Scott5

I'll admit it - like most of you, I never got past that period of grade school sportscar admiration. So you can imagine how I felt when, at a Fourth of July picnic at my inlaws, someone handed me the keys to his Ferrari.

So with fifteen people watching - my son and wife, parents, aunts, etc., most gathered to see if I'd stall the engine - I pulled away smoothly from the curve and proceeded to lap the circular road of the subdivision.

Of course, it was a residential area and I never surpassed 35, maybe 40 MPH. A good portion of the route was visable by my observers, including the owner who I don't really know. And on top of that, I found the gated shifter, the off-center pedals, and the very heavy steering of the 308 a bit ackward and was more than content to spend my few minutes with the car just listening to the engine and enjoy this awesome experience.

This experience however took a sudden turn when just moments after I got out of the Ferrari, a minivan came racing (literally) up to our group. Leaving the van in the middle of the road, a guy stormed us screaming about the "85 to 100mph that some kid" had just done around the block. He went toe to toe with my father-in-law for a couple minutes continuing to scream, making a complete fool of himself and loosing all control.

So - my question to this group and those with cars a little more flashy that my current vehicle - Is this common?

If I ever do get something that "looks really fast standing still" and makes more noise than your economony people mover does, will I often have deal with jealous hot-heads chasing me down after a drive.

This is actually an honest question, because these very embarrasing events today have really dampened an enthusiasm and a dream I've been enjoying for thirty some years now.

A Quiet Boom

Unfortunately, yes this does happen to me and my car "ain't all that" but given the low gear ratio, sport exhaust and the fact that the car much prefers 3000rpm plus over being lugged I have been accosted by jerks who assume I'm speeding just because I'm doing 35 in second gear. Normally I don't take their crap from anybody but in these cases I let the jerk vent then explain to him that, first I am also a father, and second if he'd like to go for a ride I'll show him what I mean by "it only seems fast". I give these idiots the benefit of the doubt only because like I said they are usually just concerned parents and in my neighborhood there's too many "ricers" actually going way to fast. If you think driving a Ferrari is bad, just try driving a full-on drag car with a cage, earth-shaking cam, two-chamber flowmasters, etc. etc. to the corner store for smokes, the neighbors think they're being attacked by outlaw street racers LOL

And BTW, if they are so brave as to come on your father-in-laws property why didn't he just pop the guy in the nose, I do believe that's his right. I'll never EVER allow anyone to scream at me on my property, maybe I'm sensitive but I won't be threatened on land that I own. End Rant!

cmoss

Laugh it off. You got to drive an F-Car! Since most of your driving was visible, then it's the other guy who looks like a real jerk. NOT you.

What? You've obviously lusted after a Ferrari for a long time.

[quote] ... these very embarrasing events today have really dampened an enthusiasm and a dream I've been enjoying for thirty some years now.
<hr></blockquote>

Are you gonna give control of that dream to some DWEEB in a--GOOD GOD MAN!!--MINIVAN?

Enjoy the ride you took. It's much farther than any ride I've had in an F-CAr.
Cheers,
Chris

A Quiet Boom

On second thought, scratch my remark about popping the guy in the nose, I've just had a bad day with my new neighbors (they're new not me) who came on my property yelling about my dog barking too much. My dog never barks unless provoked and this idiot didn't want to believe that "junior" could possibly have been teasing my dog. Let's just say my temper got the better of me and I shouldn't have carried it here to rennlist. However if as you say the guy came "racing" up to your in-laws why didn't someone call the police on him? I mean you had 15 witnesses right?

Chris Martin

I get a few dirty looks sometimes when I pull in the neighborhood in 1st @ a whooping 25mph. For some reason a honda going 40 on the same street doesnt draw an eye. Even worse is when a lumbering Expedition (or some other tank) with kids screaming comes by at 40mph, now that's scary!

Drew_K

People think I tear through the multilevel parking garage at work. It has steep ramps between floors, and as we all know 911's do not like to be lugged at 10 mph in 2nd gear, so I leave it in 1st the entire time. People misinterpret the loud engine with stock exhaust, especially reverberating off the walls. It's actually kind of funny since I seem to set off at least 1 car alarm every day.

Frankly, anyone like the person Scott encountered has other issues and should be blown off, although I would have been pretty mad myself. If you were the one concerned about someone speeding through your neighborhood, would you have handled it like this jerk? I bet not.

This whole incident reminds me of that Toyota commercial with the red Celica parked in the street. An old man is yelling at the car to SLOW DOWN!!! Another version of the commercial has a dog chasing after the parked car and running into it.

H. D. Smith

thats my favorite part...car alarms! In first at about 18-20 mph/3000 rpm range it's like clockwork, 1 alarm per block.

pbs911

[quote]<strong> a minivan came racing (literally) up to our group.</strong><hr></blockquote>

A guy who races a mini van is the one with a problem.

We live in a track that is about 1.5 miles in length and would make a great little oval race track. Fortunatly there are speed bumps every 100 yards or so. One of the speed bumps is right in front of our house and it is amazing how many cars go speeding by the house and don't even slow for the speed bump. I would estimate the speed to be 40+ mph. These are generally the trucks, Toyotas, Minivans and such. Me, I almost have to come to a stop to go over the speed bumps and never even get the 911 out of first gear. Nonethless, you can hear me coming from way down the street. It just sounds like I am going fast. Setting off the car alarms are a plus.

Scott5

Thanks everyone -

Your replies have really helped put this into perspective and now I'm starting to enjoy re-living the experience - the driving part that is!

<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Dana Drury

Come on, its just jealousy... Same reason over here, guys driving Porsches get pulled over by the police all the time even if they aren't speeding. Its just a visual perception thing.

Plus, they are sports car..... They are designed to go fast... so peoples perceptions are that you are actually going fast...