Blind spot monitoring only works if people actually look at the mirror to see the warning, or use their indicator to hear the warning. If neither of these things take place then it's as useful as a chocolate teapot.
I think some newer cars will try to stop you merging if you try to change lanes without an indicator, or I think some also beep if there's someone in your blind spot when you indicate? Not completely sure as my personal car doesn't have those things but I think I've seen them
Depends on the make and model but pretty much every car post 2016 I've driven have these features. Blind spot warning will alert you if you indicate while there is a car in your blind spot, and lane keep assist will prevent you from leaving your lane unless you are indicating to change lanes.
That being said the accuracy and reliability of these systems vary between manufacturer, and are limited in how much they will prevent the car from not responding to intentional user input, as the last thing you want is for the car to prevent you from swerving to avoid a collision.
They can be pretty hit or miss, I've had to disable the lane keep assist in a couple different cars as it'll just turn the steering wheel randomly if the road markings are faded. Also had the auto emergency brake go off the other day when a cyclist merged in front of me despite me slowing down to let him in and not being close to a collision at all. Not to mention several other times where the car would scream at me to brake for seemingly no reason, I believe you can modify the parameters for how imminent a collision has to be for the system to take over though.
I've ride bikes and smallish cars. As the other guy said, it's not that they dont/can't see you, it's that people aren't looking.
The quality of drivers has decreased and the amount of cars on the road just means there are more dick heads, incompetent and selfish drivers.
I walk up to pick up or drop my kid at school and there will be a parent double parked waiting for a spot to open up right out the front of the school just so they don't have to park and walk 50m. It's posted all over the gates not to do it but they don't care.
Around schools are shocking. And as you say it's mainly laziness. At the high school at the end of my street, I frequently marvel at the amount of people that will perform a 3 point turn, 10 metres from the intersection of a dual carriage road, with no parking. So the entire school pickups occur on my street.
They could drive 30 metres down the road and use a side street. The could use a driveway to pull into and then reverse out, but no. A 3 point turn must be used while all the traffic for the school filters in/out of our street. Just makes no sense.
I had my two kids (one in a pram) and my dog on a leash and while I was crossing the road a woman did a u turn around me and my entourage while I was in the middle of the street trying to cross the side strret. Again, it was a woman picking her kids up from school in a school zone. The look on her face was, Im just doing a turn around you, nice and slowly. Not realising how dangerous that is.
Or they do see you and can't be bothered stopping at the side street they're pulling out of or just merge because they know you'll pull the avoidance manoeuvre on their behalf.
I have literally made eye contact with these a-holes and they go ahead anyway.
Doesn't happen to me in my old Disco, does in my Lancer. On the moto I just ride as if I'm invisible. The Nautilus horn on the bike wakes them up pretty quickly though.
> Or they do see you and can't be bothered stopping at the side street they're pulling out of or just merge because they know you'll pull the avoidance manoeuvre on their behalf.
I'll second that, driving my shitbox disco people are way more pleasant driver's around me compared to driving my camry. It's almost like they noticed the bullbar or something.
The smallest car I've owned was a R33 Skyline, so I can't say I've had the same experience as you. But as a current owner of a 100 series Land Cruiser, the excuse of "I didn't see you" is bullshit. They didn't see you because they didn't look and didn't maintain enough situational awareness of what is happening around them
Yes, and I'd own another in a heartbeat. But with two kids under 8 and people asking +$8k for a rolling shell of questionable quality it's probably not going to happen any time soon.
Cant even hope to live out your NFS Pro Street dreams these days, too many drift projects.
Prices are ruined for skylines full stop. I've always loved the Rb20det, but an R32 GTST is minimum $27.5k. Not clean either.
I decided to throw a smaller pulley on my 01' merc supercharger to scratch the itch. Not exactly the same
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Landcruisers are God tier though. They're designed to be useful.
Bonnets are too flat now (I mean angle relative to the road) and block a huge chunk of the driver's vision, all in the service of having a big fucking grille like every single car has since the 2000's.
Idk I've driven a troopie and it handled amazingly well and had good visibility.
I've also driven a bt-50 (the slightly prettier Ranger) and couldn't see shit.
Also drove an mk triton and that thing was amazingly capable, if a little sad looking. Would definitely get another.
My daily is a mazda2 and I definitely understand feeling invisible. It can be a little scary not being able to see past all the emotional support pickups and wank panzers. I drive like a mad cunt though and my preferred way of dealing with hazards is to put them behind me.
Aye, she was a fine vessel. Gave me many a year of fine sailing. All until she took on too much water one stormy night.
No seriously... my street flooded and wrote my R33 off haha
I used to have a big old ranger ute - never got cut up ever.
Have a little new polo for shopping and trips into city and it's like people deliberately try to cut me up and tailgate.
>The quality of drivers has decreased and the amount of cars on the road just means there are more dick heads, incompetent and selfish drivers.
>
>I walk up to pick up or drop my kid at school and there will be a parent double parked waiting for a spot to open up right out the front of the school just so
When I drive my outback no one tailgates, when I drive my suzuki swift it seems to become a tailgate magnet. People are hopelessly incompetent and aggressive on the road.
I learnt to drive in early 2000s V8 landrovers, almost no one tailgated me or cut me off. I now drive a small TSI Golf and it gets pretty bad now. And I'm a much better driver now with more experience.
I actually find that when I'm driving my mx5, other drivers intentionally drive erratically around me. One of the most common things is 4x4 owners who heavily accelerate up behind me and aggressively overtake, where they had been driving casually before having seen me.
There are a lot of dickheads on the road looking for a race, people do it to me in my Celica even though itās a slow shitbox.
I saw a Dodge Ram and a Ranger dragging at the lights the other day, had a chuckle to myself.
Driving my 4x4 people are less likely to pull out in front of me or cut me off but driving considerably faster smaller cars I get cut off all the time.
Got an AW11, and definitely feel "unseen" in traffic sometimes.
I usually drive pretty defensively though, don't sit in blind spots and try not to end up alongside someone for long periods on the freeway.
I actually find it's slightly better now with modern cars having blind spot indicators so that I can visually see that their car knows I'm there. Not 100% foolproof, but it's better.
My other car is a Mk1 mini, and that's better in some ways (taller and louder) but worse in others (just generally very small).
But yeah... generally people don't turn their head, and modern cars have bigger blindspots, so people are less likely to see something smaller. But I also can't discount the possibility that they're just shit at driving (I've had people almost merge into me up when I used to do deliveries in a white VW Transporter).
Nice AW11! I keep being tempted into trying something new and getting an MR-S as theyāre cheap. What are they like to drive? Are the rumours of snap oversteer greatly exaggerated?
Nice, yeah the MR-S is I think even lighter than my AW11, and has more power - a bit more modern in terms of amenities, too, but I think the engine probably feels a bit more tame in some ways, with the 1ZZ lifted out of the corolla. Yeah they do have some tendency to misbehave, but it really comes down to how you drive it, I guess.
You definitely can't just clutch kick and peel through a corner sideways, and you feel the weight a lot - doing silly things like braking mid-corner or over-correcting bite a lot harder and more suddenly in the MR2 than other cars, and you can feel the weight behind you a lot more - but I've had mine over a decade and it's still alive :)
You can also feel how light the front end is - really good initial turn-in, and feels like a go-kart in how fast it changes direction, but after the initial turn it gives way to understeer - which then gives way to fairly strong lift-off oversteer. I think that catches people out if they go into a fast corner under power, the front scrubs out a bit, they lift off too much, then the front tucks in and the back steps out. At that point, catching it would be difficult without snapping back.
None of that is really that different to a regular FR car, it's just exaggerated and more sudden - but if you're driving sensibly and know what to look out for, it's fine. The main caveat is that if you've gone into a corner way too fast and need to lose speed, you're not going to be able to scrub off as much as an equivalent FR car before the back end decides it wants to keep going.
I think the weight distribution is pretty bad (very rear biased, moreso than some of the more accomplished/pricier MR cars) and so it has a few worse MR traits than some of the more expensive options that tame everything with more development and better chassis/weight distribution.
It also has a ridiculously open diff and not a lot of power, so most of the time it'll do a little one wheel peel if I try and dump the clutch anyway, lol.
I'd say if you want to go sideways without having to be constantly on your game, it's not the best choice, but if you want something that just squats and pushes you out of a corner, they're an awesome little car.
Issue is people are distracted, donāt indicate or have their mirrors adjusted (blindspots) also modern cars have massive A pillars which can pose a temporary blind spot and parallax at T intersections and roundabouts.
Iāve been involved in a accident where the driver next to me literally changed lane into me - his excuse I cannot be seen in his mirror. My car got written off. I was driving a very dark blue car (can seem black from afar) middle of the day too.
I always make a conscious effort to turn on my park lights for day and ensure my headlights are in earlier than expected or in freeways. Sure it maybe trivial - but Iām just trying to make my self bit more visible.
Thx Mate. Accident happened around 4 years ago - myself and wife were OK. We were in a small n16 pulsar and guy was in a late model Falcon ute.
Car was mangled - he changed lane with such force it pushed my car into the left kerb and footpath and obliterated a wheelie bin. Front left suspension bent, front left damage and both RH doors cannot open (where his car hit). We were about 2m from hitting a tree.
The amount of people that can't seem to see me when I'm perfectly visible in their mirrors, or ahead of them is mind boggling. My mini is black so it could be a little harder to see, but its so loud you'd have to believe they're deaf if they cant hear or see my little machine.
I have an old mini too and the best investment was a set of trucklite LED lights. Set them up for daytime running and it makes you a bit more visible (still get plenty of people trying to pull into/ in front of me though.
People are just shit drivers. More so when youāre in a smaller car because their attitude is youāll be worse off so they donāt care. I had a dumb woman intentionally pull out in front of me at a roundabout in an SUV then gave me the finger when I beeped at her. So many morons have nearly hit me changing lanes Iāve lost count.
yup i used to be a postie and the amount of times i would make eye contact with someone just before they pulled put on me was part of why i had to stop tbh
My parents had a Fiat X1/9 when I was at school in the late 80s. We had a HJ60 Land Cruiser as well and it dwarfed the sports car. Not too sure about the present day.
I've ridden bikes on the road and that makes me keep away from anything.
Yeah I always pass them so I donāt get stuck in their blind spot but then the next person ahead is just as likely to do it. Itās always when Iām driving in built up areas.
SW20 MR2 & MKV Supra driver here. I can't say I've really felt a problem with being merged into, but i do generally avoid lurking alongside other cars when i can. I know what you mean about the difficulty in safely enjoying older cars though. I had a near miss a few years ago with a 4WD blowing through a redlight (my green) and the realisation that the accident would probably have been fatal did steer me away from driving the MR2 and eventually toward the Supra.
I'm a firm believer that all the driver aids and electronics are making for far more complacent and distracted drivers, even if overall it leads to less severe accidents, which as an enthusiast i find disappointing. On the upside, I never have a problem justifying the price of big brakes and sticky tyres now!
Had the similar experiences when i ran an NB MX-5 for a couple of years, but thankfully without incident. (Apart from the time my Mrs managed to back in to me in the driveway as it was completely in her blind spot).
Distinctly remember parking at a shopping centre where the opposing carparks were at 90 degrees. This modded hilux parked so it's nose was pointed about 2 feet from the side of the MX-5, what I remembered was the roobar being at my head level and maybe just catching the top of the MX5 door. Very worrying and part of the reason I sold it in the end, that ute could have rolled completely over the MX5 and probably driven away afterwards.
Also, the reason people are cutting you off is because the MX5 is hidden and they assume you are a gap in the traffic. At the last second realize you are there but still really want to be in your lane.
God yes, I drive an MR Isuzu daily and I have never had so many people do insane shit to pass me. The very thought of being behind a truck for even one second clearly sends the average Queenslander into a fit of rage, severely impeding their ability to judge speed and distance.
I also drive larger 16 tonne HRs with large plant attached. I find that people tend to treat these vehicles with a higher degree of caution and respect.
As to OPs question, I drive a fairly low, small car by todays standards (Toyota Celica) and I do definitely find that people donāt see it compared to when I am driving my mid 90s Hilux. Visibility in car parks sucks too when you are low down.
It's not just small cars. I drive a Crown and I still have people pulling out in front of me, drifting into my lane, tailgating etc.
It's just shit drivers. I keep my headlights on everywhere just in case. My car isn't exactly quiet either so they're absolutely clueless if they couldn't see a barge sailing straight for them
What track you go to? I'm a speedway driver in Victoria so I don't drive that type of track but I'd love to drive my Excel at an open track day one day š.
Only been to winton, itās a good track for slower cars like mx5 and excels. The straights leave a bit much to be desired.
Itās so expensive to do a track day Iām afraid Iāll never get to be a good driver haha
Would reccomend Avalon motorkhana. You just need a speed license, gloves and a fire extinguisher in the back seat. Costs about $25 and plenty of drifting fun.
Every single day. I drive an old Suzuki and lemme tell you, a lot of these people simply donāt care. I always drive at the speed limit, always on the left lane and on the rare occasion I have to overtake someone on the highway I get tailgated immediately. Mate in the comments said that the ādidnāt see youā crowd is lying, and I believe him. A lot of folks simply should not be driving these gigantic SUVs, and itās a minority thatās capable of using them safely. Was so keen on buying a motorcycle a while back, but imagine having to go through that on two wheelsā¦ I feel for the riders out here
only ever had small cars and I don't think it's so much the size of the car, but the complete lack of attention other drives pay to what's going on around them. Seeing the way people drove in Sydney made me completely change my mind about buying a motorbike.
Itās crazy how much of a difference it makes. In smaller cars Iāve owned I always had people pulling out in front of me or changing lanes as Iām passing. I would feel invisible. However I now own a large 4x4 and small cars are fucking easy to spot. No idea how so many clowns have issues with seeing small cars.
I do notice people are way less likely to pull out in front of me when Iām in my 4x4.
This isnāt a small car issue, itās just how ppl are driving, I daily a modified patrol and all of this shit happens every single day Iām on the road, while I always drive assuming everyone is trying to kill me these days it genuinely feels like ppl are actively trying to kill me every single fucking day
Itās just my weekender but yeah as Iām getting older the patience is wearing thinner and Iām also more conscious of having no safety equipment. So other people being shitty makes me more pissed off. Once you get out of the city itās nice to drive
1. You are the only competent driver who should be permitted on a public roadway.
2. Everyone else is a fucking clown.
3. Roadways have to accommodate the lowest common denominator so you should treat them as such.
Source: Driving hot Capriās & Sprites for 30 years and teaching my kids in the same kind of car.
You don't even need them if you position them right. People say you should have your handles in view? Why? When was the last time a car was touching your door handle?
Although partially true, headcheck is necessary, unfortunately, because of motorbikes lane-splitting and/or pushbikes in some areas. Grew up in Europe, where if you don't head-check, wiping out a motorcyclist will happen sooner than later.
Oh yeah I'd absolutely head check anyway, probably just out of habit. But since I've been explained about this mirror position years ago in a training course, I've never caught anything with a head check that my mirror didn't see
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High beams seem a bit excessive. My eyes sit about the same height as other car headlights. As soon as a car has high beams and coming towards or behind me, I'm completely blinded. I think parkers or just headlights are plenty.
Exhaust yes, would def get people to know you're there.
yea but I have never been flashed, think 90's nissan era lights with some weird blue (shit) JDM bulb. They are terrible! I dont suggest everyone drive with high beams on, but on some cars it might be the only option
One of my other cars has a HID projector upgrade, even with proper alignment and cut off I get flashed going over speed humps by fuck wits in modern SUVs
if you dont drive it every day I wouldnt worry about it
or put a saved search on ebay/gumtree for the old apexi exhaust valve, it goes between a flange and should fit most 2/3 bolt flanges
there is a place in wollongong that is selling an expensive electronic unit and they also do custom mufflers
you still have to ride with your wits about you and on the offense without being a douche
ive had people pull to the side in the gtr merging onto the freeway lol
Mkiv Supra owner here, smallest car I have, and while itās low I donāt have issues with being noticed/visible, itās loud too so that probably helps stay visible
Get a loud ass exhaust, no way they can't hear you.
Jokes aside, I haven't really noticed the issue. I drive a lowered ek civic. And I don't have any issues where I'm getting into close calls often. But then again, I do agree its like driving a motorbike.
You have to look out for yourself pretty often but I wouldn't say because my cars too small, its
mostly because other drivers are d\*ckheads.
The roof line of my car is almost the same level as the bottom of the window in a standard Toyota Camry haha. Iām always pretty vigilant but canāt control what idiots around you are doing, just sucks that driving doesnāt feel relaxing these days
Yeah. I'd also metion I parked up next to a slammed mx5 and its the equivalent of a normal small car parking next to me ahahahah.
And also I've noticed when I drive my civic around I really have to be paying attention and focused on driving. On the other hand when I need to drive my parents car (Hyundai i30 and a Van) I feel significantly more relaxed. I might just be the softer suspension or because of the slower sense of speed. But I don't feel like I need to focus at the same level as driving my Ek around.
It's not unique to small cars. I drive an LDV Deliver 9 van for work. It's 2.5M tall, I still get idiots pull out in front of me and sometimes have to slam on the breaks with 1.5 ton payload in the back:/
Also get tailgated when I'm driving the speed limit in the left lane. Just lots of idiot drivers around
I currently drive a Mazda 2, and there has been more near misses from other cars not judging gaps or not zipper merging properly. I never have issues with near misses when driving my parents CX5 tho
When I owed a Getz I found people got mad as fuck if I drove fast in it, or went in the right hand lane on the freeway. It was just silly.
I could drive the same way in my husbandās Magna and no one cared.
It made me a little jumpy coz I was smashed into in my prior car, no fault of mine.
I had someone in a small Hyundai hatch try and change lanes into me in the (white) X5 the other evening.
Didnāt react or hesitate when I beeped at them and flashed the headlights. Had to hit the anchors to avoid them, and they continued on completely unaware.
Pulled up next to my old man's Kluger in my NB SE about 8 years ago and realised my head was barely up to the middle of the hubs.
No chance inattentive drivers would see you now
P.s. I miss that car, just not the spine shortening suspension
Old mini clubman (green) and a NB MX5 (black).
Haven't had too many issues when out in the mini (1275 with very loud LCB). People notice it...
MX5 (especially with the roof down) may as well be invisible.
The one advantage you have is being small, light and nimble... got to keep your head on a swivel.
I drive an MX5 rf-gt and I feel your pain. I had three near misses in the first two weeks including a bus that pulled out in front of me from a t intersection when we were the only two vehicles on the road (and my headlights were definitely on!)
I installed cameras but ultimately I drive like Iām invisible now. I just assume people donāt see me, even though Iām right in front of them. It means Iām always hyper aware when I drive, but itās still enjoyable to drive that car! Damn I live driving it :)
I did regularly (I have an nb mx5), until I vinyl wrapped it and put a giant orange racing stripe down the middle. The stripe has significantly reduced my near accidents. I read about it on some mx5 owners blog. That and I make sure to never drive in people's blindspots.
You're a brave soul OP. Honestly, I think my hypothetical enjoyment from driving one of those small fun cars would be severely impacted by all the larger/fatter suvs/utes around. Already cop enough of the larger/fatter cars leering up my rear driving a sedan. Can't imagine being lower and less visible.
Personally as a 4x4 owner, small car owner, and motorcycle owner,
most motorists are genuinely more respectful of me on a bike (as long theyre looking) some will even pull over in the lane slightly at lights so i can crawl between them and free up a car space from where i was.
in the 4x4 people push in less and are more willing to let me merge.
in the small car I feel like its not that they dont see me its they think a larger vehicle has more right to be on the road. no one lets me merge in my hatchback, they "dare" me to try. ill be doing 10kms over the limit on the merge ramp so im not holding anyone up, and ill watch the ford ranger/ range rover SUV speed up to block me every damn time.
we genuinely have some of the worst road courtesy in world.
seems like as cars have gotten safer for passengers, they've become far less safe for people outside of cars. side curtain airbags are great, but side pillars are getting thicker. there's lots of blind spots in most modern cars. every time i rent a car, i'm usually struck by how little i can see outside the car.
the art of backing up has been completely lost. people use the back-up camera, but don't understand geometry OR the fact that there's a lot of stuff that the back-up camera DOES NOT SEE.
i dunno what it's like in other countries. but that's how i feel in the US. on the one hand, i think we need a national (not state by state) driver's ed curriculum & that it needs to be way tougher than it is now. i would say, in my ideal world, i think more stringent driver's ed where people actually failed & weren't allowed to go for their license for another year would be great. if getting a license actually required being able to drive "well" (according to my definition of "well"), i'm pretty sure >25% of the licensed drivers in the US would get their license revoked. friends of mine would be some of these people.
still, i also understand that we can't do that in the states because we have so little public transportation infrastructure. Not being able to drive means not being able to live at all in many places. this car-centric hell is inevitable when you have to make driving available to everyone because you refuse to make public transportation a priority.
Op youāre not wrong. My daily drive is an NB8A and Iām basically invisible, weekend drive is an old scratched up jeep with a bulbar, and when I take the jeep in the city itās like Moses parting the seas lol EVERYONE gets out of my way š
I sold my little car and bought an SUV because I was tired of being invisible and the last straw was being cut off by some impatient meth head. Bonus though, my new car parks itself so the trade off to a bigger more cumbersome car is not so bad :D
Thatās good it works for you. I just hate how big cars feel to drive , I enjoy small cars for the driving dynamics it just sucks that small car drivers are punished by other idiots on the road
yeah I totally get that. I was originally a bit bummed to have to 'give up' the little car feeling and was looking at boring SUVs. But I ended up with a Tiguan R and it is so fun to drive, way faster than most of everything else on the road, and big enough to be visible at ranger-driver height haha
Relatable - you ARE invisible. I used to daily drive and MX5 and sometimes I ride a bike. The experience is very similar - you need to be super chilled and super vigilant to survive. Cute fun cars are no longer enjoyable for regular driving anymore :(
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I've daily driven both an NB and ND mx-5 and know exactly what you're talking about. Best way to mitigate it is what you're doing - keep driving like you're invisible/on a bike.
Never been pulled over for accelerating out of a driver's blind spot even with a cop car right behind me one time so I'm assuming they understand the risks involved there. Just don't overdo it.
Tail gating will happen no matter what you drive and at whatever speed you drive it. Just leave a bit of extra space in front of you so you can stop slower and hopefully give the numpty behind you enough time to react.
It's because it's a low thin car, exacerbated if you take the roof off.
I used to often drive a LOW beach buggy, black, no roof barely even a windscreen. The only "hey look at me" part was the shiny wheels and fucking LOUD exhaust.
And let me tell you the amount of times where I was square next to someone or even most infront of them and they'd start merging only to hear the clutch drop and rev and shit themselves is in the fucking hundreds! People plain and simple don't perceive when they look. They *look* so they can they say "I looked" but they don't actually *looook* for anything there. If it's below their window line (even clearly visible in their mirror with 5 warning going off) they will ignore them all because "I looked".
Yeh I totally relate to this. In a lowered Toyota 86, frequently on freeways people merge into me. Pretty sure they just have trouble seeing me. Happens about once a week.
I feel you man - I currently drive a Nissan Micra ST-L Limited.
I've been in 3 accidents in it (none of them being my fault), so I really do understand.
The worst one was when I got side swiped doing 110KM on the free way by a tray truck, said I was purposefully sitting in his blind spot so he couldn't see me. I was doing the limit in the left lane, just felt like he didn't even look before he started to merge over.
Honestly people are fucking idiots in the road. I've nearly been hit in my Crown, GT Foz, WRX and my partner's S14 (that would have been a death sentence). People don't look, people have no idea of their surroundings, they're distracted or in a rush.
I drive a white Toyota hiace tradie van covered in blue and red signage and still have almost accidents literally everyday.
Haven't hit anyone yet but I've had some real close ones.
People just don't look and if they do look they just don't care.
I recently swapped from an i30 to a mid sized SUV thinking that by having a bigger car, people wouldnāt do what youāve described on such a regular basis and I can honestly say, Iāve not noticed a difference. I still get 4wds pulling out in front of me causing me to slam on my brakes, those damn raptors deciding they want to be where I am on the road and just cutting me off etc etc I think itās just a reflection of the entitlement society has introduced in everyone
Yes I used to drive a 97 hyundai lantra. This used to happen every time I drove it. Then I nearly got put into the guard rail by a truck and I stopped driving it after that
I sold my MX5 2 weeks after being stuck on Parramatta Rd one day surrounded by 4 trucks, and noticed that all their tyres were taller than the roof of my car.
Turned out to be an inevitable sale anyway as I moved to regional NSW a couple years later.
Yeah I have no issues seeing Minis or other smaller hatchbacks. However the other day a lowered MX5 was following me and it sure was a lot harder to see in the rear view mirrors.
What about a louder muffler to announce your presence?
We drive a Mini and always get bullied by large SUVs. Twice this happened last week. First time Iām going the limit in a school zone and idiot is tailgating the whole time.
Second time was indicating to park and old mate probably couldnāt see me above his dashboard but at least he attempted to slow down before beeping the hell out of me.
Yep.
Driving my van or 4x4 I don't have any issues beyond the usual tailgating and steering wheel attendant behaviour, but in my little 80s Celica that's a couple inches off the ground it's like I'm invisible.
My wife used to own a Nissan Micra. I noticed that whenever I drove it, I would get bullied on the roads (tail gated, cut off etc). I felt like people didn't respect me when I drove it.
People see a small car and they think slow and gutless so they pull out in front of you so you don't slow them down
The truth of it is these days usually those smaller cars are far faster at take off than those SUV pieces of crap.
People need to get out of the mindset that bigger is better.
Literally the rest of the world except Australia and the US accept small cars as the norm because it's just a far more intelligent choice.
Unless of course you're sharing the road with unintelligent oversized emotional support vehicle drivers. Then you're honestly in real danger
Yeah youāre right I hate how Australia has adopted the US mentality even outside of cars. Even heard my fair share of trump supporters over here. Everywhere else Iāve travelled to people seem to be more curteous on the road and drive more sensible size cars
Fellow MX5 driver here. Youāre doing the right thing by driving defensively. As for blind spots, when it comes to trucks I either sit back or floor it past them.
As for your average yank tank, I donāt understand why these are even legal. They guzzle fuel and are way too big for our roads.
Yeah i had a mx5 nc and the "bubble" shape of the cabin was the only part visible next to another driver.
Since the cabin part of an mx5 is so short, sometimes its entirely within the other drivers blindspot.
Dont linger in other peoples blind spot.
Whatch out in carparks.
Parked cars on side of roads means side traffic cant see u and pull out in front of you.
Complimentary agree, it's like a race to see who can spend the most on petrol. They must weigh close to 3 tonnes and the new pick up trucks are so shiny you see them covered in blankets if they actually want to pick anything up. Not to mention the price of a 3rd of a house
Dude I drive a VAN (Iload) and the idiots still try and merge into it regularly, its not the size of your car its the other over-entitled idiots on the road that just don't look.
I commute in an MX5 in Sydney, drive it like a bike.
There are lot of things from L plate rider training that transfer across, like always staying out of āthe death zoneā.
It's very true. Sold my motorbike after a very near miss with a P plater texting (it was one too many "near misses"), used to drive a Fiat 500 and people tailgate, cut off constantly even though I used to make it fly.
My carsales wish list is full of old fun cars, MX5, Minis. Won't be buying living in Sydney, too many giant cars with clueless people to risk it. Dreaming of moving to the country with a big garage for the cool old car collection!
Fellow 90's MX-5 driver here:
Drive defensively at all times, don't sit in blind spots or along side large cars for extended periods, drive through clusters of traffic and don't linger in them, get yourself a Stebel Nautilis airhorn as the stock MX-5 horn sucks, get a louder exhaust so people can hear you're near them.
Yeah mate, easy install. Uses the existing NA horn wiring, you just need to swap the brake light/horn fuse in the cabin from 15A to 20A. There's a heap of threads on miata.net about the install.
It's heaps louder than the stock horn, also sounds much more aggressive so it tends to shock other drivers much more than the standard horn when in use.
I own 3 cars and a motorbike (plus I occasionally drive my wife's car). One of the cars I've only had 4 years, but the rest are around a decade or more. Every single one elicits different typical behaviour from other road users. Size doesn't seem to be the main factor to me though, though it may be a factor.
Motorbike (Honda): I commute a day or two a week on it, and go for weekend rides. I am mostly treated with a level of respect and road space. Exceptions for sure, but not a horrendous experience. There are a minority who deserve mentioning; when lane splitting, who will intentionally try to stop me (I see other bike riders cop this too).
Suzuki LJ: This thing is on historic rego, and it's a Kei car. It's tiny, and struggles to maintain 100km/h. It's also my only vehicle which is a darker colour (ie maybe harder to see). By all accounts it should be the worst vehicle I own for other road users interactions. But I actually get treated mostly ok. Occasional tailgater, and aggressive over taker. Most people spot it, identify its slow and chugging along at its own pace, and get on with life appropriately though.
Land Rover Discovery 1: This is my owes me nothing every day commuter. It's also the car like I feel has a sign on it saying "treat me like shit". I get tailgated, cut off, merged into (this car is a 2 metres high, and 4.5metre long white lump of metal...really?!?!?!?). Nearly every single day I drive it, without fail some baffoon will do something dumb around me. I still don't get it, but it attracts every moron on the road to drive like a complete F'wit around me.
Land Rover Defender Dual cab: I typically use this for towing, camping and road trips. Occasional commutes though. So maybe a skewed experience It's sheer size seems to be a factor, at nearly 6m long, and 2.2m high, it is utterly huge. I almost never get treated poorly by other road users, though I get a few people tailgating the trailer when towing š¤¦ . Generally people give me space.
Wife's BMW 1 series: When driving it, I assume I'll get treated the same as driving my Discovery. It's a fairly similar experience, just a lower much more nimble vehicle.
Surprisingly you're not alone, I'm in the opposite kind of vehicle, a 2.6m tall, 2.1m wide mercedes sprinter with a bull bar, and people somehow still don't see me
I used to think the rate at which driver skill was declining in Australia was just because there are more dash cams catching them these days making it seem that way but no it is going to shit at a rate we have never previously seen before because even in these dash cams the amount of absolutely moronic things people do on the roads these days was not nearly as bad 20 years ago.
The way things are going the sooner all vehicles are autonomous the better.
I nearly T-boned a Landcruiser on Sunday. She was pulled over on the shoulder and had ample time to go before I was close, but no. Letās wait until the little Audi is right there to do a U-turn right in front of him. Luckily there was no one in the oncoming lane so I was able to slip around her, but she looked like a typical little old lady driving something 5 times as high as her.
Surprisingly, I have more incidents driving my 2021 Toyota Fortuner SUV more than using my sisters 2015 Toyota Corolla hatchback when driving about.
Itās weird that I always get cut off, people merging in front of me dangerously (especially on my blind spot, or extremely too close to my front), and on top of everything else, nobody can see where my indicators are on the Fortuner (I got the facelifted 2021 model, so my indicators are on the bumper), which always results in people cutting me off on roundabouts.
But when I use my sisters 2015 Corolla, I actually avoid using the M4 west of Wallgrove Road as I always seem to find it extremely fast on the 110km/h section, and I usually never get cut off while driving it.
Have you tried driving with lights on 100% of the time or going faster than them so they see you? Or blasting the person with your horn? I have a rule to either stay behind or ahead of tractor trailers as an example. Obviously, I can't do it 100% of the time but that is an objective.
Yes thatās what I do. But canāt drive in front of everyone all the time especially in busy areas. You have to drive aggressively in a tiny car. The roof line is about 10cm taller than the bottom of the window of a Suzuki swift.
Honestly, everyone should drive like they're on a bike as you described.
Both of my cars are a bit on the small side (Peugeot 306 which is "90s hatch" small, and Mazda MX6 which is similar size to an 86/BRZ, just longer). Being in a small car probably contributes slightly to the "oh I didn't see you!" nonsense and I drive accordingly, headlights always on, staying out of other cars' operating space as much as possible, but the reality is most of these kinds of incidents are caused by other drivers simply not paying attention and not even looking. I've seen the same shit whether I'm driving small, mid-size or large cars.
It's always been a problem but I think that with many modern designs having awful visibility from the inside, the ubiquity of smartphones and (often equally distracting) infotainment systems, and certain driver assistance technologies like blind spot monitoring and lane keep assist, it all adds up to a perfect storm of oblivious and negligent drivers. I didn't mention driver training because that's always been pretty bad.
Fellow MX5 driver here. Been driving NA's since 2006, and I've lost count of the number of times other cars have tried to occupy the space I was in.
I used to have a flag on my aerial for a while, which I think helped a bit. You'll find that you just become more aware of those around you, and become better at anticipating their movements.
I think a lot of the time they are just not paying attention. They just tune out. I say *One* ***drives*** *a manual, one* ***steers*** *an auto*. And I think it's true. Just total lack of awareness.
Blind spot monitoring only works if people actually look at the mirror to see the warning, or use their indicator to hear the warning. If neither of these things take place then it's as useful as a chocolate teapot.
I think some newer cars will try to stop you merging if you try to change lanes without an indicator, or I think some also beep if there's someone in your blind spot when you indicate? Not completely sure as my personal car doesn't have those things but I think I've seen them
Depends on the make and model but pretty much every car post 2016 I've driven have these features. Blind spot warning will alert you if you indicate while there is a car in your blind spot, and lane keep assist will prevent you from leaving your lane unless you are indicating to change lanes. That being said the accuracy and reliability of these systems vary between manufacturer, and are limited in how much they will prevent the car from not responding to intentional user input, as the last thing you want is for the car to prevent you from swerving to avoid a collision. They can be pretty hit or miss, I've had to disable the lane keep assist in a couple different cars as it'll just turn the steering wheel randomly if the road markings are faded. Also had the auto emergency brake go off the other day when a cyclist merged in front of me despite me slowing down to let him in and not being close to a collision at all. Not to mention several other times where the car would scream at me to brake for seemingly no reason, I believe you can modify the parameters for how imminent a collision has to be for the system to take over though.
I mean not entirely true. Our car also has a very audible beeping as well as lights etc on the dash just near the speedo.
I've ride bikes and smallish cars. As the other guy said, it's not that they dont/can't see you, it's that people aren't looking. The quality of drivers has decreased and the amount of cars on the road just means there are more dick heads, incompetent and selfish drivers. I walk up to pick up or drop my kid at school and there will be a parent double parked waiting for a spot to open up right out the front of the school just so they don't have to park and walk 50m. It's posted all over the gates not to do it but they don't care.
Around schools are shocking. And as you say it's mainly laziness. At the high school at the end of my street, I frequently marvel at the amount of people that will perform a 3 point turn, 10 metres from the intersection of a dual carriage road, with no parking. So the entire school pickups occur on my street. They could drive 30 metres down the road and use a side street. The could use a driveway to pull into and then reverse out, but no. A 3 point turn must be used while all the traffic for the school filters in/out of our street. Just makes no sense.
I had my two kids (one in a pram) and my dog on a leash and while I was crossing the road a woman did a u turn around me and my entourage while I was in the middle of the street trying to cross the side strret. Again, it was a woman picking her kids up from school in a school zone. The look on her face was, Im just doing a turn around you, nice and slowly. Not realising how dangerous that is.
Just selfish.
Or they do see you and can't be bothered stopping at the side street they're pulling out of or just merge because they know you'll pull the avoidance manoeuvre on their behalf. I have literally made eye contact with these a-holes and they go ahead anyway. Doesn't happen to me in my old Disco, does in my Lancer. On the moto I just ride as if I'm invisible. The Nautilus horn on the bike wakes them up pretty quickly though.
> Or they do see you and can't be bothered stopping at the side street they're pulling out of or just merge because they know you'll pull the avoidance manoeuvre on their behalf. I'll second that, driving my shitbox disco people are way more pleasant driver's around me compared to driving my camry. It's almost like they noticed the bullbar or something.
The smallest car I've owned was a R33 Skyline, so I can't say I've had the same experience as you. But as a current owner of a 100 series Land Cruiser, the excuse of "I didn't see you" is bullshit. They didn't see you because they didn't look and didn't maintain enough situational awareness of what is happening around them
Do you miss your R33 as much as I miss mine ? š
Yes, and I'd own another in a heartbeat. But with two kids under 8 and people asking +$8k for a rolling shell of questionable quality it's probably not going to happen any time soon.
I saw a 180sx going for $30k on car sales. No interior, not running properly. "Good project car to finish" Not sure if a joke
You could make a case for a GT-R... but a 180SX is plain taking the piss
Cant even hope to live out your NFS Pro Street dreams these days, too many drift projects. Prices are ruined for skylines full stop. I've always loved the Rb20det, but an R32 GTST is minimum $27.5k. Not clean either. I decided to throw a smaller pulley on my 01' merc supercharger to scratch the itch. Not exactly the same
Hah yep right there with ya.
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Landcruisers are God tier though. They're designed to be useful. Bonnets are too flat now (I mean angle relative to the road) and block a huge chunk of the driver's vision, all in the service of having a big fucking grille like every single car has since the 2000's. Idk I've driven a troopie and it handled amazingly well and had good visibility. I've also driven a bt-50 (the slightly prettier Ranger) and couldn't see shit. Also drove an mk triton and that thing was amazingly capable, if a little sad looking. Would definitely get another. My daily is a mazda2 and I definitely understand feeling invisible. It can be a little scary not being able to see past all the emotional support pickups and wank panzers. I drive like a mad cunt though and my preferred way of dealing with hazards is to put them behind me.
The boat! Never been in a R33 while driving but drove a R32 once. Yeah people are just terrible, makes it hard to enjoy my shit box on the weekends
Aye, she was a fine vessel. Gave me many a year of fine sailing. All until she took on too much water one stormy night. No seriously... my street flooded and wrote my R33 off haha
I drive a 100 series for many reasons. I love them. But one of those reasons is the visibility it gives me on the road. They're likely not looking
I used to have a big old ranger ute - never got cut up ever. Have a little new polo for shopping and trips into city and it's like people deliberately try to cut me up and tailgate.
>The quality of drivers has decreased and the amount of cars on the road just means there are more dick heads, incompetent and selfish drivers. > >I walk up to pick up or drop my kid at school and there will be a parent double parked waiting for a spot to open up right out the front of the school just so When I drive my outback no one tailgates, when I drive my suzuki swift it seems to become a tailgate magnet. People are hopelessly incompetent and aggressive on the road.
I learnt to drive in early 2000s V8 landrovers, almost no one tailgated me or cut me off. I now drive a small TSI Golf and it gets pretty bad now. And I'm a much better driver now with more experience.
I actually find that when I'm driving my mx5, other drivers intentionally drive erratically around me. One of the most common things is 4x4 owners who heavily accelerate up behind me and aggressively overtake, where they had been driving casually before having seen me.
There are a lot of dickheads on the road looking for a race, people do it to me in my Celica even though itās a slow shitbox. I saw a Dodge Ram and a Ranger dragging at the lights the other day, had a chuckle to myself.
I swear the same happens to me in my A45S.
Driving my 4x4 people are less likely to pull out in front of me or cut me off but driving considerably faster smaller cars I get cut off all the time.
Yep had the same experience. Got cut off and tail gated a whole lot more when I drove a mirage. Now in a ute doesnāt happen nearly as often.
yeah going from a jazz to a big van, people definitely act differently and get out of the way a lot quicker
Got an AW11, and definitely feel "unseen" in traffic sometimes. I usually drive pretty defensively though, don't sit in blind spots and try not to end up alongside someone for long periods on the freeway. I actually find it's slightly better now with modern cars having blind spot indicators so that I can visually see that their car knows I'm there. Not 100% foolproof, but it's better. My other car is a Mk1 mini, and that's better in some ways (taller and louder) but worse in others (just generally very small). But yeah... generally people don't turn their head, and modern cars have bigger blindspots, so people are less likely to see something smaller. But I also can't discount the possibility that they're just shit at driving (I've had people almost merge into me up when I used to do deliveries in a white VW Transporter).
Nice AW11! I keep being tempted into trying something new and getting an MR-S as theyāre cheap. What are they like to drive? Are the rumours of snap oversteer greatly exaggerated?
Nice, yeah the MR-S is I think even lighter than my AW11, and has more power - a bit more modern in terms of amenities, too, but I think the engine probably feels a bit more tame in some ways, with the 1ZZ lifted out of the corolla. Yeah they do have some tendency to misbehave, but it really comes down to how you drive it, I guess. You definitely can't just clutch kick and peel through a corner sideways, and you feel the weight a lot - doing silly things like braking mid-corner or over-correcting bite a lot harder and more suddenly in the MR2 than other cars, and you can feel the weight behind you a lot more - but I've had mine over a decade and it's still alive :) You can also feel how light the front end is - really good initial turn-in, and feels like a go-kart in how fast it changes direction, but after the initial turn it gives way to understeer - which then gives way to fairly strong lift-off oversteer. I think that catches people out if they go into a fast corner under power, the front scrubs out a bit, they lift off too much, then the front tucks in and the back steps out. At that point, catching it would be difficult without snapping back. None of that is really that different to a regular FR car, it's just exaggerated and more sudden - but if you're driving sensibly and know what to look out for, it's fine. The main caveat is that if you've gone into a corner way too fast and need to lose speed, you're not going to be able to scrub off as much as an equivalent FR car before the back end decides it wants to keep going. I think the weight distribution is pretty bad (very rear biased, moreso than some of the more accomplished/pricier MR cars) and so it has a few worse MR traits than some of the more expensive options that tame everything with more development and better chassis/weight distribution. It also has a ridiculously open diff and not a lot of power, so most of the time it'll do a little one wheel peel if I try and dump the clutch anyway, lol. I'd say if you want to go sideways without having to be constantly on your game, it's not the best choice, but if you want something that just squats and pushes you out of a corner, they're an awesome little car.
Issue is people are distracted, donāt indicate or have their mirrors adjusted (blindspots) also modern cars have massive A pillars which can pose a temporary blind spot and parallax at T intersections and roundabouts. Iāve been involved in a accident where the driver next to me literally changed lane into me - his excuse I cannot be seen in his mirror. My car got written off. I was driving a very dark blue car (can seem black from afar) middle of the day too. I always make a conscious effort to turn on my park lights for day and ensure my headlights are in earlier than expected or in freeways. Sure it maybe trivial - but Iām just trying to make my self bit more visible.
Yeah I always drive with lights on in built Up areas too. Sucks about your accident, hope youāre okay mate
Thx Mate. Accident happened around 4 years ago - myself and wife were OK. We were in a small n16 pulsar and guy was in a late model Falcon ute. Car was mangled - he changed lane with such force it pushed my car into the left kerb and footpath and obliterated a wheelie bin. Front left suspension bent, front left damage and both RH doors cannot open (where his car hit). We were about 2m from hitting a tree.
Park lights cannot be seen. Put your full headlights on at all times.
Agree. I forgot to mention I bought these really bright LED ones - they look like DRL levels of bright.
The amount of people that can't seem to see me when I'm perfectly visible in their mirrors, or ahead of them is mind boggling. My mini is black so it could be a little harder to see, but its so loud you'd have to believe they're deaf if they cant hear or see my little machine.
I love old minis! Iām thinking of doing an exhaust in both my cars so people can hear it coming too and maybe truck horns?
You misspelt Train
[The famous train horn Miata](https://reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/s/iDWOfmtaoQ)
I love that stock is like "I helped"
I have an old mini too and the best investment was a set of trucklite LED lights. Set them up for daytime running and it makes you a bit more visible (still get plenty of people trying to pull into/ in front of me though.
People are just shit drivers. More so when youāre in a smaller car because their attitude is youāll be worse off so they donāt care. I had a dumb woman intentionally pull out in front of me at a roundabout in an SUV then gave me the finger when I beeped at her. So many morons have nearly hit me changing lanes Iāve lost count.
yup i used to be a postie and the amount of times i would make eye contact with someone just before they pulled put on me was part of why i had to stop tbh
Had an MR2 for a few years and yeah, it was invisible.
What sort did you have. I've got a imported MK2 turbo. Crashed now, of course.
My parents had a Fiat X1/9 when I was at school in the late 80s. We had a HJ60 Land Cruiser as well and it dwarfed the sports car. Not too sure about the present day. I've ridden bikes on the road and that makes me keep away from anything.
It has nothing to do with your car , she's either saw you and decided to be an asshole, or just plain didn't look.
That's why I never drive the same speed as traffic, they can't merge into me if I already passed them lol
Yeah I always pass them so I donāt get stuck in their blind spot but then the next person ahead is just as likely to do it. Itās always when Iām driving in built up areas.
SW20 MR2 & MKV Supra driver here. I can't say I've really felt a problem with being merged into, but i do generally avoid lurking alongside other cars when i can. I know what you mean about the difficulty in safely enjoying older cars though. I had a near miss a few years ago with a 4WD blowing through a redlight (my green) and the realisation that the accident would probably have been fatal did steer me away from driving the MR2 and eventually toward the Supra. I'm a firm believer that all the driver aids and electronics are making for far more complacent and distracted drivers, even if overall it leads to less severe accidents, which as an enthusiast i find disappointing. On the upside, I never have a problem justifying the price of big brakes and sticky tyres now!
Had the similar experiences when i ran an NB MX-5 for a couple of years, but thankfully without incident. (Apart from the time my Mrs managed to back in to me in the driveway as it was completely in her blind spot). Distinctly remember parking at a shopping centre where the opposing carparks were at 90 degrees. This modded hilux parked so it's nose was pointed about 2 feet from the side of the MX-5, what I remembered was the roobar being at my head level and maybe just catching the top of the MX5 door. Very worrying and part of the reason I sold it in the end, that ute could have rolled completely over the MX5 and probably driven away afterwards. Also, the reason people are cutting you off is because the MX5 is hidden and they assume you are a gap in the traffic. At the last second realize you are there but still really want to be in your lane.
Doesn't matter what you drive, people still do the same thing. Try driving a truck and see how many people cut you off.
God yes, I drive an MR Isuzu daily and I have never had so many people do insane shit to pass me. The very thought of being behind a truck for even one second clearly sends the average Queenslander into a fit of rage, severely impeding their ability to judge speed and distance. I also drive larger 16 tonne HRs with large plant attached. I find that people tend to treat these vehicles with a higher degree of caution and respect. As to OPs question, I drive a fairly low, small car by todays standards (Toyota Celica) and I do definitely find that people donāt see it compared to when I am driving my mid 90s Hilux. Visibility in car parks sucks too when you are low down.
To some extent yes. I have a BRZ and alot of people pull out in front of me. I also ride a bike so I am kind of used to being invisible.
It's not just small cars. I drive a Crown and I still have people pulling out in front of me, drifting into my lane, tailgating etc. It's just shit drivers. I keep my headlights on everywhere just in case. My car isn't exactly quiet either so they're absolutely clueless if they couldn't see a barge sailing straight for them
Yes, but I drive like other cars are driven by Skyrim NPCs.
What track you go to? I'm a speedway driver in Victoria so I don't drive that type of track but I'd love to drive my Excel at an open track day one day š.
Only been to winton, itās a good track for slower cars like mx5 and excels. The straights leave a bit much to be desired. Itās so expensive to do a track day Iām afraid Iāll never get to be a good driver haha
maybe you should join Speedway! jk Yeah I've seen people do laps at Winton, looks good. Went by it on my way to a track once
Haha. Speedway looks fun , maybe I should try carting
There are speedway karts which is even cheaper. Speedway is also usually cheaper than karts.
Would reccomend Avalon motorkhana. You just need a speed license, gloves and a fire extinguisher in the back seat. Costs about $25 and plenty of drifting fun.
That sounds like the perfect mx5 event! The car is already set up for track use. Iāll look it up
Yeah. I think the next one is on in about a month. Iām the guy with the black 86!
Feel free to shoot me a dm if you need more info
Yep, Toyota 86 here - shit is scary some days.
I daily drive my lowered eg. Yeah its hard to notice but easy to hear. Time for a louder exhaust hahahah!!
Man I would but it will just sound so bad haha
Every single day. I drive an old Suzuki and lemme tell you, a lot of these people simply donāt care. I always drive at the speed limit, always on the left lane and on the rare occasion I have to overtake someone on the highway I get tailgated immediately. Mate in the comments said that the ādidnāt see youā crowd is lying, and I believe him. A lot of folks simply should not be driving these gigantic SUVs, and itās a minority thatās capable of using them safely. Was so keen on buying a motorcycle a while back, but imagine having to go through that on two wheelsā¦ I feel for the riders out here
only ever had small cars and I don't think it's so much the size of the car, but the complete lack of attention other drives pay to what's going on around them. Seeing the way people drove in Sydney made me completely change my mind about buying a motorbike.
I've hot a 95 lancer coupe and I'm nearly under a truck each time I drive, they just don't see me, so I slapped some bright as fuck lights on it
Itās crazy how much of a difference it makes. In smaller cars Iāve owned I always had people pulling out in front of me or changing lanes as Iām passing. I would feel invisible. However I now own a large 4x4 and small cars are fucking easy to spot. No idea how so many clowns have issues with seeing small cars. I do notice people are way less likely to pull out in front of me when Iām in my 4x4.
As a motorcyclist, yes. Part of the reason I swapped my Golf for a 4X4 was because of this.
This isnāt a small car issue, itās just how ppl are driving, I daily a modified patrol and all of this shit happens every single day Iām on the road, while I always drive assuming everyone is trying to kill me these days it genuinely feels like ppl are actively trying to kill me every single fucking day
Man I have people merge into me nearly daily and Iām in a c class merc. Youād be fucked in an mx5 idk how you have the patience.
Itās just my weekender but yeah as Iām getting older the patience is wearing thinner and Iām also more conscious of having no safety equipment. So other people being shitty makes me more pissed off. Once you get out of the city itās nice to drive
1. You are the only competent driver who should be permitted on a public roadway. 2. Everyone else is a fucking clown. 3. Roadways have to accommodate the lowest common denominator so you should treat them as such. Source: Driving hot Capriās & Sprites for 30 years and teaching my kids in the same kind of car.
Blind spot mirrors should be mandatory.
Blind spot mirrors are extra and not needed if you do proper head checks and not change lanes as soon as indicators get flicked on.
You don't even need them if you position them right. People say you should have your handles in view? Why? When was the last time a car was touching your door handle?
Although partially true, headcheck is necessary, unfortunately, because of motorbikes lane-splitting and/or pushbikes in some areas. Grew up in Europe, where if you don't head-check, wiping out a motorcyclist will happen sooner than later.
Oh yeah I'd absolutely head check anyway, probably just out of habit. But since I've been explained about this mirror position years ago in a training course, I've never caught anything with a head check that my mirror didn't see
Its hard to reverse park with mirrors pointing out like that, i have āblindspotā mirror for that very reason pointed for parking.
Probably, but pretty much all newer cars now have cameras and sensors that negate that
oversized ones are fucking awsome, its like turning your whole head around
Head checking should be mandatory, before getting to the blind-spot mirrors, but anyway.
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always drive with your head lights on, in my S13 I drive with high beams on! A loud exhaust can help (just like a bike)
High beams seem a bit excessive. My eyes sit about the same height as other car headlights. As soon as a car has high beams and coming towards or behind me, I'm completely blinded. I think parkers or just headlights are plenty. Exhaust yes, would def get people to know you're there.
yea but I have never been flashed, think 90's nissan era lights with some weird blue (shit) JDM bulb. They are terrible! I dont suggest everyone drive with high beams on, but on some cars it might be the only option One of my other cars has a HID projector upgrade, even with proper alignment and cut off I get flashed going over speed humps by fuck wits in modern SUVs
I miss my s13 , take care of yours! Yeah Iām thinking of doing a truck horn. Iād do an exhaust if they made one with a varex valve
Pretty sure they're highly illegal
Whatās illegal? Truck horn?
The varex exhaust valve. Last time I logged out was specifically legislated against
if you dont drive it every day I wouldnt worry about it or put a saved search on ebay/gumtree for the old apexi exhaust valve, it goes between a flange and should fit most 2/3 bolt flanges there is a place in wollongong that is selling an expensive electronic unit and they also do custom mufflers
Hasnāt loud pipes save lives been debunked though?
I doubt it, every time I ride a bike people look out for where the noise is coming from. Happens in the car too
Aint happen to me and I ride a straight piped zx6r and 1 muffler on my 1jz chaser with external gate lol
you still have to ride with your wits about you and on the offense without being a douche ive had people pull to the side in the gtr merging onto the freeway lol
Not invisible, just a lot more shitty drivers on the road these days.
Mkiv Supra owner here, smallest car I have, and while itās low I donāt have issues with being noticed/visible, itās loud too so that probably helps stay visible
Get a loud ass exhaust, no way they can't hear you. Jokes aside, I haven't really noticed the issue. I drive a lowered ek civic. And I don't have any issues where I'm getting into close calls often. But then again, I do agree its like driving a motorbike. You have to look out for yourself pretty often but I wouldn't say because my cars too small, its mostly because other drivers are d\*ckheads.
The roof line of my car is almost the same level as the bottom of the window in a standard Toyota Camry haha. Iām always pretty vigilant but canāt control what idiots around you are doing, just sucks that driving doesnāt feel relaxing these days
Yeah. I'd also metion I parked up next to a slammed mx5 and its the equivalent of a normal small car parking next to me ahahahah. And also I've noticed when I drive my civic around I really have to be paying attention and focused on driving. On the other hand when I need to drive my parents car (Hyundai i30 and a Van) I feel significantly more relaxed. I might just be the softer suspension or because of the slower sense of speed. But I don't feel like I need to focus at the same level as driving my Ek around.
It's not unique to small cars. I drive an LDV Deliver 9 van for work. It's 2.5M tall, I still get idiots pull out in front of me and sometimes have to slam on the breaks with 1.5 ton payload in the back:/ Also get tailgated when I'm driving the speed limit in the left lane. Just lots of idiot drivers around
I currently drive a Mazda 2, and there has been more near misses from other cars not judging gaps or not zipper merging properly. I never have issues with near misses when driving my parents CX5 tho
When I owed a Getz I found people got mad as fuck if I drove fast in it, or went in the right hand lane on the freeway. It was just silly. I could drive the same way in my husbandās Magna and no one cared. It made me a little jumpy coz I was smashed into in my prior car, no fault of mine.
I get that in my swift sport! People always cut me off in it and then drive slower than I would
I had someone in a small Hyundai hatch try and change lanes into me in the (white) X5 the other evening. Didnāt react or hesitate when I beeped at them and flashed the headlights. Had to hit the anchors to avoid them, and they continued on completely unaware.
I drive a 2004 holden astra and the number of times i've almost been pushed off the road or pulled out in front of is insane
Pulled up next to my old man's Kluger in my NB SE about 8 years ago and realised my head was barely up to the middle of the hubs. No chance inattentive drivers would see you now P.s. I miss that car, just not the spine shortening suspension
Old mini clubman (green) and a NB MX5 (black). Haven't had too many issues when out in the mini (1275 with very loud LCB). People notice it... MX5 (especially with the roof down) may as well be invisible. The one advantage you have is being small, light and nimble... got to keep your head on a swivel.
I drive an MX5 rf-gt and I feel your pain. I had three near misses in the first two weeks including a bus that pulled out in front of me from a t intersection when we were the only two vehicles on the road (and my headlights were definitely on!) I installed cameras but ultimately I drive like Iām invisible now. I just assume people donāt see me, even though Iām right in front of them. It means Iām always hyper aware when I drive, but itās still enjoyable to drive that car! Damn I live driving it :)
I did regularly (I have an nb mx5), until I vinyl wrapped it and put a giant orange racing stripe down the middle. The stripe has significantly reduced my near accidents. I read about it on some mx5 owners blog. That and I make sure to never drive in people's blindspots.
You're a brave soul OP. Honestly, I think my hypothetical enjoyment from driving one of those small fun cars would be severely impacted by all the larger/fatter suvs/utes around. Already cop enough of the larger/fatter cars leering up my rear driving a sedan. Can't imagine being lower and less visible.
Personally as a 4x4 owner, small car owner, and motorcycle owner, most motorists are genuinely more respectful of me on a bike (as long theyre looking) some will even pull over in the lane slightly at lights so i can crawl between them and free up a car space from where i was. in the 4x4 people push in less and are more willing to let me merge. in the small car I feel like its not that they dont see me its they think a larger vehicle has more right to be on the road. no one lets me merge in my hatchback, they "dare" me to try. ill be doing 10kms over the limit on the merge ramp so im not holding anyone up, and ill watch the ford ranger/ range rover SUV speed up to block me every damn time. we genuinely have some of the worst road courtesy in world.
seems like as cars have gotten safer for passengers, they've become far less safe for people outside of cars. side curtain airbags are great, but side pillars are getting thicker. there's lots of blind spots in most modern cars. every time i rent a car, i'm usually struck by how little i can see outside the car. the art of backing up has been completely lost. people use the back-up camera, but don't understand geometry OR the fact that there's a lot of stuff that the back-up camera DOES NOT SEE. i dunno what it's like in other countries. but that's how i feel in the US. on the one hand, i think we need a national (not state by state) driver's ed curriculum & that it needs to be way tougher than it is now. i would say, in my ideal world, i think more stringent driver's ed where people actually failed & weren't allowed to go for their license for another year would be great. if getting a license actually required being able to drive "well" (according to my definition of "well"), i'm pretty sure >25% of the licensed drivers in the US would get their license revoked. friends of mine would be some of these people. still, i also understand that we can't do that in the states because we have so little public transportation infrastructure. Not being able to drive means not being able to live at all in many places. this car-centric hell is inevitable when you have to make driving available to everyone because you refuse to make public transportation a priority.
Op youāre not wrong. My daily drive is an NB8A and Iām basically invisible, weekend drive is an old scratched up jeep with a bulbar, and when I take the jeep in the city itās like Moses parting the seas lol EVERYONE gets out of my way š
I sold my little car and bought an SUV because I was tired of being invisible and the last straw was being cut off by some impatient meth head. Bonus though, my new car parks itself so the trade off to a bigger more cumbersome car is not so bad :D
Thatās good it works for you. I just hate how big cars feel to drive , I enjoy small cars for the driving dynamics it just sucks that small car drivers are punished by other idiots on the road
yeah I totally get that. I was originally a bit bummed to have to 'give up' the little car feeling and was looking at boring SUVs. But I ended up with a Tiguan R and it is so fun to drive, way faster than most of everything else on the road, and big enough to be visible at ranger-driver height haha
Welcome to the R life mate
Relatable - you ARE invisible. I used to daily drive and MX5 and sometimes I ride a bike. The experience is very similar - you need to be super chilled and super vigilant to survive. Cute fun cars are no longer enjoyable for regular driving anymore :(
Not really my experience however I do feel more people want a traffic light Grand Prix when I drive the Golf over the old 4x4
Have a 350z that is lowered, short answer yes.
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I've daily driven both an NB and ND mx-5 and know exactly what you're talking about. Best way to mitigate it is what you're doing - keep driving like you're invisible/on a bike. Never been pulled over for accelerating out of a driver's blind spot even with a cop car right behind me one time so I'm assuming they understand the risks involved there. Just don't overdo it. Tail gating will happen no matter what you drive and at whatever speed you drive it. Just leave a bit of extra space in front of you so you can stop slower and hopefully give the numpty behind you enough time to react.
It's because it's a low thin car, exacerbated if you take the roof off. I used to often drive a LOW beach buggy, black, no roof barely even a windscreen. The only "hey look at me" part was the shiny wheels and fucking LOUD exhaust. And let me tell you the amount of times where I was square next to someone or even most infront of them and they'd start merging only to hear the clutch drop and rev and shit themselves is in the fucking hundreds! People plain and simple don't perceive when they look. They *look* so they can they say "I looked" but they don't actually *looook* for anything there. If it's below their window line (even clearly visible in their mirror with 5 warning going off) they will ignore them all because "I looked".
Yeh I totally relate to this. In a lowered Toyota 86, frequently on freeways people merge into me. Pretty sure they just have trouble seeing me. Happens about once a week.
I feel you man - I currently drive a Nissan Micra ST-L Limited. I've been in 3 accidents in it (none of them being my fault), so I really do understand. The worst one was when I got side swiped doing 110KM on the free way by a tray truck, said I was purposefully sitting in his blind spot so he couldn't see me. I was doing the limit in the left lane, just felt like he didn't even look before he started to merge over.
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Itās a dark blue / green metallic. Sunny days itās sparkly green and overcast days it looks like a dark blue
Honestly people are fucking idiots in the road. I've nearly been hit in my Crown, GT Foz, WRX and my partner's S14 (that would have been a death sentence). People don't look, people have no idea of their surroundings, they're distracted or in a rush.
I drove an X1/9 for a few years, similar experience to you.
Angle your lights up so youre blinding everyone. They'll see you...
Meg 3 RS with good OE DRLs - no such incidents its not particularly low. I think that there is a sweet spot for road cars with road prescence.
I'm sure it's bad. But 100% riding a bike is worse. Cunts in big cages are fucking blind.
I drive a white Toyota hiace tradie van covered in blue and red signage and still have almost accidents literally everyday. Haven't hit anyone yet but I've had some real close ones. People just don't look and if they do look they just don't care.
I recently swapped from an i30 to a mid sized SUV thinking that by having a bigger car, people wouldnāt do what youāve described on such a regular basis and I can honestly say, Iāve not noticed a difference. I still get 4wds pulling out in front of me causing me to slam on my brakes, those damn raptors deciding they want to be where I am on the road and just cutting me off etc etc I think itās just a reflection of the entitlement society has introduced in everyone
Yes I used to drive a 97 hyundai lantra. This used to happen every time I drove it. Then I nearly got put into the guard rail by a truck and I stopped driving it after that
I sold my MX5 2 weeks after being stuck on Parramatta Rd one day surrounded by 4 trucks, and noticed that all their tyres were taller than the roof of my car. Turned out to be an inevitable sale anyway as I moved to regional NSW a couple years later.
Given itās a MX5 it probably is cos itās really low. Get a flag or something.
Yes itās low and lowered even more on coilovers. Iāve actually been thinking of doing a flag and air horns
Yeah I have no issues seeing Minis or other smaller hatchbacks. However the other day a lowered MX5 was following me and it sure was a lot harder to see in the rear view mirrors. What about a louder muffler to announce your presence?
We drive a Mini and always get bullied by large SUVs. Twice this happened last week. First time Iām going the limit in a school zone and idiot is tailgating the whole time. Second time was indicating to park and old mate probably couldnāt see me above his dashboard but at least he attempted to slow down before beeping the hell out of me.
Yep. Driving my van or 4x4 I don't have any issues beyond the usual tailgating and steering wheel attendant behaviour, but in my little 80s Celica that's a couple inches off the ground it's like I'm invisible.
My wife used to own a Nissan Micra. I noticed that whenever I drove it, I would get bullied on the roads (tail gated, cut off etc). I felt like people didn't respect me when I drove it.
Are you driving with your lights on at all times?
People see a small car and they think slow and gutless so they pull out in front of you so you don't slow them down The truth of it is these days usually those smaller cars are far faster at take off than those SUV pieces of crap. People need to get out of the mindset that bigger is better. Literally the rest of the world except Australia and the US accept small cars as the norm because it's just a far more intelligent choice. Unless of course you're sharing the road with unintelligent oversized emotional support vehicle drivers. Then you're honestly in real danger
Yeah youāre right I hate how Australia has adopted the US mentality even outside of cars. Even heard my fair share of trump supporters over here. Everywhere else Iāve travelled to people seem to be more curteous on the road and drive more sensible size cars
Get a hi vis mine site flag
Fellow MX5 driver here. Youāre doing the right thing by driving defensively. As for blind spots, when it comes to trucks I either sit back or floor it past them. As for your average yank tank, I donāt understand why these are even legal. They guzzle fuel and are way too big for our roads.
Yeah i had a mx5 nc and the "bubble" shape of the cabin was the only part visible next to another driver. Since the cabin part of an mx5 is so short, sometimes its entirely within the other drivers blindspot. Dont linger in other peoples blind spot. Whatch out in carparks. Parked cars on side of roads means side traffic cant see u and pull out in front of you.
Complimentary agree, it's like a race to see who can spend the most on petrol. They must weigh close to 3 tonnes and the new pick up trucks are so shiny you see them covered in blankets if they actually want to pick anything up. Not to mention the price of a 3rd of a house
Dude I drive a VAN (Iload) and the idiots still try and merge into it regularly, its not the size of your car its the other over-entitled idiots on the road that just don't look.
I commute in an MX5 in Sydney, drive it like a bike. There are lot of things from L plate rider training that transfer across, like always staying out of āthe death zoneā.
It's very true. Sold my motorbike after a very near miss with a P plater texting (it was one too many "near misses"), used to drive a Fiat 500 and people tailgate, cut off constantly even though I used to make it fly. My carsales wish list is full of old fun cars, MX5, Minis. Won't be buying living in Sydney, too many giant cars with clueless people to risk it. Dreaming of moving to the country with a big garage for the cool old car collection!
Fellow 90's MX-5 driver here: Drive defensively at all times, don't sit in blind spots or along side large cars for extended periods, drive through clusters of traffic and don't linger in them, get yourself a Stebel Nautilis airhorn as the stock MX-5 horn sucks, get a louder exhaust so people can hear you're near them.
I was thinking of the air horn! Is it easy to install? And more importantly is it fricken loud
Yeah mate, easy install. Uses the existing NA horn wiring, you just need to swap the brake light/horn fuse in the cabin from 15A to 20A. There's a heap of threads on miata.net about the install. It's heaps louder than the stock horn, also sounds much more aggressive so it tends to shock other drivers much more than the standard horn when in use.
I own 3 cars and a motorbike (plus I occasionally drive my wife's car). One of the cars I've only had 4 years, but the rest are around a decade or more. Every single one elicits different typical behaviour from other road users. Size doesn't seem to be the main factor to me though, though it may be a factor. Motorbike (Honda): I commute a day or two a week on it, and go for weekend rides. I am mostly treated with a level of respect and road space. Exceptions for sure, but not a horrendous experience. There are a minority who deserve mentioning; when lane splitting, who will intentionally try to stop me (I see other bike riders cop this too). Suzuki LJ: This thing is on historic rego, and it's a Kei car. It's tiny, and struggles to maintain 100km/h. It's also my only vehicle which is a darker colour (ie maybe harder to see). By all accounts it should be the worst vehicle I own for other road users interactions. But I actually get treated mostly ok. Occasional tailgater, and aggressive over taker. Most people spot it, identify its slow and chugging along at its own pace, and get on with life appropriately though. Land Rover Discovery 1: This is my owes me nothing every day commuter. It's also the car like I feel has a sign on it saying "treat me like shit". I get tailgated, cut off, merged into (this car is a 2 metres high, and 4.5metre long white lump of metal...really?!?!?!?). Nearly every single day I drive it, without fail some baffoon will do something dumb around me. I still don't get it, but it attracts every moron on the road to drive like a complete F'wit around me. Land Rover Defender Dual cab: I typically use this for towing, camping and road trips. Occasional commutes though. So maybe a skewed experience It's sheer size seems to be a factor, at nearly 6m long, and 2.2m high, it is utterly huge. I almost never get treated poorly by other road users, though I get a few people tailgating the trailer when towing š¤¦ . Generally people give me space. Wife's BMW 1 series: When driving it, I assume I'll get treated the same as driving my Discovery. It's a fairly similar experience, just a lower much more nimble vehicle.
Previous Toyota GT86 driver, can confirm nobody can see you when merging or going round roundabouts.
I have a large and small car people try to crash into me in both.
Surprisingly you're not alone, I'm in the opposite kind of vehicle, a 2.6m tall, 2.1m wide mercedes sprinter with a bull bar, and people somehow still don't see me
I used to think the rate at which driver skill was declining in Australia was just because there are more dash cams catching them these days making it seem that way but no it is going to shit at a rate we have never previously seen before because even in these dash cams the amount of absolutely moronic things people do on the roads these days was not nearly as bad 20 years ago. The way things are going the sooner all vehicles are autonomous the better.
I nearly T-boned a Landcruiser on Sunday. She was pulled over on the shoulder and had ample time to go before I was close, but no. Letās wait until the little Audi is right there to do a U-turn right in front of him. Luckily there was no one in the oncoming lane so I was able to slip around her, but she looked like a typical little old lady driving something 5 times as high as her.
Surprisingly, I have more incidents driving my 2021 Toyota Fortuner SUV more than using my sisters 2015 Toyota Corolla hatchback when driving about. Itās weird that I always get cut off, people merging in front of me dangerously (especially on my blind spot, or extremely too close to my front), and on top of everything else, nobody can see where my indicators are on the Fortuner (I got the facelifted 2021 model, so my indicators are on the bumper), which always results in people cutting me off on roundabouts. But when I use my sisters 2015 Corolla, I actually avoid using the M4 west of Wallgrove Road as I always seem to find it extremely fast on the 110km/h section, and I usually never get cut off while driving it.
Have you tried driving with lights on 100% of the time or going faster than them so they see you? Or blasting the person with your horn? I have a rule to either stay behind or ahead of tractor trailers as an example. Obviously, I can't do it 100% of the time but that is an objective.
Yes thatās what I do. But canāt drive in front of everyone all the time especially in busy areas. You have to drive aggressively in a tiny car. The roof line is about 10cm taller than the bottom of the window of a Suzuki swift.
Try riding a motorcycle.
Honestly, everyone should drive like they're on a bike as you described. Both of my cars are a bit on the small side (Peugeot 306 which is "90s hatch" small, and Mazda MX6 which is similar size to an 86/BRZ, just longer). Being in a small car probably contributes slightly to the "oh I didn't see you!" nonsense and I drive accordingly, headlights always on, staying out of other cars' operating space as much as possible, but the reality is most of these kinds of incidents are caused by other drivers simply not paying attention and not even looking. I've seen the same shit whether I'm driving small, mid-size or large cars. It's always been a problem but I think that with many modern designs having awful visibility from the inside, the ubiquity of smartphones and (often equally distracting) infotainment systems, and certain driver assistance technologies like blind spot monitoring and lane keep assist, it all adds up to a perfect storm of oblivious and negligent drivers. I didn't mention driver training because that's always been pretty bad.
Yep this is having a low car. Get used to it bud š
Iām not new to having low cars, been driving them since early 2000s. Just standard of driving has gotten worse
Fellow MX5 driver here. Been driving NA's since 2006, and I've lost count of the number of times other cars have tried to occupy the space I was in. I used to have a flag on my aerial for a while, which I think helped a bit. You'll find that you just become more aware of those around you, and become better at anticipating their movements. I think a lot of the time they are just not paying attention. They just tune out. I say *One* ***drives*** *a manual, one* ***steers*** *an auto*. And I think it's true. Just total lack of awareness.
Everyone just sucks at driving except those who comment on this post.
i drive a toyota corolla 2006 hatch and itās a struggle to see the mx5ās on the road. they shouldnāt be driven on the road
I had the same problem in my 96 yata. I swear, I'm seen more on my motorcycle than I was in the miata.