Dr 997

I know this was posted on previous threads, but just an interesting thought nonetheless...

So I took a three hour drive yesterday (and back), and noticed some strange behavior amongst other drivers. All day long, I had tailgaters who would creep up close to my tail, then swerve around me, cutting REAL close to my nose, forcing me to slow... One guy poured a cup full of sand out his window as he passed! Another guy in a pickup lurched into my lane as he passed, like he was trying to run me off the road. Then there were several guys who kept changing his speed to prevent me from passing. This kind of stuff never happens when I drive my Subaru.

Now, I was averaging 80-90 or so on this mostly 3-lane freeway, and I thought I was driving politely... not cutting people off, not following close, using my signal, etc. However, I came up with two theories:

1) the presence of a Porsche turns observers into a**holes,
or
2) Driving a Porsche turns ME into an a**hole.

Now, is it possible that when I drive the Porsche--speeding, passing, swerving in and out of lanes--I am transformed into some "Mr. Hyde" character and **** people off, without realizing it? Am I oblivious to the fact that my driving style and flashing a $100k car automatically causes others to mutter "what an a**hole!"? Admittedly, I think there was a time when I would see a guy driving a Ferrari and immediately think, "that guy is probably a total jerk." Why? I don't know.

Only when I see another 911 on the road do I feel safe!

Jimmy

Troy R

It's the car. People see it and think the owners are pretencious(sp?). Go figure. I've been stuck driving my Honda lately and there is definately a difference in the treatment I get. In fact, I had to pull up to Nordstrom to pickup some alterations and the valet guy wouldn't come close to letting me park the car there even for a couple minutes. The store is downtown and parking is a bitch, so I just needed to park it for a couple minutes. Had I been in the Porsche, that never would have been a problem. Does that make me an a**hole for noticing this?

Soulteacher

Well, I have said it before and I say it again, driving a Porsche in Northwest Louisiana appears to be a completely different experience. Before my purchase I was a little bit concerned about these issues because there are hardly any other Porsches in this region; just a bunch of the typical southern Dodge RAM etc. drivers who already used to give me a hard time when I was driving my 350Z. But it turns out that other drivers are extremely courteous and respectful towards the Porsche. They don't cut into my lane in front of me anymore, they don't tailgate, and at intersections they are not trying to beat me anymore when I'm approaching. It has been a really nice driving experience and clearly different from when I had my 350Z; now even the largest trucks subside.

The only exceptions are the occasional high-school Eclipse or Mustang driver wanting to show me how erratic he can drive, and once I had some young idiots trying to splash some type of liquid into my car when I had my top down. Fortunately, that happened about a year ago and has remained the only negative experience. So, no complaints here.

kauai_diver

I think its our perception (ok we're both speaking from the west coast so you can be gentle on me).

I'll be honest and say yah I did feel special when driving around town right after I picked up my car.... but after almost a year of driving its not the car in my opinion. Around where I live Porsche's are a dime a dozen.

There are people who are just inconsiderate no matter what car you drive. Just lighten up and realize you're gonna get dinged, you're gonna get tailgated, and you're gonna get jerks who have no consideration for others.... doesn't matter what car you drive.

Just have fun bro life is short!

And to answer your question, no I don't think Porsche's creates a--holes, they may liberate a few but no new ones!

Deanski

In my area, it's the Rice'd cars. All think (after seeing Fast and Furious many times) they're all driving the same cars like in the movie. All think they are Vin Diesel in these cars. A Porsche in our area is an easy target for these ********.

My Aerokit doesn't help I guess.

All they do is follow as close as possible, make every attempt to pass others just to pass you. It's all just stupid drivers in these cars and their lack of skills, common sense, manners, and a concern for other drivers or what or who may be in a car or mini-van.

One afternoon, some ******* was trying like all hell to catch up to where I was on the turnpike. As he was doing this, he cut-off several people, and once he got past me, damn near clipped a mini-van that had several kids in it. The mother driver pulled off the road, which I did as well to see if everyone was OK. I contacted both State and local police and they caught-up with the driver, found he was also wanted for warrent. NICE! He's cooling his right foot now in jail.

Granted, I drive at elevated speeds, but do not attempt to put anyone else at risk.

Deanski

phantomias33

I have to add, as I'm sure has probably been stated before, that your own awareness is much higher when you're in a nicer car. Take a drive downtown to a major city in a car like a Honda or a Toyota that's about 5-6 years old. Then take that same drive downtown in a brand new Carrera GT. You'll suddenly find your sensitivity to your surrounding area and fellow drivers is much more acute. It's always a relief to me when I get my first ding because it's like I can finally exhale and not worry anymore about it.

Chris from Cali

I've run into two kinds of people on the road or when I park somewhere: haters and gawkers...

The haters give me that look like "Why do YOU have that car?" I am relatively young (34) and I look like I'm in my 20s, so people probably assume rich daddy or ill-gotten gains, both of which are incorrect. I've also noticed most of the haters are younger guys (early to mid-20s), usually driving BMWs. Weird...

The gawkers (a group to which I still belong when I see something cool) are the folks I catch staring at my wheels at stoplights or the kids pointing from the back of the minivan. These folks are usually older guys and little kids. Like I said, I am a gawker - just yesterday I was drooling on some guy's Grand National. He probably thought I was nuts.

That said, I've also seen the odd moron spray their windshield the second they get in front of me, people not letting me merge, etc. I know it's not my driving since I'm often with my g/f and she commends me for keeping my cool and not doing 100mph everywhere.

points

Other drivers treated me a lot differently when i was driving my 356.In my 911 they are more aggresive and the young rice rocketeers all want to pass as close as possible.Goes with the territory.

dndodd

I BMW 330 with 3 guys in it, on the interstate, tried to race me. Like look we are faster than your Porsche. They started cutting in out and out of traffic. I laughed and said go for it guys, life can be very short.

dianic

The experience that I have here in Athens, is that everyone around you turns expert rally driver the moment they are around you. The behaviour described by the good Dr 997, is exactly the same. They want to think they beat you. Even a light to light crawl in citi traffic is a race. They have to be in front of you, show you that their car is not bad!

DJ23

I consider myself a safe driver as well, and I was out this past Sunday when a car that looked like it was from the fast and furious came up beside me on route 8. Several times he came up along my side and would gear down to entice me into a race. I could hear a high pitched sound that almost sounded as if he had a nitro tank ready to go, each time he would engage the clutch to slow down to my speed. He and his friend were looking over at me as if to say "what are you chicken." I just let them know that I don't race. I had to get off at the next exit just to get away from them because they followed me for at least for 5 miles. Take my advice enjoy your car but don't street race it will lead to bad things sooner or later. It's tough that we can't even go for a Sunday drive.

Jay

rountreed

Hmmm, here in Germany it is usually 2 types of people. The majority who will move to the left lane so you can drive and those who want to show you they own the road as much as you and pull over in front of you while you are going 150MPH+ and they are at 75-100MPH. I love the 1st type of people and have brakes for the 2d type. Here generally watch for the Dutch, Eastern Europeans, cars following closely behind a truck and anyone with a hat.

MrBonus

I never really get bothered other than the occasional person who will slow down and talk to me at a stoplight about the car.

1Carnut

I think in araes where there are not alot of Porsche's or expensive cars that happens alot more. When you are out driving a 430 it is even worse, people hanging out of car windows trying to take a picture of the car with their cell phones.

MrBonus

Do you smile for the camera?