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Can HJ confirm that from next year BMW's will have indicators fitted? or will they continue to cut others up, whilst swerving from lane to lane, with out any notice as they currently do?
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Nice one. Not just Beemers, though. Mercs and Volvos often seem to lack that basic facility, too.
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But they *do* have indicators fitted, you know that pair of bright white ones below the bumper indicating coming through! :o(
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I expect there are proportionately as many idiots in Astras but who's jealous of them?
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As far as I can tell around 80% of drivers fail to indicate coming off roundabouts these days, there aren't that many BMW's !
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Tomo,
There you are. Did you see my reply to your query on radar detectors being illegal in Scotland, below?
Any thoughts?
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I don't get jealous of any car. They are just a tool for getting from A to B. What impresses me is - for example - this, a good friend of mine who has no kids and dual income. He drives a geriatric diesel Escort. Not being sucked into the myth that you must have the biggest, fastest, most expensive etc. is impressive.
When I learnt to ride a motorcycle in the '70 the dangerous ones were the Trilby wearing pipesmokers (especially the men!). Beemers have taken over as being the biggest menace on the road IMHO!
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It's impossible to categorise bad drivers by the cars they drive.
I've been cut up as often by old people in Corrolas (which I'm using here not to say that all old people drive Corrolas, just bland cars) as I have by a wannabe professional in a 1996 3 series compact (hint, get a Golf instead - more practical, and it says even though I could afford a compact, I've got more sense). The only difference is that the younger drivers are at least aware that you're on the road as well.
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New compact is far superior to the golf.
The 325 is a great drive, something which VW seem to have long forgotton about.
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I've posted this before, but in case you haven't seen it.
======================================
Dear New BMW Owner:
Congratulations on the purchase of your new automobile! We're sure that
it will provide you with the utmost in driving pleasure and lifestyle
enhancement.
However, we must inform you that there are certain minimum requirements
that a BMW customer must meet in order to retain ownership of his or her
vehicle. Specifically, as a first time owner, you must take and pass the
following classes, offered by your local BMW dealer:
* ARR 101 -- Arrogance
A six week course explaining the details of driving habits, posture,
clothing, and other details that all lead to the arrogant appearance
and demeanor that all BMW owners must present. £800/person
* AGG 101 -- Aggressiveness
Six weeks of hands-on experience in tailgating, rapid unsignaled lane
changes, speeding, and hard breaking. When you complete this course
you'll be able to merge your car into the tiniest available spot on the
motorway and cause everyone around you to know a BMW just entered the
road, even if they couldn't see you at the time. £1000/person
* BUD 101 -- Budgeting To Make Your Car Payment
Twelve weeks. £1500/person
If this is a second (or later) BMW, then our requirements include:
* ARR 102 -- Arrogance Refresher
Three weeks of refresher course on arrogance. £650/person
* AGG 102 -- Aggressiveness Refresher
Three weeks of refresher course on aggressiveness. £850/person
* BUD 102 -- Additional Budgeting Skills
12 weeks. This course covers additional budgeting skills including:
* How to buy your teenage child his or her first BMW and
still make the payment on your own.
* The home equity loan -- your friend.
* Selling your house to pay for your car -- you can do it.
* Paying for your BMW owner training classes -- yes, you have to.
£1500/person
These classes must be completed successfully during your first 3 months of
ownership, or we will be forced to repossess your car.
In addition, we offer other classes that you may be interested in taking.
These include:
* LIF 101 -- Living Where Other BMW Owners Live
How to find those neighborhoods where your fellow BMW owners already live.
Three weeks. £500/person
* MAI 101 -- BMW Maintenance
Four weeks. Basic training in how to open your wallet to pay BMW
mechanics seven times the going hourly rate to fix your car when it
breaks. £750/person
* MAI 201 -- Advanced BMW Maintenance
Eight weeks. Admission to this class requires instructor approval.
Hypno-therapy to ease the process of opening the wallet of really
tough customers.
Please contact your BMW dealer to enroll in your required classes, and
in any of the voluntary classes that appeal to you.
Once again, we appreciate your business! Happy Driving!
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Me, I'm a live-and-let-live bloke, but I did find the following amusing at work (before I retired, early, at the end of last year).
Our business had been sold, but the suits didn't do their research on ownership of the company vehicle fleet properly. Several were "repossesed, as they didn't belong to the bank that we thought owned them. Ensuing flood and flurry of filling in paperwork for new cars.
One young buck, newly promoted and thus now entitled to a car, was drooling over some Beemer or other. One of the old stagers said to him "but you'll never get out of a side turning in it"
Is this true?
Ian
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Well I've had a 318i Touring as a taxi for the last 3 months, after having 11 Cavaliers. Now I am constantly 'challenged' at traffic lights, seem to be endlessly 'cut up', and I'm now getting fed up with it. This never happened before. I like to think I'm mature enough to let it go over my head but my patience is running out. Some drivers deserve the treatment they get from BMW drivers. Is it 'Badge snobbery'? Are people jealous of BMW's? My car cost me £7k - if I spent double that on a Skoda Octavia, would the above happen? I think not. With the warranty Skoda offer and the superb build quality this will be next taxi. In the meantime, if you see a red 318i Touring with a roof sign and personal plate, please GET OUT OF THE WAY! Rant over.
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The car you drive shouldn't lead to you being picked on. However, it does seem to me that a disproportional number of BMW drivers have an 'I own the road' mentality. I got cut up this morning by one who cut in front at the M23 slip road, then slammed on his anchors. Last night another was zig-zagging through the traffic AND on the slip road. Cut in, brake, move across, undertake, cut in (no signals). These were new-ish models and I doubt that they were driven by teenagers.
I have a couple of friends with Beemers and they get thoroughly p***ed off by the 'me first' brigade.
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It is as valid to say that if you are in a fast BMW at the lights every XR3i, or whatever is today's equivalent, will try to race you.
I agree with Neil (I think it was Neil) - it is impossible to categorize driving style by brand of car.
I've owned everything from some of the crappiest bangers in the world to some of the flashest machinery around. So far as I can tell, I always drive the same depending, of course, on the limitations of the car.
M.
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and by the way, I *do* own the road, I inherited it from my Mother.
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Best car to cut up self righteous drivers, dawdling along and slowing everyone else down, is an old XJ6. Perfect for London.
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richard turpin wrote:
>
> Best car to cut up self righteous drivers, dawdling along and
> slowing everyone else down, is an old XJ6. Perfect for London.
Goodness that takes me back Richard,
young buck driving in London, cut up badly by a Roller and I mean badly. The response to the hoot of protest was the Rollers driver window wound down, and a female arm languidly emerged elegantly clad in elbow length white glove, remember them, and of course spoke with forked fingers. Oh how we laughed.
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richard turpin wrote:
>
> Best car to cut up self righteous drivers, dawdling along and
> slowing everyone else down, is an old XJ6. Perfect for London.
I'm not so sure, Richard - a white van takes some beating, plus things like Beemers have to find somewhere far away in the supermarket carpark.
Ian
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I used to enjoy doing this in an old Volvo estate,you could here them calling you traitor even above the preposterously rough and noisy engine.
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BMW - who gives a flying .....? The local dealer is crap so they don't get my money, haven't a clue if the 3 series is any good - simply don't care.
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