Has the earth just moved on it's axis?

[jefmcg]

Before it became a meme, I had noticed that Audi drivers were replacing BMW drivers as the worst behaved towards to cyclists. It became such that if a well tuned or powerful vehicle passed me dangerously close, I expected to see interlocking rings on the back of the passing car.

But something has shifted in the universe, and it's scary. When a car behaves in an exemplary manner when interacting with me on the road, I give a big thumbs up. Quite a few times in the last few weeks (around south west London, Berkshire and Surrey), a following car has been very patient and earned the thumbs up, it's been an Audi! And yesterday, when a car waited behind me for 2 pinch points and then moved way over the centre line to keep away from me, I joked to myself "probably an Audi". Only it was!

This must be one of the signs of the apocalypse!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmzuRXLzqKk

 

[screenman]

Amongst my Audi owning friends there are a good percentages who ride bike, well.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I'll still never trust a black car with Christmas lights instead of side lights.

 

[I like Skol]

It still stands that BMW drivers are t0ss3rs! During the summer hols my youngest lad attended a 3 day British Cycling bikeability camp at the M/cr Velodrome. Day One and Mr latest reg BMW estate man turns up with matching brand new bike roofrack and a pair of what looks suspiciously like a brace of brand new Islabikes. Day two and the start time comes and goes, as I am driving out of the car park having arrived in good time with my precious cargo, who should turn up over 5 minutes late with his two offspring in the car but Mr BMW man! T0ss3r!

 

[LimeBurn]

And this makes him a t@ss3r because.....

It still stands that BMW drivers are t0ss3rs! During the summer hols my youngest lad attended a 3 day British Cycling bikeability camp at the M/cr Velodrome. Day One and Mr latest reg BMW estate man turns up with matching brand new bike roofrack and a pair of what looks suspiciously like a brace of brand new Islabikes. Day two and the start time comes and goes, as I am driving out of the car park having arrived in good time with my precious cargo, who should turn up over 5 minutes late with his two offspring in the car but Mr BMW man! T0ss3r!

 

[Monsieur]

I drive an audi myself.
We are (well I am anyway) a more refined, mature driver and, hence, respectful of all other road users (unless they drive a BMW)

 

[John the Monkey]

Although there are exceptions (there's an excellent driver I see now and then who has an Audi converible) they're still a heartsink car around here, along with new shape Minis, and BMW One Series (your car isn't that flippin' small, and it and I certainly can't fit through that pinch point at the same time).

 

[Venod]

What's the cycling equivalent of an Audi/BMW driver ?, I have seen some pretty wreckless cycling from Pinarello riders & those Specialized guys are a bit crazy.

 

[I like Skol]

And this makes him a t@ss3r because.....

OK, maybe I am jumping on the finger pointing, stereotyping bandwagon and what I have said is a bit tongue in cheek but, if I was asked on day one to pick out the parent that wouldn't be able to get there on time for two days on the trot, Mr BMW would have been high up the list.
To be fair I feel far more sympathy than hatred for him and his ilk, desperately trying to buy into an image with bags of cash (or credit?), having to get the 'now' must haves and once he has ticked off all the 21st century shopping list, hoping he belongs and fits in. I feel most sorry for his kids. Their bikes looked as though they had never been ridden since the day they left the showroom, I honestly wouldn't have been surprised if they had still had the tags on. I wonder when he last took his kids out for a ride?

Anyway, deep down I know not to judge a book by its cover and a stereotype is just that. Mr BMW is most likely just like the rest of us, struggling to balance work and family life while bringing up kids and paying the bills. It's just that in this case, for the brief time I spent in his company, Mr BMW conformed to the stereotype so well....

You seem a bit sensitive about this LimeBurn. You wouldn't happen to have a BMW and a couple of immaculate Islabikes sat next to your Pinarello in the double garage of your executive detached house would you?

 

[theclaud]

Although there are exceptions (there's an excellent driver I see now and then who has an Audi converible) they're still a heartsink car around here, along with new shape Minis, and BMW One Series (your car isn't that flippin' small, and it and I certainly can't fit through that pinch point at the same time).

This. Mini drivers are the pits.

 

[flyingfish]

We approached the gates of Hatfield house yesterday up the short but steep hill. Cars parked both sides of the narrow road. A bloody Audi 4x4 pulls out & just sits in the gap forcing 4 of us to stop & get off!

 

[w00hoo_kent]

My 'most likely' list is currently anything with an Audi badge and anything tiny and Japanese, generally Toyotas. Aygo's, Igos, Igors and the like. It just seems to be the way, if someone is going to drive like a tosser they are most likely going to be in one of those. (Or it's farking Swanley, then all bets are off.) There is the odd exception, but they just prove the rule :-)

 

[Gixxerman]

I tend to agree that in my experience, Audi drivers seem to have taken the mantle of cockwobbles from BMW drivers (and I'm not just saying that because I drive a BMW).
However, I firmly believe that 4x4 drivers are by far the worst.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Round here the speeders, red light jumpers, mobile users and tailgaters are mainly Audis and BMWs. They're followed by their young apprentices in Insignias and Astras.
The lowest part of the food chain is the little weenies in Mum's micro-mini on £10,000 insurance trying to be all growed up by tailgating everything in site with their mates squealing in the back. I tend to get these on the way home late on Monday nights because they're going to the Tesco's car park in Penistone and think that me in the Suzuki Swift is a fellow weenie to be impressed or raced.
Of course the king (or queen) of them all is the faux wheel drives round here. Unfortunately I'm an ex-BMW owner so when they play chicken I will always win.

 

[John the Monkey]

However, I firmly believe that 4x4 drivers are by far the worst.

Very mixed where I ride. There are a couple of X5 drivers who are great, a Range Rover with personalised plates that's very well driven, some Qashqai drivers are ok, and there's even a Nissan Juke out there in Heald Green that's driven very well, contrary to all my other experiences of that vehicle.

OTOH, there's a bloke in a Green Land Rover Defender that's a close passing psycho. Thankfully, his engine is in such a state that you can hear him coming. I dread the day he switches cars, or finally gets that expensive sounding squealing fixed.