The small (old) Fiat effect

[Steve145]

When you're bumbling along in a small, old Fiat, such as an Uno or a Panda, minding your own buisness, driving at or even slightly over the speed limit and generally enjoying yourself.

Someone in a modern car arrives behind you, having just joined the road, roundabout, entered the motorway etc, rather than having caught you due to their speed.

Seeing a small, old Fiat ahead of them, they feel an irrepressible urge to get infront of it, frequently employing somewhat desperate measures to do so.

Once past, they continue on a short way, then glance at their speedo..

..and slam on the brakes.


Never fails to raise a smile.



Should you dare to re-pass them though, about half will accelerate as you come alongside


Also amusing, though more of an Alfa trait, are those who are up your arse on the straights, only to dissapear through the bends, but are back behind you by the end of the next straight.


I'm just minding my own buisness and driving to the speed limit, no need to get yourself worked-up into such a state...

 

[AndyRKett]

I don’t think it’s a specific fiat thing, I was in France a couple of weeks ago and every car I over took seemed to then find the accelerator and have to try and get back in front.

Maybe it’s jusy having GB on the number plate for me.

 

[Moimo]

When I used to drive my old golf gti it was a magnet for lunacy overtakes, I’m sure is true of any classic/different vehicle even if you where doing 62mph !!!!! Ahem didn’t matter I’m coming past regardless of the carnage I cause, and the point about slowing down in front is bang on as anyone who uses cruise control will testify, the variation regardless of speed, terrain, gradient can’t be more than 1mph yet perfectly clear road, set to 60, whoosh past they go, oh look I’ve had to brake, thanks. The worst though, Up your chuff, 140 on the straight, hard on the anchors, 6mph round the bend, honestly it won’t fall over it’s a car lol

 

[portland_bill]

Not specific to older cars either. Happens all the time with my Panda.
Happens all the time with the driving school car, perhaps for a different reason, even if I'm alone and driving to the limits.
Tends to occur less as the car gets larger. Something psychological, they have to be ahead of anything 'less' than theirs. Speed less significant.

Years ago, with a classic Panda 750, overtakes needed notice in writing.
I found that moving up and outwards, with the right indicator on, would nearly always cause the slow vehicle ahead to speed up. No need to overtake now. After a few minutes, as they slowed, repeat as necessary. Great fun.

 

[Steve145]

It happens in the 169 Panda too, but the effect is rather more marked when driving the Uno.

Andy - that's the GB sticker.


I think that they have a hard time believing that an Uno or Panda is actually capable of attaining the speed limit, let alone exceeding it.

I'd love to see the expression on their faces when they notice that their mirrors are full of Uno :devil:

 

[Pepe1968]

Really interesting thread, as I only commented to my partner the other day how I've found the same problem since driving my panda. It is noticeable since I've moved to a smaller car particularly drivers pulling out of junctions ahead of me assuming it will take an age to reach them. Also noticed that a couple of other panda owners have acknowledged me as we pass each other which is nice. We are obviously a civilised bunch!

 

[g8rpi]

A lot of drivers have the same problem following small vans. I can sort of understand if the van has no rear window, as the car behind can't see down the road.

Robert G8RPI.

 

[StevenRB45]

People tend to bully small cars, whether it's conscious or sub-conscious it's really noticeable if you drive lots of different ones. You drive each car the same but people react to it differently.

Had a C1 in rush hour last week, apparently what you do if you're in a C1 is give way all the time even if it's your right of way...or crash, possibly head on in an opposition situation or get side swiped as people cut in on you.

The Ds3 is no where near as much of a **** magnet and the 3 even less so, reminded me of when we had the Micra. It was another car where you could be travelling at instaban speeds and someone would still be stuck up your chuff.

 

[Steve145]

My preferred vehicle for driving in Paris was the works 130hp Transit, big enough to intimidate other drivers, fast enough to keep up with the traffic and high enough to see what was happening.

Thankfully I haven't had to go near Paris for years

 

[(CZ)enda]

Locally, I noticed the most agressive drivers are those driving VW Passat or Audi, preferably dark grey metallic. I suppose it is some sort of overcompensation.
I remember a priceless moment a few years ago. It was on a two-lane freeway and the slow lane was choked with trucks doing their 90 km/hr. I was in the slow lane, trying to find a window to overtake. Then, there was a yellow Lamborghini coming in the fast lane, closely followed by red Ferrari. I suppose their drivers knew each other as they both drove at exactly same, exactly legal speed (130 km/hr).
What followed them was a dark grey Passat with those silly chrome strips around windows doing all tricks these d***heads usually do - switching high beam on/off, mimicking his ramming the rear bumper of the Ferrari, honking etc.
Of course, the dudes in those two supersports did not give a flying foxtrot uniform charlie kilo about him and I suspect they were just laughing their nether parts off.

 

[SB1500]

I get this all the time in my '05 Panda - not old, but relatively small by today's standards of course.

This seems to be the thought process:
Weird Car > Fiat > Small Car > Cheap Car > SLOW CAR. > MOVE. > AGGRESSION > FLOOR IT.

They must assume that to drive a car like ours, you're out to be slow, get in their way, you can't drive (otherwise you'd drive a real car with more shiny chrome) and that you have no right to be in anything but the slow lane lol

Sometimes on larger roundabouts I notice my car lacks the sheer force to quickly get up and out like other cars can. That's literally the only time I'm aware of how slow it is. It means I have to spend more time thinking before pulling out or I'm dead meat. So I think the result isn't too bad. It would only be annoying if I was in a rush, but I normally leave in excess of time in case.

It seems like some of those guys in the financed A4s are as late for work as they are on their PCP contracts lol Hence the total aggression to get in front of you. Even if they go below the limit when they get there.

 

[Liquid Knight II]

Autodysfunctional Egotism or the Womlings effect.

It happens all the time no matter what mode of transport you are using.

I first observed it in my Panda. I would be driving along at the speed limit and someone who feels they have a superior vehicle has "got to" overtake because their fragile tiny little ego can not handle the thought of being behind an inferior vehicle.
They are willing to put their lives and everyone else's on the roads life at risk overtaking on blind bends, into junctions, attempting to overtake where there simply isn't enough room or time to do so expecting you to do an emergency stop so they don't wipe out an innocent family coming the other way.

It is the main reason why I have a dash camera and one of the reasons my Panda has been sat on my driveway for years.

Dangerous, Careless, Without Due Care or Inconsiderate Driving is not enough. The way some of these alleged people operate vehicles every time they see an inferior vehicle constitutes attempted murder.

Especially if that "inferior vehicle" is a cyclist.

 

[Liquid Knight II]

To a lesser extent you experience this effect on track days.



On more than a few occasions instead of pulling over and slowing to let me pass they check their mirrors, see an old Fiat and floor it so by the time I do get by it's too late to brake for the next bend.

With hilarious results.

 

[Parabolica]

It's "6 of 1 and half a dozen of the other" I'm afraid.
I've lost count of the times I've been driving or riding along minding my own when some bubblehead or myopic pensioner has pulled out in front of me, totally oblivious to the fact that I even exist. Obviously, a hand full of the throttle on the Ducati or Harley often wakes most of them up, as does a bootful of 911Carrera, but the ones I can't stand are the silly old "Percy Sugden" type tw@s who seem to regard it as a challenge to slow everyone else down to their speed. And then there's the idiots who think that because their hatchback has a K&N filter it can outrun a Fireblade
Plus, I don't know what it's like where you peeps live but here in Harrogate, the retirement capital of Yorkshire, even cycling in and around town is fraught with danger, mainly due to the pimped-up motability scooters trying to outdrag each other

Liquid Knight......have you done Snetterton300? Much fun!! I took this

 

[SB1500]

It's "6 of 1 and half a dozen of the other" I'm afraid.
I've lost count of the times I've been driving or riding along minding my own when some bubblehead or myopic pensioner has pulled out in front of me, totally oblivious to the fact that I even exist. Obviously, a hand full of the throttle on the Ducati or Harley often wakes most of them up, as does a bootful of 911Carrera, but the ones I can't stand are the silly old "Percy Sugden" type tw@s who seem to regard it as a challenge to slow everyone else down to their speed. And then there's the idiots who think that because their hatchback has a K&N filter it can outrun a Fireblade
Plus, I don't know what it's like where you peeps live but here in Harrogate, the retirement capital of Yorkshire, even cycling in and around town is fraught with danger, mainly due to the pimped-up motability scooters trying to outdrag each other

Liquid Knight......have you done Snetterton300? Much fun!! I took this

If their speed is the speed limit, then I don't see the problem!

Though I do find it's the flash cars that tend to rush to the front and then happily sit there 5 or 10 mph below the limit.... and then they take it as an insult to their masculinity to see that even the Fiats / Corsas and small 'pensioner cars' end up passing them just to get on with their journey lol

 

[Parabolica]

If their speed is the speed limit, then I don't see the problem!
l

Neither do I but, on a cross country A road (60mph limit) bimbling along @ 35mph is not sensible and neither is failing to be aware of other road users, regardless of vehicle status

 

[SB1500]

Neither do I but, on a cross country A road (60mph limit) bimbling along @ 35mph is not sensible and neither is failing to be aware of other road users, regardless of vehicle status

That simply does not apply here in Northern Ireland. Our B-Roads / Country Roads really are still in a state of being very narrow, with abrupt turns... Though you can legally do 60mph on them you'd need to have a death wish to actually drive that fast.. picture driving 60 down here and meeting another car doing the same....

 

[portland_bill]

On a normal road we 'should' always drive so that we can stop in the distance we can see to be clear. On a single-track road, halve it. Be able to stop in half the distance you can see to be clear. The vehicle approaching needs the other half. If a collision is inevitable, be stopped before the other vehicle hits you. "He hit a parked car".

Also applies to overtakes. Can you complete the overtake in no more than half the distance ahead. Once committed, another vehicle coming into view will use the other half. That is why so many run out of space when overtaking.

 

[Parabolica]

That looks like a lovely area SB1500
Plenty of those roads around here too. Both these are 60's but common sense applies!!!

 

[Steve145]

https://www.google.fr/maps/@45.0417531,0.651292,767m/data=!3m1!1e3

There is a particular bit of road on the N21 that I enjoy very much. The road widens to two lanes at the bottom of the hill, just before the first corner. The highest speed the Alfa can safely (on a public road, with my family in the car) carry into the first bend is around 80km/h (road is a 90 limit), after the apex you can just put your foot down and accelerate up the hill, all the rest of the bends can be easily taken at 90.
It's a wonderful opportunity to pass a couple of BMWs or other flash motors, as they slow to 60 for the first bend, only to have them come flying past on the straight at the top of the hill, doing highly illegal speeds, right about where the local constabularly frequently site their radar.

Me, no, I was just minding my own buisness, respecting the speed limit.


So frustrating though when the "superior" cars are unable to remain in their lane and block your overtake, chronic oversteer at 70km/h, due no doubt to the massive power (I have been given this reason/excuse), or just chronically bad driving?


Once, approaching northern Paris from the A16, in the works van after a sudden downpour, I was astonished to see the embankments of the motorway littered with expensive German motorcars, mostly BMW and Audi. I do mean littered, my colleagues and I must have counted ten in only a few kilometres, and I do mean the embankments, some were many metres from the hard shoulder, perched high above the road. I can only assume that they hit standing water at speeds very unsuitable for the conditions, though our van, trundling along at the best 100km/h it could manage, wasn't perturbed in the slightest.