Why Do People Mess With You In Crap Cars?!
 

we had to hire a budget car yesterday to move some stuff since we're car-less, it was the cheapest car they had, a white chevy cavalier - what a piece of plastic junk! Anyway, I had trucks up my ass on the turnpike, people not letting me in, a guy honk at me and flash his lights just for passing him...
I never got any of this behaviour when I was driving my Benz, I guess people must gain 'respect' for you or something when you're in an MB?

Either people there are just nasty, or your turn signals or brake lights were inoperative :)

Not necessarily an MB, just an actual car... :D

My assumption is that the impression the car gives is that the owner has little regard for vehicles and thus, much LESS regard for being anything more than a paperweight in trafffic!

I can usually peg the "sloths" on the road, and I try to hurry past them, lest they get into my lane and add another 20 minutes to my commute! :o

... or maybe you had some TP hanging out the back... ;) :D

Yes if it weren’t dangerous it would be kind of funny. Just for tootin around I’m hooked on the little Bug. It’s totally redone with a 1500 converted to 12v, but not repainted. The only clue is that the ragtop is gray, instead of the factory black and the wheels are repainted. At first glance it’s just an old Bug, but this will blow most anything in the weeds – too a point. Mostly it’s moving 65-70 mph, but people feel they must pass it. There are a lot of head-on's around here – two lane, but with curves and slight hills. I’ve come to expect people to pull out in front of me, and in general, get no respect. There is actually more too it than that. Bisbee and the ranch land close by is a very liberal little conclave in an ultra conservative county, and VW’s are thick there – a fair amount of older Merc diesels also. Driving a Bug anywhere says, “I’m from Bisbee” which is kind of like driving around flipping everyone else off. You could really feel it during the recent campaign.
When we’re traveling people mostly just shake their head and grin when they pass the Bus, but the kids always look – of course they worked 50 weeks to get the two out in the woods and pay for that shiny new SUV, so I just wave back. Even though the Merc’s a turtle on the hills I get none of this – mostly friendly waves from the big rig drivers.

When I am in a small car I notice I always get bullied on the road. Tailgated and denied lane changes. Its very dangerous but I see it all the time here. The best is getting challenged at nearly every light:D Like yeah my v8 gas guzzler can take your puny 4 banger from here to the next stop light.
Um duh Sherlock. :rolleyes:

Uhhh... people are like that all the time to everyone in CA. I honk and flash and dont let people over, ride cars' ass... :D

You wouldn't by chance got off a wrong exit and ended up in Jersey Turnpike, would you?

Or maybe the car makes the driver.

Since you were driving a piece of crap, maybe you were also driving like crap! :D

piece of crap
 

I know what you mean I am here in CT and this happens all the time if I am in someone elses car. But once I am in my '83 or '01 i don't have a problem. These two cars have two different personalities. One couldn't beat a moped off the line and the other could compete with a mustang for a few feet.

I take it as a slur on my character that I would drive like crap... hehehe.

I am as my wife calls me 'an old-man driver' - I always use my indicators, let people in, practice lane discipline and don't tailgate etc. I'm not saying I'm perfect but I do try to be a help, not a hinderence on the road. In the UK the driving test is very tough so responsible driving is drummed into you.

I think as people said driving a small cheap car is perfect for people to think they can bully you. I got it in my wife's old dodge too, but in the Merc no-one seemed to mess.

Oh, and it was on the NJ turnpike... :)

It's a pretty well known fact that lots of lawyers drive MB's. That causes people to shy away from altercations with MB drivers. Not only that, its a "boss car" - the boss drives one, so it has a a psychological affect as well. Lots of cars have stereotypes. Newer Mustangs say "snot nosed middle class white punk" to me, for example. Cavalier says "dumb ass".

Personally I think that the opposite is true. I always steer clear of Hyundai's and Geo Metro's because I assume they are being driven by young, inexperienced drivers. Same thing with parking next to ratty cars. You just know they're gonna open their door full force into your paint.
Give me a rusty Suburban and I'll show you how to get some real respect! :rifle:

That's what I love about New York. Everyone treats other drivers equally. I get cut off and disrespected no matter what I am driving.


Funny though, I would think that people would be less likely to disrespect someone with a cheap car, because they have less to lose and might just ram into you in a road rage fit. I'm the most cautious of the cheapo 80's jap cars with tons of dents and crumples. What's one more for them?