I experience a combination of both. There are definitely the % (maybe 10-20%) that act like a$$holes - cutting in front of you to make a point, or accelerate to act like they've got a fast car (I.e. Kia), and I'm particularly fond of the little imports with their fart cans that try to "sound" tough. But then there are some (to a much smaller extent) that will allow the courtesy of good sportsmanship in driving and purposely not to do something stupid but let me drive, I.e. Give me the right of way, etc. My guess would be that those folks are "car" people and appreciate a good car on the road and not just they to "beat it".

After 10 years of driving, I've just learned to accept it for what it is...

 

It must have to do with where you live then. Growing up in NJ and driving my father's vettes around, I never had negativity or tailgating - only respect and appreciation you could count on every time we took the cars out. This was true regardless of who was driving.

Here in NorCal though, my experience has been *very* different... while I only had my new vette for two days before bringing it to the dealership for a tune up and some body work, those two days were enough to have me wondering "why are so many people ON MY A**?" And while I hate to stereotype car drivers (we don't like it, right?) - the pure raw fact is that nearly every one of them was a BMW. I experienced it both in the city and on the freeways.

I'm *definitely* not a slow driver nor do I hang out doing the speed limit in the fast lane. I just kept thinking to myself "do these people really want to risk the expense of fixing the rear bumper of a vette???"

Lived in San Diego for two years and LA for almost ten years and rented a couple of vettes when I was down south - and never *ever* had any negativity or tailgating. Just smiles and looks. But then again, San Diego loves fun, and these cars are fun; LA loves beauty, and these cars are beautiful.

Northern Cal seems to preach that beauty is superficial (while they all get their botox in private)... and seem to think that 60 degrees and foggy is a "fun" day at the beach.

Of course I'm just speaking to my experience in SF specifically. I'm sure there are awesome areas north and inland that give enough space for all to live and let live

 

Glad to hear I'm not the only person with this problem!

 

Is it possible this is in our collective heads?

But, I've noticed it too and hoped it was only a "lizard brain" response to seeing the coolest car on the road.

 

There are all kinds. The idiots will still cut me off, tailgate, etc. but the majority of people around are sensible drivers most of the time.

 

It certainly happens down here in TX. A buddy who has a C4 warned me of the behavior before I picked up my '08.

It can be frustrating at times!

 

All the freaking time. When I'm in my Z28 or my pick up, never happens. When I'm in the Vette, it's moron central . I'm thinking there must be a lot of envious people out there. On a few rare occasions I get some positive responses, they must be future vette owners.

 

Me neither. When and if it ever happens, I will call the highway cops and see if they com.

 

 

I don't get much of the tailgating, but driving on I-24 with 2 lanes in each direction, I do have an occasional problem with drivers in the left lane who won't keep up with the flow of traffic, or else move over.

Sometimes, when I move into the right lane to pass them, they'll speed up to try to keep me from getting back in the left lane ahead of them. They quickly find out that it won't work.

 

I like to get behind BMW's. If there are haters out there, they'll hate a BMW a lot more than the Corvette.

 

I see that alot.

 

I seem to have solved the tailgating problem,seems like people really back off when I hit my brakes and those BRIGHT LEDS come on

Anther way I avoid the idiots is to drive 10mph faster than the trafic is moving and when I get a player, well then they understand how fast our vettes get to speed.

 

I think the Vette gets more respect on the road as a whole than any other car Ive owned....

One occasion where a guy parked really close to my on my passenger side is the only thing I can recall. (he didn't get out and didn't know I was in the car because he approached after I was parked and from the rear) He was in a van, my wife was in the store. When she came out I fired up and pulled directly in front of him so she could get in the car and he would have to look at me. He had this oh sh-t look but would never look directly at me.

I let him slide with just a mock evil eye only because he had his young daughter in the car. I really wanted to get out and talk to him personally...

Of coarse now that I've said somthing positive some dufus will do something to my car.

 

From what I have been reading herein, there does seem to be a pattern based on location. Some guys say that they get respect, maybe Rodney Dangerfield should have lived in those areas.

New England is definitely a problem, that is up in the northern part of the region from what I have found. Lot's of really big macho men in Pickups and SUV's around here with a mix of german cars thrown in, the VW's and Audi boys seem to feel threatened by a Vette for some reason. Of course you have the WRX Subaru drivers who actually do believe that they can take on any Vette and win in a drag race. Young women in any car can pose a problem from what I have found too, however it's much less than the above.

As far as drifting over the line as in on-coming traffic, I have had that happen, in fact tonight it happened to me. I don't believe this is intentional though. I think it's like looking at your target when you throw something, its subconscious and just comes from focusing on an object (the Vette in the road coming at you). They are not aware that they are heading right at you.

 

I've been driving my husband's vett for 2 weeks and came home today asking him if was just my imagination or are people tailgating the car and stopping really close behind me. He said it's not my imagination and it happens to him all the time. From the sound of it's not just the area I live in a suburb of New Orleans but this is a problem everywhere. Good advice to keep your cool which I have found very hard to do, it infuriates me!

 

In Chicago and its northern suburbs I get the tailgating, swerving around close on my rear then passing and cutting back too close to my front bumper, and most of the other crap mentioned.

This stuff happens while I am traveling in the right lane, going the speed limit or slightly over. If I were going too slowly for the road or conditions, I would be the jerk and would not complain.

Then there are the jerks behind me instructing me on how to drive. One mode of instruction is after they follow me for too long without simply passing in the open left lane. This is mainly the youngish women who tilt & rest their heads on their left hand -- as if they are so bored -- while waving their right hand for me to move along faster once the light changes.

And then there is the honker who instructs me to turn right on red. This happens even in heavy traffic at busy intersections when they, in the car behind me, cannot even see the oncoming traffic from the left. No problem for them that it is not safe or clear enough to turn.

And then there are the jerks who cannot tolerate not speeding on the heavily patroled and picturesque routes that run along lake Michigan's shore. These are two lane roads with a 30 or 35 mph limit. Too many times jerks will try to cross the double yellow line by first coming right up to my rear, passing, and swerving just in front of me, often to the extent that I must brake or I will hit them.

Yes, this crap is a phenomenon of our time. People are stressed, frustrated, and angry at stuff in their lives. That's life. But today too many feel empowered to teach others how to drive their way or else.

It has gotten measuably worse over the last decade. I wonder why?

But I refuse to speed -- most of the time.

The best way to handle this crap is to avoid confrontation. Do what it takes to let the jerk pass. Then stay away from their rears. We are much safer with them in front of us.

Often I will follow that advice and find that miles later they are sitting at a red light as I cruise up behind them, arriving relaxed and smiling in my C6.

 

I have noticed it more in the vette than ever before. The last two times I was out and about with the beast I had two tailgaters, one was a Mitsubishi with a fart can and the other was, of course, a Honda. In both cases they were pushing me on a two way 45-55 mph road. I always go with the speed of the traffic or if no one ahead of me then 5mph over. As we get to a long incline with an extra passing lane I give it the power quickly and get good distance. The Mitsu tried to keep up, the Honda did too but just made noise. I hate being pushed and they were on the phone while pushing me!!

 

I can't speak for all of New England but in Northern New Jersey i get drivers comming so close to my vette at a stop light i can't see the front of there car in the rear view mirror. I can't blame them for trying to get a closer look at my vette, but that's too close. It has to be the vette that makes people drive differently. When I'm in my GMC pickup noboby even comes close.

 

I was actually assaulted on the road once years ago. I had a Lancia Beta Coupe, nice very cool sporty Italian car with a sound that would make your spine tingle (same issues as the Vette). I was coming home very late one night on a back road in southern Maine driving at a nice clip. I came up upon a jacked up pickup truck doing about 10 under the speed limit. I was on a long curved double yellow line but it was a clear shot around him and I just skirted him. I was gone in a flash and just enjoying the turns on the road. A few miles up the road I came into the town area with a 30 mph limit and slowed. Out of nowhere, this guy in the truck came up at me from the rear at high speed (been trying to catch me for 3 miles), he went around me cut in front hitting my drivers side front fender and stopped. I was completely stunned. Out jumped this very large black bearded guy who pulled my door open and ripped me out of the car. He started to strangle me with a head lock. I could not get a shot at him at all and knew I was going to be killed if I didn't do something. So I reached around and grabbed his hair and started to pull clumps of it out, handfuls at a time. He was in so much pain that he loosened his grip on me and that was when I turned on him and pounded his head into the side of his truck until he was nearly out.... several cars stopped and pulled me off him. He got up and into his truck and took off, I was still dazed having been choked. The cops were looking for him and never found the guy.....

You cannot be too careful out there, especially at night! Some of these people out there are really nuts. And I tend to try to keep a low profile when out late now.