Gosh, such strong opinions!!!

As long as you adhere to the speed limit, are mindful of pedestrians (particularly small children) and are courteous on the roads then does it really matter what you drive?! It's not illegal to own a 4x4 nor are they banned from London roads. If people chose to spend their money on a vehicle they believe to be necessary, safe, stylish, whatever, surely that's their prerogative?!

Suslik I think (but I am sure !!) that the point is that a lot of these 4x4 are just used to drive around NV and not to drive to the country side every weekend ?

So to the 4x4 drivers that use their cars for school runs and for driving around the NV street. Are the CO2 emissions of your 4x4 not something you think about ? As a previous poster commented, its your children too that are breathing the fumes from your shiny Range Rovers ? Perhaps you don’t, its just interesting to hear why you would buy a 4x4 car to use for school / supermarket / gym run. By the way … I drive a Hybrid so clearly something I thought about (and we have 3 children, a husband and a dog and we all fit in perfectly !!!)

Oops, I am blonde, drive a range rover, have no kids and have no idea where the off road button is. I am usually a polite road user though, does that let me off the hook?

how very odd and not very British is this thread! I have a country house but live in London. do you suggest i maintain 2 cars, because my neighbours dont like me driving 4x4?

when we had a saloon before, we could not go anywhere as soon as one of grandmothers were visiting. you cant safely fit 2 full size car seats, and still fit an adult in the back of the car!

can someone enlighten me on rights of way on the residential streets around here? i dont recall learning any clear rules on this when i got my british licence. in my country rights of way are extremely clearly prescribed and therefore easy to adhere to. here we seem to rely a lot on common sense and niceties, which dont help to avoid confusion described at the start of this thread.

Ah, I'm blonde and sort of thin, but! for some reason husband thought I would look better in a estate car
Actually I'd never thought of choosing car by 'how good I would look in it', especially after having kids!...
Some people are just bad drivers full stop, doesn't matter if blond on 4x4, white van or cabbies... Oh and don't forget suicidal scooter drivers...

But most annoying drivers for me - are those who are too lazy to indicate!

Th youtube clip is hilarious... thank you so much for posting

SoConfused - thanks, I'd quite like to be blonde but hang on............maybe not

I'm excused on the eco front because mine runs on LPG, in truth I couldn't afford to run it if it were petrol or diesel.

Once again I apologise for sounding like an ECO WARRIOR... I promise not to chain myself to your 4x4s at the weekend....

But Kitty - do you really never ever think about what your car is doing in terms of pollution as you are driving it around the NV streets ? I am just always amazed that this would not cross the mind of a mother with young children ? Young kids walking down Northcote Road are nicely at the same height of your 4x4 exhaust pipe !!!

Julian - you are kind of excused because you have a lot of rackets / equipment to carry around ... and because my children love your tennis lessons... and because you are not blond

First of all, brilliant YouTube video, really summarises many of us on that forum, I would say

Second of all, they were three of us in my family and at the time, 4x4 didn't exist, yet our parents did manage to fit us in cars.

And in terms of safety, sure they are safer for your family when you are in the car, but are more dangerous for the people outside the car !

So let's not kid ourselves: driving 4x4 is like having the latest it bag. It's a fashion/status statement. In a few years' time, some other brand/type of car will be fashionable and their owners will try to find reasons to justify their purchase.

Best to assume and say : I have enough money to buy it and I like to flaunt it !

Hellokitty, you think you're in trouble! I have a big 4x4 and I'm a cyclist but unless grey is the new blonde then that's it

I love my 4x4! I am also blond (a little help needed from my hairdresser from time to time), sadly I am not as thin as I used to be, but my personal trainer keeps me in shape. Can't remember what other stereotype I am meant to be fulfilling, but I will work on it!

Ps I am a very careful driver and considerate to other road users, in fact since owning a 4 x 4 I drive much more slowly and carefully. I also get very frustrated with bad and selfish drivers in our area, and I can assure you they are not all driving 4x4's!

I think I have come across the driver mentioned in the OP on Westover Road & I too am sick of almost being mown down by mummies driving 4 x 4 whilst talking on their mobiles & trying to turn left or right as well.

Oh & as we are all having a bit of a rant, to all the cylists who ignore the red light on East Hill & cycle ignoring all the parents crossing the road on their green light with little ones on scooters, walking or with pushchairs!!!

RED LIGHTS APPLY TO CYCLISTS & PAVEMENTS AREN'T FOR CYCLISTS!!!!

Rant over

Mrs Contractor Mum wrote:Maybe this is the answer?
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eNVde5HPhYo

And she is blond and looks fabulous !!

Mrs Contractor Mum wrote:Maybe this is the answer?
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eNVde5HPhYo

Very good!! x

Person who thinks their blond wife looks good in a 4×4, is there a "little" problem you might like to share with us?!