Sun Ra

Guys,

Does everyone use their turn signals? Work smoothly and respectfully through traffic?

I was reminded again this morning that while we never exceed the "limit" [our limit], we should set examples of fast yet safe and excellent driving manners for other drivers:

- a 4S had to show he could stay in front of me this morning: cutting through traffic with no turn signals pushing people around... this degrades the Porsche Race guys... makes us look like low life drivers of beatermobiles.

KPV

Watt,
I agree wholeheartedly! I posted a response in the following post from several weeks ago. Read the 9th and 15th posts in this thread:

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...5&pagenumber=1

Lemur

Watt,
I couldn't agree with you more. We really are ambassadors for Porsche drivers as a group each time we get in and buckle up and responsible and courteous driving manners reflect well upon us all. Down here in south Florida where rudeness is a finely honed way of life that is commonly carried onto the highway.There are no more aggressive, confrontational, and belligerent drivers anywhere than those we have down here. I think the NASCAR guys must learn their drafting tecnniques on I 95 somewhere between Palm Beach and Miami, and whats really scary is that most of the cops drive the same way! I have yet to see anyone pulled over for dangerously aggressive driving but just let some little old lady go 30 in a 25 zone and the wrath of God via the Palm Beach Sheriffs' office will be upon her.

Pardon the ramble.

DAB.

KPV

DAB,
I agree on all of your points sans one. The NY/NJ metropolitan area is the capitol of aggressive, confrontational, and belligerent drivers! The comment about being ambassadors is so true. Think about it. The average driving public slumped in the seat of a X Brand minivan tooling along at a cool 55mph (or below) all of a sudden sees a slick, exciting Porsche. The attention to the Porsche is due to its look, its brighter than average color and it speed relative to the drone of the normal traffic flow. Instantly, all eyes are upon it. It is like that commercial where you are looking down on hundreds of black umbrellas and there is the standout red one. So, now that everyone has noticed you, they will watch your every move. Point is, make every move courteous, lawful and respectful. Speed does not kill, stupidity does.
These days, NJ has signs everywhere "Report Aggressive Driving - Dial #77". I understand the intent of that, but here is another viewpoint using my minivan stereotype. A soccer mom, driving her minivan with a vehicle full of screaming kids sees what is HER interpretation of an aggressive driver, a Porsche speeding along in the fast lane. She digs around for her cell phone, while taking her eyes off the road, makes the call, one hand on the wheel, attention shared between driving, talking on phone and keeping track of kids doings in back. Meanwhile, Porsche owner is 100% focused on the art of driving. Who is the potential threat?
While on the Gumball in 2002, we were leaving the Grand Canyon heading back to I40. One lane each way on the access road. Two Gumballers (Not P Cars...Euro MB AMG M Class and pickup truck believe it or not) in front of me kept passing on double yellows, spooking other drivers by these actions, etc., etc. I, on the other hand, maintained a sense of maturity about it as I followed up in the rear. Although speeding, I passed other drivers only where permitted, passed wide, and passed slow. Wouldn't you know it, the aggressive guys up front initially spooked these drivers, raised their awareness so that when I passed courteously, they called the police on ME!! They reported the number on the side of my car! Try telling that story to a trooper!!
BTW, rambles are good.

billhart

My pet peeve, in driving on the street with any traffic, is the number of oblivious numbskulls driving along in the left lane, forcing others to pass on the right. I had given up driving for almost 20 years while living in NYC. I was amazed when i returned behind the wheel to discover that some of the common courtesy i observed, even as a young driver in the 70's, had completely vanished. Also, the number of people who are driving in a quietly hostile way, determined to prove that they will do just the speed limit in the left lane, and ensure that you cannot pass. Flashing them only increases the hostility level. I usually don't find high end cars engaged in stupid behavior, although when they do, they are really over the top. I was returning from a car show in Reading a couple years ago, and got passed by a BMW M coupe (one of those little slipper shaped things), being chased by a 355 F car. These guys were doing well in excess of 125 mph on a busy highway, the BMW actually took the soft shoulder to make a pass to the right and i watched the tail almost go out on the ferrari as he tried to catch up.

I agree that model driving should be the norm, to set an example, but frankly, the people that need the training most are in Mr. Magoo land behind the wheel.

HBdirtbag

I use my indicators at all times even when no one is around. I also don't drive like a dumbass anymore, i'm growing up young

gs

I like your question. We always complain about how others drive, but do we really examine how we drive?

I try very hard to (and mostly succeed) always use my turn signal, not pass on the right, not tailgate, not weave, and, if I'm driving above the speed limit, to not really 'speed' - that is I try to match my speed to the fastest 1/4 of traffic. I believe, like many confident drivers, that speed differential is more dangerous than speed.

I've driven in NY, Boston, LA, Japan, and South America, and I have to say, south Florida is by far the worst place I've ever driven. Anyone know if there's a way for us to report dangerous driving?

L8Apex

DAB,

I agree! The Palm Beach Sheriffs Dept. has always been a pain in the ****. (I lived on Reef Rd. about 10 years ago.) I actually witnessed a Palm Beach Gardens Super Cop. bump a woman in a Volvo staion wagon out of the way trying to chase a mustang on beeline highway. They have absoulutely no driving etiquette just egos!

Out here in So.CA most of the idiots are the teenage wannabe fast & furious rice burners & the soccer moms or guys with little dicks in their jacked up super ford expedition or monster trucks that have no idea nor care about drivers etiquette. Even more annoying are the hells angels wannabes on their Harleys (oversized vibrators) that take up EVERY lane on the 405 or PCH and cruise 5-10mph below the speedlimit, that really pisses me off! Especially when your trying to rush someone to the ER!

Twinturbosalah

LOL,

So KPV, how many tickets and $$s in fines did you have by the end of the Gumball run? hehe

KPV

Funny that you should ask. I received two tickets. One for 80 in a 70. Before you comment, that was after he was chasing me for fifteen miles in the Nevada desert at 130 mph!!! No folks, there are no cars out there.
The other, and the subject of my previous post, was just dismissed as of yesterday! It was a complaint by another motorist and I guess he was out of state too and thus decided to drop the complaint! The police did set up a roadblock for me after his telephone call though. It was right at the entrance ramp to the interstate. Woohooo!

Sanjeevan

I strongly believe in indicators too. In Toronto, where i grew up people drive crazy fast, but everyone use their indicators. Here in ohio most don't and I feel less safe, even though the speeds are lower.
As for being a good example, i was in my 03 C4S with a boxter and a funky Honda behind me with an 18wheeler in front on an on- ramp entrance, I purposely didn't want to intimidate or show off by speeding away, only to find both cars cut me off getting into the highway before the solid line ends GRRRRR......But, I agree with you, we have to be good examples, till irked on.

KPV

Bottom line. Don't drive like idiots.

ca993twin

It seems that I am physically UNABLE to change lanes WITHOUT using my blinkers. Old habits, I guess. I recently had my 1996 993TT scrunched by a guy in a pickup truck who changed lanes into me. He didn't think anyone was around, so he didn't think to use his blinkers. The entire incident could have been easily avoided if he had used his blinkers. The incident, while minor, will cost him or his insurance co. about $7k. More if I press a diminished value and loss of use claim.

BTW, any of you lawyerly types out there have any advice for pressing those claims?

Thanks

Trojan Man

What's up with everyone saying that we need to be "ambassadors" to our brand. A few months ago there was a post about the "Ferrari Code" that basically said the same thing. When I voiced my support for such a code for Porsche I was royally reamed and told how absolutely stupid the idea was!! Where were you guys then???

Sun Ra

committed on this topic.