diablo1

I was driving from NH down to NYC yesterday, and this happened at least four different times: a BMW would approach me from behind, tailgate me for a minute or two, then peel out into the next lane and speed away from me doing like 90. It happened with one 3 series, a couple of 5's, and at least one 7 series.

I don't know if BMW drivers are just more aggressive in general, or if they needed to "prove" to themselves that their car is still better, or what. I am a pretty conservative driver, especially on the highways, so I wasn't about to try to catch up with them or race them or anything. Besides, I know my car is faster, especially vs. the 3 series.

But I was wondering - has this happened to anyone else? I thought it was pretty obnoxious. Apparently at BMW driving school, they teach you that safe highway following distance is one second.

mmarshall

While there are many good and safe BMW drivers, including some on CL, as a whole group I would rate them ( as I have posted several times on CL ) second only to Mustang V8 drivers in arrogance, egotism, and stupidity. But Mustang GT, Cobra, and SVT jocks are, without doubt, in general the worst bunch of drivers ( as a group ) that I have ever seen. They absolutely take the cake. The majority of teen-age and young adult traffic deaths in this area are with high-powered Mustangs and aggressive driving.

3erbeatsIS

I vote for soccer moms in rx330.... thats who runs me off the road when im driving the speed limit....

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

What I hate are people who own a BMW and drive 45 mph on the freeway. I HATE THAT!!!

People, if you own a BMW, please prove that you deserve to drive it. If not, you should be driving a Lincoln or Mercury...

If you own a BMW, ride it like a **** star! There is no other way!

unit74

iTrader: (3)

Did it occure to you that you might want to move over? The Number 1 traffic inducer is people traveling slower than traffic wants to go, and cars stack up behind them untill they move over or cars are then pealing off around them.

I talked to a coworker who said to me, that if he's in the fast lane doing the speed limit, he has a right be be there. Showing him the vehicle code, I think I changed his thoughts about it when I introduced several sections that he could be cited for. Impeding the flow of traffic, slower vehicles stay right, etc...

I think the worst offenders are the big rigs though. On say, a 3 lane freeway, they will go two wide at 60mph or so effectively leave one lane for everyone else. Then, if they cut off or a car won't let them over to pass, the trucks try and squeeze them over, or flash their high beams.


I drive a 330i, but try and keep distance betweeen me and the traffic. But I think everyone on here could agree that keeping a safe distance between vehicle is impossible. At least here in SoCal it is.

picus

Interesting article about this in this months Road & Track. You guys might want to check it out.

clubfoot

Basic driver etiquette:
Left lane is for passing.
Middle lane is for driving,...at least the speed limit IMO.
Right lane is for slower vehicles, or merging or exiting vehicles.

Of course this varies depending on the number of lanes, use common sense, good judgement and be courteous.

LeslieRC

Huh??? "If you own a BMW, please prove that you deserve to drive it. If not, you should be driving a Lincoln or Mercury..." No, you didn't say that! You're joking, right? Suffice it to say that there are a LOT of REALLY cool, smart, and dynamic people out there who drive all manner of vehicles.

cooney

Without trying to generalize about the driving practices of BMW drivers (maybe because I drove an M3 for years before getting my BOP 350 a couple of weeks ago), I have also noticed what diablo1 describes -- seems like the new IS does inspire some drivers (very often in BMWs) to try to prove something.

OTH, I remember the M3 also attracted that kind of behavior when it was new (over 11 years ago!), often by Porsches and once by a Ferrari (very late at night in Elysian Park -- that encounter was fun).

echrist0

Saturday morning, after I washed my 250 AWD, I drove on the interstate to get most of the water off (doesn't scratch the paint and it is quick). On the merge ramp, a black BMW accelerates very fast until he is right on my bumper, then restrains himself until he can go roaring around me. When he was in front of me I could see from the trunk of his car that it was an M3. Probably made his day that he "beat" one of those new Lexus cars. That's especially easy to do when the person driving the Lexus car isn't racing, although I'm quite certain that a M3 can beat my Lexus any day of the week.

Oh well. Takes all kinds. I drove a BMW until I traded it for my Lexus so I'm careful about characterizing ALL BMW drivers.

diablo1

Right, I definitely didn't mean that all BMW drivers do this. I just meant that of the people who do it, many are BMW drivers.

Most of the time I was on a two-lane road, and I was going faster than the people in the right lane. I did pull over sometimes when it was clear that someone behind me wanted to go faster than me.

But I think you're right that this car seems to provoke this kind of behavior from all kinds of drivers. I also had a Honda Accord full of 5 teenage boys swerve around me, then cut me off to make an exit. Unfortunately traffic conditions were much to heavy for that sort of thing - otherwise I would have loved to leave them in the dust.

Also, unit74 - maybe you could cite specific sections of the code? It may be impolite do drive the speed limit in the left lane, but I don't think you would ever get pulled over for doing so. Worst case scenario, you have a lot of annoyed drivers passing you on the right.

lexusboi

[QUOTE=echrist0]Saturday morning, after I washed my 250 AWD..... That's especially easy to do when the person driving the Lexus car isn't racing, although I'm quite certain that a M3 can beat my Lexus any day of the week.



Yes, with a 250 don't even try a 330 let alone a M.

lexusboi

Also varies in what state you are driving in, because in California, there is no way that the left lane is used for passing. It's more like its used for driving 10+ miles above speed limit.

jderry

I am a BMW fanatic -- own two M3's ('97 and '02) and an M5. So, I can understand. There are a lot of immature BMW drivers; but, not just isolated to that marquee. The IS350, in particular, is a great car and puts down some impressive 1/4 and 0-60 times.

Lexus would gain a serious amount of BMW owners if they would stick a third pedal in there. It kind of bewilders me at times why they do not. They could easily build a car to rival the M3, if they desired.

A lot of BMW drivers get the same thing -- don't know how many times driving either the M5 or M3's, that people try that accelerating crap in their cars. I personally, would rather beat you around the track: I club race the E36 M3. You have to realize that BMW's are fairly cheap -- IMO at least. You can pick up a used E36 M3 for around 15K. You can get an E46 325-330 for around $21K. The M is a little bit more expensive in price. E39 5-series are around $17-23K used.

So, not all BMW drivers are like that. For driving experience: BMW, hands down. For luxury and reliability: Lexus hands down. I have an SC400/ES300; both 92's, and pushing 200K+ with no problems. Let's not get into how many times the M3 has been in the shop. I'm a glutton for punishment

M drivers tend to be more aggressive and arrogant. But, at least some of us realize that there is more to driving than just mashing a gas pedal (*cough'stang'vettedriverscough*) ... j/k ...

Zephyr

iTrader: (1)

I've gotten a few 3 series that would match my speed next to me and they keep staring at my IS350, I guess they are checking it out? I haven't met any bad BMW drivers lately, I use to drive a 5 series myself. I drive in the slow lane a lot because I tend to want to enjoy my music and not in a rush to get to a place normally. It seems like recently after my car is broken in, a lot of EVO IX, VIII, STi, C class, and RSXs have been trying to challange me. It's getting annoying because they make it so obvious when they rev on me at red lights, or they are right next to me moving back and forth trying to get me to go. Man and I thought Honda drivers were bad when I drive my 240sx.