What Make/Model Car Terrifies You the Most When You’re Riding?

[runbike]

I’m curious: what type of car, when you see it out driving on the road, do you automatically assume will do something clueless/stupid/reckless or all of the above?

My current pick (also shared by Orestes Munn) is the Mercedes GL series:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]7000[/ATTACH]

Whenever I see one I instinctively tense up and prepare myself for all kinds of crappy driving behavior (and am rarely disappointed).

So what make/model tops your list?

DISCLAIMER:
1) Apologies to anyone on the forum who might own one of these cars. This is only meant in good fun.
2) Let’s just stick to car type and try to stay away from commenting on who is behind the wheel.

Topic

[Brendan von Buckingham]

1. U-haul trucks; any rental truck actually. Big vehicle, blind spots, inexperienced driver; maybe even an out of state driver.
2. Dumptrucks
3. LC buses, those coaches from Loudon County for commuters. Their drivers are terrible.

[Harry Meatmotor]

@wheels&wings 99614 wrote:

…these guys are often from more traditional cultures…

is that a nice way of saying Redneck?

[baiskeli]

@wheels&wings 99614 wrote:

A Subaru Legacy? Sorry to hear. That’s what I drive (sedan version), but I promise I’m not a nun. I bought the car four years ago when a judge told me I wouldn’t get custody without it. “A suburban mom needs a car, not a stroller hitched to the back of her bicycle.” So much for my $500 double Burley.

That should be a front-page news story. It’s an outrage.

[83b]

@wheels&wings 99614 wrote:

I see that some of us list pick-up trucks among our scariest vehicles. On-the-whole, I’ve found pick-up drivers to be patient and good-natured.

Pickups in and around DC I’ve found to be cool dudes. Pickups back in rural & suburban NC I’ve found to be THE WORST.

[KLizotte]

I can’t emphasize enough how much safer I feel riding with a mirror attached to my helmet. I am constantly monitoring the cars behind me and can act accordingly (move over, take the lane, wave the car around me, etc.). The few times I have ridden without my mirror I felt like I was riding blind and had a lot of surprise encounters with vehicles. It make look dorky, but better Fred than dead!

This is the one I use: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012OKA6M/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Cheap and indispensable.

[cyclingfool]

+1 to KLizzotte. Mirrors FTW. I feel blind w/o my Take-a-Look mounted to my glasses. Considering adding this to my handlebars as well.

As for makes/models that make me cringe… big black SUVs, especially those that are some federal or quasi-federal security something or other. I’ve actually had a couple try to reprimand me to taking the lane and even got buzzed just yesterday coming back from lunch here. Cars parked on both sides of the street, me about to turn left to enter my office building, driver floors it to squeeze by on my left side and accelerate up to 35 or 40, just to slam on the brakes at the stop sign at the end of the block. No siren, no lights, no nothing. Just pure assholery and threat to safety of all on the block. Not at all atypical for this type of vehicle around here, thus my response.

[Author]

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