What is it with Ford Focus ST Drivers!

[waynef]

In the last few months i've hardly used my Lotus, so last weekend decided to fire her up and go out for a spin.

Within two minutes I had some chap in the most repulsive green ST300 glued to my rear bumper. We're not talking tailgating here I mean glued!!!

As my engine was not quite up to temp I took it easyish with this guy still stuck to my boot. As soon as we hit the dual carriageway he throws this green abomination accross to the fast lane flashes me then floors it.......At which point so did I.

Very interesting for a split second this thing actually stuck with me, until my boost kicked in anyway......

Within a mile I had already pulled a good 300 yrds on this thing and was still pulling away strongly. I thought at this point best be sensible and slowed back down....what does the Focus do? Yes you guessed it he decides to glue himself to my rear bumber again.....To**er!

Now the only reason i'm mentioning this is that in the last week at least five other ST Focus's have tried it on including one other st300.

For any Focus Drivers out there 2 feet is not a good stopping distance, the Esprit does 0 - 60 out of the box in 4.6, 4.7 seconds, compared to the claimed 5.6 for ST300 and 6.5 secs for the normal one. Plus mine is heavily modified.

Funny it always seems to be Focus's at the moment!!!

Anyhow moan over and got to say for a 15 year old car she still holds her own.

Edited October 4, 2009 by waynef

[Paul C]

Esprit does 0 - 60 out of the box in 4.6, 4.7 seconds, compared to the claimed 5.6 for ST300 and 6.5 secs for the normal one.

Would not get too fussed mate.

I see it like this:

Who grows up with posters all over their walls and says 'when i grow up my dream car is whatever ford hatchback they are making that year'?

Are people going to get up from their tables and walk from the beer garden to see one of the most common cars on our road parked up?

When the focus was new did it cost as much as a small house to buy? can you name it's designer or anything actually special they have done?

Why don't Ford Focus owners ever get bored with being so average and predictable?, is that simply because thats what they are?

The Focus even from new was never worth more than a reasonably large conservatory.

With or without a hot tub.

[ramjet]

If someone tailgates me even if I slow down slightly to entice them to overtake and they won't, I solve it by pulling over and letting them continue then pull back onto the road and continue on my way. I'm not prepared to risk a rear ender in my car 'cos some bloke (or girl) wants to be an idiot. Possibly they have bad eyesight and are trying to read the rear badge.

Oh, and if they drive like that, I'm going with 'they're a knob!'

[Jonathan]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo

Never race when someone is behind you.

Let them go and then weld yourself to their bumper it really does the trick - worst thing is driving and having eyes to the front and rear.

Either ignore them (what I do a lot of the time just turn the rear view sideways) or let them go and push them along, they soon get the message and leave you alone.

[Newts]

A number of thoughts spring to mind here;

- Firstly Mr Clarkson's favorite term - Cock (referring to a the male of the chicken species naturally)

- Secondly, if you're a car nut and you come accross something a bit tasty, you'd obviously like to see it perform, so I suppose a bit a taunting could do the trick

- Lastly, when suffering from an 'in the boot' tailgater, gently easing off the gas so the car slows down, (and consequently the tailgater) then back on the gas to open up a gap and when he closes back in, do it again. They soon get fed up of stamping on the brakes and I find even the thickest of tailgaters works it out by the third time and backs off

[Paul C]

A number of thoughts spring to mind here;

- Firstly Mr Clarkson's favorite term - Cock

Which is an irony in itself when you consider he's possibly the biggest Cock on TV!

[rens914]

sounds absolutely stupid but had that with my lotus and don't have it with the TVR

people aren't trying to race me

never had people sitting backside to the front when passing my esprit

now they are looking at the car with their mouth's wide open from ?????

they really look rediculous

should make pictures

i think it helps that in my country there are only a few TVR tuscans (i believe only 4)

never get stupid remarks anymore like: is that a ferrari or a lamborgini

people just don't know and arent tempted to race me

btw

hit a ramp because some F......cker placed the steering wheel on the wrong side ?????

still not used to that

rens

Edited October 4, 2009 by rens914

[andydclements]

Or, drop a cog or two, floor it to maintain road speed but increase engine speed, then let the throttle off suddenly. The noise can be enough on its own but the flame normally gets rid of any for whom the noise wasn't.

[slewthy]

This post both amuses me and horrifies me at the same time.

Since crashing my S3, its caused me so much heart ache and anguish that I couldn't imagine placing me and my car under such risk. Clearly these to**ers can't really drive and can't be relied upon not to slam into your rear if you brake hard. Just let them go so they can go and impress the local lasses at the chip shop 'cos thats about the level of them.

Right so though, no one looks at a focus, whatever the model, when it pulls into a car park. Thats why they are garish colours, to try and make poeple look. When my S3 was on the road (briefly) the looks it got were reward enough for its existence. Combination of awe which changed quickly into nostalgia for those of the right age!

As I've said in other threads, keep yourselves and your cars safe, above all else.

[esprithk]

Hi, Paul

what has happened to the good old day when our wall poster is Countach or Testarossa.

I still remember that ultimate wall poster with "5 garages", with all exotic cars lining up and says "pick of today?"

why people put up Ford Hatchback posters now...?

Edited October 5, 2009 by esprithk

[rens914]

it's all a matter of moment, vieuw and respect

we don't respect people driving GTI,GSI,SS cars when they want to race us (why don't they understand they are without chance). i'll tell you i had some pretty close races with impresa's, mitsu's, m3's and corvette's

ferrari, lamborghinin, porsche guys had the same feeling with lotus drivers

2 month's ago i had a ferrari 430 driver who wanted to race me.

he was a single driver and i had a passenger aboard (double load)

after 3 stintht's trying to pull away (and loosing / i even pulled up next to him without full throttle) he stopped and asked what kind of car i had ? he was astonished something was quicker than his italian toy

couldn't resist to tell him that i had owned an esprit before wich was even quicker (sorry guys that was a lie :0))

whe like that and disgust gti and so fort drivers

yust respect them and if you're not in the mood wave them by

rens

[mangel]

Focus, its the new Subaru (and I used to have one of those)!!! They are cheap, quick and to the masses quite appealing!!

Always watch out though as the police have a few unmarked ones around the country I've seen them in Birmingham, Warwickshire and Cambridgeshire.

Best trick with Tail gaters I find is to wait till though road ahead is clear drop down two gear and then feather the brake pedal enough to light the brake lights at the same time as accelerating hard. This way I find they drop back significantly cos' they think your giving them the brake test but in actual fact your accelerating away.

To be completely honest I tend to find its more the Audi/BMW posse who tailgate more often on the motorway than anyone else!!

[Kimbers]

I just laugh and ignore them tbh. In my company car I have been known to hit the brakes (not worried about insurance claim) as long as I'm not going over 40. If they hit you up the back it's their fault and you saw a child on the path you were worried was about to step off.

TBH if you want a fast car you have to have no imagination to go with the Focus, what a boring terrible pile of square poo! I's almost be tempted to go with a BM over it (Joking Paul!!).

[Bibs]

Brake testing is incredibly dangerous, you shouldn't do it. Rise above them, take the moral high ground and pull over to let them pass you and eff off.

[russellbosier]

If they are annoying me I normally slow down, then accelerate to open a gap. They will floor it and as they do ease off a bit so they can catch fast. When they are close a quick dab of left foot brake to get the lights on normally scares them off. If it doesnt repeat the process. They soon get the hint.

[waynef]

Wow what great posts...seems i'm not the only one.

Yes next time it'll be just carry on as I am and let them go......

Kimbers the thought did cross my mind but after five years of ownership if he did go up my rear insurance or no insurance i'd be put inside for ABH I swear....lol

[Rick Edwards]

I have to say that pulling over and letting them pass witha smile is the best way forward.....IF there was an acident I have no doubt the police would assume there was some speeding/racing shenanigans going on and I have no doubt they would enjoy throwing the book at the sports car owner.

"Discretion is the better part of valour"

[ABorkat]

Here in the states, we have this same problem but with Hondas. They're like gnats in a swamp. These guys think that bolting on a cheap mail-order spoiler, replacing their muffler with a tin can, and painting their car flamboyant colors makes them faster. Somehow they forget to actually tune their "tuner" cars. Needless to say, they never keep up!

I've also been lucky enough not to have any of these fools ride my arse like that when I'm in the Lotus. Usually, they will pull along side me, rev a bit, and take off. For me it's not showing them I'm faster, it's the knowing I am and not needing to prove it...

Now in my Saab and Range Rover, I have a great cure for these guys who ride too close. Both cars have rear fog lights built in next to the brake lights, that I can turn on with a push of a button. I love to do this, let off the gas, and laugh when I see them slam on their brakes in my rear view mirror

Adam

[LionSGI]

To be completely honest I tend to find its more the Audi/BMW posse who tailgate more often on the motorway than anyone else!!

people look for a challenge... some go climb a mountain, some race sportscars on the street...

but You must pay attention to those, they might not look like real sportscars, but they have the power. pals at the local Audi club here use to test 15-25 years old Audi80/90/100/200/S4 quattros that have the 20VT (5cyl.) or 10VT that easily have 300+ HP. they even use to test 5-600HP quattros built for drag on the road. they get away very quick especially at the traffic lights... btw, how much weight has an Esprit?

...the braketest trick (accelerating away, while the brakelights are on) is good. it works for me too!

[rens914]

never brake test other drivers

some clever guys once said: showing stupid people that you don't respect them will not make them intelligent or coorperative. it will simply make them your enemy

rens

[Killboy]

I've found that holding the washers on for 10-15 seconds works every time on making tailgaters back off.

Although not ideal if you've just spent hours washing and polishing your car.

[fightingtorque]

In their own way, most of these guys are car enthusiasts too. It's a sign of respect for your car that they are showing they want some kind of relationship, they wouldn't do it if you were in a Zafira or something.

A quick squirt through the gears to show them what it can do, then let them make their choice to pass or follow. Make it clear that it's meant in good taste and it's never a problem. At least not in Norfolk.......

[Guest Mutley00]

Oh dear - I really have a soft spot for the bright orange STs and we are seriously thinking of buying one. Maybe a change of heart if I would get blackballed by the LEF fraternity! Its just I cant stand by bog standard Audi A3 for much longer. Anyone been wound up by a Golf VR32 driver before I start looking out for one of those?

[pete]

any one seetye the focus st driver in the papers today who has been banned for 3 years for dangerous driving at speeds up to 145 mph on public roads. Safety groups wanted him jailed for up to 2 years

[tarcus]

These kinds of drivers are a pet hate of mine, in the Esprit and in the Elise they try to goad you into racing, which I never do because I'm too scared of hitting something. Sometimes I'll do a drag race away from the lights but rarely, or on a dual carriageway I'll naturally just boot it a bit anyway and generally leave them for dust despite not really trying to. The annoying bit is that once I'm up to between 60-80MPH I come off the accelerator and watch as they gradually gain on me, then when they catch me, take stupid risks to try and overtake. They just don't seem to realise that you're not racing them and that your car isn't limited to 80MPH and that they should just give up and stop acting the fool.

I was talking to a van driver some time ago who told me that he thinks Porsches are over-rated, I'm not keen on them myself so asked him why he thought that. He said his diesel astra van can go faster, he regularly "burns them off" at over 90MPH on the motorways... He did actually genuinely believe that his diesel astra van was faster than the Porsches he regularly tailgates until they pull over.