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A unrealistic perspective of the motoring universe.

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by raptorduck, May 1, 2012.

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  1. raptorduck

    raptorduck Formula 3

    May 18, 2009
    1,166
    San Diego
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    Mr. Raptorduck
    #1 raptorduck, May 1, 2012
    Sometimes I get a slap in the face that where I live is not a snapshot representation of the automobile universe by any streatch of the imagination. As I pulled into my post office parking lot in my Aston Martin, I spied a Ferrari 458 and parked next to it. Then as I walked in, I saw ANOTHER 458. When I walked out I decided to take a closer look at the parking lot. I counted two Maseratis, a bunch of high end AMG Mercedes SL's, S, and CL classes (including a Lorinser), and an SLS. Then a look the other way and not less than 4 Bentleys and a Murchialogo. Oh, and I almost did not notice a bunch of Porsche's, the toyotas of that partiuclar lot. Finally, as I drove off, ah, another Aston Martin (a DB9 convertable).

    Now I regularly see cars of that caliber at that lot. I have seen other R8's, Lambos, Ferrari's, even a Fisker. But yesterday, either I have not paid attention before, or it was the most exotic cars I have seen in that lot. Certainly the first time I have seen two 458's at the same time.

    If only this was the way the world is, but I have to remind myself that I need drive only 15-20 miles away and would likely never see any of those cars in any parking lot for a long time. This is not the real world I reside in, where I just blend in with the Joneses and what I drive is hardly special. I guess if I must be removed from reality, this is how I want to be.
     
  2. raptorduck

    raptorduck Formula 3

    May 18, 2009
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    Mr. Raptorduck
    #2 raptorduck, May 3, 2012
    Ok, I hereby nominate my post here for worst post in FChat history and officially call it flatlined at 4:42pm PST. :(
     
  3. PV Dirk

    PV Dirk F1 Veteran

    Jul 26, 2009
    5,401
    Ahwatukee, AZ
    #3 PV Dirk, May 3, 2012
    There was a 1978 2 door GM product in my post office parking lot today, I only noticed it because of the burning oil smell filling the area. At least no smoke. Nothing special at my post office. My 2004 Mazda pickup was the best looking vehicle there and it hasn't been washed in a couple months, but it did rain real good yesterday.

    There are a few pockets in the country that are like that. I used to go for a walk in the Galleria area of Houston on Friday nights to go look at the exotics at a certain grouping of restaurants.

    I've always liked living in places like that. The world tends to be quieter and calmer. Certainly fewer tweekers per capita.
     
  4. roadracer311

    roadracer311 Formula 3

    May 6, 2009
    2,398
    San Francisco
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    Paul
    #4 roadracer311, May 3, 2012
    Ha! sounds almost like you stumbled into a cars and coffee meet, that happens at the post office on Tuesdays!

    I want to live in your zipcode. We've got lots of wealth in SF, but absolute crap for cars to look at, on any given day. I blame the terrible terrible pavement. My boxster has developed about 8 new rattles over the last 12 months. Any time I drive the 355, I get out of town in as few miles as possible.
     
  5. Red Head Seeker

    Red Head Seeker Formula 3
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    #5 Red Head Seeker, May 3, 2012
    Hello Paul; You have to take into consideration the topography of San Francisco. I use to live in Cow Hollow....would NEVER drive my exotic car/s in S.F...imagine driving up & over Pacific Heights with those 45 degree hills & stop signs at every corner ADD to that a few cars in front of you....I can still smell the Ferrari clutch burning!!!!!!....Mark
     
  6. Perfusion

    Perfusion F1 Rookie

    Oct 16, 2004
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    Aaron
    #6 Perfusion, May 4, 2012
    Heh...except that one time I saw an F50 parallel-parked on Market in the Castro!
     
  7. Red Head Seeker

    Red Head Seeker Formula 3
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    #7 Red Head Seeker, May 4, 2012
    Did it have a "Rainbow" flag bumper sticker?!......Mark
     
  8. NeuroBeaker

    NeuroBeaker Advising Moderator
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    Oct 1, 2008
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    #8 NeuroBeaker, May 4, 2012
    I think I parked near a car the other day that might not have had deferred maintenance issues and certainly had no visible rust... it was a special day. :eek:

    All the best,
    Andrew.
     
  9. PCA Hack

    PCA Hack Formula Junior

    May 9, 2008
    610
    Rancho Santa Fe, CA
    #9 PCA Hack, May 4, 2012
    Sounds like some guys were meeting up for a drive.

    Here in RSF we have to pick up our mail from the post office every day - plenty of celebs & nice cars living here but I've never seen a display like that!
     
  10. vrsurgeon

    vrsurgeon F1 World Champ
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    Dec 13, 2009
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    #10 vrsurgeon, May 4, 2012
    I LOVE gatherings like that. I like to drive into the lot in an old POS chevelle with rust spots that make up half the front and rear quarter panels (it aint a beater if you can't see through at least 3 panels).

    I like to get indecisive where to park.. next to the Lambo, swing the door really wide narrowly missing things.. nahh too close.

    then decided the other parking spot is better, again narrowly missing a fender here and there.. its fun. hehehe ;-)
     
  11. Nashtyboy

    Nashtyboy Formula Junior

    Sep 8, 2010
    429
    Raleigh, NC
    #11 Nashtyboy, May 4, 2012
    I knew government spending was out of control, but REALLY.. post office workers driving exotics?? ;)
     
  12. 2NA

    2NA F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner Professional Ferrari Technician

    Dec 29, 2006
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    #12 2NA, May 4, 2012
    On Tuesday, I took my 348 to the drive-thru at the bank (I've done it quite a few times). This time the teller that was working there (one that I've known for years that usually works inside the bank) nearly had a stroke when she saw the car. It was certainly a day-brightener for her. Exotic cars are pretty rare around here. I enjoy making it an "event", if only for a moment.

    The Post Office lot here is a mix of minivans, SUVs and assorted "beaters". I wouldn't dream of contaminating that bunch with something interesting.
     
  13. trumpet77

    trumpet77 Formula 3

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    #13 trumpet77, May 4, 2012
    Or maybe all the cool people love hanging out at the post office!
     
  14. UroTrash

    UroTrash Four Time F1 World Champ
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    #14 UroTrash, May 4, 2012
    There must be a lot of money in SD.
     
  15. G. Pepper

    G. Pepper Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #15 G. Pepper, May 4, 2012
    I live in a pretty nice 70's era neighborhood with a golf course, and I'm nearly positive I have the only Ferrari. There are a few American car hot rodders (One with a blown '57 Bel Air that causes earthquakes when it goes by), and many Corvettes, but no other exotics. So, my car is a rock star wherever I go, and people pull over to look at it whenever I'm detailing it.

    Since this is Texas, my local PO's lot is usually filled with pickups, like my lifted RAM 1500 Quad Cab 4x4. I would never take my Ferrari there. lol.

    Cheers,

    George
     
  16. raptorduck

    raptorduck Formula 3

    May 18, 2009
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    #16 raptorduck, May 4, 2012
    Wow, somebody gave CPR to my post.

    It was a parking lot in RSF I was talking about. I always see nice cars there, but this was a special day and time in that day for sure. Never seen that many, even in RSF, in one place and it was not special meet. Just rare luck or fate. But even the average cluster of exotics etc in RSF makes it very unique, unless you go to the Ginza in Tokyo or near Hyde Park in London etc.

    With respect to SF, I lived up there 25 years total and you just don't see clusters of nice cars like that. One reason is that RSF, for example, is very isolated and near other affluent areas and so the "average" car is quite nice, where in Atherton, you are next to EPA and can see a gangsta car next to a Bentley (assuming you see a Bentley even in Atherton). In SoCal, Beverly Hills is like that too, but not RSF.

    Also, being that SF is very liberal, you don't see a lot of bling anyway and even the affluent will drive a Prius. Drive around Atherton, Los Altos Hills, Blackhawk, Hillsbourgh, Portola Valley, Woodside etc and you won't see all that many exotics really even though my Ferrari in the Bay Area dealer told me there were 6,000 registered Ferrari's in Silicon Valley. SoCal just likes bling more than NorCal. The first week I moved to RSF, I was the 4th Bentley in line to get out of my community in the morning. You don't see that in SF much.
     
  17. Red Head Seeker

    Red Head Seeker Formula 3
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    #17 Red Head Seeker, May 4, 2012
    WOW!!!..."EPA" (East Palo Alto)....interesting what a 1/2 mile makes in terms of value & saftey....Times have changed since you left...especially with Silicon Valley EXPLODING!!!....& Apple basically taking over Cupertino.....Santana Row is a mecca for exotic car spotting.....some very NICE areas you mentioned, ie, Hillsborough, Atherton, I grew up in those areas, use to fish & shoot ducks,geese in Crocker lake (Hillsborough) in the early 70's....GREAT TIMES!!!!!.....Mark
     
  18. raptorduck

    raptorduck Formula 3

    May 18, 2009
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    #18 raptorduck, May 4, 2012
    I left just 4 years ago and Santana Row is different in that people intentionally go there to show off their cars, whereas in RSF and say, Woodside, it's just people doing their thing. EPA is better with Altera/4 Seasons, but it is still, well, EPA.
     
  19. Perfusion

    Perfusion F1 Rookie

    Oct 16, 2004
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    #19 Perfusion, May 4, 2012
    Yeah, "the Row" (as my wife and I call it) has gone off the deep end. Ever since Borders closed, there hasn't been much of a reason for "normal" people to just pop in. When we first started going there, it was just an upscale, outdoor shopping center with nice landscaping and nice cars, well-dressed people here and there, and the occasional exotic car spotting.

    Nowadays, it's pretty much a crotch rocket/BMW M3 convention on weekends, and the bars and restaurants look to be 90% filled with individuals who look more suited to an episode of "Jersey Shore" than Silicon Valley.
     
  20. PCA Hack

    PCA Hack Formula Junior

    May 9, 2008
    610
    Rancho Santa Fe, CA
    #20 PCA Hack, May 5, 2012
    I popped into the post office yesterday evening in RSF to get the mail - a Benz G Wagon was the best of the lot. My PO in the covenant must be on the wrong side of the tracks compared to Fairbanks Ranch :)
     
  21. raptorduck

    raptorduck Formula 3

    May 18, 2009
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    #21 raptorduck, May 6, 2012
    Not at all. Have you seen the cars that come out of the Bridges? You are good overthere too. You outed my abode, thanks. :( Since that day, it has been the usual fare, which is the cars at RSF Motors, a few porsches, a Bentley or two, Maser or two, and Aston and Ferrari every other day or so (other than mine) and a SLS, R8, Lambo slightly less often. And there are always multiple S, CL, class Benzes, and usually a few AMG's. Still, nothing close to that magical day.

    You have to admit. RSF and exotic cars (including RR) is like no place else, even in Cali.

    Santa Row was a great idea when built and I loved going there at first and completely agree with you about the crowd that ended up there. Sad Borders is gone. I used to like to sit on the patio on the second floor with friends and people watch.
     

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