My experience with BMW folks contradicts the stereotype

[wdb]

Now that I think about this a bit more -- and now that I've driven the car more, because I don't really drive it that much -- I think I may be seeing a kind of 'reverse stereotype' effect taking place. What I mean is this: someone looks in their mirror or over at the traffic merging from the onramp, sees a BMW, and immediately thinks "there's one of those BMW douchebag snob a-holes", and acts based on that supposition. I know it happened in my STi, much more so before I ditched the rear wing; people just assumed I wanted to race, slew wildly past them at the slightest opportunity, or otherwise drive like an asshat. I think it happens when I'm in the Zed too, only they expect me to drive like I paid for the road out of my own pocket.

Speaking of stereotypes, I was following a farmer in his truck today as we came to a one-lane bridge. This bridge has really really long sight lines on each side and is usually a place where the gentlefolk give way to one another. Not today. Although the farm truck was clearly going to get to the bridge first, the blonde in the Navigator coming the opposite way was not going to give. The poor guy almost lost his load jamming on the brakes. As she went by I had to look; yep she was on her cell.

[ipso_facto]

Unfortunately the way we treat other drivers comes down to some self-defined prejudice.

I have witnessed poor driving from the driver of virtually every make and model of car, or type of vehicle (eg. van, truck, motor bike, bicycle). But in the same breath, I can also acknowledge that for every negative instance, I have seen a positive instance : I have witnessed courteous and respectful driving from this same superset of road users, in equal measure.

There really is no need at all, to consciously marginalize a subset of vehicle makes, models or types. As soon as we define this mental label eg. "van drivers are bad drivers" : typically the prejudice is tested, by some altruistic act. The prejudice is rightly tested, but in reality, probably not broken. We make a brief mental note, but then stay fast to the ill-formed preconception, founded perhaps, on just a small number of negative instances. Of course this applies to all aspects of life, not just while positioned behind the wheels of our cars.

We should all try to drive and approach other vehicles on the road, with a respect and courtesy that we would want to be treated ourselves.

If we all work together; indicate correctly, yield when we should, filter off and on to multi-lane roads in turn : we will all get to our end destination much quicker.

Don't let the emotion of your day, or negative interaction with a given driver, influence the way you drive that day.

I do not paint myself as whiter than white here. Prejudice is some natural part of the make-up of being human. I am simply saying that we should try very hard, to break this prejudicial behaviour. It ultimately results in negative driving habits, that only fuel the prejudice of others.

Just my 2 cents / 2 pennies contribution to this discussion. Thanks.

[NEFARIOUS]

Well for me, the bad driver stereotypes always tend to flip around, depending on what car I'm driving. Right now, my trend is towards the Hyundai/Kia and Honda/Acura (what's new, right?) group, but when I had my Toyota, it always gravitated towards Ford as being the D-bag drivers, and Bimmers and Benzes were comparatively rarer. Either way, it's an anecdotal statistic, so what I've said need not be taken seriously.

However, I personally try not to let what I drive get to my head. I may be proud of my car and love it as much as I do since day 1, but it doesn't grant me the license to drive like a jackass or carry myself as one, whether in the car or out, neither has the few encounters I've had in car meets and otherwise with other BMW drivers. Heck, even when I was down on my luck, a few forum members have actually donated when I even passively put up a GoFundMe page when I've run out of family and friends to seek help from while looking for work.

However, I think it's more so the fact that driving a luxury brand evokes a sensation of being affluent, even if your reality is far from it...

So, driving a 10 year old car still makes you a "rich snob", and I should magically always have money for the homeless, I could afford to stay at the Four Seasons instead of a seedy motel, and I can always pick up the tab when having dinner with my friends because my car can literally print money.

[wdb]

Originally Posted by NEFARIOUS

my car can literally print money.

Damn! I ran my VIN through the decoder and I didn't get that option.

[Aud Dr]

Originally Posted by wdb

Damn! I ran my VIN through the decoder and I didn't get that option.

Originally Posted by NEFARIOUS

my car can literally print money.

My car came with an option that literally takes my money. I thought it was standard.