I have a 460L and an LX570 - both of which are relatively large vehicles in their respective categories. I take both of them to Toyota for service and last week my LX needed new brakes so they gave me a loaner car. Typically they give me a 4Runner, Camry, or Rav4 to give me something that's at least mid-sized, but this time all they had were Corollas, so I took what I could get. I couldn't believe the difference of fellow drivers around me, especially behind me, in how aggressively they were driving near a much smaller car. I occasionally experience that in our cars when I drive in certain areas of the state, but over a 1 1/2 day period of doing moderate highway driving, I could not believe how often people seemed to "treat me differently" driving such a smaller car. Please note I am not making this into a "Toyota vs. Lexus" topic about the luxury level of the car - it's solely about the size and how I felt people were driving differently towards me as a result. Road presence is a real thing and it means more than just how a car/truck looks visually. Agree?

 

Perhaps in your part of the country, with your local traffic conditions there. But, in a place like the D.C./Baltimore or Los Angeles region, where the amount of sheer traffic is so vast, it can be difficult to tell driver behavior based solely on the vehicle next to them. Besides, many drivers don't even notice who is next to them on the road, because they are constantly playing with their ******* cellphones.

 

I have both a 4Runner V8 and a Corolla. I also drive my husbands Matrix, and never the LX450. I find people are more aggressive when I drive my 4Runner, my Corolla people seem to just leave me alone. My Matrix is the upgraded version so it is pretty quick with a 5 speed and goes quite well, same, people just leave me alone.

 

I know I definitely feel a bit more confident in my Lexus, but I don't know whether its presence actually affects the behavior of drivers around me or not. I could definitely see that. I don't envision someone cutting off an expensive, easily-recognizable car, like a Rolls-Royce for instance, or a Lamborghini. People have to respect those, at a certain point, if nothing else, due to the rarity of that class of car.

 

There is absolutely an impact. I notice a big difference in other driver behavior when I drive the Pacifica vs the Lexus.

 

I know that driving a LS430, people seem to assume I am retired and on my way to an early bird dinner. Many don't even begin to fathom it's a car that does 0-60 in 5.9, the same as a 1995 M3. I usually ignore this treatment, but today, a Ford Taurus needed a lesson in respecting its elders. If that car had ecoboost, the driver became aware of its limitations.

 

That's interesting. My experience, especially in this area, is that a to of other drivers around me simply don't put their cell phones down long enough to know, or care, what I happen to be driving at the moment. It's difficult to comprehend just how addicted people have become to these devices today.

 

Yep, I seem to attract 3-series drivers to drive more aggressively around me when in my Stinger.

 

Presence? Sure, up until the redneck in his $50K Ram with customized nonsense rolls up behind you, tailgates and then passes you agressively. Or that suburban soccer mom/career woman in her JGC does the same. It's basically an illusion. There will always be someone who thinks they're better than you and their vehicle gives them extra power/presence/privilege etc. And you'll always be convinced that if you have such and such a luxe vehicle, drivers are going to respect your space/distance/luxury car more than if you drive a Camry or Civic etc.

When I had my GS430 I had a junior miss/look-at-me/bimbo tailgate me on the highway in her Dodge Neon of all things. A few months later it was some kiddies in their fancy new Civic turbo. This is despite travelling at or over the speed limit and even accelerating away to put some distance. It's all about driver attitudes vs what's in front of you or behind you. People don't respect anything these days. You would have to be running around in a Presidential convoy to get any respect on the roads nowadays.

 

Bad drivers do not care what kind of car others drive around them. They drive one way and nothing stops them. I have never seen a difference in my decades of driving. The selfish, dangerous driving is as bad as ever on all roads.

 

This is food for thought--type of car, or type of person, or region?

As mentioned, I can spend a week in KY and OH (Cincy) and encounter zero incidences of aggressive driving. I can totally see the argument there, no need for speed cams, red light cams, highway patrol, etc. Those resources would be wasted if deployed in that area.

 

Absolutly in L.A. I have driven my sisters minivan a few times and it's amazing how many cars get in front of you as quickly as they can.

Driven several Rolls Royce & Bentley's also, several people will pullup alongside & look thru the windows to see who is inside.

 

I've driven through downtown Vancouver, BC a few times in a Camry. Once I took a 3/4ton travel van towing a camping trailer right through the middle of the business district. Guess which got me more "respect"? Yep, those Bimmers and Mercs driven by kids and "girlfriends" sure do give you more room when they can't see up past the middle of your doors. Size matters.

 

Definitely. When I drive my wife's Civic, people will mostly leave me alone. It's a little harder to navigate traffic as other cars are less likely to let me merge in. In the CX-9, it seems like other SUVs always want to get in front of me. Merging into traffic is easier as people let me in more often, especially when the car is clean. It's almost as if they're nicer to the cleaner, bigger cars.

 

So True!! let me add in some of my experiences ...

well to add; I used to drive a beat up maxima; that was a magnet for cops- I mean it was not bad just old but in every good shape. They would pull me over for weird things like making a left turn too quick from at the light.. etc Nothing stuck but now driving "luxury cars" I don't have that issue.

Few years back I had the green bug and I bought myself a Toyota Prius as a daily. I felt very unsafe in that car because everyone was riding my a####..some would pass me very aggressively even though I was probably going faster than anyone else.

I think Road presence plus a nicer car/suv would get you better treatment.