914 death trap, People keep trying to run me over Options

[#1RAGE]

I'm just wondering how many get a little nervous sometimes driving your teeners.

Just the other day I was almost in two accidents.

The first one I saw coming. I was driving down a street with lots of parked cars and I spotted a minivan coming out of an alley. I hit my brakes hard before I was at the alley and the woman driving the van just saw me as I was slamming on the brakes. She hit her brakes too and stopped before she was sticking out too far. Still, if I wasn't really paying attention I bet we would have collided.

Then less than 15 minutes later I was driving down a wide open street at about 30-40 mph and another parked minivan just pulled out as I was getting really close to it. 914's are great at swerving around morons like that but there was a bus coming from the other direction and I just barely avoided it as I swerved around the van. If the bus was any closer I would have not been able to swerve around and the van would have probably pushed me into the busses path... and that wouldn't be pretty. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/mad.gif)

I've even narrowly missed getting smacked by a Miata! Some guy in a Miata was beside me at a stop light. He was complimenting my car and we had a nice little chat while waiting for the light. Then the light changed and we both turned (2 left turning lanes). Right after we turned he almost whipped into my lane when I just slightly behind him but thankfully he shoulder-checked just before it was too late. At the next light he appologized and said my car was so low he didn't see it. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/huh.gif)

I'm also afraid of being beside pickup trucks and large SUV's. Once I was pulling up to a light and a guy in a pickup in the next lane almost ran over me because he probably just checked his mirror and didn't see anything. Luckily my 914 has a loud horn. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/pray.gif)

So many people don't shoulder-check. It really bothers me.

It can be scary out there. I much prefer driving when there is little traffic.

Sorry about the long boring post. What are your experiences driving a small, low car surrounded by idiots?

[grasshopper]

me!!! my dad and i were riding down the road when the man infront of us stopped at a red light but realized he was over the line and proceded to back up. Im lucky he heard my horn. i try to aviod trucks and SUVs. but thats almost impossible

[Hammy]

Those damn soccer moms. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif) I have the same experiences. Very often people pull out halfway onto the road before slamming on their brakes because they plain just don't see me. Just a while ago I saw a huge Chevy blazer with those monster tires on, almost as tall as me. Imagine what it'd be like if that guy didn't see me. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/unsure.gif)

[#1RAGE]

Oh yeah... that's the other thing. I've had a few scares when people decide to backup when I'm behind them. Thank god for the horn! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) One time an old lady almost didn't stop when I was laying hard on the horn... she probably couldn't see or hear me. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wacko.gif)

[Joe Bob]

Drive like you are on a motorcycle....think like they don't see you, don't care or they are driving with their head up their ass....

Always leave an out....

[Bleyseng]

I almost get run off the road all the time from Moms in minivans using cellphones. Kids in back screaming, so they just don't have enough brains left to drive.......


This is when I am in the 4x4 Ranger pick up.. if I am in the 914 I drive like a manic to avoid being in people blind spots or to pass idiots. Hey, it works! no wrecks driving the 914 for 10 years in city traffic. Hehe, I love it when Monique says drive it, baby! We are late!


Geoff

[ArtechnikA]

1) situational awareness is your friend - ALWAYS pay attention to what is going on around you.

2) air horns.

[TheCabinetmaker]

QUOTE (ArtechnikA @ Apr 18 2005, 07:41 PM)

1) situational awareness is your friend - ALWAYS pay attention to what is going on around you. 2) air horns.

Working properly, the factory horns are plenty loud enough (except for the guys that have their stereos at 100+ decibles).

I agree, always be aware of your surroundings. People constantly ask me why I check my rear views so much? Duh!

For the guy in the front of you? Don't follow where you can't be seen in their rear views. I try to keep far enough to the left so I can see their face in their mirror.

In coming traffic is just that. INCOMING!!!!! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ar15.gif)

[jgiroux67]

Ok thats it, I'm adding a loud horn. Currently my car doesnt have one at all, but I havent been driving it in a year so no worries there.

[ArtechnikA]

QUOTE (vsg914 @ Apr 18 2005, 08:00 PM)

Working properly, the factory horns are plenty loud enough

they are loud enough, but they are also pitched like every other horn out there and people learn to tune them out and ignore them - even on the 2-horn cars like Appearance Group cars.

if you just tap the horn button with an air horn, you get a quiet-enough 'beep' for the times you just need the person daydreaming in front of you when the light turns green to pay attention. hold it in long enough for the compressor to really spool up and you get a sound that people will at least notice, if not pay attention to.

in my part of the world, all school busses have aircraft-style strobe lights; presumably, people have learned to ignore the 50-foot bright yellow barge and need a flashing strobe light before they'll pay attention...

[mskala]

I've been lazy about leaving the horn off, since I take
it off for autocross anyway. Car had 2 aftermarket
air horns (non-functional) when I bought it and now
I realize what they were there for. Will look into
something _really_ loud really soon.

[Dave_Darling]

I absolutely refuse to drive a small car without a working horn. Since everyone on the roads here has a permanent "rectal-cranial impaction", you're dead if you don't have some way of telling the morons that yes, there is a car here, you butthead!

Sadly, that only works "most of the time".... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/sad.gif)

--DD

[scotty b]

I see that kind of crap every day in my 924. Difference is I WANT them to hit me so I can get some $ for the car and quit dealing with trying to sell it (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif)
"Yes sir officer thats an 82 924, it's the last year for them, so it's kind of a collectors car."
"It's a damn shame it is beyond repair."
"Yes sir, it really breaks my heart"

[fiid]

Good reasons to have a roll cage if you ask me :-)

I have become enthralled lately with the 2 million candlepower sport lights. They ought to be good for getting other driver's attention, adn they plug into the cigarette socket :-)

[TheCabinetmaker]

QUOTE

they are loud enough, but they are also pitched like every other horn out there and people learn to tune them out and ignore them - even on the 2-horn cars like Appearance Group cars.

I disagree! My two tone horn sounds like no other, and they are "very" loud. Besides i refuse to put (or use) an air horn (read redneck truck crap) on my 914.

[Dr. Roger]

The thing that's kept me alive for 30 years of motorcycle riding is....

Drive like they're trying to hit you. No, REALLY! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/blink.gif)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

[BIGKAT_83]

I get no respect in the 914 people pull out in front of me. You have to be on the look out all the time.

I just don't understand it. Hell I've got the same pistol in it as the Dodge Ram truck that I drive and they don't do it to me in the truck.



Bob.......... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif)

[#1RAGE]

I've only been driving for 5 years so I'm not that experienced yet but sometimes there is nothing you can do.

I do drive my parents van and truck sometimes but I don't act like I own the road and I still drive defensively even though I'm not as afraid of getting hurt by someone else.

[iiibdsiil]

What I do is usually go faster than most people are, but try to stay away from being the fastest person on the road.

It doesn't matter what I am in, if I am going the same speed as traffic, someone (usually female) tries to switch lanes into me.

I also love the when I am on a 2 lanes each way highway, and I am doing 85 mph, and you are in the left lane doing 65, don't get out of my way, so I get in the right lane, after waiting patiently behind you for a good mile or so, and when I switch lanes to pass in the right, you decide that you are finally going to switch lanes to let me pass (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif)

[andys]

Hey, size does matter (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)

My full size Dodge van conversion rarely gets mistaken for not being there! Few ever cut me off, nor pull out in front of me. Only problem is people don't like following, so they pass only to slow down.

Andy