Safe Speed Forums

Breaking off from the thread in Brainstorming about how we preconceive drivers based on their cars, I wonder if we prejudge people by how they alter their car's appearance. These have to apply whatever car they are applied to.

Some obvious ones to get the ball rolling:

OTT GRP bodykit: Boy racer. 60 on the motorway, 60 down the high street except if teenage girls in sight. Stereo bizarrely usually playing really girly R'n'B (presumably to attract said girls). Steer clear!

Loads of stickers bearing the logo of tuning companies etc: See above.

Christian fish: 50+, very slow, not very skillful, but utterly unaggressive.
(the only sticker I've ever had on a car was big picture of a devil toasting a christian fish on a big fork on my old yellow Fiesta)

Pink furry seat/steering wheel covers, sticker saying "babe on board". Slightly aggressively driven by female under 30. Amount of pink is usually inversely proportional to the attractiveness of the driver.

Baby on Board etc. stickers. Seem to be a subconscious apologia for the driver's lack of skill. Steer clear, especially during school run!

Those yellow "25" stickers (are these everywhere or just in the westcountry?) to alert the police if anyone who looks under 25 is driving that it's probably been nicked. These mean: This car will NEVER break the speed limit even if driven off a cliff.

Two that defy pigeonholing:

Privacy glass: Can be boy racer or MPV full of kids or minor celebrity!

Private plate: Seem to be almost anyone (including me ), though illegal spacing/lettering tend to be favoured by chavs only. Often have tendency to aggressive driving (except me!)

How about: Car full of soft toys - always female - usually not paying attention

harsh but fair....



i never seen one...

Ditto - I've seen the night watch ones though.

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

In Dorset (and Somerset I think) this is obviously a Night watch equivalent; just a big black 25 on a circular yellow background.

"If you can read this, you're too close" sticker - usually applied by someone who has been the victim of a rear-ender in the past and is stupid enough to think that a silly sticker will stop it happening again.

LCD screens in the headrests - Owner has two 5-10 year-old sons that he/she is struggling to control. Playstation 2 is the only thing that keeps them quiet.

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“For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.” - H. L. Mencken

Like a red rag to a bull with me some times. I see the sticker and I have to have a read to see what it says, then I back off.If there was no sticker to read I would have no need to get close.

I have only things I have in my car is a road angel, and aroc an owners club sicker.

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Oct 11 Birmingham Half Marathon. I am running for the British Heart Foundation.
http://www.justgiving.com/Rob-Taylor

My only decoration is a Pistonheads Badge on the bootlid.

Owners' club stickers are usually the sign of a good driver.

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“For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.” - H. L. Mencken

Good - I forgot - I have a SOC sticker in the top LH corner of my windscreen

It must be the organised drives etc

werid my AROC sticker is on the top left hand too.

SOC?

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Oct 11 Birmingham Half Marathon. I am running for the British Heart Foundation.
http://www.justgiving.com/Rob-Taylor

It must be the organised drives etc
Nothing quite like driving down a single lane B road only to discover it is the worng one , and you need to turn around .

werid my AROC sticker is on the top left hand too.

SOC?

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Oct 11 Birmingham Half Marathon. I am running for the British Heart Foundation.
http://www.justgiving.com/Rob-Taylor

What about those people in a 4x4 with black and yellow markings, who insist on driving in L1 on M/Way @ 50 ??

Beemers and Mercs with 'delete option' trying not to draw attention that the owner could only afford the model with the crap little engine / cloth trim level - but they do own the badge...sad-o!

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Aquila



Licat volare si super tergum aquila volat...

The only modification my car has is a permanent film of dirt.

I even removed the dealers advert from the rear window.

Mine has a visible modification (exhaust is a little wide), but all other decoration is removed - I even insisted that no dealer logo was applied when purchased.

I'm with Homer, Can't abide mods to my car. Not sure why but simply can't be doing with it.

Pretty annoyed with the EU plates that came with both of them but I don't care enough to pay for replacement.

Saab Owners Club

My mum did the oposite - she bought the top of the range 300 series and didn't want to advertise what it was...

My car's dirty and full of rubish. It also has a couple of minor dents and scuffs (some there when I bought it and some...ehe...additions!) Its badged (removing them would probably INCREASE the value!) and it has no stickers/other adornments anywhere (appart from the TINY Witter sticker on the tow ball cover)

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

Both of mine have a rainbow sticker on the no. plate and a pistonheads sticker on the bumper's black rubbing strip.
The TVR additionally has a TVRCC sticker in front of the rear view mirror and a '500 Taraka' sticker on the no. plate, but you have to be virtually crouching behind the car to read that.