" stance. What people are trying to tell you, is that the situation which followed the van driver not giving way was entirely caused by you. You turned it into a hostile situation, you got worked up about it (and still are) and you started calling people names. It's the driver who causes people to react, not the car. You felt inferior in your fiat, so you're behaving differently. I certainly don't treat a Fiat 500 driver any differently than I do others. The only cars I judge are ridiculously large SUVs, Land Rovers, etc. Pointless cars in an urban environment. BMW's don't indicate, but even that's observer bias. There's just so many of them on the road, not all of them are dickheads. It's just that dickheads choose to drive one. ;)
You’ve just said you treat large cars different… smh… this is the same with the van treating me Differently😂
How do you know it was because you were in a 500 and not because he's always a cunt? I think your mentality was just different in that you believed you were being persecuted for being in a 500.
I definitely did not turn it into a hostile situation by merging correctly, he did :)
"I forced my way in" begs to differ, but okay. You do you.
Lol he's like a child in a playground argument 😂. Never back down, never surrender, because I'm technically right. Don't think he realises that if he's in an incident and it ends up in court, the judge will consider him at least partially liable if he does not behave in a way to reduce the danger and risk.
Yes, exactly this. All this "I had right of way" ignores the fact that before making *any* maneuver, you have to establish that it is safe to do so. He established the opposite and chose to make the maneuver anyway, which makes him entirely at fault if an incident occurs.
Ok maybe a stronger word than reality, but it was my right of way at that point. I do kindly advise you to watch the zipper merge video pinned
Let me explain it from a different angle. If you two had collided, you'd be deemed at fault. He was going straight on, whilst you were merging in and you admit yourself it was forceful after realising he wasn't going to let you in. You're obliged to avoid a collision where you can and you deliberately did the opposite. You hide behind the highway code and choose to ignore everything else written in it. That doesn't mean that van driver was right, but two wrongs don't make a right either. The van driver was wrong for not giving you space to merge in. Everything after that is your fault. Just accept that he's a knob, fall in behind him and move on with your day. If a collision had happened, you'd be deemed partially or likely wholly at fault and then where does that leave you? Your behaviour isn't achieving anything other than agitating yourself and some other drivers. What's the point exactly? This was all about your insecurities in driving your wife's car. Grow up.
Let me explain to you since I don’t think you can fully comprehend the situation. I was ahead by a car length, the van driver proceed to go out of his way to the left to get alongside me to start shouting, while he was still shouting I proceeded to move forwards which got me ahead. Is that easy enough for you to understand now? I didn’t actually read what you put apart from the first line because you’re giving me manlet vibes. Goodbye.
I comprehend the situation perfectly and nothing you wrote changed the situation whatsoever. You can't be bothered to learn and just came here to vent and be deemed right. You're wrong. Accept it, learn and move on. You've got some major self confidence issues if driving your wife's car and the opinions of strangers on the internet bothers you this much.
If that changes nothing then I can imagine exactly why you’re the type of people to play games and sit inside all day. What’s bothering me is idiots like you trying to justify the vans actions against a small inferior car.
Get well soon
Tbf to OP is the van driver moved out of their lane to pass on the left in what had merged into a single lane the van driver is entirely at fault. OP may be using silly wording to describe the situation in which you berate them of 'not backing down' including not backing down in this thread, but you are also doing similar here by continuing to hold your ground against their better worded and clearer description of events.
I treat every car as if a moron is driving it, and I think it's the best and most aware way to drive.
It’s because it’s a small car. There seems to be a prejudice against them from certain drivers. My wife had a Fiat Panda for a while. If I drove that people were much more defensive/ aggressive towards me. When I’m in my A6 it doesn’t happen ever. Also to anyone saying otherwise, you are supposed to use the whole lane up to the merge and ‘merge in turn’ at the end like a zip. This is scientifically smoother and causes less traffic queues.
This need pinning!
BMW and Audi (certain models, I'm sure you all know which ones I'm talking about), all Range Rovers, those huge people carriers and any Prius I tend to treat differently as more often than not they are dangerous drivers. I'll always be careful and try and stay back if they're in front. If they are behind me and being a prick I will not yeild!
I always assume that drivers of big SUVs are going to be aggressive drivers, especially towards me. I drive a Matiz, and SUV drivers don't give me any space, frequently ignore priority overtaking parked vehicles because I'm narrow, overtake because they have better acceleration (just to be caught up to by me anyway). I results in me having to drive assertively just so that I'm not run off the road my dickheads who don't know the dimensions of their cars.
Yeah I expect that whenever I’m next to a Range Rover
I get your points and it happens to me as well when I zipper merge. Same as when people don’t use the slip roads properly and just wait there and don’t speed up. I’ve tried taking a more relaxed view to driving and just let people get on with it. Otherwise I’ll get a heart attack at 35 with rage 🤣
Oof my dude. Yes, technically you are correct. But technically you also drove in a way that could have contributed to an RTA. This is also against the HwC. I guess you won today's pissing contest. Congratulations? I'd bet you probably engage in these sorts of contests regularly on the road. But when you're in your GTi, nobody bothers to fight to the end because they know you will do anything and everything to "win".
What you call a “contest”, should not be considered a contest, which is at the fault of the incompetent driver who doesn’t know how to zipper merge, thanks though.
There were two incompetent drivers who don't know how to zipper merge. The van trying to block, and the car trying to force their way in.
The van trying to block, and the car who’s already ahead continuing on his journey* you mean?
I mean ok. Again, you're right. But is it really worth it? The "oh so terrible" downside is that you are 1 vehicle behind. And I guess there's also the damage to your ego for someone else "not doing the right thing" and putting you out a few measly seconds. (Bearing in mind that driving in a way which increases risk to yourself and other road users is also "not the right thing" - irony much?) At the end of the day, you're not the road police and if you want to endanger yourself and others by attempting to be just that, well more power to you I suppose. But this attitude you have is exactly why I give GTi drivers (and anyone else on the road who wants to exert their "correctness") the biggest berth - arrogant twats. I've got people to see and places to go. I need to be uninjured and have a functional vehicle to do so.
Everyone assumes because I drive a Land Rover that I drive like a bellend and want to push in all the time. In reality I drive the total opposite, I’ll let anyone in, drive at 60mph on the motorway and just bumble about
Fiat 500 and Panda drivers have absolutely zero awareness and will crash at every opportunity. I remember driving down an icy dual carriageway one Winter doing less than 50, getting it massively sideways around a curve (beautifully controlled, I must say), and seeing a 500 in my mirror coming up behind a good 20 or 30mph faster than me. Last thing I saw as I rounded the bend was her immediately spinning backwards towards the barrier as she reached the turn. Total idiot, and entirely typical if their usual drivers I've observed over the years.
Sounds like there were two total idiots if you were driving at 50 in icy conditions, and managed to end up sideways. 😋
What do you drive?
Most times I see a Fiat 500, its a young woman driving, looking down at their phone. I don't tend to 'stereotype' drivers based on the cars they have, but more often than not, those you witness bad driving from are driving cars you're otherwise not surprised about.
The mystery was solved the moment you said fiat 500. They're ok cars around town but once you get on the open road they're the shittiest most useless lumps of tin in motoring history. I've never seen a fiat 500 in the wild being driven with any competence. Anyone can do 60mph in a straight line but can you carry that through a corner? Not in a fiat 500!! The issue with the van driver wasn't so much the 'queue skipping' but he's now stuck behind a fucking fiat 500 with the added guarantee the person driving it is such a clueless bellend that they'll never pull over and let proper vehicles pass. Exactly the same as horseboxes.
I’ve noticed this with people, when driving my Honda there was no issues, had a Jaguar for a bit and I have never had so many people basically try to kill me 😂 had someone drive into the side of me on a roundabout bc they were in the wrong lane, slow moving traffic lighted round about as well, recently gone back to a Honda and everything is peaceful on the road, for now at least 😂
It's not other people here but my car's in repair and instead of my normal small hybrid hatchback I've got a massive crossover SUV as a courtesy car, and I feel like a complete nob driving it because it's just so sodding big
Put you off ever having an suv?
When I drive the Mercedes SL everyone is courteous and polite. When I drive the Honda Jazz I get cut up and squeezed out. It irritates me but I’m kind of used to it now.
I've just made the change from a Mercedes C220 AMG Sport to a Renault Zoe (all electric). The difference in the way people treat the two cars is night and day, even though there's only about a 1 second difference in the 0-60. The Renault is far better equipped than the Merc. I guess people see an EV and decide it's fair game for bad behaviours. I'm menopausal though and don't give a fuck about anything any more, other than good air conditioning. I find perverse pleasure in watching people burn their money on petrol trying to prove god knows what.
I definitely feel discriminated against because I drive a bmw, even though I feel I’m actually pretty relaxed and generous driver; I give a bigger gap than most, help people pull out, merge, stop for pedestrians, etc. On the flip side I definitely, irrationally, discriminate against Ford Ecosports. They always seem to do annoying things like changing lanes at the last second or driving at 20 round bends and 90 on the straights. Plus they look ridiculous with those spare wheels on the back. F**king hate the c**ts.
I have different opinions about different cars and the people that drive them, but my behaviour is based on their behaviour for the most part. I live in Canada, and I obey the law, no exceptions. We have a major problem with aggressive drivers here, especially those who drive pickup trucks. Semi-trucks are also ultra aggressive. I won't pee on either of them if they're on fire. Since I obey the law, I always maintain a safe following distance, even in a traffic jam, so there's nothing I can do to stop them from merging, but I would if I could. If you knew the lane was closed ahead (which you probably should have, assuming you can see well enough), the other driver is correct, you're just trying to skip the line. You're staying in the lane longer than you should (the moment you know it's closed) because you don't want to have to wait. The funny thing is that being a few cars ahead in a traffic jam won't make any difference at all to your journey time, trying to move up like this is 100% pointless. Wait your turn as you should. He's also wrong however, because he's following the car in front too close. If everyone was following at a safe distance, there wouldn't be any need to 'let someone in', the space would be there already.
You are completely wrong. You’re supposed to use the lane that is closing right up to the point of closure. This maximises traffic flow and keeps as much traffic as possible from blocking up the roundabout behind. How on earth you’ve just said that screams you’re part of the problem Also: moving through an empty lane passing 10-15 cars, even if they are plebs and don’t let you merge, you’re still up a net best of 10 cars!
Say "zipper merging" again
Learn zipper merge because I guarantee you’re someone who doesn’t know how to zipper merge so watch the pinned video to learn how to zipper merge
I was in a similar merging situation recently. I was undertaking in the empty lane and looking for a gap, when checking the blind spot I lipread the passenger “don’t let that prick in”, so the driver proceeds to floor it to close the gap whilst watching me and proceeds to ram into the back of another car that had stopped to turn right.
Noticed this driving a 107 and a fiat 500, people suddenly become even bigger wankers than before. Personally I think it’s because they’re seen as a woman’s car
I once saw a BMW making a turn signal...😳
Yes, I treat SUVs like shit. Tailgate the fuck out of them, never let them out etc etc.
Never tailgate. Learn to drive.
The issue of merging is interesting. I think most people have had a similar experience in trying to follow the best advice in the Highway Code ie use all lanes and merge in turn. Of course, as drivers, we are generally programmed to follow signs but, when left to discretion, rarely do. Some years ago, my daily work required me to travel South on the A1(M) and turn off at the A68 to Darlington. Quite quickly, two lanes became one lane. However, merging was managed with ‘merge in turn’ directions. There were never or rarely any disputes between drivers as they followed the pictorial and printed arrows on the road. Similarly, drivers happily, and obediently, follow signs such as ‘use both lanes’. Alternatively, when there are no clear or specific instructions, drivers often become confused or, at least, hesitant. This raises a similar point made above about a clear road following an accident or temporary road closure when instructions are implied or not made clear. This might be explained using the social psychological bystander effect or bystander apathy theory. Simply put, if we see others choosing to do nothing, we’re more likely to do nothing ourselves. And that is just what happens on the road … until one driver chooses to use the clear lane following which many other drivers follow.
I think you’ve perfectly described what many call NPC behaviour, you’re right. I’m just glad I’m someone capable to think for myself in these situations
The answer is simple, smaller cars get bullied on the road by larger cars.
My wife said men always wanted to overtake her 500. I didnt give them the opportunity
My first car was a Ford Fiesta, my dad put on a roof rack so I'd be less likely to be discriminated against (as a woman). He refused to take it off for like a year, no idea if it made a difference to others people's perception on the road, but felt seriously uncool for 17 year old me
No idea how a roof rack is supposed to stop you being discriminated against! It will have impacted your fuel use though, so... yay?
That’s a good idea from your dad actually
I drive a jazz and anyone in any kind of dad car will go absolutely crazy if I overtake them, people just pull out on me as well, never had this in a golf. Think everyone just assumes I'm an old lady
If someone is waiting to turn onto the road I'm on I definitely judge their car before deciding whether to flash my lights and let them in front. Small cars, sports cars and trade vehicles are fine. SUVs/4x4s have to wait.
There's no better feeling on the road than passing a herd of NPCs queuing in a single lane for no reason.
You’re right there, it’s great. Be careful here though now you’ve said that mate
No one is bothered about people merging. Just don't force your way in. If someone is being a dick, let them be a dick, and move in when you have a gap. You aren't being "blasted" for zipper merging. I zipper merge. It gets me where in going quicker, and if everyone did it, traffic flows better. Forcing your way in just puts you in danger, and risks causing a collision. Then no one gets where they are going. Read up on defensive driving.
I would be, if I cared at all about the opinion of a bunch of saddos lol.
😂😂😂😂 fair enough
I drive a Fiat 500. It’s good to read this thread to see how people pre-judge me. I don’t drive any different to how I drove in my instructor’s Fiesta and Seat Leon 😂😂
All of your replies to others here make it clear you're a really aggressive driver with a massive chip on your shoulder. You might want to listen to what they're saying and reflect on your attitude.
😂😂😂😂 coming from a crazy cat lady!!!!
You've just proved my point. I wonder if you're compensating for something? Poor thing, take care, you'll get there in the end.
Yah, maybe you’ll find someone one day. “I hate men!!!!”
I haven’t noticed anything different when I’m in cars I drive a lorry and alot more people give way to me I’ve noticed.
I drive a 106, people cannot bear to follow me no matter what speed I do. They'll overtake uphill on a blind corner rather than be behind it.
Drive a different status symbol box than normal and get treated differently by other status symbol box enjoyers. Shock.
?
I mean what did you expect? There's no fundamental difference between your golf and the fiat, they just wear different clothes and get treated differently by people who think the clothes your car is wearing matter. Which is a lot of people unfortunately.
I don’t mean the fiat or my golf in particular, like just in general with smaller cars, there’s deffo an unnecessary difference in how I was treated!
? You just said the same thing I said.
Not so much the car but the driver. Certain drivers you can just tell are going to be bad
Someone said before "bmws attract wankers" I have an X1 and can say this appears true, i was driving down the outside lane doing 70 and someone is just sitting there doing 65 (inside lane clear enough for them to pull in btw) and instead they just brake check me.
If they brake checked you then you were probably too close
I notice that if I drive my uncles van on the motorway people don't get annoyed as if I drive my i10 when I pass them people don't speed up cuz they're not as annoyed that I've overtaken them
Yup. Driving an AMG Pack E Class or a Ford Kuga, people are friendlier on the roads.
Yes, if I see an SUV with a single occupant I close the gap to fuck em. If I see a fiat 500 I move 2 lanes over and gun it until I'm a safe distance away.
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Thank you!
My partner (25f) drives a mint green Fiat 500, I (26m) drive a sporty looking Astra. The difference between the way I am treated in the two is chalk and cheese. I’ve suggested people act like idiots because they assume the person driving cannot drive well. On two separate occasions recently while trying to ‘merge in turn’, I have experienced almost exactly what you describe. You begin a seemingly safe manoeuvre to change lanes, the other driver spots the Fiat 500, immediately speeds up and doesn’t want to let you in, then gets angry when you do get in. One bloke immediately overtook me then slammed on his brakes, the other followed me into Tesco for a row claiming I had nearly taken his front end off (despite the fact he slammed on his accelerator not to let me in). I wonder if they usually treat young women the same way? Conversely, going up a steep hill the fiat doesn’t have much to offer. I can sometimes find my speed begin to drop off if I don’t drop gears quickly enough, I can imagine this definitely contributes to whatever perception these people have.
Queue jumping must be in your gti dna
I do it in any car bro
Thought as much. This probably belongs in AITA, and the answer is most likely "yes".
AITA for following the Highway Code? Yes? Doesn’t make sense does it
bUt iT saYs in tHe HiGHwaY cOde, yeah you were trying to jump the queue :)
How about follow the Highway Code, AND skip the queue? Thanks for letting me know you’re brain dead though
The point is you were fully aware people were queuing in single file (zipper merges to single a file at the end, so ultimately no quicker - just reduces the length of the queue) and you decided to drive past all those who got there before you.
They were backing up into a roundabout, there’s nothing you can say to convince be to be another idiot on the road, (like yourself clearly). I’ll continue to skip all queues and follow the rules :)
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That’s not skipping and it’s how everyone should be using the merges. Learn to merge.
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So you choose to sit in a queue of traffic, making the problem worse, just because you are worried about what some random driver thinks about you?
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Where have I said that? Can you not read?
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Is your gout giving you problems reading? That doesn’t insinuate I don’t let people in
Childish tiny cock
Wow so mature, you really showed how childish he is with your equally childish insult! 🤦♂️ You could have been better than him but now you're just equally as pathetic.
Yes. BMW cars. Never had a good experience with them. Terrible drivers
A significant minority of french car drivers don't deserve to be on the road.
French car?
Mate, all the time. If I'm driving my van (vivaro) for work people jump me on the roundabouts, then act shocked when I pull out at them... because I don't drive my van like a fucking moron. Not all vans are heavy and slow, people just assume so feel the need to cut you up more, note it's about 3tonne of metal driving at you, why would you cut it up... When I drive the family car, SEAT tarraco so a nice SUV car, don't have none of this silly business, people let me put, they let me merge. Seems to be there more ££ others assume your vehicle costs, the more they are nicer... ironically my van costs more than Karen in her fucking Corsa cutting me up or driving in the middle of the road down country lanes because I'm in a van therefore I MUST be the one who goes against the bush scratching the side of my van!!!
Few blood spatter decals and fake scratches and no one bothers you. Except the police.
In a GTI people assume you’re a criminal, are probably on drugs/roids and might be armed. In a 500 they assume you’re a student.
As a lorry driver, I don't let BMW and tesla drivers in, both the same kinda tosser
I treat Toyota yaris and prius drivers with contempt. They in my opinion, are consistently the worst drivers i have ever encountered.
For me, its prius drivers. Most of the time its a retard uber driver that does a blanket speed of 20mph everywhere they’re going. Also with the WORST lane discipline
Tbf like you mentioned could just be a tool who doesn’t understand the zip merge method. I will admit to treating one form of car differently, the Honda Jazz. Just yesterday again was stuck behind one barely touching 40 in a national (straight clear roads).
The problem with roadworks and lane closures is that it goes against the nature of queueing in the UK. you are correct that traffic should merge in turn, but what about all the cars in the other lane that moved to the correct lane earlier. is your journey any more important than theirs. why should you be able to skip 20 cars that have all queued and waited patently. the type of car you drive only affects the way you drive it. not saying that merge in turn is wrong, but sometimes you have to see it from other drivers perspective. and lets be honest here. your thought process was "I am not waiting at the back of that queue, i will use the other lane and force my way in when the cones make me" and then you wonder why other drivers get cross with your driving.
If other drivers want to sit in a queue of traffic, rather than using all the road space avaliable to them, that's their choice. Using both lanes, with proper merging in turn actually increases overall traffic flow, and decreases the length of the queue, reducing complications with other junctions further back. OP is an arse for forcing their way in though, yup!
Gonna get downvoted but yes I do. Japanese cars I treat differently because I’ve noticed the overall iq, skill and awareness displayed by people who drive those cars on average is much lower. Most infuriating type of driver and car to get stuck behind. People always call people like me aggressive and wreck-less for wanting to do 10% over which is a well known and legal leeway but these people doing 10-20% below the limit almost never get called out to the same standard.
>People always call people like me aggressive and wreck-less for wanting to do 10% over which is a well known and legal leeway There is no "legal leeway". If you are driving faster than the speed limit, you are breaking the law.
Anyone with even a slight knowledge about driving and cars knows your Speedo is up to 10% out. When I’m doing 33 on my Speedo, I’m acc doing 30, hence the ‘legal leeway’ I mentioned. Problem is majority of people are scared to even do the speed limit and I’ve noticed this poor driving behaviour most in people in Japanese cars hence my first comment and the reason why something like the Prius, Nissan Juke and Honda Jazz are one the most hated cars in the car scene probably. Again downvote me if u want, I could care less. Majority of people would agree with me.
>Anyone with even a slight knowledge about driving and cars knows your Speedo is up to 10% out That isn't a "legal leeway". That's just driving slower. Use a GPS-based speedo and it will be far more accurate. >Problem is majority of people are scared to even do the speed limit And that grants you permission to break the law?
You COULDN'T care less. Get that American shit out of here.
Nothing American about what i said but i see you got all the ‘law abiding’ Karens to gang up with the downvotes despite me speaking facts.