Reaction to Westfields

[alexander72]

AJ - I agree as an ex-Bude boy....

[User0083]

Comments towards driving style, wish it was! I'd be able to correct it. 9yrs no points, never had an incident or near miss. Several friends lost their lives due to driving like morons before I was 20 and another friend died two years ago. My driving is quite similar to James May! I let people out... Well slow down and flash lights and use hand to indicate I'm letting them out, most people across Europe pull out... In Birmingham they sit there, then I give up and drive on... Sometimes they then decide to move... Brakes on, my fault for not stopping completely still! So not happen that often now.

Then in Birmingham I lasted 2yrs without an incident (11yrs when added to pre Birmingham driving), hear horror stories all the time. I admit a few near misses and people pulling across me, as with almost every drive, then rear ended at traffic lights, I was stationary! It's just not stopped since then. But this thread shows huge difference to people's driving while you're in a Westfield, I did 24k in my Westfield in 12 months! I enjoy driving the Westfield and I'm not a fast driver. I enjoy 40-70mph down A roads, across Dorset. I also found out quite quickly that a Westfield petrol tank is the size of a pigeon's bladder! When excited and driving hard, 50-60 miles would be it! However, chilled out I get 180-200 miles out of the same tank! I should really have something like MEM sec's car, chrome, swept wings, comfy seats... But I like the style of mine! Also I realised years ago that 150 miles on motorway at 70-85 costs 50% more and saves 10% in time compared to 63-68! So I'm always the one sat in the slow lane at 65! Quite rare for me to floor it.

4 incidents in 7's, 3 were "I didn't see you" and their insurance paid. One drove off,

1 incident in hire car, rear ended at traffic lights, uninsured driver.

[User0083]

The only problem drivers in Cornwall are the tourists !!

Yes, the brummies on holiday!

[JustCallMeMac]

rarely have any problems with other road users TBH

 

I you constantly have problems it is probably your driving style?

 

 

As above - can't remember any instance of an 'issue'. Although, I don't drive a lot of road miles in the Westy and when I do it's outside peak times. Combined with most of my road driving being done towing a car & trailer, I think it's made me a pretty 'defensive' driver and I have to look way ahead all the time.

 

Agree with Clark and Adam on this - never had an issue with others that I can say is specifically down to me driving the Westy.

 

Truth is, I'm actually probably more aware and considerate driving it, than I am when cocooned in the electronically-controlled safety of the tin top and I've quickly learnt to respect both it's capabilities and limitations. Doesn't stop me from pressing the loud pedal, when safe and suitable to do so, especially since returning from NMS!!

 

And having an aero-screen means I leave plenty of room to the car in front. Learnt that painful lesson very early on! 

 

Finally and I just can't resist, but Cleggy, that's some seriously sharp designer stubble you are sporting on your profile pic mate!  Are the rumours therefore true that you won "Mr Stoneleigh 2013" by a landslide? (Did hear there was only the one entry though mate!)         

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

All I needed was the pink shirt to complete the look

[adamnreeves]

My experience is broadly that other motorists fall into one of these camps:

 

1). Those that switch on the wash wipe when they see you behind with an aero screen. Some keeping the button pressed for over 10 seconds or more

2). Those that start driving in the middle of the road when they see you going to over take.

3). Those that change their speed upward or downward in an erratic manor when you are behind them.

4). Those that drop cogs and accelerate hard when you overtake which makes absolutely no difference, I only notice because I either hear the engine

screaming or the back end of their car squats to the road or both. I mean really, they'd have to have a power to weight ratio exceeding 500BHP/ton to make it  slightly difficult.

5). Those that just flash their lights at you for no reason, usually after you've over taken them in a safe manor.

6). Normal behaviour which is the majority really.

[Dodgey]

I only have two real issues

 

1) When I go round roundabouts I pretty much always have to assume that the people waiting to pull out on my left will have no idea how fast I'm approaching (or how fast I can go round a large roundabout) - and I'm nearly always right and they pull out in front of me. I'm just used to it and am prepared to brake. It's not fair to expect people to be able to judge my speed at such short notice. There are of course PLENTY of people who just don't give a damn/look. That part saddens me.

 

2) In my 1st few weeks of Westfield ownership I actually frightened a few timid drivers by either approaching at great speed and then immediately slowing (usually when they wander across lanes on a roundabout), or by flying by them round roundabouts at great speed. Both times I was happily in control but I didn't consider that it might startle them. One woman went spastic - referring to my "stupid little toy car!"- I'd actually done nothing illegal or dangerous - I was approaching a roundabout at a good speed and ready to fly across with an obscured view (central reservation bushes). When I got to the final approach I saw that her car going round was in my way so I slowed down hard and tucked in behind her, to follow her round the roundabout. I was prepared for this, and it was a non issue. Totally in control and a danger to no one. She panicked and stopped - in the middle of the roundabout. I drove round her, she caught up at lights and went nuts. I even apologised - made no difference. 

 

Now I won't overtake people on roundabouts at great speed - just not worth the hassle. I've adjusted my driving style and still have a blast, I'm just a lot more aware of other road users getting peeved for whaterver reason.

 

I rode bikes for a long while so I'm very aware of what's going on around me.

 

If I owned this car and still lived in South London I'm certain I'd have been to hospital by now - totally lawless.

[SlowPoke]

Having owned the westy for a good few weeks now, i still feel very intimated to take it out. Due to the fact that STUPID idiots in and around the area think i'm out looking for a race.

 

I'm just an average joe driver, not fast and not slow, and on every occassion i have taken the westy out for a drive, people always tailgate me,  one day there was an idiot driving a range rover he was so close i couldnt even see his headlights! (the reason he was so peeved off i think, was because i left him standing at the lights.... )

[User0083]

Adam, your number 6 is correct and I've not experienced 2, 3 or 5... Maybe I'm not driving fast enough!

[JustCallMeMac]

......on every occassion i have taken the westy out for a drive, people always tailgate me,  one day there was an idiot driving a range rover he was so close i couldnt even see his headlights! (the reason he was so peeved off i think, was because i left him standing at the lights.... )

 

Classic!! That's a sure fire way to attract a tailgater, if they get the opportunity to catch up and stay with you!   And that's not specific to owning a Westfield.

 

Best thing to do if you get a tailgater is to pull over or in to another road, when safe, let them pass and then carry on about your business. Will take seconds. Don't let 'em raise the blood pressure and if you're focusing on them, you're not concentrating 100% on your own driving and what's happening around you.

 

It might sound soft but it gets you and the car home safe and you can enjoy the drive without feeling intimidated.

[User0083]

I often have people drive right up my A***, I see then comin up fast, get ready for impact and they stop at the last second, if in town, sometimes with a screech of brakes! They'll continue to follow me and I can feel the heat from their engine and I'm sure if I farted they'd smell it! Yes slowpoke, it's disturbing. I used to slow up, let space develop in front and take off... But that encourages them! Now when someone revs a shoots off I ignore them and think "Clearly his little willy twinges when he hits 5,000 rpm!" I did shoot off lights, not one person came close, best was a Lexus is 200 diesel that revved his engine, put his window down and said "Is it diesel?" I laughed, he revved and said "real power" and revved some more. I went, only got to second gear and he was out of sight. I eased right back to have him fly by at daft speeds, in a 40! So I decided that I'll just ignore them before someone gets really hurt.

[AidanPlace]

Summer before last I was stopped at lights in Belfast and got pelted with eggs, one suit ruined and still finding bits of shell. Police didn't want to know. 

[dombanks]

Summer before last I was stopped at lights in Belfast and got pelted with eggs, one suit ruined and still finding bits of shell. Police didn't want to know. 

im not a great fan of driving in town either. just a bit conscious of people looking and the comments it generates good or bad but never ad anything thrown at me that i can remember.  don't really get many wanting to race either. it was worse in the focus than in this either the z4 or westy.

 

i think in convertibles you are much more aware of peoples proximity to you. esp behind. it took me while to get used to the different noises you hear. even the difference between top up and down what may sound close may not be. but lets face it when your sat in traffic at lights or in a jam you are generally about a yard from the car in front so pretty close. some people like to be a bit closer others leave a bigger gap.

[Wile E. Coyote]

rarely have any problems with other road users TBH

 

Same here.  Odd kiddie in a remapped VAG tdi wants to prove how fast smoky his car is, but just let them go on their merry way.

 

Always amazes me how many women point the car out to their kids.  Presumably accompanied with comments/warnings about how you need to be aware that seemingly normal people can actually be a bit unhinged.

 

Get the occasional group of schoolkids wanting me to give it a blip too.

 

Never had any abuse.  Unlike in a mainstream convertible.

[SootySport]

Never have problems with other drivers around here, they usually wave, take a photo or give me the thumbs up.  Also, always let me out of minor roads  when I'm quite happy to wait my turn. I can only think it is my courteous driving style and I always wave back to other courteous local drivers and plenty of locals know me through my job and from up the pub.

 All is good here