We'll put a boot in your a$$...it's the American (Pickup) Way. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 10-08-2002, 04:43 PM

Okay, so yesterday, I went for a drive in the 740 Turbo, from the University District in Seattle to Seward Park (Which I had never seen before in my 2 years of life as a student in Seattle). I wanted a scenic drive so I took Lake Washington Boulevard down to Seward. Lots of nice waterfront homes and parks.

Anyway, somewhere along Lake Washington Blvd, I come around a blind curve, with parked cars on the other side of the road, and RIGHT THERE is a Ford F-350 Power Stroke (Stroke-Off) 4x4, barreling along RIGHT in the middle of the road. I jam on the brakes, and steer to the right (Mind you, the street is pretty narrow) and hit the horn, too. Just as I got far enough over to the side of the road (and came to a stop thanks to hitting the brakes HARD) I feel the right front tire scrub against the curb. S**t.

I blast the horn in indignation, but the oblivious driver of the largest Ford pickup currently produced is on his merry way.

Arriving at Seward Park, I assess the damage. Tire is scuffed, and I have a 2-inch by 1/2 inch scratch on the stock Volvo turbo rim. All the rims were pristine for the first 15 years of the car's life, until this happened.

At least I wasn't in the 380SE. The left mirror would be missing. Even hitting the curb, it would have been that close.

THIS IS WHY PEOPLE SHOULDN'T DRIVE HUGE VEHICLES AT HIGH SPEEDS ON WINDING CITY STREETS. Take your SUV out to the country if you want to pretend you're a rally driver. Nitwit!

-Sam

#2 10-08-2002, 08:53 PM

You have every right to be po'd mbz380se! Most of these jerks do the same thing when I am in my miata just because they thing anyone elses car is insignificant. If I am driving along at 40-50 mph on the secondary road (40mph zone) these suv's and 4X4 buttheads take one look at me and pull right out in front of me! Slowly on top of that! They figure they can do anything they want! Or when I am crusing along and one comes up behind me, they think it's funny to tailgate like they are going to run me over if I don't speed up. At traffic lights the run right up on your a$$ too. When the light turns green they immediately hit the gas and drift even closer to your bumper like if you don't take off within 2 miliseconds they will hit you. Half the time when they do that I just sit there until they "drift" to a stop. If they hit me, they will be shelling out some money!!

#3 10-08-2002, 09:03 PM

The thing that really gets me is that this person was driving this truck around in a quiet neighborhood of Seattle on a 1 1/2 lane street. (at high speed to boot)

They have no need for the huge Super Duty version of the Ford truck. A regular F-150 should be just fine for 99% of the things that any Seattleite who owns a pickup does, or even a Ranger.

Out east in this state, it's a different story. Wide highways and streets for big vehicles. Everything works out.

-Sam

rickg · #4 10-09-2002, 10:24 AM

My wife and I were cruising along an old two lane hiway in Minnesota a few years ago in her Chrysler Cirrus.(Not a hot rod) This big 'ol Lincoln Agrivator, er, Navigator, come blasting up on my tail. We were already going 10mph over. I hit the gas, he hits the gas, and I walk away from him. Took it up to near 100 mph, then backed off. He didn't tail gate me anymore when he finally caught up! These guys can drive their road barges if they want to, but need to drive 'em like a person that cares!!

dieseldude · #5 10-09-2002, 12:17 PM

I hear you Sam, I hate to make generalizations but guys driving huge trucks like you noted are almost always ego mainiacs and they're driving habits prove it. I always thought the bigger the truck, the more the insecurities

A truck that size is purely a status/intimidation symbol. Whoa, guy in big truck - you've proved how bad a$$ you are, yes indeed!

Regards,
- Ryan

dieseldaddy · #6 10-09-2002, 03:29 PM

I agree. I was recently rear-ended in my 240D ($2,200 damage) by a huge-O-dodge truck. He was trying NOT to let someone merge in between him and me...what a butthead.

OF COURSE did absolutely nothing to his beloved truck with the 2 foot tall bumper...

Oh, well. At least it was a diesel.

#7 10-09-2002, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Oh, well. At least it was a diesel.

The diesel pickup guys seem to drive a lot faster on the interstates near where I live than the gas guys. Truck blows by me in a No passing zone, cuts me off? Odds are it'll be a Dodge with "Cummins Turbo Diesel" badges.

Hey, at least they're getting better mileage than the gasser pickups when they drive badly. :p

Quote:

Whoa, guy in big truck - you've proved how bad a$$ you are, yes indeed!

Man, that's the biggest Eastern Washington myth ever. To make matters worse, wimmenfolk over there seem to love the things. Especially if they're pulling a 27 foot speedboat loaded with bottles of Corona.

-Sam