[ALF_E90]

Encountered an all too common specimen in a Clio Cup 172 the other day (typical of drivers generally, not Clio owners). I had purposely taken a cross country shortcut for a bit of fun, and on a long straight leading into a series of great bends the Clio was dawdling ahead, so I overtook it without changing speed. When I pulled back in, he (youngish lad) accelerated and sat inches from my boot, with his lights now on. Here we go, I thought, with a colleague in the car and winter tyres on a dry road, he'll probably stay there. But no - he lost an unfeasible amount of time on each corner and disappeared from view in no time, despite my (DTC mode engaged as usual) TC flashing so much I thought it would do itself a mischief. I'm not yet fully settled with the 330 and would have been a lot quicker through the bends in either of my last two cars.

I then caught up some slow traffic with no 100% safe places to overtake and Clio Man caught me up - after some time! He predictably overtook me and one of the many cars ahead in a dip in the road with nothing like enough visibility, forcing his way back into the queue, before seeming perfectly happy and making no further attempts to progress. I wasn't keen to see him kill himself and some poor person coming the other way so just hung back.

As luck would have it we both turned off after a while and he had a run of a few curves and roundabouts with nothing ahead before we went our separate ways, but it was miserably easy to keep up.

In his car on twisty B-roads I would have seriously fancied my chances, there can't be many cars easier to drive quickly than a Clio Cup. But if you patently can't drive, why get stroppy with other road users for overtaking you? Personally if someone quicker wants to get by, I'll help them, why spoil their fun? I have some friends who are far from driving gods - indeed fairly tentative - but into really nice cars, that is fine and they would not get moody and competitive with other road users.

People are odd...

[sufchenko]

in b4 jinjur.....

[kaishang]

Meh, I think some people see it as a threat/insult to their manhood or womanhood. Or maybe he was bothered about being overtaken by an estate....

Why didn't you accelerate in the initial overtake though?

[ALF_E90]

Closing speed was sufficient (I was only doing about 60, him about 40) - just making the point that he really was going quite slowly.

Even on motorways a fair proportion of the people you catch (at a set speed, cruise control on) speed up, then slow down when you are well past - it must be some odd example of human nature. Cyclists do it - even people walking along pavements do it!

The other strange bunch are the ones who flash you when you have overtaken them perfectly safely/legally giving them a huge berth. These are usually old men in japanese cars...

I have to say, though, that other than other 3-series getting frisky at times, I have not seen any negative behaviour towards the 330 from other road users, driver reaction is much the same as in my last few cars and nothing like the godawful experience it was whenever I drove my wife's then brand-new Civic Type R when she had that. And actually other BMW's often let me out. Other Alfas used to do that, but with so few out there, it was not that useful... With every third car being a 3 series, it is handy... Audi drivers just seem to ignore each other.

[zltm089]

Originally Posted by ALF_E90

Even on motorways a fair proportion of the people you catch (at a set speed, cruise control on) speed up, then slow down when you are well past - it must be some odd example of human nature. Cyclists do it - even people walking along pavements do it!

The other strange bunch are the ones who flash you when you have overtaken them perfectly safely/legally giving them a huge berth. These are usually old men in japanese cars...

Clios eh.....

Plus 1 human nature is evil...

[zltm089]

Originally Posted by sufchenko

in b4 jinjur.....

LOL

[E90jonno]

Originally Posted by Railgun

I've always had this problem. But I think it may even be worse in the States though. Part of it I think is an image thing. I would do this in a Saturn (crappy entry level GM brand) and wouldn't get a second look. As soon as up upgrade to the BMW however, you're automatically assumed to have the holier than thou mentality and only got the thing for status and therefore a prime target to be reeled back down to commoner levels.

That's just my 2p.

Totally agree.

I find in England people don't like other people that make more money than them so him being in a clio and you in the 330 gives the impression that you have more dolla than him and he didn't like you rubbing it in even if you was not intending to.

[philreid]

Some people seem to view it as a direct insult if you overtake them, since it implies they have chosen/could not afford a car of the same calibre or performance as yours.

So their ego forces the accelerator to the floor in an effort to regain some of their self respect.

[ALF_E90]

I don't think it is anything to do with the car, some people just hate being overtaken, full stop.

These people need to have a good hard look at themselves. An advanced driving instructor would say "drive your car yourself, don't let others influence you" i.e. if you are in the mood to drive sedately, don't let the appearance of someone else change that.

On the other hand a good-natured bit of follow-my-leader with another performance car driver who respects other road users, and drives safely, yet has some fun and waves a cheery goodbye when you part is one of driving's greatest pleasures. Very rare, though...

[jinjur]

Originally Posted by sufchenko

in b4 jinjur.....

Hey, nice 11th post. Valued content.



Anyway.

Yes, unfortunately.....all too many 172 owners are, and I have no problem in saying this.


Ball

Bags



Wifey drives our Clio alot and I would take the E91 more these days as I am collecting baby etc etc.

She has commented on the utter ballbaggery that quite intrusively attack her while she is driving it. Proper stupid driving tbh. Peaked cap spidey shitehawks.

I guess that's down to the affordability vs grunt of the wee car.

Rest assured though, that same nike air max wearing chav wank doesnt care much for the simpler things like putting the best tyres on, maintaining suspension etc that these cars requre. Quote often, they are rocking round in death traps......AVOID, like cock plague.

Most 172's I have seen locally, have quite simply the MOST IMMENSE "CLIO 172" stickers in the back window, in case they forget.....obviously more important that the Wanli tyres they run on. lol.

I like a brief drag off the lights, a wee squirt down the twisty roads.....but the thought of pushing the Clio to anywhere near where it would let go is quite frightening and I can't even imagine doing that round other cars.

Its for the track is shit like that.

Its easy.



I may have enjoyed a wee shit stir about a traffic light drag race but i do not, DO NOT condone the kind of arsery flagged by ALF.

Dont paint me with that brush team



J

[rich1068]

Originally Posted by ALF_E90

The other strange bunch are the ones who flash you when you have overtaken them perfectly safely/legally giving them a huge berth.

This.

Drives me nuts. I don't and never have driven like a tool but some set themselves up as guardians of the road to the point where they endanger everyone. I do a run from Howden to Driffield on the A614 fairly often and there are always one or two. There seems to be a mindset that overtaking is illegal or something.

[kaishang]

Pah, if you do your motorcycle driving test and ride at 40mph in a 60mph zone because you don't overtake the person in front even if it is safe, you fail your test.

[toxicnerve]

Originally Posted by ALF_E90

I don't think it is anything to do with the car, some people are just cunts.

ETA.

These are the same wankers who insist on doing 45mph through NSL-60 roads and continue doing their comfort speed of 45mph through 30 limit villages.

Like I said, cunts.

[jinjur]

Originally Posted by toxicnerve

ETA.

These are the same wankers who insist on doing 45mph through NSL-60 roads and continue doing their comfort speed of 45mph through 30 limit villages.

Like I said, cunts.

[HighlandPete]

I don't get the guys who must get in front and then hold you up, as they are so erratic, or don't intend to drive the road, once they are in front. Had one of those on Saturday, a flash Audi, just had to be in front of me, although I was driving a steady 60mph in a flow of traffic at the time, never tried to take anyone else. Usually I know the roads very well, they don't, and I end up slowing for them, at every bend until I can get by again.

Originally Posted by ALF_E90

On the other hand a good-natured bit of follow-my-leader with another performance car driver who respects other road users, and drives safely, yet has some fun and waves a cheery goodbye when you part is one of driving's greatest pleasures. Very rare, though...

I've had that, no racing, just like to see what each other can do through some section of road, the wave, or flash as you part.

Had one interesting experience driving up from Oban late one evening, to Fort William. Was a pretty poor evening weather wise, so wasn't a speed thing, but had this VW Transporter deperately trying to keep up with me. He'd lose a bit on the bends, but claw it back on every straight, but wouldn't overtake even on a couple of long straights. Was a good drive and we both pull into the 'Road to the Isles' fuel station north of the Fort. I say to him something like, "great drive up from Oben". "Yes" he says, "when I saw you had decent lights, I was determined to try and keep with you on such a poor night". We both laughed, was a fair point, full xenon's do give a bit of decent light on a dark wet night.

HighlandPete

[catdog1121]

I think young male drivers, I include myself in that category often its an ego thing, has nothing to do with the car, lets face it all young male drivers think they are the best driver in the world and someone overtaking them goes against that illusion. Also it just gets the adreniline rushing, its like the whole alpha male, top dog things, its a show of mascalinity.

I had a motor bike come out of nowhere and just miss me doing stupid speed, then a BMW 3er came right up my arse, the blood got a bit racing, we stopped at some lights, the bike then me then the BMW, bike took off, I stuck my foot down, saw the BMW went to overtake but then decided not to, I went upto speed limit well just over and then stopped accelerating, the beemer then overtook me.

thought nothing of it, till few days later got a phone call from a copper, asking if I remembered the incident, turned out the motorbike rider was riding like a muppet and the copper was after him, he pulled the biker over, I went in a different direction but the biker aparently was a bit of an arse and didnt see what he did wrong, speed limit was 50, when he passed me, only missing me by like 1/2 foot he must have been doing maybe 80mph. Goto go to court in march as a witness.

Moral of the story, damn am I glad I managed to at least not get enough adrenaline to keep accelerating hard past the speed limit. But back to the subject, its just a male thing, just like two males will always fight over one girl, its life, as you get older you learn its a bit stupid really.

[zltm089]

damn!!!!....lucky u didn't get caught!...

last year, i had a 5 series right up my ass....so i though the guy wanted to play....so i gave it the beans on a straight....(not too much...tho) ....

and then when i slowed down, the guy drove pass me showed me his card and was lucky to get a telling off....

[G82Dude]

Originally Posted by ALF_E90

Encountered an all too common specimen in a Clio Cup 172 the other day (typical of drivers generally, not Clio owners)...

I think that you are being too PC. It is typical a Clio/small sporty car thing being driven by a baseball capped/earringed/tattooed individual...

[G82Dude]

Originally Posted by zltm089

last year, i had a 5 series right up my ass...

So the orificer was antagonising you then and driving dangerously?

Originally Posted by zltm089

and then when i slowed down, the guy drove pass me showed me his card and was lucky to get a telling off....

Bet that made him feel really important. Muppet.

[briers]

Similar situation for me recently on my a/b road drive, although nobody retaliated.

Overtook 4 cars (not all at once), all safely, plenty of space and on clear sighted roads. The last one was a Renault too and he tried to speed up to make a point (40mph in a 60mph) but he was no where to be seen by the 2nd corner.

Bit late to the thread but i'm amazed that you lost the clio. Those things eat 335i's in the right conditions!

[dxb335d]

I have never understood these Fuckwit types who do this!? I have come accross it many many times.

[MEGA]

Originally Posted by briers

Bit late to the thread but i'm amazed that you lost the clio. Those things eat 335i's in the right conditions!

/Thread.

Clio's are the best.

Haha. Joke for 2011.