Let's have a good bitch about incompetent 4x4 owners

[marty]

i've always been a UAV owner - had a bighorn, then a prado, then a L300 4x4 van (that was pretty cool actually). traded the van though for a commodore wagon (for the missus you understand). it is bigger and meaner than all the 4x4's i've had, takes up more road, and weighs 2 tonne. it's quicker in the corners too

the only problems i really have with UAV drivers is: 1. their use of 'fog' lights which aren't permanently dipped and 2. their inability to see behind their rear wheel and reluctance to move over when a bike comes up behind them.

[Coldkiwi]

i'd just like to point out again (as big dog has) that my problem is with people that own them that shouldn't (likewise, I have a problem with people that own bikes that probably shouldn't given the way the ride them.. and NO I'm not making snide remarks about anyone here).

if you have to tow something big,  for goodness sake, use a large car or 4x4 thats up to the task. its dangerous to do otherwise. if you want to go off road, then get a 4x4 vehicle up to the task. but if you want to drive around, cut people off and generally be a dirty great hazard, either sod off or get a bicycle so you hurt less people when you screw it up.

and if you want to drive fast and be safe, get a vehicle designed to do that. from the number of rolled 4x4's I've seen, many drivers haven't figured that one out.

[Gixxer]

there r 4X4 drivers out there, like all other road users, who know how to use there vehical and who a responcible etc, then you drive in ACK CBD, on the auckland motorway or on the shore and you r brought back to reality that alot of them are dickheads in big vehicals, who have never driven out of auckland let alone off road, these dickheads are the ones I have a beef with, yeah yeah, most of us here cut in and out of traffic, we speed, and all that fun stuff, but i still think alot of 4X4 drivers  shoud not be on the road at all. I try not to let them tailgate me, so i just open it up, after awhile they realise they can not keep up and F-off, but when one of them tailgates me in a 50 i will always slow to 40, and if he wants to have ago at the lights bring it on. (unless it's big dog)

[Big Dog]

Originally posted by Gixxer
and if he wants to have ago at the lights bring it on. (unless it's big dog)

LOL (Scooby doo styles)


Funny a dude did that too me in my old gold falcon. so I slowed to 20 kmph. when I stopped at the lights he came storming up "look here bitch!" (I had long hair at the time) So I politely wound down my window before facing him. He still wanted a go so I got out of the car. followed by a loud bowel motion from a quickly whitening moron so i got back in and rolled on at 20 km again. This time he did not tailgate.

[bikerboy]

Ever one has attacked the drivers but while I think there is a link I just don't think these things belong on CITY street/roads.

It comes down to design. The bumpers are higher than cars, making simple touches into broken lights or scratched bonnets as the two don't mate up as cars do. The doors are too high so you get dented window sills; not the rub strips as designed with cars.

They're too wide for narrow streets ; you see them with scratched wheel bulges from side swipping cars, can't manuever in the space a car can; so you have to wait for them to do the twelve point turn. Car parks are narrow enough and then one of these road hippos parks next to you so you can't even get the doors open let alone in your car.

All these things are inherent design faults as urban transport. They use three times as much gas, polute three times as much. There weight causes more road damage. Very few have the same space as a station wagon yet are bigger. They are OFF road vehicles and that's where they should STAY, OFF ROAD.

[wkid_one]

Originally posted by marty
the only problems i really have with UAV drivers is: 1. their use of 'fog' lights which aren't permanently dipped and 2. their inability to see behind their rear wheel and reluctance to move over when a bike comes up behind them.

My understanding of Fog Lights is the following...

1.  They need to be linked to the Park Lights so can only be on when the lights are on.

2. Fog Lights by definition are PERMANENTLY DIPPED as anyone who drives in fog knows - high beam blinds you in fog as you can't see more than 2m ahead of you - fog lights are actually super low beam to illuminate the road directly in front of the car

3. HIgh Beam SPOTLIGHTS should only be linked to the High beam of the cars headlights

4. You can only have 4 headlights on at any one time???

Motu may correct me on this

PS - don't use a car if you are towing something big (boat/horse float).  Seldom is the tow point connected directly to a strong enuf chassis, seldom is the tow bar rated to tow the weight, seldom is the car heavy enuf (casual ratio of 1.5 times the weight being towed - take a horse float with two horses at about 2tonne - that is a fucken heavy car!! - could use a Trimuph Rocket III tho), seldom is the suspension kitted out to stop both a car and dead weight - even allowing for active brakes

I still think everyone is slightly exagerating here - I think incidents with 4WD's are remembered more often than those with cars coz:

- Their size

- The fact you can't see around them

[wkid_one]

I must diagree BB - many of the SUV's are now very road orientated - and we should learn to live with them. 

I disagree with the Jap Import SUV's on the market - spilling diesel, suffocating bikers.....but modern SUV's are fine.  The X5 will scare most bike riders, as will the Cayenne & Tourag.

If I was to buy a vehicle - I would buy one, why??

• - I have a dog
• - I have shit loads of stuff in my boot (golf clubs, sports gear, change of clothes)
• - I like to have the choice to go where I want (and yes I do drive off LTSA roads)
• - I like the option to tow (bike trailer) safely.
• - They are more comfortable for my size
• - I am no hurry when I drive, so speed isn't an issue

 

 

 

 

[Coldkiwi]

wkid, I think its just that you've forgotten the delights of driving in auckland

I reckon my mate (see the first post on this thread) has the right idea. Make the buyer prove they either own a heavy trailer, need to carry lots of kids/crap around on a regular basis or actively go off roading on a regular basis. Otherwise, tell them to buy a freakin car that suits them and their lack of abilities. and why not the same with bikes? if you can't control a harley or goldwing or R1 or Zx12 safely (i'm not saying you HAVE to. .. you just need to be able to) then you shouldn't be able to endanger the lives of others by riding one.

Who cares if that means some unskilled bugger can't get his uncoordinated hands on the GSXR 1000 he wants because of his ego problem? at least he'll have to get something a bit more forgiving that won't get him into as much trouble.

(hows that for opening a can of worms!! )

[Coldkiwi]

hehe, oh yeah, X5's can scare you all right! Put a remuera housewife behind one of those and I'm a off running!!!

[wkid_one]

FUCK

I wouldn't have been able to get the R1 then

 

[bikerboy]

Sorry wikd,
There is a vehicle that satisfies all your requirements except the ego, and it is more economical, environmentally friendlier, has more room, and is safer.


It's called a station wagon, and for those mild off road adventures they come in 4wheel drive versions that will go 85% of the places those road hippos go.

[MikeL]

Recent Auckland trend: tiny Asian women at the wheel of big SUVs.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.

[Motu]

wkid - near as dammit - I don't have my VIRM in front of me...but I should,I'm doing an update course tomorrow night - any questions from the floor? I'm going to be asking a few about the new M/C rules that came in this month....no one has been moaning about failing a wof on panniers yet,so I'll keep my mouth shut here.

I think fogs can go at will - hence those wankers in the Subbies and the like,fogs are always dipped and have no penetration (was there penetration officer?) driving lights on high beam only.Ultimatly you can have 8 lights on at once - thats 4 headlamps,2 driving and 2 fog...enough to satisfy any SUV pilot.

What I hate about these things is on the open road you get 3 or 4 in a line,you can't see past them...then when they come to passing lanes one of the silly pricks in his diesel Teranno pulls out to pass the diesel Pajero pulling a 22ft tinny with 3 150 horse Mercs on the back,then amid clouds of black smoke only just gets past at the end of the passing lanes - 15 cars and 6 motorcycles never got a chance...these pricks shouldn't be alowd on our roads.

[MikeL]

Originally posted by Motu
then when they come to passing lanes one of the silly pricks in his diesel Teranno pulls out to pass the diesel Pajero pulling a 22ft tinny with 3 150 horse Mercs on the back,then amid clouds of black smoke only just gets past at the end of the passing lanes -

Exactly.

And by the way, when are we going to address the very real problem of diesel exhausts? Does anyone else apart from me finish a commute feeling slightly nauseated from all the diesel smoke? Not to mention the worry about longer term health consequences. If the cops wanted to make a real contribution to people's safety and well-being in the broadest sense, they'd be better off handing out hefty fines to all the drivers of filthy diesel trucks, buses, SUVs and so on instead of narrowly targetting safe drivers/riders doing 5 or 10 k over the arbitrary speed limit. Efforts to date to reduce diesel pollution have been laughable. Dob in a dirty diesel? What does the driver get? A polite letter advising him to have his engine tuned??!!
Sorry rant!

[Redstar]

good thread my second car is a nissan Safari and thats about as ugly as they get. but like motorbikes there are the self ritious army of politically correct fagots who would compatmentalise all into one catagory.
I have three boys all into sport. I do 30,000klms in the 4X4 to such extream places as Palmerston north and Wanganui and Whangarei and apart from a Bongo van I need this monster! we go to the snow and we go on the beach we have fun and we drive with consideration and care for all.
the current anti SUV thing eminates from some Aussie wanker Keating and it's populus crap.
If e buy into this rubbish we we all be driving Mopeds and Puntos
Bollocks!