Other drivers reactions to you Retro?

I get this worst when we're out in the tractors... bearing in mind we're slow, noisy, and have a big orange flashing light telling people what we're doing, all we get is idiots. Several times we've been overtaken on blind bends (mainly your merc and BMW drivers!), and I've seen countless near-misses from that! I normally drive on the white line to try and stop them coming past, because if they have to dive infront of me while passing, and I hit them, then I'd be sprawled out on the tarmac somewhere
The annoying thing is, if they could just wait until a safe place to pass, then I'd pull over and wave them past.

Nowt stranger than folk, eh?

Motorway driving has been 'normal' in my Escorts/Cavs, but they're fairly capable. The fun will come when I take the Consul out for the first time!

Happened once or twice when I had my old XJ6. Saying that it did have a lot of primer on it and a sticker in the back window that reda "cos new cars are s**t". Standard practice if they decided to get close once I'd gone past was give it full chat for a few seconds and let them choke on the oil smoke.

Regards

Ric

You should try driving a Micra!

While I think the trance effect comes into it, I don't think thats the main cause of it. I'm thinking the main cause is "How the hell did that old [insert derogatory description here] car pass me!" I used to see this a lot when the Morrie did freeway miles. Back then it was painted flat black with bright red wheels. I loved it, but the middle classes in their brand new 318i's didn't.

Many many times I'd pass someone doing 100kph (60mph) in a 110kph zone. I'd just indicate, go round them and continue on my merry way at around 120kph. Sure enough a few minutes later there'd be a roar of an engine revving way too hard, and the late model thing would fly past me. Always with the driver handing down a smug look. If they kept to a reasonable speed, I wouldn't care. But sure enough, before long they were back at 10 under the limit. The Morrie being rather hardcore would easily overtake them again and I'd continue on my merry.

But once this moronic game of leapfrog looked like starting, I had an ace in the sleeve to fix it. During the overtake, I'd pull alongside. Invariably the driver would glare at me. I'd give a big grin and a big wave. Then I'd knock it back to 3rd and nail it. If I firewalled it, the Morrie would smoke the tyres. If I was a little bit gentle, it took off like a scalded cat. The sight and sound of the Morrie working as I intended it to always had the same effect. "How the [insert expletive here] did that old bomb do that?" It was the best way to put an end to that silly game that people have to play.

I figure it comes down to the fact that most people's sense of self-worth comes from the things that they possess. The need to have the latest and greatest item. So when they buy a new car, with all the latest and greatest gizmos and big horsepowers, they feel like their king/queen of the road. And you're smashing that ideal they have when your old banger (it can be a concourse car and they'll still think of it as an old banger) passes them. Your car is old and unfashionable. It doesn't have the latest technology in it. It is inferior, and for it to pass the new machine the world must be skewed. So in overtaking you, they are proving the new car is superior to the old one, the world is put right again, and they can relax back to their comfortable speeds. Some people do this consciously, some don't.

But my biggest hatred I have on the roads these days is cruise control and the cost of fuel. Fuels getting expensive, so many people are knocking 10 or 20 kays off their freeway speeds. Makes sense, uses a lot less fuel. But many people can't drive either, so maintaining a constant speed is left up to the cruise control. When they come across someone doing 2 or 3 kph less than them, they overtake. Fair enough. But they NEVER take the *@#$(*&^!@#$ing cruise control off. They pull into the overtaking lane where traffic is doing 120kph. And continue to travel at their designated fuel-saving speed. And since the governemtn keeps telling them that "speed kills", and they're not speeding, in their minds what they're doing is perfectly safe. Never mind the fact that they nearly got back-ended by a train of cars doing 30kph more than they are. Grrr. Can you tell it's a pet hatred of mine.

+1 lol

My car is largely ignored which is odd as it isn't something you see every day. must be the anonymous colour (silver) ?

Nothing better than smoking some new financed up motor though. lol

People just tend to stay out of the way full stop when I'm in my Chevy....

I did make an entire car full of people jump once though when I floored it away from the lights next to them - don't think they expected a 2 1/2 ton pickup to be so loud or move so fast!

I get this if I use the motorway for any decent length of time, in any car.

Got it quite a bit in my Mondeo, BMW and 'sporty' car drivers didn't like being overtaken by it, but after I had done so I'd pull over and continue to floor it and marvel at their frustration as they fail to catch me and I pull back out again to overtake the next car

It may have been tatty as f*ck but it was still a 2.5 V6

i only have one thing to say on this thread, try driving a 2CV!!!! Seriously. All the above maginified, they are taking the curse word, they are trying to be in front. Even if I'm doing 70mph on a B road - moderns or young lads MUST come past. Whats more they don't seem to care if they kill us both whilst attempting it. Bah!!!!!!! (in best Melchitt voice)

Have seen a lot of the above... and it ain't unique to cars

Used to drive a beaten up Isuzu pickup which no-one would argue with much less cut up.

The Honda motorcycle MUST be overtaken at any cost... esecially by sportsbike riders. That and to normal riders nod dosen't apply either.

The mini gets a lot of looks and smiles. Often get overtaken with people looking at it, especially on motorways. But get the bain of small car driving... tailgaiters.. especially 4x4's...

Got loads of smiles in the snow last year... plus smart alecs in 4x4's telling me I had no hope of getting anywhere.

The best bit is twisties.... can give the small sports cars a shock... until the road straightens again!!!

But on the other hand I can drive slowly and no-one cares... just an old mini doddering around...

wouldn't change it for the world!!