I swear, my car is invisible...... - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Mr.Kenny · #1 11-21-2012, 10:39 AM

Every time I take my white Miata out into traffic; it's like the car has no presence at all. It is invisible; (just like riding a bicycle or motorcycle.)
Seemingly Normal People pull into me, pull out in front of me, change lanes into me, roll through stop signs into me..... and you you can see the surprised look on their face

when they realize that my car is there.
I don't drive in anybodies blind spot & I have to drive like I am invisible. Thumbs on the horn button all the time. I feel like I'm driving a motorcycle again.
They see the car........ but don't see it.
Too many close calls; physically too small of car....I'm selling it.

t walgamuth · #2 11-21-2012, 11:01 AM

Yeah, I have the same trouble. My Miata is black. I drive as if I am invisible and am willing to take the risk.

Benz Fan · #3 11-21-2012, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Kenny

Every time I take my white Miata out into traffic; it's like the car has no presence at all. It is invisible; (just like riding a bicycle or motorcycle.)
Seemingly Normal People pull into me, pull out in front of me, change lanes into me, roll through stop signs into me..... and you you can see the surprised look on their face

when they realize that my car is there.
I don't drive in anybodies blind spot & I have to drive like I am invisible. Thumbs on the horn button all the time. I feel like I'm driving a motorcycle again.
They see the car........ but don't see it.
Too many close calls; physically too small of car....I'm selling it.

Find an old, dented-up F-250, put a grill guard on front, and watch the traffic part like the Red Sea...

TwitchKitty · #4 11-21-2012, 11:52 AM

I have experienced this also but in other vehicles.

There seems to be another aspect to it. People will look at a small vehicle and then pull out so that they won't be behind it. Or they tailgate it until they can pass it. Most are too chicken to pass and just tailgate it. Mentally I think it is a pecking order type of thing, chicken psychology.

Many, many drivers should not be allowed to operate a vehicle and could not pass a standards test. Big money would lose without the carnage on the roadways. Kill and/or at least maim a few people, it's good for the economy. Fire trucks, ambulances, wreckers, emergency rooms, surgery and recovery, months of rehab, body shops, parts suppliers, and of course don't forget the oil companies and real estate developers, insurance companies, banks, ... ...

What about the kids breathing exhaust fumes? Busy road is the equivalent of three packs a day of cigarette smoking. Kids on the road breathing fumes isn't child abuse but give them the cigarettes and go to jail. Breath deeper, it's good for the economy.

People are genius morons. Breed more super pigs.

Mr.Kenny · #5 11-21-2012, 12:11 PM

Years ago I had the same problem in a 1964 VW bus; everyone assumed it was slow so they had to pass it or pull in front of it.....Zero respect.
But I had the opposite problem in the old Mercedes; people saw that big grill and shiny chrome at intersections and assume I had the 'right of way' when I didn't.

The Clk Man · #6 11-21-2012, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Kenny

Every time I take my white Miata out into traffic; it's like the car has no presence at all. It is invisible; (just like riding a bicycle or motorcycle.)
Seemingly Normal People pull into me, pull out in front of me, change lanes into me, roll through stop signs into me..... and you you can see the surprised look on their face

when they realize that my car is there.
I don't drive in anybodies blind spot & I have to drive like I am invisible. Thumbs on the horn button all the time. I feel like I'm driving a motorcycle again.
They see the car........ but don't see it.
Too many close calls; physically too small of car....I'm selling it.

It's because you are driving a girly man car.

Mr.Kenny · #7 11-21-2012, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Clk Man

It's because you are driving a girly man car.

Is it the rainbow stickers, Mary Kay decal or "Hello Kitty" motif that gives that impression?

Come to think of it;....I am a very slim man with a trimmed beard; you might even say I look ,...yuck....metro sexual........

Jim B. · #8 11-21-2012, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Kenny

Every time I take my white Miata out into traffic; it's like the car has no presence at all. It is invisible; (just like riding a bicycle or motorcycle.)
Seemingly Normal People pull into me, pull out in front of me, change lanes into me, roll through stop signs into me..... and you you can see the surprised look on their face

when they realize that my car is there.
I don't drive in anybodies blind spot & I have to drive like I am invisible. Thumbs on the horn button all the time. I feel like I'm driving a motorcycle again.
They see the car........ but don't see it.
Too many close calls; physically too small of car....I'm selling it.

That's pretty funny, a month ago in San Francisco I had a date with a woman who told me that she drove a white Miata, and its personalized license plate was

... GHOST

because it was the vehicular version of (the cartoon character) "Casper the Friendly Ghost !!!

spdrun · #9 11-21-2012, 01:48 PM

Zip past them. Release a few ball bearings or paintballs.

Jim B. · #10 11-21-2012, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwitchKitty

I have experienced this also but in other vehicles.

There seems to be another aspect to it. People will look at a small vehicle and then pull out so that they won't be behind it. Or they tailgate it until they can pass it. Most are too chicken to pass and just tailgate it. Mentally I think it is a pecking order type of thing, chicken psychology.

Many, many drivers should not be allowed to operate a vehicle and could not pass a standards test. Big money would lose without the carnage on the roadways. Kill and/or at least maim a few people, it's good for the economy. Fire trucks, ambulances, wreckers, emergency rooms, surgery and recovery, months of rehab, body shops, parts suppliers, and of course don't forget the oil companies and real estate developers, insurance companies, banks, ... ...

What about the kids breathing exhaust fumes? Busy road is the equivalent of three packs a day of cigarette smoking. Kids on the road breathing fumes isn't child abuse but give them the cigarettes and go to jail. Breath deeper, it's good for the economy.

[COLOR="Red"] Fire trucks, ambulances, wreckers, emergency rooms, surgery and recovery, months of rehab, body shops, parts suppliers, and of course don't forget the oil companies and real estate developers, insurance companies, banks, ... ...

People are genius morons. Breed more super pigs.

Fire trucks, ambulances, wreckers, emergency rooms, surgery and recovery, months of rehab, body shops, parts suppliers, and of course don't forget the oil companies and real estate developers, insurance companies, banks, ... ...

LAWYERS

People are genius morons:

"Dwarves on Stilts"

~~Albert Einstein, (describing the faculty at Princeton).

Jim B. · #11 11-21-2012, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Kenny

Is it the rainbow stickers, Mary Kay decal or "Hello Kitty" motif that gives that impression?

Come to think of it;....I am a very slim man with a trimmed beard; you might even say I look ,...yuck....metro sexual........

Skippy · #12 11-21-2012, 04:15 PM

I sometimes have that problem on my motorcycle. However, I've noticed it gets much worse if I'm moving with the flow of traffic and not changing lanes much. When I start riding like an ass (speeding, passing, weaving, lane splitting), I don't seem to get as much of that.

MBeige · #13 11-21-2012, 06:49 PM

This problem is two-fold. Driving a smaller car - nothing wrong with it. But the smaller your car gets, the easier it is to get into somebody's blind spot. Or, put another way, it's more difficult for them to see you.

The other way is also problematic - bigger cars tend to have smaller viewing angles, especially modern vehicles.

There was one time, I swear, that a GL450 or something hid in my 300D's blind spot. I checked the driver mirror - nothing. Rear view mirror - nothing. Looked left behind the B pillar - bingo!

And finally, a lower car is also more difficult to see. I sometimes have this problem with my 190E especially when the offending vehicles are difficult to maneuver (less outward visibility). I just let them in, then pass quickly after they're centered in the lane.

spdrun · #14 11-21-2012, 06:52 PM

One more reason that if you want to drive something that feels like a UPS truck (i.e. tall Stupid Useless Vehicle with gun slits for windows), you should be forced to get a CDL.

I had a Miata too -- sadly, it was totaled after some ditzy teen driver in NJ slammed into the back while I was stopped at a light. She gets out of her Envoy, still yapping on her cell phone. First thing she says is "Huh? I didn't see you." No apology, no "are you OK", nothing.

Let's say that she was crying by the time the cops got there. Oh, and daddy's insurance paid blue book (about 2x purchase price) without another word after I called them and sent the police report.

Hatterasguy · #15 11-21-2012, 09:05 PM

This is why you need an S class, everyone moves for an S class.