With all the tongue-lashing and talk about speeding in our vettes, I feel compelled to write this.
(Climbing up on soapbox)
I feel there is a maturity level needed to drive these C4 Vettes. It doesn’t matter on age, but how one drives these vehicles. Which by the way, bone stock, can easily see the other side of 150 mph.
I know when I was young (< 20), if I had one of these, I would either be dead or in jail due to some stupidity on my part. I knew this at the time. I bought a brand new 750 Honda (’79 SS). After the first wide open ride (125+), I sold the thing. I knew it was no good for my future. At the time, this bike was extremely fast. Not fast at all in comparison with today’s machines. My cars would top out at 110 or so. Yes, I did open them up on the interstate at night on occasion. I hate to refer to my elders at the time, (never thought I would) but it was very stupid on my part. Also, during this time, 7-11’s actually closed at 11pm. Today’s traffic patterns are not what they were then and the really stupid people (who breed extensively now) were all home in bed. But with everything now 24/7, it isn’t what it used to be (WTF! I NEVER thought I’d say that!-<slapping self with radiator hose!>).

I was lucky and I was not wild at all by today’s standards. Today, kids (young and old-it ain’t the age) make more money than someone who had a paper route then. Owning a high performance sports car takes more than money. It takes restraint and common sense needs to be used. I’m putting myself in a reality check now. Lately when I’m getting on the interstate in our 94 (which I love over our old 85-what a difference!), I’m hitting over 90 each time. This is to get away from the ‘idiots’ and their flying stones. Well guess what, it’s a **** poor excuse. It’s not going to hold up in court or bring a family back from the dead. I will use restraint and keep my speed to the legal limits (or whatever the flow is going). If I can’t, you’ll see a nice ’94 vert for sale in the ad section. If someone wants to go fast, get a real race car (vette or otherwise) and run it on the track. SCCA has some classes for stock vehicles if you want a road course instead of the strip. I can still remember smacking a wall in a dirt modified going less than 90 20 years ago. The impact didn’t hurt, waking up in the ambulance did. This is with all the safety gear to boot with a frame that took most of the impact. Imagine hitting something in a streetcar at 120 with just a seatbelt and shoulder harness. OUCH!

Remember guys and gals, these cars are only dangerous in the hands of an idiot. Driven correctly, they are the best there is (IMO). Made in the USA to boot! I’m taking pride in just being able to afford and drive one. If I want to go ‘wild’, I’ll get another dirt tracker.

(Climbing down from soapbox)

BTW, I’m 43 in age, but still crazy with restraint. Some may not agree, but for the most part, I think everyone here feels the same. Some of your cars are extremely wild with the nitrous and all but I’m sure you restrain yourselves on public streets. You take pride in creating a monster like you did. I would too. Burnouts in a controlled area are still great. But by what I’ve seen, it’s been a controlled environment. No kiddies riding their bicycles around. I’m also a boater. We have a ‘wave’ thing also. What do I do when they don’t wave back? Sometimes I moon then, sometimes not. Sometimes I don’t even wave at all cause I’m on the radio, watching the GPS or listening to a new sound I’m concerned with.

Let’s all think before we ‘pull the trigger’.

Flame me if you want, but if this makes 1 person think before they do something stupid, I’ve accomplished more than I expected. Also, I wrote this at work doing other things so grammar may be lacking……

Chris (who ain’t an old fart …..yet)


:D

 

Good post. Many times I think to myself "good thing I have an 84 and not a ZR-1" since it is so easy to get a little overagressive, even in an 84. But I make sure not to do the sort of things that would make me want to drag somebody else out of their car and beat them senseless if I saw them doing it, i.e. weaving through heavy traffic or going all out full throttle in a village. I am 40 and have had my vette for 17 years. I know I drive a little more aggresively than somebody that has driven an Olds for years, but I do keep it controlled. The thing that really :mad !@^*! :mad is the punks weaving through heavy traffic on a highway in their (insert crappy ricey econobox here). Driving a Vette doesn't make me any better if I was doing something that stupid, but at least the Vette is a more stable car. They fly by me and everyone else like we are standing still and I usually cruise at 70-73. I can't remember a commute when I haven't seen this!!!...ah well, now I better get off MY soapbox. :seeya


[Modified by 84number2083, 10:42 AM 8/21/2003]

 

:iagree: :rant:

 

:thumbs: Good post! :thumbs:

 

:cheers: I agree with age comes common sense, and living long enough to use it. I want to live to drive another day. Need to race, take it to the track... of the box now and going for a ride :steering: :thumbs:

 

Interesting. I did a post a while back asking how I could make my car slower, I wanted a switch on the dash for when my wife drives it, and when I'm just not in the mood myself. As you say, if the motor is cammed up and modded it is easy to lose it for a driver used to a "normal" car. She loves to drive the Corvette, but doesn't want to frighten herself to death in it.

Never did get a useful response apart from a brick under the loud pedal!

:D

 

........
nothing left to add

very good post!

 

:iagree: I agree with you all the way! I am a ( young ) 44 years old. Still crazy,but with restraint. I am glad I never owned a car like this at 17-24 years old. In fact at 17 years old, I HAD THE MONEY to purchase a fast car. Which at the time would have been a 68 or 69 427 4spd vette or 70 Cuda 4spd 6-pack. Both around the $3,000 - $4,000 price range. however DAD said " NO WAY ". As it was I got many of speeding tickets and had many close calls in my gift from him ( a 1968 baby blue Lincoln ) of which I pushed to the limit!
[B]Young & old drivers BE CAREFUL, remember our cars don't crunch, they EXPLODE on high impact /B] :yesnod:

 

good post!!!!! for me I dont remember the last time I got on her or my other cars its just the thought of its there if I felt the urge but cant say I even get that urge anymore and Im 31 yrs old responsibility i assume :cheers:

 

You make a valid point. I don't disagree.

however, these cars are capable of much more than we as drivers can regurally deal with on public roads.

A quick blast to 90 is not going to cause an immediate fatality, nor is taking a corner a little quick... but only if you can safely see.

I know what you mean by getting on I-95 in the morning... I live just south of Dover and used to work in Wilmington... so I know the traffic...

I also know that getting away from them is the first key to survival. I would rather speed a little than get stuck in the middle of a cluster f*** of traffic!

Safety is a primary concern of mine. My safety and the safety of others is paramount... so with that in mind, what matter is it if I clear myself from the others that could cause me the most harm?

Another aspect of safety, I use the north Dover access to get on Rt 1. That access is a rather challenging reducing radius turn. As much as I love taking that corner at speed, and I can, but I don't. Cause I cannot see around it. The trees are too dense, and the last thing I wanna do is rear end a slow moving mini van.

but taking it at 50 is still enough of a thrill... just not the same level as taking it at 70!

There is fun, but to deny yourself of some excitment is rather boring, don't you think?

 

Hey I did enough stupid things on my bike alone when I was a little :troll
you don't have to remind me how fast I can get into trouble driving the Vette.
:iagree: :withstupid:

 

Absolutely! In my mind running up to 90 (which by the way is conservative-didn't want to sound like too much of a hypocrite) was foolish for the volume of cars. I pretty much blow through all the slower cars (rice included) utilization of whichever lane necessary making sure not to cut anyone off and leaving enough room as not to startle anyone (after all, I am sensitive of others). This is also with the top down so I didn't have any blind spots. These cars make it very comfortable at those speeds both in acceleration AND braking. I can stop, but can the car behind me do the same. Recently on I-495 I realized I was passing all the other cars. I'm not used to that in my 4x4 Dakota PU. Looked at the speedo, 115! The wife just had a grin ear to ear-(remember fast cars/fast women)! Felt like 65 in my truck or Toyota. Imagine a 70's Nova on bias ply tires coming across the median out of control. I may not see him-end of story.
If you use yours as a daily driver, I think one may get used to these speeds and not realize what it's like in a 'typical' car. Until the tickets start coming or worse. Me for one, I'm not planning on any. This is a wake up call for myself and just expressed my views. BTW, a guy up the road has a blown, tubbed 57 Bel Air which he rips up the road with sometimes. Usually when there are no other cars. I make sure I get to smell the Cam2 and tire's. Still like it, but I feel it must be in moderation.
:thumbs:

 

495 is a nice stretch of road way... I will be on it tonite... on my way to pick up the GF at the airport and then off to Carlisle!

I feel a deeper issue here... perhaps it's a sense of mortality that comes with maturity (I am 37, but a realist).

It's something I have been railing against for some time now, I call it "the loss of acceptable risk".

We have become sooooo paranoid that we do everything we can to be safe and sterile.

We put kids in helmets to ride bikes, did you have a helmet on your 10 spd as a kid? Knee pads for skate boards. what happened to skinned knees? Are we trying to erradicate risk? or just placate ourselves into thinking we can.

Perhaps that is the reason these strange reality shows have become so popular, we long for some danger.

The last thing I worry about is the chance that some clapped out Nova on May-pops is gonna cross the median and wipe me out. Yes, I scan oncoming traffic, but I don't loose sleep over it, so to speak.

You are right, it COULD happen, but why dwell on it? All it does is make people nervious.... and they may not wanna go out because of what COULD happen.

As far as I am concerned, traffic tix are the price we pay for road usage... I don't get a lot, but thats cause I have a dark green vette, and a damned good radar detector (V1).

BTW, are you going to Carlisle? The Forum gang is meeting at 1:00pm, Saturday, at the NCM Tent. I donno where the tent is, but it should be easy to find!

 

I totally agree with you. It is funny...when I was younger, I drove like a total butt. I would weave around cars in my V-6 90 Camaro, race everyone and was a total terror on the roads. Heck, I pulled out from my fraternity house onto a 6 lane highway, SIDEWAYS, with one hand on the steering wheel and one holding a cigarette. Smart... :nonod: After college, I got rid of the Camaro and got a 92 Mustang GT, because the Camaro didn't have enough power. Funny thing happened. I drove slower, raced a LOT less and was not a terror. Now, I have a 93 Coupe. I drive even slower, NEVER race. And I mean never! I like to have the power for bragging rights, but after my last street race in my Mustang, I will never go again. Where I lived the roads were nice and straight and flat. After racing a couple kids before and them almost blowing their motors because they couldn't shift right, I decided to only race if the person looked older than I was. At the time I was 24. Well, I had a guy in a new GT convertable that wanted a go at me. He had the top down and was around 40 or so. So, ok, I'll race you...well, in the course of the race (Light to Light) we swapped lanes. When we came to the next light (I was waiting for him there), I saw to my horror that this guy had is 4 year old son in the car with no seatbelt. It made me :U When I questioned him about it (since we were over 100 mph, stupid I know) he told me to mind my own business. Since then NO RACING for me thank you. I now have respect for horsepower...a lot more than I ever did. Here in South Florida, we have Moroso Speedway. Every Wednesday and Friday, they have test and tune nights. Anyone can take their car there and run on a quarter mile track. It makes it a little safer. Also, if you really have the need for speed, save your pennies and go to Richard Petty's Driving Experience and drive a Winston Cup car...that is an AMAZING RUSH!! :D

Froggy, I am right there with ya! :thumbs:

 

:iagree:

 

Don't get me wrong. I love adventure. And no, I still ride a bicycle down hills at 40 without a helmet. I would just hate be taken out due to some idiot. If I take myself out, no biggie, I can deal with that. There is a degree of risk just driving to work in the am. I live life on the edge as long as it doesn't involve others. From some of the other posts I've read, it appears there are some people I'm glad live in another state. So far I've been hit by lightning, run out of air scuba diving at 100', flipped a boat on the Christina river, wrecked stock cars, dumped a Ninja 600 @ 80 and loved every minute! I'm proud of every scar. If some snotty assed kid caused one of these things, it would be a different story. Oh f * c k, guess I'm just gettin old. I'll crawl back under my rock now. :D
And no, we won't make Carlisle this year. Too much going on in day to day life. Were pretty pissed about that. Are you coming up 1 to 95N? 13N by the airport has a bunch of construction (read stone chips in w/shield). We won't even go to Hooter's car night cause of this tonight. Carlisle next year for sure!
Have a great time!!!

 

that's why i always think we as vette owners are "role models" to other cars. just like any role model you need to behave in the public eye, but when no one is around, bam! WOT!

there's always a time and place for each situation.

 

Bogus, You seem very level headed already. Probably more than I. It appears you don't need a reality check. You have your priorities set already. Maybe I should learn from you? And no, I don't watch the reality shows at all. Never have, never will.
Oh and forgot, I think 495 had a fatal this am southbound around 12th st.-road closed. Also another really bad wreck on 141 by Lancaster Pike. Celebrity smashed almost up to the driver seat from behind, Caddy with FL plates 1/8 mile down the road with a wrecked front end. Blood idiots out there!


[Modified by froggy3k, 3:31 PM 8/21/2003]

 

Well I kinda of disagree with you, these cars were built for one reason, to go fast. So if the road is open and my radar detector is not going off, I hit the gas. If I get caught and get a ticket, oh well thats the price I pay. its worth it for all the times I didn't get caught. My Vette sees speeds in excess of 100+ everytime I take it out. If I didn't want to drive fast I would of bought something else. :cheers:

 

:iagree: Good post!