The Image of Women Driving Large Vehicles

Before the Panamera came to our home, when I saw women driving large vehicles, I thought, “Wearing sunglasses and confidently driving such a big car, they must be really wealthy. But somehow, they seem a bit full of themselves.” (Sorry for this totally unfair stereotype)

Sometimes, when I saw women struggling to drive large vehicles, I also thought, “If that’s the case, why not just drive a smaller car…”

…but after I actually started driving the Panamera myself, I completely stopped thinking that way when I saw women driving large vehicles. Driving a large car really requires care, experience, and a certain level of driving skill.

Lately, I’ve even found myself thinking, “I wish women who drive compact cars would realize how much attention it takes to drive a large vehicle.” So today, I want to write about that.

Thoughts from Driving a Large Vehicle

① Visibility

Needless to say, the Panamera has a long hood. Having a long hood means that when pulling out from a spot with a blind spot on the right, you have to move the car quite far forward to see clearly on that side.

For example, at a nearby supermarket’s indoor parking lot, there are many partition walls (dividing spaces in groups of three). If you park on the left side of one of these partitions, you have to move your car quite far forward to check for cars coming from the right. SUVs like the Cayenne might have better visibility due to their height, but with the Panamera, it’s still hard to see.

Of course, I move forward slowly and carefully, but in the evenings, when there are many shoppers, cars often come from the right. And quite often, women driving compact cars give me a hard stare. (Just recently, a car kept glaring at me the whole time it passed by.)

What!? This huge Porsche. Even though a car is coming from this side, you’re pulling out so far and not looking ahead!? That’s why I hate women who drive luxury cars!

They glare at me like that (totally my paranoia, lol).

I want to shout and explain, “No, no, the Panamera’s hood is long, so I have to pull out this far to see on the right! It’s totally different from your short-hood car!” But obviously, I can’t do that… So every time this happens, I end up feeling frustrated (-_-).

② Vehicle Width

The Panamera is wide, so it took me a while to get used to its size. Even now, I try to avoid narrow roads as much as possible.

That said, there are times when I can’t avoid them.

At a nearby intersection without a timed traffic signal, when a car is waiting to turn right, cars behind wanting to go straight often can’t move forward. Sometimes, cars stop a bit to the right to wait for the turn, so when I was driving my BMW, I would squeeze past on the side. But with the Panamera, it feels a bit scary, so I wait for the car ahead to turn right.

Even then, there’s often a compact car behind me inching closer as if to say, “Hurry up! Hurry up!” From behind, it might look like the Panamera has enough room to pass, but from the driver’s seat, it’s not that simple.

I don’t want to rush in a situation like this and risk scraping my wheels on the curb. I’d rather wait.

But when I check the rearview mirror, I can clearly see the frustrated face of the driver closing in, which makes me feel annoyed every time, lol.

③ Parking Lots

When parking the Panamera at supermarkets or shopping centers, I don’t park near the entrance but rather in “a vacant spot farther from the entrance.” This way, there are fewer cars around, and I don’t hold up cars behind me while parking, so I can park with peace of mind.

Still, sometimes a car follows me closely. I think, “Are they heading for the exit?” but no, they’re clearly looking for a parking spot.

No, no, since you’re driving a compact car, you can park anywhere without coming this far! There were plenty of open spots back there!

Even so, I put on my hazard lights and have the car behind wait while I park. And of course, at times like this, I don’t park smoothly and have to make several adjustments, feeling sorry as I do.

Well, I guess that person probably has their preferred spot too, so there’s no point in complaining.

Drive Safely at Your Own Pace

When I tell my husband about these things, he says,

Mina, you worry too much about the cars around you, lol. Just drive safely at your own pace.

He’s absolutely right, but since I’m the type to worry about others, I end up feeling pressured and mentally unsettled… (-_-) Along with improving my driving skills, I realize I also need to work on my mental resilience these days.

That said, once you get used to the Panamera’s size and weight, driving a compact car feels somewhat unsatisfying. Each time, I realize, “I really like the solid feel and the sensation of moving a big machine.” The Panamera is truly a wonderful car, and I guess I’ve completely fallen for it, lol.