How do other drivers react to your car?

Personally I dont announce my presence. I do however get thumbs up, photographed, and one woman yelled me her phone number...

 

Good question. Honking or flashing is not appreciated. This can be confused with agressive behavior towards the car's driver. These days you see a few wacks on the road. Now I heard they shoot exotic drivers in Vegas.

Thumbs up is ok as long as it cant be confused with getting the finger.. I have seen people doing high five or a wave and that leaves no confusion.

Even so I drive an exotic, I myself always get an elevated heartbeat when I see another exotic on the road so I can relate.

 

As a 28 year 308 GTB owner I have a little insight as to how people react. Not much on the road other than an ocasional thumbs up or wave. Guys will come up and ask about it when I'm getting gas. Often they can not believe it's an '85. Women ignore it. Biggest negative comment, Guys: a couple of guys in a pickup who yelled, "Buy an American car", Women, as I walked into work one day I over heard one girl say to another, "I wish I knew where that guy worked." Of course, I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now... 66 in a month and younger every day.

 

I have also get the "Buy an Americian car" comment. I like to respond, "I do. Lots of them".

 

Last summer, while I had my Lambo SL in Mass, I got an overwhelming response to the car. Mostly it was positive, thumbs up, pics, "nice car", all sorts of stuff. There were also the people that called me "******" and the like. In TX, regardless if it's been the SL, Scud, or anything else, the reaction is alot less frequent and usually much more subdued.

 

Kids want to race. I let them overtake me so they can say they beat a Ferrari.

Sometimes I come across someone in a BMW or whatever tearing up the back roads. It's instantly obvious to both of us that we're enjoying it. Those moments are fun when they happen.

A lot of questions at gas stations and the like. Mostly technical stuff from guys. I usually tell them a bit about the car, that I'm fixing it up and doing all of my own work. It gives them a little perspective on the thing. I also tell them that I've never had one regret.

I haven't heard anything really negative, I think because my car says "old car" as much as it says Ferrari. (Ferrari being a symbol of wealth in a social climate where success is branded a bad thing... so it seems.) The black bumpers and antique plates probably help in this regard.

It's rare when I see another F-car or L-car, even rarer when I don't know the driver. So yeah, my first instinct is like what Sero noted, but like Sero I keep it subdued and just give 'em a wave.

Good thread BTW, interesting to see others' experiences. I was there on one occasion when Falcon got the "Buy American" thing. If they only knew...

 

I like gestures of appreciation (thumbs up or wave) and you can always approach me for a couple of questions at a petrol station or meeting (although things of a personal nature are not appreciated as much - how much do you earn? What do you do?).

What I particularly don't like is following at unsafe distances whilst trying to work the iPhone to take photo's at the same time as trying to drive the car.

Really people, just enjoy the view and don't try to take pics when you're driving.

And I agree - honking and flashing is confusing.


Onno

 

A very good point. I see this all the time. One has to be constantly vigilant.

 

I have had to move my car several times from lane to lane to ward off idiots trying to getting to close for a photo. Fortunately, 99% of the vast bulk of the driving populace in New England look at the C/4 as a vintage Datsun (240Z-ish in their minds I think).......the other 1% is made up of the idiots and a very polite and nice group of knowledgable car enthusiasts who wave and gives thumbs-up.

The gas stop is fun because someone is bound to walk up and ask about the car. So far always friendly. The best part is when the hood is opened and their eyes bug out as they drink in the engine.

 

The few times when I take my 355 on the freeway I usually get a few people following in my blind spot trying to take pictures. I always have the windows down, sometimes at stop lights I've had people ask questions about the car. I've never gotten any questions at the gas station though. The one I take my car to sees a lot of Ferraris though.

When I'm in my 355 and I see another Italian car I usually try to honk and wave. The horn on 355s and older Ferraris has such a unique non-threatening sound that I don't think anyone driving another Italian car would feel threatened at all.

 

Pretty Positive stuff - lots of young guys in compact German sedans want to 'run' with me when I'm on the highway. For some reason, they get a thrill if their new Audi 4 or 3-Series Bimmer can keep-up with a 30-year-old Ferrari.....whatever.

I had a guy negotiate his motorcycle, his iphone camera, AND stop-n-go traffic in my blind-spot....you can't fix stupid.

There's a lot of objective curiosity about the car - I don't wear an ascot or a diamond-encrusted Rolex when I drive it, so I'm just a 'regular guy'. Got caught in a summer thunderstorm once, everyone thought it was really cool to see a Ferrari out in the rain.

 

I usually step on the loud pedal and don't hang around long enough to notice.lol. Lots of waves and thumbs up responses. A few heavy metal head banging kids with their hands out of the windows doing fist pumps. Constant horn blowing. On a side street, I had one school bus stop and the driver plaster her face (with jaw dropped) and hands to the side window.
Gas stops are fun, lots of uuu's and aaahh's , then sometimes, "Is that a Ferrari?", or "Is that real?"
Like everyone else here, if people are willing to come over to ask a question, I'll do my best to answer it. No one wants to fit the stereo typed luxury sports car owner.
Owning one (or two) hasn't changed anything for me. When I see an exotic I still get the rush of adrenalin. My son has the same reaction, his face lights up when he spots one.

 

I've had two kids driving really close behind my 430 trying to make a video of the car. Was going around 80 on a clear road.

I had a tubi exhaust in it so I guess they were possibly trying to capture the sound.

I enjoy enabling others as when I was younger, all I could do was stare at a 308 and dream.

 

Best reaction to my 1990 Ferrari Testarossa was at Hampton Beach NH.

Some drunk kid on a balcony started jumping up and down, nearly falling off the deck.

He screamed "Ohhhh F***, Its A Lamborghini!!!"