Just had a great weekend of driving the 76 Coupe around. Especially today. Not much traffic, and not a cloud in the sky. Mild, shirt sleeve weather just right for cruising around town with the t-tops off.

Being relatively new Vette owners, and after finally getting most of the
bugs worked out of this car, this was one of the first weekends we have gotten to spend real "quality" time in it.

But, something my wife pointed out today, and something I'd noticed as well, what is it about driving a corvette that makes a disproportionate number of other drivers act like fools around you in traffic? Revving their engine next to you at stop lights, and popping off the line like they were at a drag strip when the light turns? I mean, I'm not out there to race anyone, and my car doesn't even look that great right now. It's a mid 70s car in bad need of new paint and bumpers. Uhh, but it does sound good.

Anyone else ever notice this about other drivers?

Matt Crunk
75 Convertible (project)
76 Coupe (driver)

 

I had some person from New Jersey engrave their license plate into my bumper in a parking lot. Luckly the only damage was to his/her plate.

 

Hehe...oh yes. I drive my 94 Protege around all the time, and at lights or even on the freeway, people act normal. I swear people go an average of 10-15 mph higher around me when I'm in my vette! I think most of them just want to pull up beside and see who's driving or just check the car out. Flattering sometimes while other times when they want to race just plain annoying!

 

Happens all the time. My car is not, by far, a "hot-rod", but almost every little ricer-puke or dufus in a Mustang has to perform the "I'll Show This Guy" act when coming alongside. I've noticed it happens more often when "ricer-puke" or "FoMoCo Dufus" has "Bertha" in the passenger seat. Gotta impress so their "babe" () won't hop out of their ride at the next light and into mine.


D. Ocean
Manalapan, FLA

 

My exhaust is so loud they can't hear their own stereo!!
Combined with the "lopy" cam I get left alone!!!
The "Ricers" tend to ignore me ..... The Muscle car drivers give me the thumbs up..... the SUV's roll their windows up so they can hear their cell phones!!!
My red Trans Am gets Challenged at almost every light!!!

 

one of the funniest sounds to hear is some fool revving up and trying to (and often failing miserably to) speed shift an old POS sedan

 

......I don't get any posturing (engine revving) from drivers of other American cars, late model V8's or even the Ricers....Down here there's a lot of respect for the Corvette, so I'm never asked to "prove myself" from this crowd.............

....However, there's a distinct "breed" of driver down here that get right up my wick.....I'll call them the **** Riders.....

...these are people who are normally conservative drivers of their bland everday Toyotas, but then suddenly see my Vette and instantly accelerate to six inches away from my bumper, and then continue to ride me like a circus pony.......

 

These ricers can smell a stock C3 a mile away, they used to flock all over me, just driving down the road and at the lights...not any more though

 

Same thing here. When I'm driving the Vette on the freeway it seems like everyone suddenly wants to crawl up my butt. Even if I'm going WAY over the speed limit (sorry, officer).

 

I'd take it as a compliment.

 

I once complained about this to my father a few months after I got my vette and he suggested it was a perception thing as the vette's rear is chopped straight down like and that with sitting down low in the seat and looking in the mirror those behind look closer than they really are. I believe this to be a definite factor as I have installed a 3" convex mirror on my outside mirror and can see in it that there is a good distance between my bumper and theirs at a light etc.

 

My 76 isn't finished yet but I had a 96 Grand Sport among other Vettes and I've seen some pretty sh___y acts.
People seeing how close they can get to your bumper at red lights or how close they can buzz by you on 4 lane roads.
I also drive a 98 Viper GTS and I've had people actually swerve at me, ride in the gutter in front of me to kick up stones, Intentionally jump in front of you to cut you off.
Most of us work hard to earn or build our cars and wait a long time til we can actually buy them. Some people just don't understand. Some peopel just need a good thrashing.
JZ

 

What I do is not pay any attention to them. Like they are not even there.That really gets them.

 

I think its kinda fun rollin`up to a stoplight and seeing the car next to me roll up their window because of the noise and that glorious smell of exhaust from the sidepipes

 

You're a very sick individual and I respect that

 

Yup, get exactly the same thing & it seems the faster I go, the closer they want to snuggle up to me. Solution: Monza glasspacks (or anything with minimal muffling). Just wait to see if they're intentionally tailgating (usually they are), and then floor the fun pedal. The idiot behind is left in a cloud of exhaust smoke & enough noise to hurt their ears (especially if it kicks down to 2nd). That usually gives them the message.
Something I've noticed when cruising on the highway is that small cars will get up right behind, overtake, pull in front of me just a few feet ahead & then slow down to a speed under what I was doing eg. I'm cruising at 70mph, a small car overtakes & then slows to 65mph. So I give it a while, overtake them & get some way ahead, slow back to 70 & see the same stupid car in the mirror following me, just to overtake & slow down again? I first thought that they might have been trying to get in front as it's a bit noisy staying behind my Vette, but I've overtaken them & opened up a 1/4 - 1/2 mile gap, only to see these cars chasing me at about 90mph - 100mph on 4 little wheels that wouldn't look out of place on a moped & then swerve in front of me & slow down to 60 - 65mph. It's mainly young girls that do this. Why? What's that all about? It's not like I'm young & pretty & it's some sort of mating ritual, they're just trying to annoy me. One of those 007 rocket launchers would be really useful at times.....

 

LOL you all are too funny. I will never forget the day my mom was sitting at the stoplight in her 67 roadster with a factory 427 that is so freaking loud it makes people with hearing aides take them out and this kid in a stang decides he wants to rev his engine up. The light turns green and my mom just roasts them off the line. LOL it was to funny. The one thing I dont get is why these jerks in the c5's dont return the wave like they have all my life. God I hate the new vettes and thier owners.

 

At least I'm not the only one. If only they realized what it would cost them if they hit our Vettes (and not just financially - if ya know what I mean). I'd be claiming temporary insanity.

 

Maybe worst than it seems but it is still bad. Many times I have noticed it also. I thought the same thing about the back end being short. I have even turned around in my seat to get a real depth perception view and found people to be around 6' off my bumper. I don't really notice it at stop lights but mostly while driving down the road/freeway. Usually after I turn around and look at them they back off or go around at 80mph. I guess they are trying to tell me that their suv really is one of the best handling cars on the road.
I should of bought a mini-van