Chas

So I was driving down the road today when I noticed a 968 headed my way from the other direction. I did a headlight double blink (the tradition of double blinking to say "hello" from Porsche to Porsche), and as the car passed me, the driver gave me a look as if to say

"oh is there a speed trap ahead?"
"umm, my lights are on thanks"

Does anyone double-headlight-blink-hello to other Porsches on the road? Has this tradition just gone down the crapper, as many values did when people started buying Porsches just to own a "rich people car"? I'd like to find one 986 owner in my area (Langley, VA...home of the mercedes, bmw 7-class, and now becomming "986-ville") that knows it's history back to the 550.

My neighbor, who recently purchased a 986, still calls it a "porsh", even after I explained to her about Ferdinand and Ferry, and how the last name is supposed to be pronounced.

If it wasn't for this board and people I meet at the track (Summit Point, WV and VIR), I wouldn't think there were any other knowledgable enthusiasts out there

Any comments or stories on the headlight blink? I am actually quite curious to see if anyone else does it...

Russ Murphy

I'm aware of the "blink" or the "flash", but mostly I wave to fellow por-SHUH owners. And mostly, they wave back. I think of the headlight flash too much as a "hey, copper around the corner" type communication and probably a lot of them do as well. <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Pat Kennedy

Yeah, we mostly wave in this region.

Next time you debate the "Por-shuh" pronunciation debacle, ask the uninformed party if they've ever heard Chevrolet pronounced "Chev-ro-lette." That is a French man's surname and pronounced as such, hence, Porsche is a German man's surname, and in Germany they pronounce ALL the vowels.

Though I've had the argument tossed back at me that "Porsh" is the abbreviated version, just like Chevy.

I suppose their is a smattering of validity to that, but it makes me queasy nonetheless.

Dwayne Williams

In Texas the headlight flash generally means there's a speed trap up ahead. And since most people with their shiny new Boxsters don't know the tradition I just wave.

Brett

Here in colorado there is no headlight action. Just maybe a wave or smile but that is it. Alot of the people that have the 993 or 996 arent really enthusiasts and dont care what the guy next to them is driving.

adrial

I flash the lights and sometimes get a response...it depends really...figure about 30-40% response rate. The response rate from 986 owners is probably around 2%, if that...hehe...

I remember driving around hershey....oh man...i wasn't even prepared for the number of flashes I got!! Even the boxster's and 996's were flashing!! I wanted to make sure they got my response so...I turned the headlights on and then back to parking light position so that the lights would be up. That way when I flashed it would flash the high beams and they would definetely be able to see my response. I always thought it was a little hard to see flashing with the fogs...

Save the flash (or wave or friendly smile)!

--adrial

Jeremy Martin

porsche owners flash headlights... of course, this could be illegal in your state so be careful.

Brian McCoy

I've yet to see a flash, and the 1 P-car I flashed (996) just looked at me as if I were a piece of used TP.. :|

I've waved at a good dozen cars - nothing. I gave up... if someone initiates, I'll gladly respond, but it's not worth the effort of rasing my arm anymore. The saying "It's just a car" fits all the Atlanta drivers I see.

Put me on a motorcycle though and I wave in a fashion that's impossible to miss just to make the other person feel uncomfortable without returning SOMETHING.

Turby

I "flashed" a black N/A today and got nothing in return. He also looked at me like I had 3 heads.

PCinDC

Usually I get some kind of attention from the other P-Car drivers around here (with the obvious exception of the copious numbers of 986's - never once). The first time I was flashed by a 996 was in the middle of the night in the dead of winter on I90 outside Chicago. He passed me and then flashed - took me by surprise to the point that by the time I flashed back I think he was too far away to see the fogs. Probably never botherd flashing a 944 again...
I usually wave or Flash. Best responses for me are from our watercooled brethren (924, 944, 951, 968, 928).

dmoffitt

i feel lucky enough to SEE another p-car in my town, much less get one to wave/flash/whatever.

then i went home to visit my family for the holidays, and i saw 3 in a period of 5 mins, go figure

3.0/951/k27s

of course i flash my headlights,the real porsche enthusiast flash back but the guys with deep pockets don't answer back(911 and boxter)

DerSchlechtSpecht

I live in an area where there are alot of P-Cars. Everywere you drive there is a new 996, a 986, and a few turbos here and there. However IM pretty much the only 944 series car in the area. I do get a lot of the waving, especially from the guys in the turbos. There was even one time I spotted a race prepped 930 comming down the road flashing and sticking his left arm out as far as possible. I was so struck by this that by the time I responded he was gone.

Christian

adrial

[quote]Originally posted by 3.0/951/k27s:
<strong>of course i flash my headlights,the real porsche enthusiast flash back but the guys with deep pockets don't answer back(911 and boxter)</strong><hr></blockquote>

Boxster? and new 911's I assume you're talking about?

yoyoguy2

don't see too many porsches where i live, only actually driven by a few in my car, got one wave ever, it was a red 951 (same as my car)