Okay
Where do I start off
This is a long one with no TL/DR (thatswhatshesaid)
Recently got out of the e30 game when I found an amazing 6-speed e39 I couldn't pass up. This car easily beats all my expectations of a "modern" BMW, bar none. It's my first taste of BMW newer than e30s; and yes, I know this is r3v and, "oh man, all modern BMWs are the devil", "BMW now-a-days is just Big Money Wasted" blah blah blah. Yeah, I know; but I have to say it: this is a nicer car than an e30, hands down. It's an extremely rare Winter-Sport package that came fully equipped with heated fully electric-adjustable sport seats, adjustable M5 wheel, staggered Style 32s, foldable rear seats, ski-pass back rear armrest, etc etc etc. I love this thing to bits
Anyway, that's besides the point; the point is: when I get into this thing, it's like my own personal spa treatment. The shifter is light yet firm, the seats are plush, yet gripping, the throttle is easy, yet monolithic. It's a massive 5-seater, 4-door sedan (boat?) that smashes down Civics a plenty merging onto the freeway, or devouring turns at 35mph no questions asked. And yet, I'm being pampered, and the car is effortlessly catering to my every fancy
And... I drive in a drastically different way because of it. Where prior in the e30 it was about how quickly I can take this spiraling on-ramp, how much throttle I need to give it to overtake that Prius, or how much power can I push until I start losing grip on this wide turn, I am very relaxed in the e39. I don't feel the need to speed; I don't make overly dramatic lane swerves; I granny shift everywhere because the V8 chugs gas anywhere over 2k and the 6-speed has been abused and grinds every gear; my biggest peeve is when people don't use their turn signals, so I always use mine even when no one's around; I don't need to race, or rev, or live my life one stoplight at a time because I know I can beat at least 70% of cars on the road today
On top of that, I am an established Hospice caretaker for a very large elderly-care organization and will be studying Respiratory Care for ER practice starting January. I've gone through a major lifestyle change, losing 40lbs in 6 months after coming back from a trip to Europe, getting up at 5AM to hit morning workouts at the gym 6 days a week, working 12 hour shifts M-F watching and providing medical care for people confined to their deathbeds
That being said, I like to think I'm a pretty respectable driver and an overall nice guy: treat others the way you would like to be treated. That's the golden rule
But I've only owned and driven this e39 for a solid week, and I can already tell all rules of common courtesy flies straight out the window when people see that shiny hood Roundel. You guys just saw my car, it's nothing impressive; but people see that White, Black, and Blue and sleak modern body lines and just get a twist in their knot. Doesn't matter if you save lives for a living, help old ladies cross the street, feed the homeless, rescue cats out of trees, hug puppies
"Oh? You drive a BMW? You must be a douche..."
I'm a pretty conscious driver, so I can tell when people are passive-aggressively targeting me in some way or another. And boy... I can honestly say I have had probably more run-ins with people tailgating, brake checking, harassing, flipping birds, and window-washing me this passed week than I ever did in my 5 entire years driving an e30.
This morning I was driving to the dealer to get some work done; had multiple people cut me off trying to merge onto the freeway; just driving home, had a older-20s guy in a newer lifted Ford F-150 tailgating me for miles; just go around moron!
The other day had someone cut me off while I was trying to pass traffic in the second lane only for them to start provoking me by driving slow, brake checking, and window washing me.
The day I bought the car? No, the first. drive. home., there was someone who wouldn't let me merge despite my blinker flashing for a solid 10 seconds. They intentionally sped up to close the gap when they saw my blinker turn on. I think it was a Kia Optima; I've always hated those cars. So I forced my way in to the right turn lane anyway, admittedly "cutting them off" and forcing them to make room, only for them to switch lanes just to speed passed and cut in front of me while flipping me off.
Wanna know what they all had in common? None of them were BMW drivers, that's for sure. I now see why BMW drivers are such assholes when they drive. For God only knows what reason, it seems like really everyone targets them, and the only respect they get on the road are from other BMW drivers
But tonight
Man.. Tonight took the cake
I was driving home on the streets after a night out with the guys and I was minding my own business in the far left lane, probably going about 50mph in a 55 zone; clear lane in front of me. The right lane was packed and was going maybe about 30mph, when suddenly a white minivan (I think it was a Chevy Venture; one of those obscure mid 90s minivans no one cares about) serves out into my lane without signaling, forcing me to slam my brakes to avoid an accident. She then proceeds to brake check me multiple times while I'm already slowing down all the while still going about 30mph. I'm pretty heated, but I back off and wait for the third lane to begin so I can make a quick pass and leave the plebeian to her own business
So the third lane opens up and I downshift into 3rd to make a quick pass; and, just as soon as I'm about to pass, the landwhale starts closing into my lane, forcing me again to slam my brakes, having ABS kick in just as I hit the center divider and rash my driver's side wheels trying to avoid her. Looking back, the situation could've turned out much worse than it did, but I'm more than glad it didn't
At this point; getting into an accident isn't worth it, destroying my rare(r) wheels isn't worth it, blowing my Michelin Pilot Sports aren't worth it, totaling my no-accident clean title original owner barn-find isn't worth it. My perfect alignment is already off center now, and I'm pretty pissed: I just bought this car 6 days ago, and yeah it's really rough, but it's MY car, that I bought and maintain with MY money: I reserve every right to assert my road rage At this shewhale, but I concede and just follow at well over a safe distance, still going 35ish at this point.
Pictures of the damages when I got home shows that not much was damaged: Bumper and side skirt is intact and no bends in the wheels, but she did overall trash an otherwise flawless wheel and cut a healthy tire.
As you can see, it's really almost nothing; but that's besides the point. It's the principle of it that matters
So she continues driving erratically, swerving through lanes in front of me without signaling, brake checking me, just being generally unpleasant
Until we pull side by side to a stoplight
She motions me to roll down my window, and for whatever reason, I did; one touch window flawlessly allowing me to maintain frame despite my anger seething.
The lady was a landwhale man-dike with greying unkempt hair; literally looked like she just woke up, oozed out of bed, and desperately needed to take her annual bath; XXL white T-Shirt with matching ketchup and mustard stains from a super-chimichanga-chili-and-cheese-dog she inhaled at the last hick convention she visited... two years ago. The definition of white trash wouldn't read anything: it would just list her name and her picture.
She looks at me with an angry scowl with eyes that could pierce glass and brazenly calls to me: "Hey, kid!" despite me being well into my mid-20s, "You're driving like an asshat. Didn't it feel great back there when I didn't let you pass? You think just cause you're driving a BMW, you think you're better than me?"
And with boiling blood and a cool head, I looked at her and said:
"Yeah, actually. Yes I do"
EDIT 1:
I lied, you get a TL/DR:
Your daily reminder to stay safe out there and always drive respectfully because some people aren't worth the scum they collect
EDIT 2:
Okay, so it seems I may have misled some people. Don't get me wrong in assuming I'm implying that upgrading to a more modern BMW is life subject to eternal damnation from the general populous of the autobahn. Don't think that I also consider myself some high and mighty god that believes the highways should part like the Red Sea so that I may grace peasants with my presence for a few seconds while I barrel passed them at 120mph. I'm not, I'm just a regular schmuck who worked his ass off to own what he officially considers a modern luxury car, and feels absolutely blessed and humbled by the experience.
To be fair: ever since upgrading, I have noticed a definite increase in the courteousness of other drivers in letting me in, moving out of the way for me, and just being overall good people as well. The purpose of this post was to show that outside of the e30 realm, there is a definite shift of how people perceive you based on the car you drive, and it just so happens, in the e39; there has been an increase in both general extremes; not just the bad, and , if I'm honest, a shift more towards the positive than anything else. I was simply just taken aback by such a dramatic shift negatively, and was sharing my experience.
Thanks r3v
Where do I start off
This is a long one with no TL/DR (thatswhatshesaid)
Recently got out of the e30 game when I found an amazing 6-speed e39 I couldn't pass up. This car easily beats all my expectations of a "modern" BMW, bar none. It's my first taste of BMW newer than e30s; and yes, I know this is r3v and, "oh man, all modern BMWs are the devil", "BMW now-a-days is just Big Money Wasted" blah blah blah. Yeah, I know; but I have to say it: this is a nicer car than an e30, hands down. It's an extremely rare Winter-Sport package that came fully equipped with heated fully electric-adjustable sport seats, adjustable M5 wheel, staggered Style 32s, foldable rear seats, ski-pass back rear armrest, etc etc etc. I love this thing to bits
Anyway, that's besides the point; the point is: when I get into this thing, it's like my own personal spa treatment. The shifter is light yet firm, the seats are plush, yet gripping, the throttle is easy, yet monolithic. It's a massive 5-seater, 4-door sedan (boat?) that smashes down Civics a plenty merging onto the freeway, or devouring turns at 35mph no questions asked. And yet, I'm being pampered, and the car is effortlessly catering to my every fancy
And... I drive in a drastically different way because of it. Where prior in the e30 it was about how quickly I can take this spiraling on-ramp, how much throttle I need to give it to overtake that Prius, or how much power can I push until I start losing grip on this wide turn, I am very relaxed in the e39. I don't feel the need to speed; I don't make overly dramatic lane swerves; I granny shift everywhere because the V8 chugs gas anywhere over 2k and the 6-speed has been abused and grinds every gear; my biggest peeve is when people don't use their turn signals, so I always use mine even when no one's around; I don't need to race, or rev, or live my life one stoplight at a time because I know I can beat at least 70% of cars on the road today
On top of that, I am an established Hospice caretaker for a very large elderly-care organization and will be studying Respiratory Care for ER practice starting January. I've gone through a major lifestyle change, losing 40lbs in 6 months after coming back from a trip to Europe, getting up at 5AM to hit morning workouts at the gym 6 days a week, working 12 hour shifts M-F watching and providing medical care for people confined to their deathbeds
That being said, I like to think I'm a pretty respectable driver and an overall nice guy: treat others the way you would like to be treated. That's the golden rule
But I've only owned and driven this e39 for a solid week, and I can already tell all rules of common courtesy flies straight out the window when people see that shiny hood Roundel. You guys just saw my car, it's nothing impressive; but people see that White, Black, and Blue and sleak modern body lines and just get a twist in their knot. Doesn't matter if you save lives for a living, help old ladies cross the street, feed the homeless, rescue cats out of trees, hug puppies
"Oh? You drive a BMW? You must be a douche..."
I'm a pretty conscious driver, so I can tell when people are passive-aggressively targeting me in some way or another. And boy... I can honestly say I have had probably more run-ins with people tailgating, brake checking, harassing, flipping birds, and window-washing me this passed week than I ever did in my 5 entire years driving an e30.
This morning I was driving to the dealer to get some work done; had multiple people cut me off trying to merge onto the freeway; just driving home, had a older-20s guy in a newer lifted Ford F-150 tailgating me for miles; just go around moron!
The other day had someone cut me off while I was trying to pass traffic in the second lane only for them to start provoking me by driving slow, brake checking, and window washing me.
The day I bought the car? No, the first. drive. home., there was someone who wouldn't let me merge despite my blinker flashing for a solid 10 seconds. They intentionally sped up to close the gap when they saw my blinker turn on. I think it was a Kia Optima; I've always hated those cars. So I forced my way in to the right turn lane anyway, admittedly "cutting them off" and forcing them to make room, only for them to switch lanes just to speed passed and cut in front of me while flipping me off.
Wanna know what they all had in common? None of them were BMW drivers, that's for sure. I now see why BMW drivers are such assholes when they drive. For God only knows what reason, it seems like really everyone targets them, and the only respect they get on the road are from other BMW drivers
But tonight
Man.. Tonight took the cake
I was driving home on the streets after a night out with the guys and I was minding my own business in the far left lane, probably going about 50mph in a 55 zone; clear lane in front of me. The right lane was packed and was going maybe about 30mph, when suddenly a white minivan (I think it was a Chevy Venture; one of those obscure mid 90s minivans no one cares about) serves out into my lane without signaling, forcing me to slam my brakes to avoid an accident. She then proceeds to brake check me multiple times while I'm already slowing down all the while still going about 30mph. I'm pretty heated, but I back off and wait for the third lane to begin so I can make a quick pass and leave the plebeian to her own business
So the third lane opens up and I downshift into 3rd to make a quick pass; and, just as soon as I'm about to pass, the landwhale starts closing into my lane, forcing me again to slam my brakes, having ABS kick in just as I hit the center divider and rash my driver's side wheels trying to avoid her. Looking back, the situation could've turned out much worse than it did, but I'm more than glad it didn't
At this point; getting into an accident isn't worth it, destroying my rare(r) wheels isn't worth it, blowing my Michelin Pilot Sports aren't worth it, totaling my no-accident clean title original owner barn-find isn't worth it. My perfect alignment is already off center now, and I'm pretty pissed: I just bought this car 6 days ago, and yeah it's really rough, but it's MY car, that I bought and maintain with MY money: I reserve every right to assert my road rage At this shewhale, but I concede and just follow at well over a safe distance, still going 35ish at this point.
Pictures of the damages when I got home shows that not much was damaged: Bumper and side skirt is intact and no bends in the wheels, but she did overall trash an otherwise flawless wheel and cut a healthy tire.
As you can see, it's really almost nothing; but that's besides the point. It's the principle of it that matters
So she continues driving erratically, swerving through lanes in front of me without signaling, brake checking me, just being generally unpleasant
Until we pull side by side to a stoplight
She motions me to roll down my window, and for whatever reason, I did; one touch window flawlessly allowing me to maintain frame despite my anger seething.
The lady was a landwhale man-dike with greying unkempt hair; literally looked like she just woke up, oozed out of bed, and desperately needed to take her annual bath; XXL white T-Shirt with matching ketchup and mustard stains from a super-chimichanga-chili-and-cheese-dog she inhaled at the last hick convention she visited... two years ago. The definition of white trash wouldn't read anything: it would just list her name and her picture.
She looks at me with an angry scowl with eyes that could pierce glass and brazenly calls to me: "Hey, kid!" despite me being well into my mid-20s, "You're driving like an asshat. Didn't it feel great back there when I didn't let you pass? You think just cause you're driving a BMW, you think you're better than me?"
And with boiling blood and a cool head, I looked at her and said:
"Yeah, actually. Yes I do"
EDIT 1:
I lied, you get a TL/DR:
Originally posted by UlrichFennec
View Post
EDIT 2:
Okay, so it seems I may have misled some people. Don't get me wrong in assuming I'm implying that upgrading to a more modern BMW is life subject to eternal damnation from the general populous of the autobahn. Don't think that I also consider myself some high and mighty god that believes the highways should part like the Red Sea so that I may grace peasants with my presence for a few seconds while I barrel passed them at 120mph. I'm not, I'm just a regular schmuck who worked his ass off to own what he officially considers a modern luxury car, and feels absolutely blessed and humbled by the experience.
To be fair: ever since upgrading, I have noticed a definite increase in the courteousness of other drivers in letting me in, moving out of the way for me, and just being overall good people as well. The purpose of this post was to show that outside of the e30 realm, there is a definite shift of how people perceive you based on the car you drive, and it just so happens, in the e39; there has been an increase in both general extremes; not just the bad, and , if I'm honest, a shift more towards the positive than anything else. I was simply just taken aback by such a dramatic shift negatively, and was sharing my experience.
Thanks r3v
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