Wondering about "the hate"
 

Last weekend I had my first encounter with "the hate". I ran to the post office to mail Christmas cards. I was in there for about 3 minutes. When I came out I noticed - and I'm not sure how I noticed with all the salt on the car - that somebody had graced the rear bumper with a nasty wad of phlegm. No big deal. Since it hadn't frozen yet, I cleaned it off as soon as I got home.

That got me thinking about "the hate" though. What do you guys think it is? I know it's all about jealousy, but why? IMO, the people who are haters are so because they see these cars as status symbols only. They don't realize that some of us don't care about them as a status symbol, we bought them because they are fun, have great performance for the $, and are well built.

My wife works with a person whom I think would be a hater if she wasn't as financially well off as she is. She drives a BMW. Her husband drives an Audi. When I was talking about buying a Porsche, I mentioned another guy who works for the company who owns one. Her response was something like, "That guy races his Porsche. What a poser." So she and her husband both drive performance cars, but think people who take a performance car to the track are posers. For her, it's all about status I think.

I feel like thats a lot of people buy Porsches...they do race or they think it may be fun to have a car that could theoretically be raced with little prep. If I wanted a nice looking fast car for Porsche money and didn't even think about racing I would get an Audi s or rs series or one of the many ridiculously fast Mercedes/AMG models for the increased practicality

What would the guy even be posing as? someone who owns a race car?

Life is short and there is an over abundance of small minds in this world. I can't be bothered by those who don't get it.

On the other hand, I might have felt that way about country music at one time. The lyrics were just SO sappy, twangy guitars, and that beat... Argh!!!

Last week I bought Brad Paisley "Play". That guy really tears up that Telecaster and I like it. Stuff happens. People change. :o

I'll hold my opinion about religion, politics and music to myself.
But cars:
If you drive a Chevy Pick-up ... someone will write Go Ford.
Drive a Mustange, you'll get the "Get a Camero" statement.
A Bemmer... buy a Benz.
Cannodale, get a Trek.
Mack..... Peterbuilt
So someone will always look with envy or hate, because their shallow and simple.


At least with the Porsche... Well, there is no substitute.

My 2 cents..... Porsches represent elitism to many, which I suppose in a strange way is a complement to the good doctor. As things get worse and people lose jobs they will become even more angry. Many have no safe place to deposit their angst so they take it out anonymously. Be glad it was a loogie and not the end of a key. I won't take my car to bars or restaurants unless it's an outdoor affair where I can keep an eye on it, then again we all have insurance...

During the depression, some wealthy people bought outrageously ostentagious (sp?) cars. But many dressed and drove cheap in public to avoid the stigma of being rich.

While many of us know that the Boxster does not need to be an expensive car the general public think its very expensive. When my sister-in-law saw my new base Boxster she asked, "how much did that cost, $90K?" So we are "stuck" with a car that the general public thinks only rich people can afford. I suspect that as this recession deepens we will see more and more haters and more random acts of vandalism.

Sadly, I agree, it's probably a safe bet larceny will skyrocket too, people are going to do what they will to eat....

I've always said that it's yuppies that give Porsches and BMWs a bad name. The cars themselves are driver oriented and fun for people like us to drive.

I hate the default excuse of jealousy for some reason. Sometimes it could be, but it's pure stupidity/ignorance before it's jealousy.

Stories of haters pop up from time to time and I always tend to wonder if all the facts are presented. Like did the person take up two spots, park in a handicap spot, or drive loudly/quickly through the parking lot, etc.? I'm not accusing anyone of doing these things in these posts, but it is a thought that crosses my mind. Sometimes hater's acts are provoked by something, sometimes not.

It's frustrating, and something some of us have to deal with from time to time.

Agreed, and I hope not.

Reason for Random Vandalism
 

It's a way for people to express to us what they’re going through, a way for us to feel their pain, the pain of not having everything you want because they can't afford it. They think we get everything we want because we have a non-practical luxury item, a Porsche, in these economic hard times. It also doesn't help it not being American made.

Simple minds, do simple things !

I think it's something waay less sinister than being discussed here.

The poor guy just 'hocked a loogey' and it landed on your car - the end!

Happy Holidays everyone!

(emphasis mine)
I agree with you 100%, and like the word "ostentagious" ... It's a sort of wild outgoing enthusiasm, and it's communicable. That's how I try to live. Another car board I frequent has had an ongoing thread discussing hiding the car from friends and/or family, and I think they were about 50/50 split on the issue. I see these cars as a hobby, a fun outlet. I've always done my best to share the passion with others, and don't hesitate to toss my keys to a trusted family member, friend, or co-worker who has expressed genuine interest. I've even taken complete strangers for a spin on occasion. Rarely - only a tiny handful of times, but it still felt awesome - a test drive of one of my cars has become a new car purchase... Here's to keeping that ostentagious-ness alive!
:D

As Jeremy Clarkson once said, "Porsche's are driven by cocks." It's that reputation that ruins it for everyone I guess.

In my opinion, especially in the Boxster range, I think the cocks and posers drive 350Z's and Mustangs (I realize its not the same range, but close enough).

the most recent "hate" ive experienced that i can think of is the notion of the boxster as "The Poor Man's Porsche".. sure its at the bottom of the spectrum for the price and status (compared to a 911 or a cgt to the mass public) but as all of you, and myself included, believe its the best bang for the buck out of the lineup.

But come to think of it.. arent slk's and TT's at the bottom of Their perspective lineups? and where is the hate for them?.. if it exists, i havnt heard much of it

Lordblood,

I believe genuine people and A holes come in both sexes, all colors, from every cultural background and drive every car available. IMO, the decay of my country has a lot to do with all of us trying to judge each other on criteria that means diddly. I'll never own a Mustang but I do like looking at them, especially when someone has one shined up nicely.

Hey I'm not trying to say all Mustang owners are posers. Both the Mustang and 350z are cars I like to see on the road. I'm just trying to say, I don't see why the Boxster gets so much of the hate when there are cars like those around being modded up and street raced around. I rarely see Boxsters being street raced, but I frequently get a Mustang come by and drop a few gears and try to race.

A week after I got my car I got a taste of what it's like to have a hated car, someone keyed it. I just shrug it off now, you always get the looks and I'm reminded of this video and it just makes me laugh as I speed away.

3/4 of the way through, oh and it does contain EXPLICIT LANGUAGE.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQRbDSwZIME

Yellowboxster01,

Now that was funny!

Small mind equals small output.

There are always folks who cannot tolerate the fact that someone else MAY have it better than they do. Or, someone else's taste runs to some other form of possession.

Go figure?

Hey, it is just a car, get over it and move on with you life! If you have to key a car or in some other way deface someone else's property, man, you are one sad individual. Ditto judging folks by their possessions.

Hey, I ride a Sportster. Tons of folks have all kinds of opinions, pro and con about the bike. To me, unless you are paying for it, your opinion is just that. If you want to pay for me to ride the bike, I will listen to you intently. :D

Merry Christmas!

in my situation, factor in the fact that im 23 and driving a porsche and the "hate" grows exponentially...

scared to take it to school.. but i'll admit, when i go to a meeting or something or have a business lunch, people seem to take me more seriously when they see me get out of the box.. almost like "wow, he must be good at what he does.. ", so they tend to "fall in line" with a lot of the stuff i propose.

reminds me of:
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...X/Hatorade.jpg

You like that? Haha, it always makes me laugh because, it's true.

Oh I gotcha, I get mistaken for a 22-23 year old more often than not. Truth being told I'll be 31 in less than 20 days. But, I suppose my family just has good genes. :D The most common question is, "how did you afford a $60+K car at such a young age. I just laugh for many reasons.

I think people are a bit thrown off though because, if someone asks I'll tell them all about my car. I've run into plenty of the pretentious boobs who drive these cars just for the horse on the front that somehow makes them feel better about themselves. I would rather not be one of those, ever, EVER or even grouped into that category. I should hope that some people that I've talked to now see my car and remember that I'm a nice and polite person. Any time someone compliments my car I always say thank you because, that's the polite thing to do and I thought everyone did that. :confused:

I'm 26 .. this is my second boxster .. had one since 23 ish .. heard many of the `hate` comment .. but this is my favorite

Me driving out of gas station .. looking left and right for traffic before i merge
Bum walking from the stop light to my car .. passes my car .. looks back at me and say .. youngsta .. when i grow up .. i wanna be just like you .. how about that ?
Me .. lmao .. have a nice day .. drive off ..

Frankly, that one is just a lil sad, I had a bum try to open the door to my 944 one night, I blew the light just as he reached for the handle.

The Boxster is seen in 2 different views.

You have those that likes performance cars but says well you should have bought a 911.

then you have the group that thinks well you are rich and we hate you because of it.

Haha wait so that implies that people either wants to buy a 911, or does not like anything that shows wealth.

Where do I fit?

Yep that is what I am saying I have two kinds of friends and family.

Some have very little money and just see me as having too much the other group has high end cars (CGT, 430's 993TT "S") That just think the 986 is the new 914. Oh well to each their own I could have sold my car and purchased a 996TT or any Carrera but I just like the way the Boxster drives more.

I usually get two responses... "Oh, you got the chick Porsche" or "Wow, that's my dream car."

I live in Southern California, (one of my neighbor's has a new Ferrari F430) so when I got m 2006 Boxster I thought I wouldn't get any response at all.

Before this I had a '71 911 T that was partially restored. I only paid $6,000.00 for it and had fun but as my "driver" got a little tired of little things going awry. The broken glove compartment latch, etc. When the clutch cable broke on the freeway and I safely pulled into the breakdown lane, I had people driving by pointing and laughing. I don't think they would have done this with a 30 plus year old Toyota.

It just comes with the territory. I just know that when I'm driving on some twisty back road with a smile on my face I could give a d**n what Jeremy Clarkson thinks. Besides doesn't that bugger drive a drive a Ford GT... Please :rolleyes:

Only when it's actually running as opposed to broken down.

Mustang and 350Z drivers do tend to be idiots and posers, though I wouldn't describe them as anything worse than that. Now the true A-holes of the road are the VW and Honda drivers. Have you ever noticed that 90% of VW (excepting maybe Beetle drivers) and Honda drivers will tailgate you constantly regarless of what speed you are doing?

haters are people who, for whatever reason, feel like they've been dealt a bad hand. They blame external factors for their failures (and possibly, external forces are the reason they've failed). Maybe for them, a Porsche symbolizes the in-equities they've suffered - so by damaging your car, they can, in some small, silly way, "spit at" those self-perceived injustices...and, in their minds, exact revenge.

Your best revenge is to smile...it's going to happen - there is very little you can do to prevent it...if you let it get to you, you've given the offender something.

boy, am I glad I took psych 101 at community college

There is an old Buddhist saying:

"Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional!"

:D

Main Entry: in·ev·i·ta·ble
Pronunciation: \i-ˈne-və-tə-bəl\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin inevitabilis, from in- + evitabilis evitable
Date: 14th century
: incapable of being avoided or evaded <an inevitable outcome>

They may lack self-esteem. They place great value on things of little value. The finest automobile is of no value compared to the life or well being of a loved one, or their own, but they don't see it that way. They may see the car you drive as being more worthwhile then they themselves are, ergo, you are the much reviled master.

Or...
They're simply Aholes.

If you think there are a lot of haters because you own a Porsche, take up road cycling. It'll change your perspective.

++1 on that. I had 2 near misses in 30 miles yesterday afternoon. One moron almost rear ended a car turning left in front of me because he was so intent on passing me, and another idiot almost turned left across traffic in front of me-I got a separated shoulder last October when the same thing happened and I t-boned a minivan at 24 mph. I also got buzzed by an a-hole in a Cayenne yesterday. Damn Porsche drivers can be such pricks. I should wear a jersey that says "My Other Car is A Boxster"

Don't you bicyclist take this the wrong way but...when you all start paying registration fees and obeying the traffic laws like the rest of the vehicles (cars, trucks and motorcycles) that use the roads then maybe other drivers will respect you. I can't tell you how many times I've had bicycles pull in front of me at stop lights then run through them like they had the right. It's like they use the road and act like their abiding by the law and then brake the law and use the excuse that their just bikes.

If you don't pay road taxes (registration, gas tax, required safety insp.) or you're not required to take a test showing you know the rules of the road then you shouldn't be on the road.

BTW, do you guys carry vehicle insurance? Liability at least? Because if you run into someone and cause that vehicle to crash or someone gets injured, who pays?

Dmcutter,

"I also got buzzed by an a-hole in a Cayenne yesterday. Damn Porsche drivers can be such pricks." What's up with that?

Wow, I didn't know there were "haters" out there for bicyclist too?

I think I'm at the top of the most "hated list"..... I own both a road bike and a mountan bike, I own a sailboat (damn blow boaters) and I own a Boxster.

Can't we just get along?

Jax,

"I also got buzzed by an a-hole in a Cayenne yesterday. Damn Porsche drivers can be such pricks." What's up with that? That's called sarcasm...since I own a Porsche, one might think you would get that I wasn't really dissing Porsche drivers.

As far as licenses, road use tax, blah blah blah, I pay insurance and property taxes and outrages NC gas taxes for my Box, my Rodeo, and my motorcycle. My bicycle doesn't cause wear and tear on the roads and doesn't spew pollution into the air or consume fossil fuels. I obey traffic laws, and a bicycle is, in fact, by law, a vehicle subject to the same rules and rights as a motor vehicle.

I don't condone bicyclist blowing traffic lights-it's stupid and a good way to get killed. I ride as far to the right as practicable and when we ride in groups we don't bunch up and hold up traffic. I get buzzed by all kinds of pricks who think it's cute to see how close they can get to us, and I've been hit by a pick up truck's mirror at 50 mph. I guess all these a-holes don't have children that ride bicycles around their neighborhoods-I doubt they would condone motorists treating their kids that way.

No need to bash each other here.

There are clearly some bike riders who subject themselves to risk by their riding habits. It happens to all who frequent the roads. I see runners on the edge of the road when they have a perfectly safe sidewalk.

Go figure????
:confused:

Dude, expect that in Phoenix - the worst city in the US for bicycle fatalities. I used to live in Chandler, scary.
As far as hate goes, it's everywhere. I've had M cars, muscle cars and rice cars (RX-7). Somebody is always gonna assume some bad character trait about you no matter what. I know everybody is looking at me in this Podunk little Georgia town I now live in when I drive the Box. It's just something you have to accept with the vehicle.
The cycling is great though...
Sam

Good question though.

If a bicycle hits you at a decent biking speed (assuming 24mph from earlier post) .. that is enough force to cause dent + dings to some panels or at the very least paint damage.

Who pays ? Your insurance ? Will your rate go up if its is this type of accident ? I am assuming its a `hit and run` or not at fault accident ?

To me it make sense to require bicycle insurance for everyone using the road. (sidewalk doesn't count so joggers and pedestrians are still exempt)