Are Mercedes the new 3rd lane warriors?

[Pbondar]

As I've had to do a number of long essential journeys over the last few weeks, I've spent quite a bit of time going up n down the A1(M)..

Set at my steady cruise speed I noted that the majority of vehicles going past me were Mercs of one form or another,mostly new or newish..

Seems that the 'loads of money' BMW 3rd laners were replaced by the Audi "Vorsprung durch Technik" hard chargers and now the Mercs.

Whatever happned to the mature gentlemen in fur coats and trilbys?

[enuff_zed]

I blame F1.
Further study will probably show that one Merc will come flashing by and disappear into the distance, but it'll be some time before the second appears in your mirrors and he'll hang about behind you for about half an hour before finally giving up and dropping back.

[sars]

I’ll have you know that Mercedes drivers tend to be courteous and we know where our indicators our too

[Mr Tidy]

Seems that the 'loads of money' BMW 3rd laners were replaced by the Audi "Vorsprung durch Technik" hard chargers and now the Mercs.

Whatever happned to the mature gentlemen in fur coats and trilbys?

Surely they are all driving Jags?

I'm still finding Audis are more of a problem than Mercs, although lardy 4x4s still seem desperate to get a close look at my car's rear end - until there is a corner!

[Pondrew]

Whatever happned to the mature gentlemen in fur coats and trilbys?

They all died of old age and replaced by the "I can get a Merc on my pay grade" company car brigade. MB have dumbed down to the masses more than any other manufacturer in the last 15 years IMO. Even I have had one

[Chris_D]

Maybe a phenomenon in the UK but not so in Germany.
I regularly commuted to Hamburg from Utrecht and back once a week and it seemed like the 200km/h weapon of choice was quite definitely the Audi A3 and A4, followed by a smattering of Mercs and BMW's, then Skodas and Volkswagens and the occasional Porsche.
The Bremen-Hamburg stretch was my favourite where I used to love blasting along in my loner Skoda Superb at 170kmh and this is where I saw a couple of Gumpert apollos and numerous Lamborghinis.
I took the zed a few times during the summer months if my trip fell on a weekend and regulaly saw 150mph. I lost many many many caps in the process.
Seems like a lifetime ago now.

[Pbondar]

Maybe if you are looking to justify your supposition...

In Thirsk tonight popped down to the chippy as the Premier Inn has no catering...

So on one side of the road no parking restrictions...lots of space..a Volvo XC70, a nice new Audi TT and a BMW 434D x drive

On the other side an 18 reg on double yellow lines...Merc 220 estate ..engine running, unattended with man waiting for his chippy order..12 ish year old son in passenger seat in football gear..

Man comes out with chippy, proceeds to eat said fish n chips in car..engine running parked on yellow lines causing repeated traffic issues..

Man then drives off looking at me and the other guy looking at him with what appears to be a belligerent stare at the two of us...

I of course realise that there are many perfectly courteous and considerate Merc drivers.....

[Mr Tidy]

I of course realise that there are many perfectly courteous and considerate Merc drivers.....

Well there certainly used to be, but I haven't had one since 2003.

[Pbondar]

I of course realise that there are many perfectly courteous and considerate Merc drivers.....

Well there certainly used to be, but I haven't had one since 2003.

Ditto sold my one and only Merc in 2003..didn’t have a fur coat and trilby..then..

[Pondrew]

Maybe if you are looking to justify your supposition...

In Thirsk tonight popped down to the chippy as the Premier Inn has no catering...

So on one side of the road no parking restrictions...lots of space..a Volvo XC70, a nice new Audi TT and a BMW 434D x drive

On the other side an 18 reg on double yellow lines...Merc 220 estate ..engine running, unattended with man waiting for his chippy order..12 ish year old son in passenger seat in football gear..

Man comes out with chippy, proceeds to eat said fish n chips in car..engine running parked on yellow lines causing repeated traffic issues..

Man then drives off looking at me and the other guy looking at him with what appears to be a belligerent stare at the two of us...

I of course realise that there are many perfectly courteous and considerate Merc drivers..

There will be a thread on a Mercedes owner's forum somewhere saying exactly the same thing but swapping Mercedes for BMW. BM drivers have not exactly been the average motorist's friends over the last 30 years now have they?

If I wanted to be popular on the road, I'd buy a Chinese MG or a Dacia

[Argyll Andy]

If I wanted to be popular on the road, I'd buy a Chinese MG or a Dacia

You buying another bloody car?

[Pondrew]

You buying another bloody car?

I test drove a Chinese MG a couple of years back (it was the one that was sort of a SUV, think it was the Ho Lee Fuk). The only new car I have ever driven that I was afraid would break down on me on the test drive. It was truly awful.

[Flyingfifer]

To be fair, its not mercs fault, taxi drivers are always keen to hurry onto their destination

[mgrlane]

When I am out in my "taxi" on the motorway I find that it's normally 5pot farting Audi's that are always catching up holding speed and then zooming off when they realise I am not going to race.

If it's not them, it's usually trade people going past at 90-100

It's the Karen's that are sat in the middle lane at 65-70 that are the frustrating ones. I never want to pull out to the third lane to overtake to go back to the 1st again.

[Flyingfifer]

When I am out in my "taxi" on the motorway

Private hire or can folk just flag you down?