I have recently noticed a strange 'sub-group' of drivers adopting an odd driving style. So far I can deduce it appears to be predominantly older drivers (people who have clearly retired) driving around EVERYWHERE at 40 mph.
Initially, on a national speed limit road doing 60 mph I quickly caught up to and got stuck behind an elderly gentleman in a brand spangly new Micra (Which honestly looked like he'd just drove it outta the show room) doing 40 mph. Figured it was just an elderly gentleman going cautious in his lovely new expensive car. BUT we reached a village, the speed limit dropped to 30 mph, and having just recently been done for speeding (doing 36 in a 30) I was not taking any chances and slowed down. To my disbelief, the elderly gentleman I had been stuck behind pulled away from me, continuing to do 40 through the 30 zone. I followed this particular gentleman from Durham to Peterlee (Around a 10 mile journey) and not once did his speed waiver from 40 mph regardless of whether we were in a village, on a back road, or on a national speed limit road.
It did not end there! The same journey (which I do twice a day playing taxi to my partner) and I had one of these people behind me. This time in the 30 zones they were right on my tail, attached to me and ranting wanting me to speed up or get outta there way, then in the 60 zones I'd pull away from them, leaving them trundling along at 40!
Crazy stuff right? - But not a one off I have been noticing these drivers more and more And have examined a few different theories. At first I thought maybe the car has cruise control, being old they set it to 40 and just leave it at that. But this cannot be, as the cars being seen to be doing this do not always come with cruise control.
Maybe there legs are old and arthritic, and they can only hold there leg in 1 position on the accelerator, so when they reach 40 they decide 'that will do'?
Odd...any theories?
Thursday, 5 April 2012
Monday, 23 January 2012
Angry MPV Drivers
MPV's...Multi Purpose Vehicle's (Apparently) Infuriate me. I find them pointless and without purpose, expensive, all over the road and full of angry male drivers - But I have a theory.
Firstly lets cover WHY mpv's bought by families with 2 children are NOT a good buy by going through some of the basics.
(Before I begin i would like to clarify that this is aimed at 5 seat mpvs, If you have more than 3 children and buy a 7 seat mpv to transport your family then fair play, if you need to transport more than 5 people then 7 seat mpv's pretty much have the market cornered)
So lets do a basic comparison of a popular mpv vs a pretty basic hatchback.
Citroen C4 Picasso 1.6, 16v VVTI Model
0 - 60 in 12 seconds
Luggage Capacity 500 litres
Averages 40 mpg
Insurance group 13
£210 per year to tax
£16,000 - £23,000 to buy new
Honda Civic 1.4 I-Vtec SI model
0 - 60 12.6 seconds
Luggage Capacity 485 litres
Average 47mpg
Insurance Group 13
£115 tax per year
£13,000 - £17,000 to buy new
1. 0 - 60: Although the civic has a smaller engine it still manages its 0 - 60 time in only 0.6 of a second slower than the mpv - which on normal roads you will not notice, seriously to notice 0.6 of a second you need to be on a timed lap or track.
2.Boot Capacity: The civic's is only marginally smaller then the picasso - may I add to that, the picasso has one of the larger boot capacitys of the mpv's, were I comparing this to say a renault scenic its boot only has a 430 litre capacity - bare in mind most mpv's are sold to people with children giving the impression that you can get more in the boot (push-chairs/shopping etc) when actually modern hatchbacks have genuinely capacious boot. A terrible misconception.
3. Running costs: The civic is cheaper to buy in the first place, is in a much lower tax band and has a higher average mpg meaning less fuel stops.
4. Looks: I appreciate that looks are all down to taste. And I do not think the Picasso is an ugly car at all. But in general mpvs are tall, large, cumbersome and hatchbacks are a little more sleek, sporty, hunkered down and aesthetically pleasing.
5. Saftey: Both cars come with a 5 star NCAP safety rating. If you think your chidren are safer all high up in a big car, you are seriously overestimating your cars abilities. Both cars are equally as safe.
Theres a pretty basic comparison. Of course there are arguments both for and against hatchbacks vs mpvs. But I genuinely find MPVs to be overpriced and under performing, they are either no bigger or not much bigger, in 5 seat versions they carry no more people and are no safer or more comfortable to drive.
This is my theory behind angry male 'dad' mpv drivers:
The 'dad' of the family wants a sporty little number, not to expensive to run but looks good and a little bit 'racey' - the hot-hatch is what he craves. Golf GTI, Civic Type-R, Megane RenaultSport, Focus ST etc. reasonably spacious cars which are not excessively expensive to run, all have amazing safety ratings and capacious boots and are little or no more expensive to buy or run than those underperforming and unattractive mpvs.
Unfortunately for the typical male 'dad' type that wants this, his wife does not want this. She wants a sensible, safe, large car to transport lots of shopping children and push-chairs and she thinks (ill-advised by car companies and sellers trying to sell mpv's) that a large mpv usually in the most sensible grey of colours (dull) is the only car that will fulfill her needs. She wins the argument and they buy the mpv.
The 'dad', dissapointed at his mpv, feels his heart sink whenever a nice hatchback glides past him. So gutted is he that he is not driving it he gets a serious chip on his shoulder and starts to drive with serious rage.
So often I have been over took badly, been bullied out of the way and pushed in front of by large dull grey mpv's - increasingly so even over the usual 'cock' suspects of BMW's and Audi's who just think they are better than you (that is another blog! lol!)
So this is for you angry mpv drivers. You should've just bought the hatchback you really wanted (and buy it in a nice colour, I'm bored with silver and grey cars, the world is awash with them) :)
Firstly lets cover WHY mpv's bought by families with 2 children are NOT a good buy by going through some of the basics.
(Before I begin i would like to clarify that this is aimed at 5 seat mpvs, If you have more than 3 children and buy a 7 seat mpv to transport your family then fair play, if you need to transport more than 5 people then 7 seat mpv's pretty much have the market cornered)
So lets do a basic comparison of a popular mpv vs a pretty basic hatchback.
Citroen C4 Picasso 1.6, 16v VVTI Model
0 - 60 in 12 seconds
Luggage Capacity 500 litres
Averages 40 mpg
Insurance group 13
£210 per year to tax
£16,000 - £23,000 to buy new
Honda Civic 1.4 I-Vtec SI model
0 - 60 12.6 seconds
Luggage Capacity 485 litres
Average 47mpg
Insurance Group 13
£115 tax per year
£13,000 - £17,000 to buy new
1. 0 - 60: Although the civic has a smaller engine it still manages its 0 - 60 time in only 0.6 of a second slower than the mpv - which on normal roads you will not notice, seriously to notice 0.6 of a second you need to be on a timed lap or track.
2.Boot Capacity: The civic's is only marginally smaller then the picasso - may I add to that, the picasso has one of the larger boot capacitys of the mpv's, were I comparing this to say a renault scenic its boot only has a 430 litre capacity - bare in mind most mpv's are sold to people with children giving the impression that you can get more in the boot (push-chairs/shopping etc) when actually modern hatchbacks have genuinely capacious boot. A terrible misconception.
3. Running costs: The civic is cheaper to buy in the first place, is in a much lower tax band and has a higher average mpg meaning less fuel stops.
4. Looks: I appreciate that looks are all down to taste. And I do not think the Picasso is an ugly car at all. But in general mpvs are tall, large, cumbersome and hatchbacks are a little more sleek, sporty, hunkered down and aesthetically pleasing.
5. Saftey: Both cars come with a 5 star NCAP safety rating. If you think your chidren are safer all high up in a big car, you are seriously overestimating your cars abilities. Both cars are equally as safe.
Theres a pretty basic comparison. Of course there are arguments both for and against hatchbacks vs mpvs. But I genuinely find MPVs to be overpriced and under performing, they are either no bigger or not much bigger, in 5 seat versions they carry no more people and are no safer or more comfortable to drive.
This is my theory behind angry male 'dad' mpv drivers:
The 'dad' of the family wants a sporty little number, not to expensive to run but looks good and a little bit 'racey' - the hot-hatch is what he craves. Golf GTI, Civic Type-R, Megane RenaultSport, Focus ST etc. reasonably spacious cars which are not excessively expensive to run, all have amazing safety ratings and capacious boots and are little or no more expensive to buy or run than those underperforming and unattractive mpvs.
Unfortunately for the typical male 'dad' type that wants this, his wife does not want this. She wants a sensible, safe, large car to transport lots of shopping children and push-chairs and she thinks (ill-advised by car companies and sellers trying to sell mpv's) that a large mpv usually in the most sensible grey of colours (dull) is the only car that will fulfill her needs. She wins the argument and they buy the mpv.
The 'dad', dissapointed at his mpv, feels his heart sink whenever a nice hatchback glides past him. So gutted is he that he is not driving it he gets a serious chip on his shoulder and starts to drive with serious rage.
So often I have been over took badly, been bullied out of the way and pushed in front of by large dull grey mpv's - increasingly so even over the usual 'cock' suspects of BMW's and Audi's who just think they are better than you (that is another blog! lol!)
So this is for you angry mpv drivers. You should've just bought the hatchback you really wanted (and buy it in a nice colour, I'm bored with silver and grey cars, the world is awash with them) :)
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