Camaro fear? . Do our cars make other drivers polite?

[102SS]

Lately I haven't felt the love.

On my way to the Bills game Sunday morning with the GF and this woman in an SUV tries to occupy my lane while I am still in it,she didn't even look before changing lanes.

Scared the crap out of my GF

That bitch didn't even say sorry as I passed her a few minutes later.


Today one car turns left from a stop sign no prob,second car doesn't stop and pulls out following the first car right in front of me forcing evasive action on my part.

Worst part is in both cases I am the last car around for miles,WTF is wrong with people.

[Spec]

Originally Posted by KaBoom1701

See there Palmer, you just proved my "Fast lane only" rule.

Why mess with all the middle lane, right lane merging crap when you can just jump into the fast lane and enjoy life. lol

Beside...I've used the empty space on the left side of the fast lane many times to bail out when someone is close enough to rear end me ore avoid fast breaking cars ahead.

On second thought after re-reading this tread....I might just line up in the right lane just to see who pulls next to me....might be fun.

Yap... I'm a fast lane rider as well... I cruise with the rest of traffic on that lane for the most part (4-5 lane freeways), and keep my distance from the car in front of me. Behind me, cars keep their distance as well.

Things I've noticed with people and the Camaro, in front of me... lots of braking, or tapping of the brakes... even when I keep a good long distance. People see the Camaro and don't like to have one behind them. Often, to the point of them changing lanes. Other times it seems they're watching their rear view mirror more than the road... lol.

Behind me, I usually see cars at a distance. Mind you, I'm cruising with traffic, keeping my distance, and so are the cars behind me... its a love-fest, lol. What I said earlier applies... faster cars weaving in and out of traffic behind me catch me, slooow down, and then pass as if they were the best driver in the world - nice and steady.

To drive such a car that evokes 'fear' and 'respect'... here comes that permagrin again...

[nosmr2]

Guess I'm in the minority here. But no one really messes with me in my Camaro, no ricers or other cars. One Mustang revved going the opposite direction once 8 months ago. That's it.
However, I DD a 2013 jacked up Tundra and people can't resist pulling out in front of me. A girl and bf on a motorcycle played chicken with me merging lanes a few weeks ago. Big trucks are the rule not the exception down here. Go figure.

[Camaro EMT]

Originally Posted by GrandAmGT

... so they give us deference. Kind of like wolves in a pack and how the betas bow down to the alphas by laying on the ground and exposing their stomachs.

Since there's no "like" button, I'll use this.

[rfopt]

It's mostly just the perceived quickness of the Camaro and other sports/muscle cars compared to others, such that they think its not worth it to try in case they take off quickly, or they assume the sporty car will be going around the same speed as they would be going.

That being said there is nothing wrong with someone going to the right lane if they are not getting in anyone's way by getting the hell up to speed, particularly if they did it because they observed the the driving habits of the person in front in the other lane previously. Since I typically drive 5-10 above the limit, if, for example I observed someone consistently 5-10 below the limit and they happened to be first in line at the light, chances are I'm going to that right lane to get around them.

[jimlem]

Originally Posted by Hilflos

That's my experience.

If there's a road like the OP describes, and I happen to be at the front of the line, in any lane, I can practically guarantee someone will try and make a race out of it. Generally it's someone in a car that couldn't hope to accelerate at the rate an SS does. I rarely engage in it. I know how fast my car is, and I'm almost always going to "take the high road" in that sort of scenario.

Yesterday while stopping for coffee on my way to work, with three open parking spots on either side of me, parked completely normally, within the confines of the one I was in, I had someone deliberately pull up to within six inches of my passenger side, and open their door into my car. No dent, but a small chip. (Like dust mote sized, put still a new hole in my paint.)

He had the nerve to get shitty with me when I called him on it too.

Don't get me wrong, the car gets a lot of positive attention, but it gets a lot of negative attention too. I see just as many people drive deliberately under the limit, pull out in front of me when there's a mile of clear road behind me, or park next to me when I park at the farthest end of a lot, as I do nice folks who make room, get out of the fast lane, or pay even a modicum of respect to the other drivers on the road.

I take pains to drive in a polite manner, respectful of those living in the area, and generally not be "that guy."

It generally doesn't matter, folks see a Camaro, and of those that care about it at all, it's about fifty / fifty respectful and nice, or rude and obnoxious.

Wait, wait, let me get this straight: not only did he park 6" away and chip your paint but he got shitty with you when you called him on it?

One question: why is this guy NOT in the f**king hospital? Seriously?? No F-ing way I'd put up with that. Just yell "Hey leave me alone. Stop trying to hit me." As you're kicking the shit out of him. Guaranteed every one there will tell the cops it was self defense; the guy took a swing at you first. An accident is one thing, treat it as such. But a deliberate act of vandalism deserves no mercy. in MHO.

[fhrex]

Originally Posted by Baba

Our cars bring out the "asshole" in a lot of other drivers. That's a fact!

I agree wholeheartedly....seems that every yahoo who has some power under their hood (or think they do), wants to romp on their accelerator or floorboard it at a stoplight when around my camaro. I usually just laugh and let them and let them make an ass of themselves.

[Rangore]

Originally Posted by KaBoom1701

There is a "speed respect" factor when sizing up other cars on the road. We have it with our Camaros.

Never thought of it this way. I think you're onto something. Many more people move over for me when I'm in the Camaro vs my Sienna.

[dantemcc]

I think it goes with any car thats known to posses speed. When I'm in Bee, that routinely seems to happen. The only people who habitually do that are people with cars that posses speed. I think it goes to the frame of mind of the driver thats trying to do the passing. If he/she sees a sports car, muscle car ext, the driver would think he wouldnt be able to get in front because the other car would simply out accelerate it. I know that my thinking.

[Hilflos]

Originally Posted by jimlem

Wait, wait, let me get this straight: not only did he park 6" away and chip your paint but he got shitty with you when you called him on it?

One question: why is this guy NOT in the f**king hospital? Seriously?? No F-ing way I'd put up with that. Just yell "Hey leave me alone. Stop trying to hit me." As you're kicking the shit out of him. Guaranteed every one there will tell the cops it was self defense; the guy took a swing at you first. An accident is one thing, treat it as such. But a deliberate act of vandalism deserves no mercy. in MHO.

The donut store I go to every morning is, literally, a couple hundred meters from the local police station. I know most of the local LEO's and don't want to pollute their days with responding to a problem I could prevent. I go there regularly and will not cause problems for people I am friends with, routinely spoil my dog, etc. Essentially, I'm a guest in their place of business and will be on my best behavior, regardless of the behavior of others. I had fifteen years and twenty pounds of muscle working to my advantage on the guy who acted this way. I have seen enough violence in my early years (infantry back when) that unless it's a matter of life or death, I will not be the one bringing it to the table, so to speak. There's a whole slew of reasons.

Mostly though, a small paint chip (it really is tiny) without any sort of dent or ding, is something I can fix pretty readily, and something I have spent a ridiculous amount of time doing this summer, as my car, in the five months I've owned it, has had much more significant cosmetic damage done to it, accidentally, and I am largely numb to the experience beyond, "Oh, some more work to do."

I mentioned the retread being kicked up on the highway in another thread back when it happened. That resulted in my third windshield going in the car, among other damage. A week after it got out of the body shop for that, another piece of retread got kicked up and tore the rubber lip / air dam out of the front bumper, resulting in the fascia being replaced, again.

So, paint chip? One that I can have to the point it's un-noticeable in an hour sometime this weekend? Meh, old dude got a stern lecture and a mild fright early in the morning. I got a lesson in, got to be even more cautious in my choice of parking spot, as there will always be some jerk, somewhere.

Do appreciate the sentiment though. Thank you.

[molsonbrador]

"polite" and New Jersey driver" are never used in the same sentence. At the rate of expansion they never will be.

[i2disturbedSS]

Half & Half.
Maybe they are actually checking out the car as they pass slowly. Maybe the driver got back over behind you and thought "oh no I don't want to egg on a race". Maybe they don't care or are telling themselves why bother. Maybe they think every Camaro wants to race them.

My experience every now, everyone wants to race me. I drive over 5mph of the limit most of the time. Anything from trucks and mini vans with teenagers in them to actual performance cars. This is in the city too which I don't participate in the bait. For me its either (mostly trucks) people get aggressive or they don't care that much and follow behind me.

[c5Legend]

Even though Im in my 6 I still dare other cars to come up next to me in these situations. Doesnt happen.

[Cool1LE]

Originally Posted by molsonbrador

"polite" and New Jersey driver" are never used in the same sentence. At the rate of expansion they never will be.

soooo true