Audi drivers - the new swines of the road?

a_n_t

dilemna wrote:

You just prove my point, stupid as well :roll: .

au contraire

dilemna

lemoncurd wrote:

Fabian Cancellara drives an Audi Q7:

http://www.fabiancancellara.ch/ch/cance ... abian.html

I'm guessing he cycles a fair few miles each year.

What's a Q7? Is it the forerunner of Q8?

Pross

dilemna wrote:

a_n_t wrote:

Like I said, I drive an A4. Look forward to bouncing you off my bonnet some time soon.

[just to fit in with your sweeping generalisation of course] :roll:

I didn't expect anyone to admit that they met with my observations. You've scored a bit of an own goal chap. I guess there is always one though :roll: . You just prove my point, stupid as well :roll: .

Do you actually read what you write? So far you have said that a person who rides less than you can't have a valid opinion on the subject, in another thread you said that my own accident involving a car didn't count as I wasn't seriously injured. Could it be that you get more than your fair share of near misses, dangerous passes and accidents as you take your pro cycling / anti-motoring fundementalism onto the road and aggrevate motorists rather than trying to share the space with them in a reasonable manner? I think there's only one person on this thread scoring own goals and looking stupid. Rather than tell other people they ought to spend less time in cars and more on a bike perhaps it's actually you who need to try driving for a while to get a sense of perspective. Your rants if found by motorists do far more to support their cause than help with any cycling cause in much the same way as the likes of Adam Rayner do more damage to the motoring lobby than help them.

dilemna

Pross wrote:

dilemna wrote:

a_n_t wrote:

Like I said, I drive an A4. Look forward to bouncing you off my bonnet some time soon.

[just to fit in with your sweeping generalisation of course] :roll:

I didn't expect anyone to admit that they met with my observations. You've scored a bit of an own goal chap. I guess there is always one though :roll: . You just prove my point, stupid as well :roll: .

Do you actually read what you write? So far you have said that a person who rides less than you can't have a valid opinion on the subject, in another thread you said that my own accident involving a car didn't count as I wasn't seriously injured. Could it be that you get more than your fair share of near misses, dangerous passes and accidents as you take your pro cycling / anti-motoring fundementalism onto the road and aggrevate motorists rather than trying to share the space with them in a reasonable manner? I think there's only one person on this thread scoring own goals and looking stupid. Rather than tell other people they ought to spend less time in cars and more on a bike perhaps it's actually you who need to try driving for a while to get a sense of perspective. Your rants if found by motorists do far more to support their cause than help with any cycling cause in much the same way as the likes of Adam Rayner do more damage to the motoring lobby than help them.

You are a bigger ar$e than your friend Adam Rayner .

Peyote

Ha ha, I love these threads, always guarnateed to kick off!

For what it's worth I think there is something valid in stereotyping some drivers with the brands/vehicles they own. This is because cars have become so much more than just a way to get from A to B. They've become status symbols (hence all the screams of class envy, it's just jealousy etc...). As well (or as part of this) each brand has developed it's own identity and target audience. The marketing people have done a great job and manage to flog their products (as a general rule) to their target audience, hence we have boy racers in their souped up Saxos, old Gents in the Merc barges. It's got to the stage where Mondeoman is an accepted term, this is how far motor vehicles have pervaded our lives!

Slightly off tangent there, my point is sterotyping happens and I suspect is is based on a certain degree of accuracy. The problem is when exceptions to the rule (as we seem to have here) start to appear and claim they don't fulfil the stereotype. Which is fair enough. It doesn't mean that on the whole it isn't accurate though...

Anyways, back to the Audis. They used to be aspriational, like BMWs back in the day. Then the two respective companies started knocking out A3/A4s and 3 series as fleet vehicles. A kind of Vectra for the bluechip companies. Everyone got one and loads are now driven by tw*ts.

Roscoe_foley

Why are you guys having a pop at each other?

You cycle more miles Dilemna, so that makes you an expert on the subject? I believe everyone has a valid opinion on here.

Pross I see your point about stereotyping and that it does take all types to cause accidents.

Thing is, its not about make model or year of car. Its the person behind the wheel. Now if you're going to start pointing fingers at who is causing the accidents try the people driving it.

oh wait...I guess I've not posted over 100 messages yet...I can't comment just yet :roll:

Pross

Thing is, its not about make model or year of car. Its the person behind the wheel. Now if you're going to start pointing fingers at who is causing the accidents try the people driving it.

+1

This is the thing I find most strange about stereotyping car drivers. Very few people start out driving and Audi (or BMW or other makes listed here) so do they suddenly become bad drivers when they change to one of those cars?

For example my own car history is:-

Ford Escort
Ford Fiesta
Citroen ZX
Ford Escort
BMW Compact
BMW Compact
Audi A4
Mini Cooper

Now I'm pretty sure my driving didn't change when I moved to the BMW and it didn't get better when I went from the Audi to a Mini. Both BMWs were assigned to me with no choice, I opted for the Audi out of a choice of 3 and went for the Mini when my choice was not limited. I am now changing to a Golf (again no choice).

Peyote makes some interesting points but I think that if there is a case that Audi or BMW drivers are worse than others (which my own cycling experience doesn't suggest) then it is most likely to be more to do with the fact that the majority of these cars are fleet vehicles and the poor working practices many of the drivers have to work means that they are often in a rush to meet impossible schedules which can lead to bad driving habits such as excessive speed or dangerous passing of anything 'delaying' them (it could also lead to the frustration and aggression that they apparently show to cyclists). Likewise, 'white van man' is often under similar pressure and may behave in a similar way. So, if there really is a discrepancy between the number of incidents a particular make of car is involved in compared to the proportion of that vehicle in the total traffic it is more likely to be down to the type of driver than the type of car.

Ironically, Audi used to run an ad campaign about 15 years ago where they sterotyped the BMW driver and suggested the Audi was the alternative for more considerate drivers so I guess what comes around goes around!

jellybellywmb

:shock:

Not sure I beleive some of what I have just read!
Looks like I am an inconsiderate C*ck because I drive an Audi but cant have an opinion on cycling as I only ride 5-6000 miles a year.

I drive over 60,000 miles a year and have never had an accident or speeding ticket in 25 years of driving.

Car History

Mini
VW Polo
VW Golg GTI
VW Scirroco
Vauxhall Cavailier
Ford Focus
Renault Laguna
BMW 5 series (M5)
Porshe 911 Boxter
Audi TT
Audi A4 Avant


I am sure (or hope) many of the comments here are just written to get others to rise and arent a true reflection of people.

dilemna

jellybellywmb wrote:

:shock:

Not sure I beleive some of what I have just read!
Looks like I am an inconsiderate C*ck because I drive an Audi but cant have an opinion on cycling as I only ride 5-6000 miles a year.

I drive over 60,000 miles a year and have never had an accident or speeding ticket in 25 years of driving.

Could it be that you just haven't been caught :roll: ?

jellybellywmb wrote:

Car History

Mini
VW Polo
VW Golg GTI
VW Scirroco
Vauxhall Cavailier
Ford Focus
Renault Laguna
BMW 5 series (M5)
Porshe 911 Boxter
Audi TT
Audi A4 Avant


I am sure (or hope) many of the comments here are just written to get others to rise and arent a true reflection of people.

Obviously a petrol head .

If you drive as many miles each year as you claim then you spend pretty much most of your time sitting on your backside in your car. You more than likely DON'T cycle to work so just ride at weekends or when you can. Which leaves you based on 5,500 miles a year - to ride 105 miles a week or over a weekend if you can't during the week. Also during the winter the days are really short which means you may not ride so much if at all so you would have to ride 200+ miles over a weekend during the summer months if we allocate summer as 6 months march to september. This seems a VERY tall order given you likely ride very little during the winter season which is the key to maintaining good cycling fitness and being able to ride the sort of distances on single rides that you would have to do given your time constraints owing to the large amount fo time you spend driving. Are you a club rider or do you race?

fizz

Audi A6 Avant and Ford Maverick 4 x 4 owner here. I think I'm done for :shock:

Seen it from both sides, there are plenty of dumb ass cyclists who do stupid things as there are drivers of Audi's and 4 x 4's

christurbo

I drive a BMW and have had both BMW and Audi's in the past and I am very considerate to bike users.

Whats this stereotypical nonsense?

Do you also pigeonhole race?

jellybellywmb

dilemna wrote:

jellybellywmb wrote:

:shock:

Not sure I beleive some of what I have just read!
Looks like I am an inconsiderate C*ck because I drive an Audi but cant have an opinion on cycling as I only ride 5-6000 miles a year.

I drive over 60,000 miles a year and have never had an accident or speeding ticket in 25 years of driving.

Could it be that you just haven't been caught :roll: ?

jellybellywmb wrote:

Car History

Mini
VW Polo
VW Golg GTI
VW Scirroco
Vauxhall Cavailier
Ford Focus
Renault Laguna
BMW 5 series (M5)
Porshe 911 Boxter
Audi TT
Audi A4 Avant


I am sure (or hope) many of the comments here are just written to get others to rise and arent a true reflection of people.

Obviously a petrol head .

If you drive as many miles each year as you claim then you spend pretty much most of your time sitting on your backside in your car. You more than likely DON'T cycle to work so just ride at weekends or when you can. Which leaves you based on 5,500 miles a year - to ride 105 miles a week or over a weekend if you can't during the week. Also during the winter the days are really short which means you may not ride so much if at all so you would have to ride 200+ miles over a weekend during the summer months if we allocate summer as 6 months march to september. This seems a VERY tall order given you likely ride very little during the winter season which is the key to maintaining good cycling fitness and being able to ride the sort of distances on single rides that you would have to do given your time constraints owing to the large amount fo time you spend driving. Are you a club rider or do you race?

No again presumtions.
I drive carefully and within limits as my job is gone if i loose my licence and i dont feel it worth 60k a year to go 10mph over the limit, I project manage over the whole uk so yes spend much of my time sat on my fat arse to this end i have to be very strict to ensure when out of the car i exercise at every opportunity.
I ride in the week (winter/spring/summer/autumn) with long rides at weekends and a few 3-4 day tours in the holidays.
In the winter i will get out and ride at 5am with those shiny lights things on.
In spring, summer and early winter i carry my bike in the car and when staying away in hotels will go and ride the local area rather than sitting in the hotel bar bringing on a heart attack with all the other overweight reps
I am not a club rider and do not race, just keep fit and aviod getting fat because i sit on my arse all day!!!

Not a petrol head and would love a job where i could ride to work each day but alas that is noit the case

But alas until october I am an Audi driving C*ck!! until i change to a Alfa Romeo Driving D*ck

dilemna

jellybellywmb wrote:

dilemna wrote:

jellybellywmb wrote:

:shock:

Not sure I beleive some of what I have just read!
Looks like I am an inconsiderate C*ck because I drive an Audi but cant have an opinion on cycling as I only ride 5-6000 miles a year.

I drive over 60,000 miles a year and have never had an accident or speeding ticket in 25 years of driving.

Could it be that you just haven't been caught :roll: ?

jellybellywmb wrote:

Car History

Mini
VW Polo
VW Golg GTI
VW Scirroco
Vauxhall Cavailier
Ford Focus
Renault Laguna
BMW 5 series (M5)
Porshe 911 Boxter
Audi TT
Audi A4 Avant


I am sure (or hope) many of the comments here are just written to get others to rise and arent a true reflection of people.

Obviously a petrol head .

If you drive as many miles each year as you claim then you spend pretty much most of your time sitting on your backside in your car. You more than likely DON'T cycle to work so just ride at weekends or when you can. Which leaves you based on 5,500 miles a year - to ride 105 miles a week or over a weekend if you can't during the week. Also during the winter the days are really short which means you may not ride so much if at all so you would have to ride 200+ miles over a weekend during the summer months if we allocate summer as 6 months march to september. This seems a VERY tall order given you likely ride very little during the winter season which is the key to maintaining good cycling fitness and being able to ride the sort of distances on single rides that you would have to do given your time constraints owing to the large amount fo time you spend driving. Are you a club rider or do you race?

No again presumtions.
I drive carefully and within limits as my job is gone if i loose my licence and i dont feel it worth 60k a year to go 10mph over the limit, I project manage over the whole uk so yes spend much of my time sat on my fat ars* to this end i have to be very strict to ensure when out of the car i exercise at every opportunity.
I ride in the week (winter/spring/summer/autumn) with long rides at weekends and a few 3-4 day tours in the holidays.
In the winter i will get out and ride at 5am with those shiny lights things on.
In spring, summer and early winter i carry my bike in the car and when staying away in hotels will go and ride the local area rather than sitting in the hotel bar bringing on a heart attack with all the other overweight reps
I am not a club rider and do not race, just keep fit and aviod getting fat because i sit on my ars* all day!!!

Not a petrol head and would love a job where i could ride to work each day but alas that is noit the case

But alas until october I am an Audi driving C*ck!! until i change to a Alfa Romeo Driving D*ck

I need to tell you something about Alfa Romeo drivers but you already know .

Your committment is admirable.

Wheelie Bin

I've said it before... polarising this sort of debate to 'cars vs bikes' is simplistic and gives each the opportunity to prove the other wrong. In reality most of us both drive and ride - and in whichever situation we find ourselves we are always right!

Maybe it should be about why men (in particular.. as I suspect we're generally the guilty party) have to take their testosterone out on to the road... whether on a bike or in a car. Small penis syndrome is my theory.

markyboy2005

Dilemna...your arguing logic and conclusions are quite entertaining, keep it up fella.

I hate to tell you, I drive a Land Rover with a dirty big Petrol Engine, never been done for speeding (even when I had my Audi), always give loads of space and respect to other road users, take care of injured fluffy bunnies and am a general all round nice guy.....


.....having said all of that, I think I will break my mould and state for the record, I think you are quite mental.

Pross

Looks like I am switching to an Alfa rather than a Golf now, will my driving improve as a result?

markyboy2005

Pross wrote:

Looks like I am switching to an Alfa rather than a Golf now, will my driving improve as a result?

Pross, do try to keep up will you.

You are an old git judging by your picture, this will offset the improvement you could expect from switching to Golf from Alfa, throw in your low annual mileage and suspect post count and I'd say you will probably be at about 80% lees competent on the roads

I have summarised my work (Based on the theory of Dilemna) in the below formula....

Quality of driving = (Car owned/previous car*0.85*cycle mileage per year/number of posts*number of previous arguments with Dilemna/current air humidity)*another number = 80% based on your criteria.

Pross

Damn - I'll cancel my order and get one of these new Porsche hybrids instead, surely I'll be safe then?

rolf_f

lemoncurd wrote:

Fabian Cancellara drives an Audi Q7:

http://www.fabiancancellara.ch/ch/cance ... abian.html

I'm guessing he cycles a fair few miles each year.

Oh dear. It is a well known truth that no nice person ever bought an Audi Q7 (Europes Hummer).

As it happens, the only stereotype I ever noticed about BMW saloon drivers was that they seem to be more considerate than most. Possibly I was just expecting them to be gits and therefore was more aware when they weren't!

What does seem to be more (in my experience) a genuine trend than a sweeping generalisation is luxury off roaders. Seemingly almost invariably driven either by gits or simple idiots (yes, I'm talking to you in the Range Rover Sport, VWPorsche Touregayenne, BMW X5 etc bleaghh) but either way, with little consideration for anyone else. But that wasn't a surprise.........

edwards99

In 1999 I was taken down by Vauxhall driver, a Vectra and then just before Christmas I was taken down by another Vauxhall driver in an Astra. Audis are basically driven by people who have a bit more money than Vauxhall drivers. They are still brain dead when they are behind the wheel. To prove my point last thursday I was dangerously close passed by yet another Audi A4 moton who gave me a one fingered salute for having the nerve to be cycling on the road.

Oh well maybe the drivers will have better luck next time,

desmosedici

Rick Chasey wrote:

The abuse my father gets in his mercedes would suggest otherwise.

They're so big and quiet you don't really realise you're doing 80 in a 30 and you've knocked 4 cyclists off.

+1.

When I got an S-Class Panzer after the accident I realised that type of car is deceptively fast. It doesn't divorce you from feeling the road, but the sensation of speed is very muted.

My excuse? I need a car big enough to put my crutches in, carry 2 boys, 1 dog, 2 cats and 3 bicycles that would still eat up the motorway miles in comfort.

To get back on topic, I've found BMW and Mercedes drivers to be the worst over here. Along with old ladies wearing a hat.

gary.hounsome

Is this dilemma guy for real? Seems his name must sum up his life..

Eskimo427

AUDI DRIVERS ARE COMPLETE AND UTTER ......................... (fill in the gaps) Here in Aberdeen the Audi is seen as a badge of honour and as so MOST people do drive them as though the road fund license is a receipt for the purchase of the roads. Most of the incidents I've had have usually involved an Audi, however I think that is because more people drive them than any other make.

Having read this thread from start to finish I think peoples opinions depend very much on where they live. I have when I drive back to England and visit family and friends I am more likely to find a Vectra (which is what I drive) or Mondeo attached to the back of the car rather than and Audi or BMW.

I think this thread is very much one of these where there is no right or wrong but what you have experienced.

andy162

jellybellywmb wrote:

:shock:

Not sure I beleive some of what I have just read!
Looks like I am an inconsiderate C*ck because I drive an Audi but cant have an opinion on cycling as I only ride 5-6000 miles a year.

I drive over 60,000 miles a year and have never had an accident or speeding ticket in 25 years of driving.

Car History

Mini
VW Polo
VW Golg GTI
VW Scirroco
Vauxhall Cavailier
Ford Focus
Renault Laguna
BMW 5 series (M5)
Porshe 911 Boxter
Audi TT
Audi A4 Avant


I am sure (or hope) many of the comments here are just written to get others to rise and arent a true reflection of people.

What's a Porshe 911 Boxter?

dilemna

Queuing in traffic goinf south on the M11 a few weeks ago I saw an Audi driver drive into the back of the Seat at .......... 15 mph

But then about 20 mins later the Seat was back along side me minus rear valence and dented boot lid. The two women occupants looked really pissed off. The traffic was murder. Eventually we reached the downward side of the Dartford Crossing, stop start in traffic, then another Audi (different car this time) drove into the the back of the Seat. This time I think it was game over for the Seat. Anyway didn't stick around to find out.

Then on a club ride this weekend Audi A6 close passes the group giving us lots of abuse and blowing the car horn. Audi drivers are generally c***s.

Anonymous

When I was on traffic I found the worst to be elderly drivers in mk2 nissan micras.

MattC59

re: all of dilemna's comments;
:roll:

alanf

The thing with stereotypes is they are normally based on the truth. I drive along the A14 to Cambridge every day, always Audi drivers going 90mph plus. Dont know where the old bill are but the sooner they put average speed cameras on all major roads the better, its the only thing that slows most of these sods down.

Aerozine50

EX DH wrote:

Vectra drivers round here.

I drive a vectra and will give any cyclist/horsey type plenty of space.

elmsallmissile

a_n_t wrote:

I've got an A4 avant. No one will give you more room than me!

Good man

You can't generalise completely although I have also noticed this phenomenum.