Aggressive response & jealousy; how do you deal with it?

[iwatchlive]

Hi all
I wanted to ask for your view / opinions and for the comments/ feedback of those wiser and cooler tempered than me

Prior to being lucky enough to get an E89 sDrive 35i - I had completely underestimated the response I would get from other "humanoids"?? in such an attractive yet muscular / masculine and beautiful beast of a vehicle.

I mean in particular- the high and astonishing amount of grief / abuse / jealousy / finger poking/ cupped hand shaking / that such a wonderful thing can bring out in several facets of the general public.

Don't get me wrong here I am a realist, and I accept that there will always be a degree of this in society, ( I mean I do appreciate the odd ) but I never realised when I took this babe out on the open road that it would grant Carte Blanche access to every Chav and his Muppet &/OR ugly missus to just open up their uncouth gobs and think its acceptable to parlez their pitiful attempts at abuse -all because because they are clearly jealous; or due to the subliminal inferiority complex feeling they get that there's is clearly smaller than mine; which seems to promote some Neanderthal reaction and charge their adrenal glands to get ready for a fight due to the clear testosterone winner being in the arena in his Zed.

What ever happened to "wow" or "nice car mate"? or as my grannie taught me "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything"

I dont mind the odd "bit cold for that isn't it" when I have the top down and its only a few degrees outside as they don't realise that I am used to riding a motorbike in Scottish Winters and now have my arse placed on a beautiful BMW seat heater and HOT (yet very quiet) fans blowing lovely warm air all over me;

When I took it across France and Switzerland, our Euro friends (lots of them) were only too happy to mention how lovely it looked, or ask about the engineering / BHP / stopping distance / 0-60 etc.

Back to Blighty & unfortunately instead it seems to be "turn it down a bit m8" or "wont be so pretty when it's got key marks down the side M8 Ha Ha" or "should be out drivin in it kid, not takin pictures of it"

Now being a Glaswegian ex-military man - I am a big boy and used to big boys rules, so believe you me I can take the abuse and return it in spades- however that's not the point is it, I just wanna enjoy the benefits of my hard earned without having to feel I have to become the Equaliser every time.

What is that all about? & How do you deal with it?

Interested in some nice responses and other stories
regards
IWL

[playalistic]

"The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves."

[pvr]

To be honest, never had that one yet. At least not to my face, nor that I heard it.

Does it depend on where you drive though? I generally don't get into cities.

[gookah]

I drove past someone the other day with the roof down, and as I glanced in the mirror I saw him doing the coffee bean shuffle...
Well at least I am a w*nker with an 'M', and not a w*nker that has to walk everywhere.

Pity we're not allowed rid these scum from our streets, but then who would do the s**t jobs...

Like Lilly Savage once said when confronted by an arsey cleaner as she,(he) lit a ciggy under a sign saying 'No Smoking'
To the question "can't you read?"...... Lilly replied, "yes, that's why I am not sweeping floors in a f*cking Airport"...

[MikeS]

Maybe its a location problem - not noticed any such behaviour where I live.

[mikedav]

It's the culture we live in.

Drive a nice car in the UK, and people wonder who you screwed over to get it.
Drive a nice car in the US, people ask you how they can get one and if they can have a ride.

Having said that I would suggests its convertibles rather than 'flash' cars that attract it unfortunately, I've had one negative comment in four years, but a friend of mine with a not-very-new SLK gets regular negativity, and you definitely notice the difference when you're driving a convertible. Something about top down motoring, maybe it just appears 'flash' regardless of what it is to a non petrolhead?

But who cares what anyone else thinks, peoples motives are infinitely varied....I saw a keyed 2003 Ford Focus this morning.

[cj_eds]

mikedav beat me to it - I reckon it's the convertibles that get it. Fingers crossed I've not had any grief in my coupe (aside from a couple of diesel Vectra's and Audi's that felt the need to demonstrate that driving like a t**t somehow makes their car faster than mine...)

Mates with MX-5's, Elises etc have all said they've had hassle. One of them stopped driving down Gt Western Road from his house because he was sick of the comedic attempts at wit he'd hear from the pavements.

[roofless]

I find it comes and goes. I've had a few chavvy comments over time, normally from idiots but then, when it's minus 6 and someone has the roof down i guess to somepeople it is a bizarre sight. for those who can't appreciate how wonderful the world can be when you let it into your life i feel sorry. Fortunately for every moron i come across there are a horde of people who just say wow, cool car, love it man, wish i had one of those, you're so lucky etc etc etc.
In answer the OP, it gets under my skin for a brief moment, but as i feel the wind in my hair, smell spring on its' way and face the open road ahead then the smile on my face banishes all traces of annoyance; and as the throttle heads for the floor ......

[Taz]

i get a buzz from cruising along letting other cars over take me, i know i could beat the vast majority of them

[Maniac]

I've only had mine a few months and have already been driven at, shouted at, glared at etc. Manchester is full of very angry 'want to get home' drivers and having a flash car makes them explode in rage.

I find a big smile when they're at their angriest makes me feel very good when I see them go almost purple

[cj_eds]

i get a buzz from cruising along letting other cars over take me, i know i could beat the vast majority of them

I should never admit this as a member of IAM, but when someone's being a berk in a slower car, it can be good fun watching their blood pressure rise while you stick to the law My particular favourite when someone's tailgating you in a 30 is to hold 30 right to the NSL signs then floor it in 2nd. It's probably doing my fair bit to lower other driver's opinions of BMW drivers. For that I apologise to you all
Alternatively and more sensibly, it is uplifting watching them rushing off and knowing you could beat them.

[Z4 Beemer]

I don't think I've ever had any negative comments or gestures made towards me, but as mentioned above, I think it depends where you drive. I always try to avoid eye contact with people that stare at the car though.

cj_eds - Gt Western Road... seriously?

[Ewazix]

My convertible Mini got the treatment all the time (what's the difference between a Mini hatch and the convertible? you can hear people calling you a *anker in the convertible etc) but not had too much in the Zed and can't recall any in a long line of classic rag tops, I'm wondering if the E89 is obviously more 'flash' and expensive my 8 year old?

I also tend to opt for the approach as it tends to p155 them off even more - best though was a cretin in an account manager's special edition A4 who performed an outrageous overtake and cut in narrowly avoiding a header, then having to see it through followed up with a nice bit of tailgating of the 5 series touring in front and a double white line pass.......er old bill drive 5 tourings round here, most amusing a couple of miles down the road once they had let him hang himself.......toot toot

[Z4andy]

Oddly, my DSB 23i got lots of positive reactions in traffic,

however the red iS seems to be a complete w****r magnet.

I've had a few stressful drives on the motorway in the iS and just the other night with my wife driving, a car full of yobs drove past yelling out the window.

They then threw scrunched up pages of an Argos catalogue at us Having said that it did seem to be in good humour but startling all the same.

It is very funny though that people forget that you can hear them rather easily with the roof down.

[Gargybloke]

Someone had a go at my car in Bournemouth the first day I had it when it was parked for only a short time at the side of the road. Does make me worried about leaving it parked anywhere else but I'm not going to let them beat me and dictate what I do with my life.

I haven't had any abuse when driving......probably cos I'm too far ahead