drivenCSZ

iTrader: (2)

anybody like me feel safer in their Z?

I switched cars with my sister today and drove her 2000 Explorer and felt very skitish. Ive driven it before but just remembered today how uncomfortable i feel driving it.

When im in my Z i guess since its so small i feel like its an extension of myself, and i know the dimesions and how it performs and i feel like performance wise(braking, handling, acceleration) it can get me out of a jam if something goes awry on the road.

Devil Z

iTrader: (6)

Totally dude!!! Everytime I drive the family minivan I absolutely CRINGE at the feeling, as if I'm about to roll over at every corner. >__<

I <3 Z

Alberto

iTrader: (14)

At 160mph, I feel like I can get out and tie my shoes...

furiousZ

pss350z

iTrader: (6)

I have a 97 Saturn SC2 which is my beater car. When i get into my Z right after driving that POS it makes the Z feel like a million bucks.

panczuk-phil

my better half doesn't understand why I haven't got a beater car yet. After driving my Z I'm just not interested in driving anything else, though I suppose I may eventually break down and get one.

dutchboy350Z

iTrader: (5)

Even in my drop top ... the way I see it you can't hit what you can't catch.

Krux

You would more then likely have a better chance of survival in an actual accident in a bigger car, but the thought of having better control gives you a false since of safety. If you got hit by an SUV chances are it would walk all over a car like ours and they would get out and walk away while we would have to be cut out of our car and sent to the hospital in a helicopter.


With that said if it were against another car of the same size/weight then yeah I would feel safe in my Z. But since most American love there big vehicles I would have to say no, I don't feel safer in my Z.

redman333

iTrader: (8)

yeah, feel the same way.

MIKEETC

One of the things I like about my Z is the ability to take 'decisive' actions on the road. For example, if I see traffic slowing ahead I can make an evasive lane change faster or brake harder than the majority of the other cars around me. OR, if I see an opening or want to pass someone NOW, I can do it and I'm there - I don't have to worry about asking myself if I can get up to speed fast enough to make it around the s**thead in the fast lane while someone in the next lane over lollygags...

My daily driver (Toyota pickup) magnifies how great the Z is. I'm safer in the Z...

sdbarker

iTrader: (6)

That's exactly how I feel. Having a car that responds as quickly as I can think to the decisions I make feels much safer than having a vehicle that will just run over everything else when it fails to do what I need it to to prevent me getting into the situation in the first place.

That said, if you make stupid decisions, you're screwed.

CaliTouring

iTrader: (5)

As i drive my chevy cobalt rental while my Z is at the shop right now i feel like crashing the POS!!! I dont trust this car one bit. In my Z, im nicely snug in my buckets and small space around me so it gives me a little sense of security. i actually do feel safe in my Z only if the crash is coming from the front, back or pass. side. I dont have the side airbags so i dont think i would walk away without a scratch if i got T Boned from the driver side.

drivenCSZ

iTrader: (2)

well atleast im not the only one....i understand there are situations where it wouldnt matter, like if you got rearended at a stoplight or something but like somebody else said it helps trmendously when the car does what you want it to do exactly when you want it.

s31t8n8

iTrader: (12)

i feel safer in my 06' 325i, and it feels more comfortable driving it

roast

iTrader: (2)

I feel safe (with my own actions - can't control other people) in just about any car that I become accustomed to driving - hell - even if the vehicle is truly unfit to drive. Any time you get used to one particular vehicle your sense of security goes up.... but when you make a switch to a totally different type of vehicle.... it always tends to feel weird. When switching from the Z, which is a VERY capable car, to a less capable car(like an SUV that has a much higher center of gravity), you tend to feel less safe because your brain is programmed "I can do this no problem" when in reality you can't because the car is not capable of it (or it's closer to the cars limits)..... so it's only natural that you feel less safe... until of course you become more accustomed to what you're driving....

people also tend to drive more aggressively when they feel safer, for no other reason than simply because they feel safe.... 5 star crash ratings... seat belts....air bags....anti-lock brakes....vdc/tcs.... all give a driver an elevated sense of security... a silly example.... attach a razor sharp knife to your Zs steering wheel pointed at your chest and don't wear your seat belt - I bet you won't drive as fast.

The Z coupe is an absolutely safe car.... but no matter how safe a car is... you can still get killed very easily.