Jealousy - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

donv · 02-06-2006, 04:32 PM

I once had some really freaky front grille-less painted-over-logo mini-van glued to my Boxster's butt for over 10 miles on two highways before a stupendous act of evasive driving (IMHO

) on my part.

I was driving with courtesy the whole time - going about the speed of traffic, using my blinkers, etc. All of a sudden this van pulls up so close I can't see his bumper. Sped up, too many people in front of me, he caught up. Slowed down and moved out of the high speed lane, he stayed right behind. Slow, continued variations on these ad nauseum for several miles... finally came the time to move to the secondary highway on my route and he started to follow, so I gave it a bit o' throttle on the ramp - thought one of his tires were going to blow, based on the sound, but the idiot kept coming fast.

OK, no way am I going to let this guy follow me to where I'm actually going to stop.

Finally found a point where I could put on the sting... watched for a point where I was coming up on an exit and had two car lengths free on the left, put on the left blinker, started left (as does he) and then I ducked right into the single car length open on that side. Now I'm behind him and take my next exit... and he's stuck for several more miles. Loop around and take the back roads to my appointment.

That guy was psycho, the worst of the experiences so far. Usually folks are nice (sometimes get the "what type of car is that?" or more often kids yelling out what appears to be the standard kid phrase "NICE CAR!" - usually in unison from the backseat of a SUV

) but sometimes if I just simply pass someone they seem to go postal (and I'm not a weaver). In most cases, if I simply slow down they lose interest... but not that death van guy...

Rail26 · 02-06-2006, 06:22 PM

I was being tailed one day also...and my little Lola was sodomized by a Buick. 6,000 clams later I think the girl who was carelessly tailgating and talking on her cellphone learned her lesson.

luxury1 · 02-06-2006, 06:33 PM

I hate this stuff. The lesson is that we are in the porsche and have to be defensive no matter what. It sucks but that is the price of having one of the best on the road... I can't imagine what Ferrari owners go through...

Adam · 02-06-2006, 07:16 PM

My car gets nothing but respect in my area even from cops. Not alot is faster here except for a few C5's. Even if someone tailgates me(which is very rare) I get on the gas and they go bye bye. If in the event a "muscle car" wants to party they get a good wiff of the exhaust. Some people gawk but most people don't know what they are looking at. That sucks that you guys get the hated on by the public...most people here are nothing but nice

Most of the time it's just driving as usual and the car doesn't attract much negative attention.

fab · 02-07-2006, 04:22 AM

I just had a recent experience. Driving on the highway in the high speed lane I was approaching a mini van. I backed off because personally, I HATE tailgaters. The mini van moved over 1 lane. I started to pass the mini van and then the BOOZO started to move back over. I had this sick feeling. I punched it on the gas pedal and see ya!

Fab

Patto · 02-07-2006, 05:46 AM

I've only had a couple of smart arse comments from people at work "they must be paying you too much", but I'm already used to it as my last car was a BMW.

Can't say I've have too many ricers try and race me, although I have had a few middle aged old blokes in modern day muscle cars (Monaros/GTOs I think you call them in the States) have a go. But it's too hard to speed in inner Sydney, just too many cars.

Have had one person remark that it was a 'poor mans Porsche'

which is funny considering a used 'S' still goes for around $85K Aussie. I just asked them politely what car they drove, the response was they didn't drive anything or have a license for that matter.

Brucelee · 02-07-2006, 03:14 PM

I don't think there is any bias with CA drivers. They ALL drive like maniacs and it makes no difference what car gets in their way.

Terrible, just terrible.

blinkwatt · 02-08-2006, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brucelee

I don't think there is any bias with CA drivers. They ALL drive like maniacs and it makes no difference what car gets in their way.

Terrible, just terrible.

Oh right right you are. You can have $500 bucket or a $440000 Carrera GT,we all equally dislike each other.

02-08-2006, 02:47 PM

Hi guys, just back from my holiday and missed you all!!
Here the most common happening to me is if I pass a car at speed at night ( its a Porsche I m driving!) the sucker will leave his full beam on which means that you are totally blinded being low on the road, usually a quick break and rear fog light later and if i am lucky they switch their high beams down, it is so annoying, also the common will I or won't I go at a crossing by the time your there they decide to go on front of you and drive at 30mph just to piss you off, Irish drivers are crap!!
we can drive a car on a provisional licence for ever, as long that you try to pass your test once every two years and you have the money to pay for the extra insurance cost, you can be on the road driving by yourself with no full licence, UNBELIEVABLE!! and if you are a woman your insurance will be cheaper than a man with ten years of full licence and no crashes!
it is always nice to hear the kids going: Nice car meeester! and some people do appreciate our cars, not like one of my neighbours who said that he would not come to eat in my restaurant anymore because he would'nt pay for my Porsche, what a plonker.

RandallNeighbour · 02-09-2006, 05:26 AM

Olly, I love the way you spell neighbour as it once again proves that yanks spell this word wrong (see my last name... the 1/4 English background in my lineage is where my surname came from!)

Hey, we yanks don't understand some of your words, but we want to learn. Please define "plonker" as that's a new one for me.

And what kind of food do you serve in your restaurant?

BoxsterSbob · 02-13-2006, 11:10 AM

Do they still call Americans... Yanks ...over-there?

bob

02-13-2006, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoxsterSbob

Do they still call Americans... Yanks ...over-there?

bob

yep!

ephidaboost · 02-16-2006, 08:01 AM

I get a lot of jealous remarks and shallow comments at work, and when I bought the car a few months ago, people made such a big deal about it I didn't want to even answer questions about it. I had coworkers tell me they are pissed because they are obviously not making as much as me. Once someone came up to me and ask how much the car was purchased for in front of the whole office, and waited paitently for an answer while everyone looked on. How rude can you get.

As far as traffic is concerned, Houston is pretty bad for porsche drivers. I mainly see three types of drivers, jealous people (kids) who just want to "show you up" in their (usually) crappy looking ride by doing a fly by or revving their engine with autozone exaust system, meat heads who would love to shove your head in their trucks 5" dual exaust because you bought a german car, and the normal people who don't care. I do NOT get this much negative attention driving my mustang around.

RandallNeighbour · 02-16-2006, 10:18 AM

Ethan, do you notice that here in Houston people like to ride your butt to be up close and personal to a Porsche? It think some of that is envy, some jealousy (let's crowd the rich guy in the rich car) and some of it is just tailgating.

Hey, how's that shiny front fender doing? Is it bragging to the other painted surfaces as to how nice it looks? If I were buying a new (or newer) Porsche today, I'd have your color blue. Gorgeous!

(Ethan came over Sunday and I buffed out a fender to show him the miraculous powers of Menzerna, Klasse AIO and a PC buffer!)

ephidaboost · 02-17-2006, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Ethan, do you notice that here in Houston people like to ride your butt to be up close and personal to a Porsche? It think some of that is envy, some jealousy (let's crowd the rich guy in the rich car) and some of it is just tailgating.

Hey, how's that shiny front fender doing? Is it bragging to the other painted surfaces as to how nice it looks? If I were buying a new (or newer) Porsche today, I'd have your color blue. Gorgeous!

(Ethan came over Sunday and I buffed out a fender to show him the miraculous powers of Menzerna, Klasse AIO and a PC buffer!)

I do, and it is noticeably worse than any other car I have driven. I havn't been able to pin down the exact reason why, but Ill agree with you that it is a mix of jealousy (seems like if they envied the car they would do so from a safe distance) and just the way people drive in Houston. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Houston had 12.45 fatalities per 100,000 population in 2002 – far higher than the fatality rates for Philadelphia (8.11), Chicago (7.90), Los Angeles (7.24) or New York (4.39). In fact, Houston-area drivers are two and a half more times likely to be killed or injured in a traffic accident than the national average.

On a happier note, the fender is looking good :-) I got the rest of the car cleaned up with regular stuff, and in the bright sun you can see that the panel we did together still looks a little smoother. That stuff really does make a difference, and over time Im sure it would be even more noticeable.

wild1poet2 · 02-07-2006, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donv

I once had some really freaky front grille-less painted-over-logo mini-van glued to my Boxster's butt for over 10 miles on two highways before a stupendous act of evasive driving (IMHO

) on my part.

Finally found a point where I could put on the sting... watched for a point where I was coming up on an exit and had two car lengths free on the left, put on the left blinker, started left (as does he) and then I ducked right into the single car length open on that side. Now I'm behind him and take my next exit... and he's stuck for several more miles. Loop around and take the back roads to my appointment.
...

Good move, donv. Maverick patented this manuever in Top Gun.

ralegen · 02-15-2006, 08:24 PM

I've been getting compliments off the road almost everyday (still occurs).

On the road, I had an experience where a "homie looking Mexican Thug" was in the passenger side of a late 80's nissan sentra? Anyways, we were going about 40-45 miles on a regular road, and their car crept up to the side of me. My Top was down, and I heard him yelling out something in a threatening way. We eventually made eye contact when they were parallel, and it turned out that he was an old friend/co-worker. His facial experssion was a "surprised" one. We said our "what's ups", and, as they drove off I saw his head nod side to side in humiliation.