Road rage and 914's, Have you been abused lately? Options

[Elliot Cannon]

Every morning while shaving I see the biggest asshole I will meet that day staring me down.....

OMG, you have a picture of SLITS in your bathroom? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/av-943.gif)

[DBCooper]

Umm... Rich, do you really look like Ron?

[ClayPerrine]

Betty drives her 914 to work everyday, and has for 20 years. Over those years, she and I have learned that even a bright orange car is invisible. So she had me change the horns out for the same ones that are on my truck. And she has learned to be aggressive with that horn. The stupid people may not be able to see her, but they can certainly hear her.

I suggested adding horns to every corner of the car. That way there would be no missing the horn. She didn't want to do that.....yet.

Drive paranoid, like everyone is out to get you.

[era vulgaris]

Happens to me pretty regularly, mostly from SUV's and pickups. I was going 55 in a 45 the other day, and an SUV that was riding my ass passed me by going into a right turn lane and then overtaking me in the intersection.
I have to laugh it off because it's so unnecessary and childish. People who act that way on the road only do it because of other issues in their life. But I've noticed the 914 seems to be a target because it stands out so much from every other car on the road. It's an easy target for a road bully.

I also get people that try and change lanes into me simply because they don't see me.
Daily driving a Ghia for 2 years taught me a lot about staying alert and basically compensating for everyone else's stupidity on the road.

I might get flack for saying this, but I blame automatic transmissions. There's no easier way to zone out when you're driving than with an automatic. Driving a manual, you have to be aware: engine speed, road speed, your surroundings for potential up or down shifts, etc. It also gives you a feeling that you're actually in control of what the car is doing, and that in a weird way, you're part of the car.
All these idiots wafting around in their automatics have very little to think about so no wonder they do other things while their vehicle is moving: texting, phone calls, eating, doing makeup, reading newspapers, etc.
It's also no wonder very few people really enjoy their modern automatic cars. How can you when there's so little about it that's truly engaging? For most people who drive slush boxes, their car is an appliance that they don't really care about.

[Hank914]

Automatic trannies are the default. Even Ferrari has capitulated to this.
I like the idea of loud horns. But we are not much more visible than motorcycles.

[mepstein]

I've had a 914 since I was 17 - I'm 48 now. SUV's, pick ups and minivans dominate the road now and it's even harder for people to see us. I take the same care in my 914 as when I ride my bike on the road. Assume they dont see you, dont care even when they do see you, are trying to hit you or are just stupid.

[DRPHIL914]

I am actually surprised it doesnt happen more often. I used to have a motorcycle, drove it almost daily while in high school and college- BMW- but i had a LOT of close calls on that, way more than in the 914,. I have not noticed the road rage more in that than anything else . but i have had a couple close calls- on the way back from Octeenerfest on I26 in SC, i was right next to a lady in and toyota Sequoia, on her right- because she was driving slow in the PASSING lane- anyway i was looking right at her so i know she could see me, if she looked, which she never did, before she started to change lanes and run me off the road- she never looked- not until i had been running the horn and was half on the shoulder. -

btw i am pretty sure she was on her phone-
point is she didnt ever look to my way , if she had we would have made eye contact. I make sure i dont sit in someones blind spot. it seems like because its different a lot of people see it and will make some kind of gesture- the nice kind- and i keep a mental note of the perps , its 75% young females - on the phone, and we have a law in SC making that illegal but i dont see the patrol or county mounty pulling people over for it and they can.

- my pet peve is the guy/girl that sits in the inside passing lane blocking faster traffic then they give you the evil eye like you are doing something wrong when you pass them. - if im in the truck i usually get in front then slow down until they move over to the other lane then i move along (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)

[EdwardBlume]

Motorcycle riding and driving a 914 is very similar: assume no one sees you, look way ahead, and in the event of an accident - you're screwed.

So to cover yourself- make sure you are visible, stay alert, and have a mean lawyer in your contact list.

[HalfMoon]

Mine has a sbc in it with a Dr. Evil sorted 901.
I don't have these problems (although sometimes I notice blurry things in my rearview)

[Cuda911]

I get nothing but tons of smiles and thumbs up from others when driving my 914.

OP, maybe you dress funny?

[mgp4591]

Motorcycle riding and driving a 914 is very similar: assume no one sees you, look way ahead, and in the event of an accident - you're screwed.

So to cover yourself- make sure you are visible, stay alert, and have a mean lawyer in your contact list.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

[euro911]

A good set of air horns help, but usually by the time they're utilized, the other idiot driver has already pulled a stupid stunt.

I agree, you have to drive a small car with the same attitude as when you're riding a motorcycle.

[Bleyseng]

No problems in my 914.

If you want to know what road rage means try driving a VW split-window bus. . . Never mind that mine has a type4 in it and can do over 100mph. People see the vehicle and automatically assume you're going 20mph under the speed limit and will literally do ANYTHING to get in front of you. Never mind that I'm driving 10-15mph over. I can't tell you how many times I've been passed on the shoulder, cut-off on a merge lane, etc. because I'm in a bus and going well over the posted limit. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

I think most of what appears to be road rage is just pure simple ASSHOLES on their f**king phones not paying attention to the world around them while hurling 70+mph in their 2-ton vehicles.

For the record: I DON'T OWN ONE OF THOSE DAMNED THINGS!!

yep, driving the 914 in traffic is a pain but driving the bus on the freeway is unbelievable as everyone HAS to pass you and then cut in front of you. No one wants to be behind a bus pure and simple.
The ghia has the problem that everyone wants to drive next to it and take pictures, wave, point and smile at us. If I go to the Pike Market and park next thing I know is 10 Japanese tourists are standing around taking pictures, girls laying on it and giving the peace sign.

[ClayPerrine]

The ghia has the problem that everyone wants to drive next to it and take pictures, wave, point and smile at us. If I go to the Pike Market and park next thing I know is 10 Japanese tourists are standing around taking pictures, girls laying on it and giving the peace sign.

If I came out and found some girl laying on my car, I would ask her name. Then I would call the cops and have her arrested for vandalism. If the cops won't come, get her name and file a claim in small claims court. People like that have no idea that the rivets and zippers on their jeans can scratch an expensive paint job. I cringe every time I go to a car show and some moron lets his grubby fingered crotch dropping crawl all over a really nice car. Or the moron on his own. I watched one moron move the "don't touch" sign so he could open the door on a show car. The owner caught him, and went ballistic on him. His attitude was "What's the big deal?" The moron probably drives a beat up old camry and has no idea the amount of money and work it takes to create a nice car like that.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif)

Ok.. I will get off my soapbox now.

[EdwardBlume]

No problems in my 914.

If you want to know what road rage means try driving a VW split-window bus. . . Never mind that mine has a type4 in it and can do over 100mph. People see the vehicle and automatically assume you're going 20mph under the speed limit and will literally do ANYTHING to get in front of you. Never mind that I'm driving 10-15mph over. I can't tell you how many times I've been passed on the shoulder, cut-off on a merge lane, etc. because I'm in a bus and going well over the posted limit. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

I think most of what appears to be road rage is just pure simple ASSHOLES on their f**king phones not paying attention to the world around them while hurling 70+mph in their 2-ton vehicles.

For the record: I DON'T OWN ONE OF THOSE DAMNED THINGS!!

yep, driving the 914 in traffic is a pain but driving the bus on the freeway is unbelievable as everyone HAS to pass you and then cut in front of you. No one wants to be behind a bus pure and simple.
The ghia has the problem that everyone wants to drive next to it and take pictures, wave, point and smile at us. If I go to the Pike Market and park next thing I know is 10 Japanese tourists are standing around taking pictures, girls laying on it and giving the peace sign.

If I'm coming up on a VW bus, I'm going to speed up to get around you. Sorry.

I was a Pike Street a couple weeks ago on a football Sunday. I was the guy who took off my shirt and was rolling all over your hood.

[914_3.0]

I get nothing but tons of smiles and thumbs up from others when driving my 914.

OP, maybe you dress funny?

+1 on that. Now when I had my 996..... people not so nice!! lol

[ConeDodger]

I’ve spent 9 out of the past 10 years driving air cooled cars on a daily basis and I’ve never noticed the 914 being treated any different than any other small car. Now Beetles on the other hand are a different story…

Really? When I drove a bug, I would notice people yelling "slug-bug!" And punching each other, but they never seemed angry at me? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

[Elliot Cannon]

I wouldn't call it "road rage", more like "road ignorance" or "road head-up-the-ass", or "road nobody-matters-but-me". It happens to me in my 914 and it also happens to me in my F-150. It also happens when you're flying a plane but that's a whole other story. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[mbseto]

Can't remember which comedian said every driver should be issued one of those rubber suction cup dart guns. You shoot anyone that cuts you off or otherwise drives like an idiot. Then all the police have to do is drive around and look for a car with lots of darts stuck to it, pull it over and give them a ticket for driving like an a--hole. Very democratic.

[chandler1969]

This is what happens when someone says "I didnt see you". Really? You hit me coming off a side street



when the heck did it become "slug bug"? Its suppose to be punch buggy (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)