Am I imagining things or do Corvettes invite bad behavior in other drivers? Let me explain.

I bought my very first Corvette one month ago, a white 1998 coupe. On the very first day, I swore to myself not to abuse the privilege of driving a performance car (i.e., not act like a jerk in traffic). I drive more defensively in the 'vette than in my DD, a Sierra 1500 pickup truck. Because the car is lower than most, I sense that some of the more oblivious drivers tend not to "see" it, so I make a point of giving other people lots of room when changing lanes, staying out of people's blind spots, etc. I also go with the flow of traffic, or perhaps the faster moving half. I'm definitely not the fastest car in the crowd, zipping in and out of traffic. While white was not my first choice of color, it's grown on me, and I like the visibility, especially at night.

But all this is just the cost of doing business, methinks.

What bothers me is that I notice some drivers get a thrill of making a point of driving more aggressively when I'm out in the Corvette almost as if they're saying "hey, look at me passing this dork in a Corvette!!" I don't sense this kind of behavior when I'm driving my pickup truck. The kinds of cars tend to be sporty family sedans with spoilers and wings on the rear end. If someone wants to blast past me in the left lane on the interstate and give me a goofball grin from his Jetta, have at it if my 72 mph isn't fast enough for you.

What bothers me are the boneheads. To wit: today I was starting a merge from a parallel access road onto an interstate, and the bozo **behind me** decides I wasn't accelerting smartly enough, so he jumps from the merging lane onto the interstate and starts to pass me on the left, cutting me off. (For the record, my turn signal was on). Obviously a Corvette has the cojones where I could have stomped on it and gotten out in front and merged, but that would have escalated a stupid, risky situation into a potentially more dangerous one (other traffic to consider, and I would have had to use up the white striped warning divider. Plus, it was raining). So I slowed way down and gave way, completing the merge safely after he had passed. I know who was the better, smarter driver.

Of course I drive my Corvette at a higher level of performance than my truck -- when it's appropriate and never in a way that dominates or surprises other drivers. Being more connected with, aware of, and engaged in the driving experience is what it's about. There's satisfaction in merely knowing that power and precision are there when I want to call on them and using this awesome car to be the very best driver I can be .

So tell me: am I imaging things, or are Corvettes azzhat chum?

 

Tailgating. I get it all the time.

 

Nope,,,you are NOT alone!!Fortunately these experiences to that extreme are not that common but they do happen. All types and makes participate in stupidity!!I just ignore them for the most part,,I figure they need the ego boost,,not me. Lately there have been SO many slow,inconsiderate,or just plain out of it drivers(smoking,texting/cellphone or whatever) that occasionally I do find myself using the throttle to escape their dementia!!I do use it judiciously though! Just relax and enjoy your ride,,,take her out to a test and tune night at the strip to let her rip and release the pent up frustrations,,not to mention you can find out what she can do in a safe venue,,not to mention LEGAL way!! It's fun, try it!!

 

Once in a while, a neighbor down the street (girl in a small 4-door) would come around the corner just after I pulled out into the steet. Not wanting to slow down at all, she would pull into the ongoing llane and attempt to pass me. By just pressing the gas pedal slightly, my C5 makes this bonehead attempt of hers impossible to complete, so she furiously falls in behind me. This has happened at least three times so you'd think she'd learn by now that a Corvette is 10 times faster than her Sentra, but NOOOOOO.........

 

I tend to stay more aware and sit back and let things happen in front of me rather than push it also. I don't run up in someones blind spot and ride either! But I absolutely won't let somebody cut me off in the merge lane under any circumstance!

 

I get a lot of people tailgating me. I don't let it bother me anymore, I figure if they're that dumb, sooner or later I am going to have a Tiger Shark rear end on my car paid for by their insurance.

 

Now that's funny....

 

Azzhat chum quite possibly. I live and drive near a few dealerships, nothing worse than a sales person with dealer plates trying to out run you stop light to stop light in a 06 Malibu I give you win, you wanna cookie?

 

No, you're not imagining things. Having driven Vettes since '62, I'm convinced they are "jerk magnets." As a result, you have to be vigilent, and drive much like if you're on a motorcycle: be aware of your surroundings and check mirrors often.

 

happens all the time

 

Out here on the west coast, freeways, you would be surprised at how often this happens. Worse, motorcycles popping wheelies down the freeway next to us, trying to get it on with us. If not them, then the younger guys with the hondas and toyotas...just about anyone will try to make a run.

 

Unfortunately, the driving habits of other people do seem to change when the get around a high performance car. About all you can do is just drive defensively and when in doubt, let the other person take the chances.

 

I have had people slowing down on purpose and going really slow in the left lane in front of me...usually older folks..they see a sports car and think they need to teach us how to drive. Even if the traffic starts piling up behind me, they stay on the left. I guess they don't understand the fact that Corvette drivers are probably saver drivers than a lot of Minivan soccermoms doing 30 things simultaneously in their car.

 

I've lost count on the number of times some A$$clown feels the need to show off or act stupid around me. I had an encounter the other day with a C6 convertible, who felt the need to show off.

He squared off with me at a traffic light and made the motion to go - I didn't take the bait, and luckily for me I didn't. About 1/2 mile ahead was a local cop with radar. Neither of us got pulled over, because nothing happened other than he took off fast from the light.

These morons come in all shapes and sizes from large Diesel P/U's to SUV's to soccer moms in mini-vans.....and then there are the riced out Civics and other bottom feeders with wings and fart cans.

Get used to it - it is tiresome and dangerous. Let them take the risks and act like fools, and stay away from them as much as possible. You have nothing to prove to them or yourself.

 

Happens quite often unfortunately! I was on the interstate yesterday and as I came up on a left hand merge, these 4 boneheads in a Chrysler Sebring sedan ended up next to me on the driver's side. I know that they wanted me to nail it because they just sat there looking at the car and running along side. I believe that many people think that if you drive a high performance car that you need to show what it is capable of. I'll never understand!

 

I have 5 cars (sig). My wife primarily drives the Mustang. Before that she had a Tundra. When I complained about other drivers she always brushed me off. Until she got the Mustang. Then she noticed them doing similar things to her. When riding in the vette she sometimes comments on how much worse it is in the vette (I think I higher percentage of the population labels the vette as "threatening").

That's what its all about. You are driving something that is threatening to to them and they need to express to you that they don't feel inferior (even though they do).

I will note that:
1) it can seem like someone is tailgating you closer than they really are due to the overall shortness of the rear deck of the vette.
2) Some people are just oblivious, while others are being true asshats.

__________________
1997 Corvette MN6, 243 heads and 228/232 cam
AR Headers, Vararam, LS6 intake.
2009 Hemi Orange Dodge Challenger R/T 6-speed
2004 Acura TL
2008 Mustang GT/CS
1997 Nissan Frontier aka White POS

 

Uh, oh - I already discovered bugs are magnetically attracted to the front end, so I sure as hell don't want to have one of those splat on the bumper.

 

 

Happens all the time.....

 

and then there are the riced out Civics and other bottom feeders with wings and fart cans. Just like Gnats that want go away.