Volvo Drivers and Why They are Dangerous!
75
The Volvo, is a car many people enthusiastically rave about, but in my experience this is the one car you want to avoid either driving, or coming into contact with on the roads. I have good reasons for this that I intend to prove in this Hub, and I am confident that many will agree with me based on their own experiences.
Now take a perfectly good driver, and put them behind the wheel of a Volvo, and they instantly go into 'control freak' mode. A Volvo is a very stable car, and will more often than not come off better in a crash than most other cars. This seems to lead to the driver of a Volvo thinking he or she is actually driving an invincible tank, so they appear to battle their way through every road expecting all the other drivers to get out of their way.
A good friend of mine had two nasty accidents caused by Volvo drivers, one of which drove her off the road and caused her car to roll, (before he drove off and left her there). She ended up with such a hatred for these cars that she later phoned into her local radio station and started a phone-in debate, with very interesting results. Apart from the fact the phone lines were jammed, the results included various 'posh, well spoken' Volvo drivers, stating they were happy with their Volvo's and could see nothing wrong, as well as Lorry and car drivers who complained that the Volvo drivers were the worst on the roads. One lorry driver went so far as to say him and his fellow colleagues referred to them as 'Ovlovians' who came from the planet 'Ovlov', because they were 'backwards'.
Now my personal experience has backed this up, as a passenger, a normal car driver, a bus driver and a taxi driver. In fact things got so bad I actually tried to refuse to get into a taxi with an ex of mine, simply because it was a Volvo. When he finally persuaded me to get into the car, it promptly turned right into a 'no right turn' road, and jumped a set of changing traffic lights. To say I regretted getting into it was an understatement!
When my Mother talked about buying a Volvo, I talked her out of it, saying there was no way I would travel in her car if she did. Thankfully she listened to me, and went on to buy a Ford Granada Scorpio instead.
The problem with Volvo drivers, is that they seem to have no consideration for other road users. They drive selfishly, erratically, and no-where near the highway code in general. Even the best drivers seem to deteriorate once you put them in a Volvo, and I for one, would rather sell one than drive it, if I were lucky enough to win one in a competition. They seldom indicate (or so it seems), they pull out in front of you, brake without warning and ignore road signs, nearly causing accidents, or worse, causing accidents, much of the time.
What are your experiences of Volvo's, be it as a driver, or as someone on the receiving end of their erratic driving?
PrintShare it! — Rate it: up down flag this hub
Comments
Thanks for commenting Benson. I agree that the driver is the biggest threat, but have found they undergo a spooky change when you put even the best driver behind the wheel of a Volvo :)
Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Cindy I love you! Volvo drivers are terrible on average!
Benson, it could be different where you live, like it was different in Russia, but here in US it is really terrible. Volvo positions itself as the safest car on the road, and people think they are safe just because they drive one.
Thanks Misha, so glad you agree and I love you too :)
LOL! Too funny because I see myself in your article, years ago, when we moved a bit out of town and were regualarly driving a rather hazardous road. I needed to buy a car and we had 2 kids and I knew Volvos were really safe.
So, after having complained for years about obnoxious Volvo drivers, I stopped in a a Volvo dealership. As I recall, I stumbled on a pre-owned volvo, (one of those old ones that looked like a box on wheels,) it only had 12,000 miles on it and was in perfect condition and the price was right! So, me of all Volvo-bashers, bought the Volvo.
I drove the thing until the kids were in high school, at which time, both of them took turns driving it...it was safe, like you said, a TANK. My daughter took it to the University with her in San Francisco, and, finally sold it to her college roommate when she graduated and we gave her a car as her grad gift. Last I heard it was still on the road.
Never bought one after, however. Here in California we have REALLY ANNOYING Mercedes drivers. Sometimes you want to just get out of the car and smack them! But it wouldn't be nice to smack a really old person!
Madison
Great hub -- hope it sparks lots of debate (and love the Ovlovians idea). Here is what I have observed. For many years Volvo was "the" car for left wing, hippy/tree hugging types who drove them for like 80 years until they couldn't run one more mile. The safest car in the world, but extremely utilitarian and not flash. Well, this has now changed. At some point Volvo was appropriated as the car for Republican business class. It is an elite car, very chi chi and expensive. So the image of Volvo has changed along with the stereotypical driver.
Given this shift, the former Volvo drivers have migrated over to Subarus and Priuses. We have many types of hybrid car here in Americ, but when you drive a Prius, its distinct wedge shape lets everyone know how responsible/cool you are.
It has become a standing joke between my husband and me that when we see someone driving horrifically, they're inevitably in a Prius. Example, driving 50 in the fast lane and not moving over, or 75 in the slow lane. They seem to be so self-involved in their own little "I'm saving the planet" thoughts that they are clueless to other drivers around them.
Madison -- I live in California and I drive a Mercedes (it's 8 years old and a C class so I don't think I exactly fit the stereotype). I'd be curious to know what specifically you want to smack Mercedes drivers for, tho!
Anyway, thanks, Misty, for this fun topic!!!
Misty, here in South Africa, strangely enough the 'ovlovians' are tame, mature and mature, both in age and driving courtesies. Here we have, just as Madison is experiencing, Mercedes drivers, following them In the road stupidity ratings are the BMW mob. They DO deserve, as is often seen on WWE a good resounding smack across the chest.
Thanks for a good chuckle.
Put a Greek behind the wheel of any car and they are dangerous! There is a guy in the next village who is blind in one eye and partially sighted in the other. He does not think twice about driving back from the taverna.
Hi Madison, thanks for commenting, shocked you were one of these strange Ovlovian people, but at least you are now in rehab, and over this terrible affliction :)
Mighty Mom, thanks for stopping by. Sounds like your Prius drivers are much the same as Volvo drivers, but worried that you have a Mercedes, you must have heard the joke, 'The jerk in a Merc' before surely :)
Just_Rodney, you are so lucky if you have tamed your Ovlovians. I know what you mean about Mercs too though, but can't say too much about BMW's as I used to have one. Thanks for commenting and glad you enjoyed this hub :)
Sufidreamer, that guy sounds really dangerous. It would be even worse if he owned a Volvo so please tell me he doesn't! Thanks for posting here :)
I don't think twice about driving back from taverna either. :D
My vision is good, though :P
Interesting hub. Really had not thought much about volvo drivers before.
LOL Misha, you are very naughty, I hope you are sober when you drive back :)
Hi SweetiePie, ahhh, but you will be looking out for them now won't you? :)
fentastic
Cindy,
I still want to argue that you in your pink dress, are even more dangerous.
Thanks Rashid :)
Benson, you are naughty. I am actually an excellent driver in any dress. You should read my hub about my adventures as a bus driver, and I passed the prelim interview drive in a double decker bus wearing a pencil skirt and high heels :)
ooh i laughed..have a look at the ¨volvo bikers club" we love them as long as we are driving them and not the others. just in passing are you an employee of another car manufacturer?
LOL Catala, no not at all, just a person who has seen how Volvo drivers drive :) :)
I drive a Volvo and I'm very considerate. If you start to observe drivers - the vast majority break speed limits and do NOT indicate when changing lanes or turning at roundabouts. This absolutely drives me insane as I needlessly come to a stop because the other driver could not be bothered to indicate at the roundabout.
BMW drivers are by FAR the worst offenders for bad and inconsiderate driving.
Benson Yeung says:
14 months ago
Great hub but I can't agree with you. I don't drive a volvo. All the volvo drivers I know are not dangerous. I drive a honda, previously a mitsubishi. That doesn't make me a less dangerous driver on my bad days.
The biggest threat is in the driver.