driving a beater

[exdeath]

Most people with Terminators I know have some kind of beater they drive in circumstances they don't wouldn't expose their Terminator too (dirt road to destination, rain and flooding, etc).

There is a phenomenon I have discovered related to people's attitudes and the whole alpha superiority complex of human beings.

When I drive the Cobra, I can do 45 mph in a 55 mph zone in the left lane, and I have to keep checking my speed because I'm leaving people behind me so fast and passing so many people I feel like I'm speeding all the time.

But when I drive the beater, I can do 70 mph in a 55 mph zone in the right lane, and I have the whole city riding my ass and swerving past me.

This isn't one or two people or random occurrences; it has been observed consistently for all other vehicles on the road for any distance traveled.

Is it just me, or do others observe similar behavior? Is there something about driving an intimidating car that puts fear and nervousness into people, vs. driving an anonymous beater that makes those same people feel the need to exert superiority when their isn't a bigger dog around?

 

[Common]

I would have to agree. I have noticed it in a cobra but going somewhere in my cousins viper amplifies that 5 times. It is slightly embarassing to me since a lot of the people like to just drive next to the car and look at it.

 

[darkhorse276]

cant say ive noticed it. then again i dont have an "intimidating" car. though i wouldnt hesitate to pass to cobra as opposed to a geo

 

[monkeyspunk79]

Same thing happens when I'm in any 'antique' car. My Dad & I have noticed this for years when driving our '64 Chevy, '62 Olds, etc. If its older or shows signs of rust or wear & tear...people drive like idiots to get around you.

 

[highdensity007]

Depends on where I am driving but yeah certain audiences will 'follow' the Lightning or Roush. I beat the crap out of my Civic and yeah it gets no respect on any road haha.

 

[thomas91169]

yup, you get noticed more in a nicer car, whether in a good way or bad.

i drive my girls jetta, white 1.8t and nobody notices my existence no matter what the hell im doing. I drive 15mph over the limit past cops and they dont give a shit. If i was in the cobra (or eclipse now) they would be on my ass if i was driving even the speed limit.

 

[M3xpress]

I get passed on the interestate all the time, but my beater is a slow 4x4.

Still at 65-70mph, people just blaze by like they are on fire.

 

[Fugazied]

Yup I get this as well when in my brother's beater I've noticed that people behave different towards it. It's like they don't want to be 'beaten' by a shitbox car lol. Kinda pathetic really.

 

[Blade Runner]

I don't have the whole nice car/beater thing going, but I have noticed one thing...During the day, people fly past me like it's nothing, yet at night, they seem very hesitant to do the same. They'll get right in that rear 3/4 blind spot and pace me, or if they come flying up, will nail their brakes.....I wonder if it's due to the lightbar on top? LOL

 

[LuDamiKE81]

I think everyone sees the supercharged emblem on my daily (04 monte carlo SS) they think its just an autozone badge and pay me no attention. Only run i had was an auto 3v, some little fruit driving nuts. I pulled him from 35-70 then he came by me finally. In the cobra they go slower because there trying to figure out what the hell color it is ha!

 

[jfsram]

When I drive the Cobra, I can do 45 mph in a 55 mph zone in the left lane, and I have to keep checking my speed because I'm leaving people behind me so fast and passing so many people I feel like I'm speeding all the time.

I've never noticed this because I'd never drive that slow in the passing lane unless we are all stopped in a traffic jam.

Use the left lane for passing and passing only. No matter what you are driving.

 

[03cobrah]

I think everyone sees the supercharged emblem on my daily (04 monte carlo SS) they think its just an autozone badge and pay me no attention. Only run i had was an auto 3v, some little fruit driving nuts. I pulled him from 35-70 then he came by me finally. In the cobra they go slower because there trying to figure out what the hell color it is ha!

wtf the cobra in your sig isn't photoshopped? what color is it? lol

 

[Niks97cobra]

I've never noticed this because I'd never drive that slow in the passing lane unless we are all stopped in a traffic jam.

Use the left lane for passing and passing only. No matter what you are driving.

This.

 

[pyrocrazy]

This.

x 1000000

 

[Teksid281]

God I can feel the egos in here trying to bump each other in the chest. "No one dares to smite my almighty COBRA by passing it on the freeway!" Seriously, if this is ACTUALLY true, then that is just lame. Where I'm from, motherf***ers do 15 over the speed limit literally everywhere and you could be in a Goddamn Veyron and that shit would not matter. When my car was my daily, people blew past me at 75-80 on the highway all the time. And now I drive a beater, so people drive past me at 75-80 all the time.

I hope the 45 in a 55 in the left lane was a joke. That is grounds to get PIT maneuvered by a civilian around here.

 

[bones srt-4]

wow, you guys really need to get over yourselves.

 

[exdeath]

I hope the 45 in a 55 in the left lane was a joke. That is grounds to get PIT maneuvered by a civilian around here.

It was, to illustrate the point. I don't literally do that. But what you described would be considered reasonable belief of a deadly threat around here, and I'll just leave it at that.

People are tame and docile around a Cobra going out of it's way to not be a show off or be a dick, but those same people are eager to act like a dick and blow past a slow normal car like it has no right to go faster than them, or something like that. :shrug:

I know it's not in my head. The 4x4 that likes to blow past Camrys and Cavaliers at 90 mph, will ride up to the Cobra's rear bumper at 55 mph then back off and stay there even when the passing lane is open and you are coasting. It's the same mentality as someone being a e-thug online and a wuss IRL.

 

[exdeath]

double post

 

[2k3gt]

It was, to illustrate the point.

People are tame and docile around a Cobra going out of it's way to not be a show off or be a dick, but those same people are eager to act like a dick and blow past a slow normal car like it has no right to go faster than them, or something like that. :shrug:

This explaination did a better job illustrating your point than the original post did, IMO.

I get what you mean now though :beer:
..unfortunately, even though my car looks like it's fast, everyone around where I live must know that it's not that impressive of a car, hence, they don't really give me the "I don't want to pass you" treatment, lol

 

[exdeath]

This explaination did a better job illustrating your point than the original post did, IMO.

I get what you mean now though :beer:
..unfortunately, even though my car looks like it's fast, everyone around where I live must know that it's not that impressive of a car, hence, they don't really give me the "I don't want to pass you" treatment, lol

Don't get me wrong, I love it. Before I got the Cobra I always hated people punking me non stop KNOWING my car was slow as a dog. Part of the reason for wanting a more powerful car in the first place was to be able to drive in peace without every ricer or teenager in mom's mini van picking a race because they know it's the one time they will win. :lol1:

It's just really frustrating when I drive the beater once in a while and people suddenly become aggressive and competitive. No, frustrating isn't the word, more like disappointment and /facepalm and :rollseyes

It's counter intuitive in a way, you'd think people would be antagonizing a flashy car more than picking on a beater they know doesn't even stand a chance against a garbage truck. Seriously, what does a new Mustang or BMW have to prove to a 14 year old stock Camry with peeling clear coat?