Reactions....

TUB envy

Funny, I get the opposite reaction from drivers of modern sports cars here in the UK.

Boxsters, 911s, 3 series, TVRs, ... you name it, they often manouvre in for a good look before giving a thumbs up and carrying on their way. Don't get any aggression..

Well Simon; I don't know if it is aggression per se or them just trying to prove that their new car performs better than our classic; it's annoying though. As Troy says, Tub Envy sounds like a good description. Troy, my God! that 9/24/04 picture in that photo album of yours!!...

Ricardo!

Would that be fish envy i'm detecting? It does look like quite a catch!

tell me that's your wife and guess how many tubb owners are going to make a trip to California.

Mel that's a triple catch!!!

My fishin buddy Sam. You should see my golf partners

Ricardo,

I get a lost of surprising testosterone displays from mid-sized sedan and MiniVan drivers. I typically drive in the middle or # 2 lane on a 4-lane hwy. These frustrated sub-urbanites race in front of me, then cut over multiple lanes to exit the off ramp. All while we're both cruising at between 70 - 80 mph, and with no traffic behind me.

I don't know if they feel unfairly dealt their middle class, sub-urban hand in life, or that they think I'm snubbing their way of life by endulging my vehicular passion(s).

I stay mad for a mile or so, then I look around the cockpit, smile and turn up my Allman Bros. CD. Sometimes the best revenge is to just enjoy your car.

MM

Yea Mike I have also noticed that the frumpy car drivers seem to be pretty frustrated with their boxes on wheels. Unlike some of the other posts from folks talking about "real" porsche owners, my experiences have been lots of thumbs up. In fact two young (younger than I) guys were driving by in a new Carrera while I was gassing up, flipped a u-turn and came over to talk about my little cutie. Ya never know.

Right on Mike! I love the Allmans too; it's a shame they fired Dickey Betts. Warren Haynes is the sh*t, though. I'd say as good as Duane!!

I'm with you too on the envious drivers. I also get pissed off for a while but, like you, I just look around, feel the wind and realize I'm driving this awesome machine and all is forgotten; at least until the next A-hole (and there seems to be quite a few of them around) appears. I agree with you that sometimes the best revenge is just ignoring them but sometimes they act so stupid and childish that it's almost impossible.

I find the owners of Porsches around where I live love my car. Just the other day while stopped at a red light, a guy going the other direction stoped dead in the street, looked at me, and said "what's up with that?!"

I threw some numbers at him, "3.2 ltr, G50 trans, 911 suspension..."

He said "enjoy it" and drove off. Big line of cars he was holding up didn't seem to mind either.

I don't know about you guys but it seems anyone on a Harley loves 'Petey' also. Almost always get big grins and a thums up. Mabey it the air cooled thing.

As for messin with me, unless they have somthing seriously fast, I can leave them sitting there. Even more so if it's twisty! :-)

Marcos

I took mine to a friends church on Sunday for its shakedown. Didn't have a bit of trouble with other drivers. Guess the shit eatin grin on my face was too infectious.

Forgot to mention that the guy who stopped dead in the street was driving a new 996.

This morning was sunny and beautiful so I decided to take my Speedster out to do some of my errands. Put the top down and took off. While in the freeway I look at my rearview mirror and out comes this A-hole yuppie in a new BMW and starts chasing me regardless of my speed or maneuvers to lose him. I've noticed that my car is a magnet for those types; always with newer German cars. What is wrong with these people acting like immature kids; why can't they just look at the car without hassling; are they envious or what?....

Ricardo - I see that you kept him in your rear view. How much fun was it to keep him there rather than let him go? Don't answer that! I recently got into a one block drag race with a very blacked-out, winged, loud, new Porsche coupe. He never got past me. He even stopped and saluted briefly before turning off. One thing I can say for the VW gear box. Those first two gears are killers with a 2367 cc type four out back.

Commuting on motorcycles for the past 30 years, I have observed the same behavior. Fellow bikers come roaring up from behind doing at least 10 or more MPH faster, they pass me and slow down. Two miles later they are still five car lengths is front of me. Its purely a "ME FIRST" attitude.

My solution was to mount a wide angle ski-boat mirror on the windshield post of the speedster. Now I can see three lanes wide behind me and, best of all, I can see the big grin on my face the whole time I am driving!

David, I know what you mean. The other day at a stoplight a guy in a white Mercedes was trying to intimidate me. I stepped on it and he couldn't catch me; and that's with a mild 1776 with dual Kadrons, stock camshaft, fairly restrictive VW Mexico dual tailpipe muffler and a 3:88 transaxle. All he could see was a bit of smoke behind me. That was a rare incidence though, since I'm a boring driver; no speeding for me....

Correction; not a 1776 but a 1915 as I found out last week....

Yesterday I was out for a nice drive when I pulled up to a traffic light and a brand new chrome yellow Corvette pulls up along side of me. We both looked at each other and I don't know who had the biggest smile. It was thumbs up to each as we took off. How ever I didn't try and race him. I didn't want him to feel bad (he he).
The amazing thing was when I looked over at him I was looking up at him and he was looking down at me.
Eddie

Well Eddie, isn't it incredible how low to the ground these cars are?

Not long ago, I was waiting to make a left turn at a stoplight. Behind me pulls up a new Porsche Turbo, widebody, huge wing and windows all blacked out, engine snorting and revving. As we both turned left onto a four lane street, I knew he intended to pass me on the right and race to the next stoplight. Well, he did and I did. He never got past my rear fender. At the next light, I got a thumbs up from inside the black window as iy turned off on another street. I figure he had me by at least an extra litre of displacement and maybe $100,000. Didn't do him no good.

Ho, ho David...those Type 4's are serious mills aren't they?....

I drove Paul Harford's Vintage with his Massive Type IV. I would say David's experience sounds about right. I think on a lonely freeway (something you probably won't find in CA) the Turbo might go by you somewhere around 90 and then just keep going, but up till then, nope.

Closer to 100-110MPH and from Southampton Rd on ramp to Military West offramp. Butch screams 0-100 but then you have to have all your wits about you has you scoot past 125, and a lot of friendly asphalt.

Of all the things I read about with Type4 engine power, the one thing I wanted to do was blow off a Mustang to see if it was indeed true...M5's are next on the menu.

Then there is the story of how my '65 Corvair, 98 Hp, Powerglide, with very wide tires, chased a real Lamborghini Countach through a freeway interchange. I was gaining on him until we got to the straignt away - then POOF - he was gone. I figured his car cost roughly 100 times what I paid for mine. Ya just can't buy that kind of fun.

I was having fun recently with a brand new Viper. He cut in front of me on my home turf; a nice winding country road. He tried like hell to shake me. Those Vipers are terrible on the tight stuff. He would have eaten me up on the freeway. As it is, he had to beg off after almost losing it in one corner.

I don't think he enjoyed the experience as much as I did, judging by the look on his face.

Terry, your insurance agent called me the other day to verify your story and I . . . .

David,

My insurance agent was driving the Viper.

Recardo,

"Comes with the Turf"

Jack

Regardless if your Speedy is a "stupid-fast" fiberglass missile, or a "daily cruiser", I figure the best revenge is driving a car that satisfies all the "feel-good" criteria of most car buffs without costing an arm-and-a-leg (or any part of the reproductive system!).