Do people get out of your way?

[gaz_l]

I had a nice run on the motorway today, coming back from visiting a friend. The motorway was fairly empty, free-flowing, sunny and dry, with excellent visibility.

As a consequence I was "making good progress", shall we say, and thoroughly enjoyed the trip, with the car in its natural environment just eating up the miles. If I had to cross Europe in a hurry I'd struggle think of a nicer place to sit whilst doing it.

With the prevalence of Sunday drivers on the road, the average speed of traffic was a bit lower than you would expect on a weekday. There was also a lot more people cruising in the middle/outside lane with no traffic on the inner lanes, which is a particular bugbear of mine.. lane discipline isn't hard!

However, I did notice that the Merc seemed to have somewhat of a magical effect on the lane hoggers.. I'd come up behind them, and they'd just pull over to let me through (often as not pulling out again afterwards.. but there you go).

I don't know whether it's because the Merc sits crouched down low on the road or what, but it does seem to make other cars get out of the way rather than try and hold you up. Makes it easy to cover the ground, but not something I've really noticed before.

I've only had one other car that had that effect, many years ago when I had a black Toyota Supra. That certainly wasn't subtle, and just bullied people of the way, after looming up in their rear-view mirrors..

Anyone else noticed this?

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[ADY1983]

Yes not so much in the Merc tho, I had a Mitsubishi Galant That had this effect, they look Evil..

 

[Ashley]

I had a nice run on the motorway today, coming back from visiting a friend. The motorway was fairly empty, free-flowing, sunny and dry, with excellent visibility. As a consequence I was "making good progress", shall we say at 70 with the cruise on, and thoroughly enjoying the trip, with the car in its natural environment just eating up the miles. If I had to cross Europe in a hurry I'd struggle think of a nicer place to sit whilst doing it.

Then this boy racer in a c class came flying up my backside Christ I thought I was a goner, thank god I got out of the way in time before this boy racer made a chop shop job of our cars.

 

[fuzzer]

yep , xenons do this too.

Everyone moves out the way of the X5 with the xenons coming up from behind

 

[gaz_l]

shall we say at 70 with the cruise on.

Of course. You're not suggesting I would break the law? Shame on you..

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[Brett]

gaz, what were you doing trespassing in the BMW lane?

 

[Dave Lewis]

It's called Road Presence!

 

[Ashley]

gaz, what were you doing trespassing in the BMW lane?

We call that the hard shoulder where I come from.

 

[frog1520]

I don't know whether it's because the Merc sits crouched down low on the road or what, but it does seem to make other cars get out of the way rather than try and hold you up. Makes it easy to cover the ground, but not something I've really noticed before.

Anyone else noticed this?

The W140 has that effect!

 

[Brett]

We call that the hard shoulder where I come from.

Aye, those Cumbrian police can be b*stards

 

[miro]

However, I did notice that the Merc seemed to have somewhat of a magical effect on the lane hoggers.. I'd come up behind them, and they'd just pull over to let me through (often as not pulling out again afterwards.. but there you go).

All of these things are true but the exact opposite applies in Holland when bearing German plates.

I dont know why but its true !

 

[splang]

Agree that Xenons on an E class help! (people think your a copper at distance ? I know many of our traffic officers around here use E class estates.)


S

 

[GregE240]

E-Class (W210) - people ALWAYS got out of your way
Lexus - people NEVEr get out of your way (probably think its an Avensis)
500SL - people always get out of the way
G/f's X3 - people always get out of the way

Agree with Gaz - we both noticed the standard of driving this weekend was dreadful.

 

[blassberg]

I find most people move out of the way happily. Some do so less happily.. I think dark car, fast, could be an unmarked police car?

Best car that I've had for people moving out of the way happily was a Saab 9000

 

[BTB 500]

I do find that dawdlers move out of the way more for my SL than the Sharan.

 

[Swiss Toni]

Alas, whilst we are all feeling good about "road presence", I suspect that an ex-Metropolitan Police Metro (still in full colours) would have the same effect..

 

[petef]

An old aquaitance of mine who drove porshes, bmw, mercs etc etc once told me the only car that made people move was the merc. His reasoning was that it ooozed status...the other prestige cars being too brash and bully boy types..I always wondered how he afforded so many cars changing them every 3 to 4 months...until plod caught up with him and he had to serve 12 months for embezzlement and fraud.....(If your listening in get in touch...Oh and by the way, the time I took the porche down the by pass....didn't make me an accomplice does it ??? !!!!)
Pete

 

[Silvertank]

Everyone gets out of the way for me because they know how bad the brakes are on my 300TD ;-)

Although it's strange; I normally find people are behind me, rather than in front of me....weird that.

Seriously though. I drive an A3 (normal looking, debadged - which is actually a 3.2 ltr monster). No one gets out of the way because it looks like every other A3 out there. However when I had my NA Mitsubishi GTO everyone got out of the way even though it is much slower than the A3.

I think people are scared of getting caught in the slow lane, so if they assess the car behind won't be quick enough to overtake them, they tend to hold their position. If they see an aggressive looking car in their rear view mirror, they automatically assume it is quick enough to get past them in time. Not many people got out of the way of the CLK55, unless they knew about cars

 

[BTB 500]

Seriously though. I drive an A3 (normal looking, debadged - which is actually a 3.2 ltr monster). No one gets out of the way because it looks like every other A3 out there.

Yup I have a similar problem with my Sharan, obviously not as quick as your A3 but with 204 bhp it's not the normal dawdling MPV either. There's only a very small V6 badge on the grille.

 

[Silvertank]

Yup I have a similar problem with my Sharan, obviously not as quick as your A3 but with 204 bhp it's not the normal dawdling MPV either. There's only a very small V6 badge on the grille.

I know what you mean....the A3 has DSG (Diff Seq G/B) on the front grille, the number of people who think that means Diesel! - Little do they know .

Incidentally, the DSG is awesome.