What have you done to break the stereotype?

[Timco]

Pull up to my house today, lady out front with her hood up. Hospital across the street. She looks right at me, then turns away, then as I pull in (have to hit my driveway apron just right to not scrape or touch rims) she reluctantly asks "excuse me, do you have any cables?" I say, I typically do but need to look (I keep a spare battery and a charger but don't always leave the cables at the house). Turns out I had them, and backed down the driveway to give her a jump with the Boxster.

I'm hooking up, and she says (after the whole 'where's the engine' bit) "When I saw your car, I thought to myself there's NO WAY this guy will help....thank you, thank you, thank you!!" and I was a bit taken back, because it was certainly no problem to help. Jumped a 90's Dodge 4-dr something...

I really don't think Porsche owners are judged fairly. Just because that car is spotless and runs flawless, and looks fantastic, doesn't make me some stuck up jerk who won't help someone when he can....

Just say'in..........

[jb92563]

Thats some good karma you generated.....kudos

However a little caveat, to avoid killing your own electrical system always Jump another car with your engine OFF.

If it can start your own car then it can certainly start someone elses, and if not then there is a greater issue than just a dead battery.

I learned the hard way in Canada, at night in -20c weather that giving someone a jump with your engine running can over strain your own electrical system (Running 2 cars instead of one) and blew the diodes in my alternator.

My car ran for another couple hours before the battery ran flat while driving and the engine stalled at a stop and left me stranded.

Just saying...


Funny thing though, I had a request for assistance from a "stranded" motorist in front of their own relatives home. She needed fuel (however the car was running) and asked for money $50.

I guess they figured a dude driving a Porsche would have that much behind the seat cushions.

I looked at the 5-8 people at the house she was visiting and thought I'm no fool and went about my business.
(Sounds like a full tank a case of beer and dinner to me)

So Yaa, maybe we can be the stuck up money pinching types under some circumstances. (Proudly maintaining the Tradition of being smart, I selected a Porsche afterall )

[Timco]

Originally Posted by jb92563

Thats some good karma you generated.....kudos

However a little caveat, to avoid killing your own electrical system always Jump another car with your engine OFF.

If it can start your own car then it can certainly start someone elses, and if not then there is a greater issue than just a dead battery.

I learned the hard way in Canada, at night in -20c weather that giving someone a jump with your engine running can over strain your own electrical system (Running 2 cars instead of one) and blew the diodes in the alternator.

The car ran for another couple hours before the battery ran flat while driving and the engine stalled at a stop and left me stranded.

Just saying...

Wow. Never would have guessed. I've always left my truck running and never thought twice about that. Thanks for the heads up!!

[rocartfe2]

I have a bad habit of picking up hitchhikers. Anytime I stop for one in the Porsche they always comment about thinking it was odd to see a Porsche stop. When I give a ride in my old pickup I hardly ever get asked for a couple dollars just a thanks for the ride. In the 911 or the boxster I am running about 90% for "hey could you spare a few dollars" I tell them Porsche maintenance is expensive.

[Kenny Boxster]

I try to help others when there is a problem. More than once I've stopped in the boxster on my way back from class.

[Jamesp]

Originally Posted by rocartfe2

I have a bad habit of picking up hitchhikers. Anytime I stop for one in the Porsche they always comment about thinking it was odd to see a Porsche stop. When I give a ride in my old pickup I hardly ever get asked for a couple dollars just a thanks for the ride. In the 911 or the boxster I am running about 90% for "hey could you spare a few dollars" I tell them Porsche maintenance is expensive.

Last hitchhiker I picked up was when I was driving back to college, top down in a '72 TR6. He was just a kid like me walking along the side of the highway. After we got rolling down the freeway he tapped me on the shoulder and rolled up his pant leg to show me a big pig sticker strapped to his calf, "just wanted to show you this so you'd know I could kill you" he said. When I first saw the knife I began speeding up not knowing what would come next, so I said to him, "Just wanted to let you know that were doing over 90, and a quarter turn of this steering wheel, and we're both dead. He looked at me and rolled his pant leg back down. It was one very weird drive for me over the next hour or so. I let him out in a really bad part of Kalamazoo at his request, and that's the last I saw of him. Needless to say, I was cured of picking up hitchhikers.

[rp17]

I had a similar situation where someone asked me for a jump coming out of Walmart. I was rushing to get my car out of that parking lot. I was innitially thinking, I'm not in the right car for that. Anyways, next thing I know I was driving this guy back to his car and giving him a jump in my Box. Short drive but he asked every question there was which was fine. I told him he was real lucky when walking to the car.

I will always help someone out. Been stuck with a flat out on hwy 20 in between east texas and shreverport with a busted spare before. Thank goodness someone helped me out that day. Not the boxster that day though.

[BIGJake111]

how about we flip scenarios. What are the odds of someone we don't know and not another P car owner coming to help us if anything ever happens to our boxsters. When my bolts sheered to my cv i had my sister and a wrecker there in no time, but you'd think when you see a 16 yr old on the side of a road alone, someone within the 25 min or so period would have pulled over haha. (sure i would have had a few grabs if i was the opposite sex though.)As for OP, haven't had any opportunitys to help anyone yet, but if one arises i see no reason not to lend a hand.

[jdraupp]

Without getting into my profession lets say I help my fair share of people on the interstates. No one stops to help anyone, but they'll be cell phone heroes and call saying they saw a car with their flashers on.

As for porsche stereotype...I try to drive respectfully as much as possible. that's not to say I'm not going fast, but I try to avoid the rapid unsafe lane changes, tailgating and cutting people off. And I always try to use my signals. I feel like you can't blame the guy in the porsche for speeding but driving like a jerk can happen at any speed and at least when I go by they see me change lanes safely and legally.

[rick3000]

I have jumped friends, and last year I pulled over to let a girl whose friends had driven off without her use my phone. Not that I had much choice as she almost leapt in front of my car to flag me down.

If I thought someone needed me to pull over and help them I probably would, but I have yet to encounter a situation like that. With cell phones, most people are just waiting for AAA to show up.

[Coffinhunter]

Couple weeks ago a guy in a beater of a truck, was pulling out of the gas station. He had left his wallet on the roof. When he pulled into traffic it went sliding off. I went into the street (waiting for a pause of course) and picked it up. I looked at the drivers liscence, put the address in my gps and delivered his wallet. The house was in a mobile home park. When I pulled up to the address, he turned out to be a young kid and he was crying to his father (not literaly crying) about losing his wallet and money. I got out of my car, said something like "the roof of your truck has a hole in it's pocket", handed him his wallet and got back in my car. Both of their faces were worth the good deed. They tried to give me $20, but one day I will be in the same position and hope someone returns the favor.

[healthservices]

On a old car like our 986s I have no problem jumping other peoples cars, but if it were from my BMW... no way. The electronics are so sensitive in these later model cars. And some of the older 2004 ish cars have no overload or circuit protection.

Had a friend who had their BMW jumped incorrectly by a co worker, worst thing you can do on these cars. Fried so many things in the car. blown leds in the dash, head light control units blown, cruise control no longer works, ECM fried, $2500 just in parts and the car is still not the same.

If I do it when I'm in a later model car, Ill call AAA for them and let them do it.

[BIGJake111]

someone should jump a tesla for 4th of july next year.

[Porsche Chick]

I haven't helped anyone jump start their car or anything. Hubby has tried explaining it, but I still don't know how to do it, so he got me one of those cigarette lighter things.

I'm figuring just being a girl is enough to bend the stereotype of a the typical male Porsche owner. I go to Porsche club meetings and the other ladies are still freaked out by this. Still. The men are over it already, but the women still look at me funny.

[Timco]

Originally Posted by Porsche Chick

I haven't helped anyone jump start their car or anything. Hubby has tried explaining it, but I still don't know how to do it, so he got me one of those cigarette lighter things.

I'm figuring just being a girl is enough to bend the stereotype of a the typical male Porsche owner. I go to Porsche club meetings and the other ladies are still freaked out by this. Still. The men are over it already, but the women still look at me funny.

You get a pass. A guy in a Porsche is not seen or judged like a girl driving the same car. We are judged by D-bag level and what we could afford and you are judged by hair color and length and ring or no ring.

[Porsche Chick]

Originally Posted by Timco

You get a pass. A guy in a Porsche is not seen or judged like a girl driving the same car. We are judged by D-bag level and what we could afford and you are judged by hair color and length and ring or no ring.

Don't forget to add body fat %, age, shoe selection, outfit, makeup, etc.

Men are lucky, all they need is a fat wallet and all is forgiven. With a Porsche you're halfway there.

[Timco]

Originally Posted by Porsche Chick

Don't forget to add body fat %, age, shoe selection, outfit, makeup, etc.

Men are lucky, all they need is a fat wallet and all is forgiven. With a Porsche you're halfway there.

You forgot one typical judging factor.....

I have heard allegations that a Porsche is supposed to make up for other male issues as well....it's just not true. A car won't help those poor guys......

[RandallNeighbour]

I used to judge Pcar owners because they were a) gray haired guys and b)always driving very slowly and it seemed like a waste of a car to me.

Now I'm an "old guy" who can afford one and I drive it slow because I don't need to get speeding tickets and wreck my car.

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by Porsche Chick

Men are lucky, all they need is a fat wallet and all is forgiven. With a Porsche you're halfway there.

if that guy is shopping for a gold-digger.

In a radio interview I heard Jerry O'Conell describe a certain film executive as "an 11". The interviewer said "an 11?" to which he replied "Yeah... you know what that is? It's a 10 with a job".

[BIGJake111]

Originally Posted by Timco

You forgot one typical judging factor.....

I have heard allegations that a Porsche is supposed to make up for other male issues as well....it's just not true. A car won't help those poor guys......

Now I see that most deal with that problem by buying a large truck, driving a "hair stylist, girly" roadster is something only those confident in their masculinity can own.