Do you drive a 4x4 Post Reply

[Seb]

Hello
Today I was driving down Bennerly Road (I think) the road was clear when I started going down it.

After a couple of seconds a big 4x4 turned into the road and started coming towards me and there wasn't enough room for us both to pass.

If that situation, I expect the "last" car to reverse back and this person clearly wasn't happy/able to.

Can I ask (in a non-confrontatioal way please) how many of people on NVN drive big 4x4s and if you do why? I can't believe that you enjoy hauling them around South West London terraces.
S

[mummy_dani]

I don't have a 4 x 4 but am looking to get one in the near future. I've got 2 young children and if I am ever in an accident I want to be in a strong car and in one which protect them. Secondly, I like being high up and having a good view of where I'm driving hopefully avoiding aforementioned accident!

[kiwimummy]

there's absolutely no good reason to drive a 4 x 4 in this area. they're more dangerous than a saloon car to other road users in a crash, they are too high to properly see children walking around them esp at school pick ups, and they're too big for the narrow roads. plus, not exactly the environmental choice.

i don't think much of many of the people that feel the need to drive them in the city. i live near a school, and i see drivers all the time who really can't handle them trying to negotiate the pick up - frankly frightening.

[Seb]

Thank you for being so honest, I am aware its an emotive subject.

Again, if I can ask in a non-confrontational way, do you consider the safety of other road users when thinking of buying a 4x4? Specifically, you're more likely to kill a child if you hit them in a 4x4 than in a "normal" car.

Please, I am not trying to get a "rise" but I am keen to understand why we see so many people driving cars that appear, to me at least, to be unsuitable for our narrow London roads.

Seb

[Thankyoutories]

Well I am happy to get a "rise".

Stop being so bloody diplomatic.

4x4s are a status symbol. People didn't drive big old tatty Land Rovers years ago, even though they were"high" and "strong", but they now drive posh expensive Discoverys and Range Rovers because they're expensive.

The downside of these status symbols is most people can't drive them so they look like muppets steering an oil tanker, but thats a small price to pay for appearing wealthy on the school run.

There will be a massive back lash at some stage in the next year or so when some unlucky mum mows down a photogenic toddler and kills them. Then they be as socially accpetable as drink driving but I hope we never have that day.

[Camille]

Sadly "thankyoutories" is probably right but I hope not.
It seems that give someone, or should I say a between the commons blonde, a huge 4x4 and they immediately assume the "right" to avoid reversing back if facing oncoming traffic on side streets (actually they probably can't reverse such monsters for fear of knocking off their wing mirrors) and to have a mobile permanently glued to their ear.
Oh and Clapham 4x4 ownership seems to require more time spent checking one's highlights and facial creases in the mirror than looking at the road...the whole "mine's bigger than yours" thing is actually very funny to observe but sad and small minded in equal measure.
Hey, I know it's a rant but seriously, the bigger 4x4's just look ridiculous around here and beware Audi Q7 drivers in particular...
It's not all envy as we own a Toyota Landcruiser but relax everyone as its left on the farm where it belongs and gets nowhere near SW London.
Now where's my Hummer keys...

[mummy_dani]

A 4 x 4 is no more a status symbol than buying a smaller BMW or Mercedes for example.
I am neither blonde not interested in my highlights or looking at my creases when driving. I am a criminal barrister who happens to have a clean driving licence and a concern for road users but also the welfare of my children. Originally not from London, I do not simply use the car to drive between the commons but to drive up and down the motorways and therefore when deciding which car to buy, I consider all scenarios I will encounter. I'm sure if I had 2 cars people would moan that I am taking up more parking in the already busy streets between the commons.

It seems to me that some people resent others who have such cars and have seen one or two people driving badly, and assume that is how all 4 x 4 drivers act. I have seen plenty of drivers in saloon cars acting in a way which could only be described as careless or even dangerous, speeding through built up areas etc which is more likely to result in injury than someone driving a 4 x 4. Most cars these days come with sensors or at least can be added as an extra.

I witnessed a few days ago a VW golf (fairly small I'm sure you'd agree) reversing into a parking space and knocking over a motorbike ... some people can't drive no matter what car they are in and how big and easily objects are outside the car.

Seb, do I think of other road users when buying a 4 x 4? Yes, but of course my family are priority as I'm sure most people would say (apart from the anti 4x4 brigade on NVN!)

[kiwimummy]

mummy-dani,i can assure you where we are the problem is the size of the 4X4s and the limited visibility they give the driver. they are an accident waiting to happen around schools.

we looked at the stats, and we don't think they're safer, in town or on the road.

your attitude however about yourself first - that does seem fairly typical of 4x4 owners. me first, and good luck to the rest of you.

[mummy_dani]

actually I think the attitude of my family first is that any parent would have.

[KatherineHepburn]

I absolutely loathe 4x4's.
The drivers fly down Webbs Road as the bumps to slow down the traffic have little effect on them. And I have seen them doing so while on their mobile phones soooo many times - right outside the schools too, it makes my blood boil.
I am about to squeeze 3 kids into the back of my Nissan Micra - because it IS possible. How many 4x4's do we see on a regular basis with only 1 kid in the back?
It is a status symbol, absolutely.
As for the 'I need to protect my family' argument that the owners give? Utterly horrible and so, so selfish. Just imagine the damage if you hit someone else's child? Or hit a normal car on the motorway?
Ugh! And don't even get me started on the parking!!
A totally irresponsible purchase in an urban area.

[mummy_dani]

Sorry folks but I'm going to enjoy my 4 x 4 when I get it. It seems some people are bitter that it's a status symbol ... I'm sure if people could afford more they'd be the first to buy status symbols eg bigger house etc, so why is it a problem having a car as a status symbol?!

As i've already said, it's the driver not the car which is the problem.

And as for taking up parking spaces ... a lot of 4 x 4's are no longer than big mercedes, bmw's or estate cars and you don't moan about those! And on the environmental issue, you'd be moaning if I had 2 cars, one for the city and one for motorway journeys.

[Happymama]

Sorry mummydany - everyone is entitled to their own opinion of course.
But I am with the Anti 4x4 NVN brigade !

My family does come first which is exactly why I cannot stand these cars around SW11 – they are simply unsuitable for London roads. There is a mum at our school that lives exactly 10 minutes walk from the school ... and drives her 4x4 to school every single day ! Its just not practical to manoeuvre such a big car in such a small space with 400 kids running around.

I don’t resent the 4x4 cars owners because I have seen one or two people driving them badly, or because I think they are a status symbol. I just resent them because they are too big to drive in London and yes probably because a bad driver in a 4x4 could do a lot more damage than a bad driver in a saloon car !

So am with the previous poster who said they should be left in the countryside !

Someone sent me this link ages ago which I thought was quite funny...
http://www.stopurban4x4s.org.uk/LondonGeneric07.pdf

[Goldhawk]

I drive one as we could not fit 3 car seats in our previous car
It gives me an extra two seats in the rear which are very handy

They are a pain in urban areas but lots of roads are barely wide enough to squeeze two cars past each other

One way streets may be the best solution

[DiscoGirl]

When did we all become communists?

I LOVE my 4x4. I love the safety, the security and I love that its a staus symbol.

Sorry if that offends people but we live in South West London, not Merthyr Tidvil.

We live in a wealthy pocket of one of the world's richest cities and we all have husband envy, house envy, school envy, holiday envy, the list goes on.

Get real and move to Hackney if you suddenly find displays of wealth vulgar.

btw I posted under another name but I am a regular user

Next week's statement of the obvious: why can't we all have million pound houses and work in the public sector

[dandelion53]

Needing to fit 3 child seats in a car is no reason to drive a 4x4. We have a Touran which fits 3 seats and has 2 extra seats in the boot as do most other people carriers. People carriers like the Touran, Sharan, Zafira etc are large family cars that are much more suitable for urban areas. And in terms of status - expensive car brands make people carriers but 4x4s are very selfish in terms of the danger they pose to the rest of us and especially children in urban areas. They are designed for off-road driving not motorways or small london streets.

And what's with the derogatory comments about hair colour? Unnecessarily prejudiced.... Its not ok to prejudge and insult people on their appearance... skin colour... hair colour... not cool.