el es tu

only hostility Ive seen has been from people that think cars should only be for transporting people and groceries from point a to b on 55mph roads.

AORoads

if you think people haven't been "envious" of Corvette owners since 1953, you're wrong. the envy has, however, sometimes morphed into anger due to whatever reasons.

while I don't personally encounter much of it, the best ones to watch are in the rearview at a light, and almost always a couple. the staring and conversation are not animated but I can just about hear,

"it must be cold in that convertible.

he must be roasting in that convertible.

how silly to own a car with only two seats.

why would anyone want to own a car like THAT?

it's so impractical.

no, you CAN'T buy one--EVER.

that thing must get horrible gas mileage, and in this time of gas shortages.

can you believe the color of that car--who would ever buy it?

no, you can't buy that car, EVER!"

dmarr73

Well there's two red flags on that medal of honor. 1st if you got the medal of honor you would have your campaign ribbons. Second is the fact that no officer has had the medal of honor during oif or oef that came back alive ( LT Murphy S.E.A.L. Afghanistan 2005)

PGSJOE

I have had nothing but positive comments, waves, honks and smiles. If someone does not like the car, my age or face I hope they live long enough to get over it.

Jp23rockstar

I don't have a vet yet but in about 6 yrs I hope I can afford one. I said this story in another thread, but one of my friend is huge hater of corvette, I guess it's my generation, he could be considered a ricer cause his friend drives a Honda with black rims and tinted windows, however, his dad is a huge corvette fan like me. I could never drive anything Japanese over American. But I bet if had a corvette and he took a ride with me, he would have a different opinion. Idk why he hates it, I never been in a vette before, but I already know its that good, it must be the age to like Hondas toyotas. To me their the most boring cars going, even their own companies agree with me for their lack of power and style. One last thing it pisses me off when ricers want to race a vette and think they can win. Long live American Power

Tommy D

Two short stories

First


I am a real car nut, gear head that enjoys racing. We have been fortunate enough to have purchased a new Corvette several years ago. My wife who has the patience of a saint has allowed me to modify it for racing and yet we can drive it back & forth to Florida twice a year.

I occasionally take it to run errands for my wife. I went to the local food store and as usual park away from most of the cars. As I parked a couple in a small foreign car (one of my least favorite hybrids) parked near me and commented on the Corvette.

I usually get comments about how nice it looks. This was much different. The young couple inquired why didn’t I just purchase a large SUV to ruin the planet and use up all of its resources. How could I be so selfish to buy a car that had such terrible gas mileage and pollute our air?

I was taken a bit off guard as I had never been chastised for what I drive even when I drove around with my very obnoxious supercharged Mustang. Gathering my thoughts, I asked him about his hybrid and then explained:

If you consider the premium you pay for your hybrid you have already paid for the gasoline you saved, there is no more tax credit for hybrids. Let alone the problem of lead in the batteries or the cost of maintenance. I do not profess to have the answers to our energy problems but if GM can build Corvettes that start off with 430 horsepower and are rated at 26 MPG highway & 19 MPG city of which mine and many of my Corvette buddies get better. Then the auto makers can easily build cars that obtain much better gasoline mileage than the current vehicles.

I continued to explain that I could show him my driving around town mileage as the car has a computer that records the overall miles per gallon, the instant miles per gallon and the miles per gallon since the last reset. I always reset it when I fill up.

You can imagine the surprise on their faces when I started the car and asked them to take a look at the DIC. They abruptly turned around and left.



Second

We always participate in the Kerbeck Toys for Tots. We always fill up the entire hatch with toys for the unfortunate children. This year someone passed our Corvette filled with toys and commented "how over the top it was being loaded with toys. To which I was very tempted to answer how can anyone do too much to make a difference in another's life.


My conclusion:

Regardless of political agenda we are seeing a material change in how people think with regard to what other people have. Now more so than ever the perception of success can be problematic. Yes the richer always get richer but for some reason we in the middle have become part of the problem.

QUAKEJAKE

We in the middle are definitely perceive d as wealthy also.I am considered fortunate that I have generous schedual to allow me enough time to work a second full time job.Many know mind you that my wife is retired do to a disability. I've personally even had "friends" vanish since Ive bought this car. I've experienced road rage simply by driving down the road.

davidtcpa

Bottom line, only to those that are jealous.

apinedo

I've gotten compliments, except this one time I got pulled over on my way to Carlisle from Miami, I was driving MY car and my dad on the other seat. The first thing the trooper asked was "Is this your vehicle sir?" I said yes, and then with an odd look on his face he repeated the question and that's when I pulled the registration and license on him. Needless to say, I still had to deal with the ticket.

And of course every now and then someone may start racing me out of thin air, trying to push my buttons.

lebvette

If you lived close to me....I would be happy to give you a ride.

Larry

SinisterC6

Driving my car relaxes me and always puts me in a great mood, its the other drivers who cause my hostility.

2THOSE

Never negative remarks, just

bigalan55

I bought my '99 Black C5 in january 2011 and drive it to work daily (about 40 miles round trip). Prior to owning this car I drove Toyota pickups for the last 20 years, I fell in love with this car cause its gorgeous, and insurance wasn't a problem because I have a good driving record. The hardest thing to get used to is the reactions of other drivers when they see this car. They either want to race or flip me off, once I was nearly forced off the road while trying to pass a pickup truck. I don't know if age has anything to do with how people react, my windows are tinted which makes it hard to see me. I carefully pick my times to excerise the car, lord knows I don't need to attract the local law. I am 56 years old, couldn't afford this car when I was younger, drove Camaros, prior to getting married in 1990.

Pack Leader

That's a fact. No O's alive that received the medal during OEF/OIF.

hig4s

Yes the upper middle and up is thought of as having money by anyone from right at average and down.

And there is class warfare, between the lower class and the middle and upper middle class. It has been prompted by the politicians, both sides, and news media, who are all controlled by the super rich, (top 3% to 5%, maybe less) to keep the masses from paying attention to what they are doing.

The top 5% of the richest have been taking a larger percentage of the total annual income every year for around 20 years. And most of that increase has been going to the top 1% or less. Their percentage of the take at this time is at a high that has been exceeded only one time before in the history of this country. And that was just prior to the Great Depression.

Trying to be successful is all good and well, but when the laws that govern a countries economics are controlled by those whose only goal is to make themselves richer no matter consequences, it is not right and if not controlled it will eventually, and harshly, self-correct.

And when the correction happens 90% of the population will be devastated, no savings, no planning, not anything will help. And the super rich will woefully have to live like merely upper class. Their children may actually have to drive a used cars to Harvard and Yale.

Keith J Hillman

Devil at work?

Louiehenry

I have found that many people will cool their jets, when I tell them that, yeah I'm 17 with a zr1, but that I got a job, and paid my mom the fair market value for the car. It was my dads and I wanted to work for it and my mom agreed

Vette_DD

Too much hostility in the thread.