Full circle— 30 yrs ago I was the kid in the fox body mustang w a supercharger … I was the guy rolling next to the exotic trying to prove something…. now I’m the guy in the 400 hp 360 doing my best to stay safely away from the 1000 hp dodge Chevy Ford roll racers… usually w vape smoke pumping
Funny we're talking about this... It was a nice day yesterday in MA and I just installed my exhaust system so I took her out for a bit of a drive.. I hit 495 south and traffic was relatively heavy... a guy with a bike comes next to me and downshifts, trying to tempt me into a race... I don't look at him and continue driving... He then pops a wheelie (at 60 mph !) and goes forward on one wheel for a good 7 - 8 car lengths, then drops it and starts swerving between cars. He was gone in 10 seconds. Kid had skills, gotta admit... but damn at that speed, one little mistake with all the cars around you, you are a goner.
Here in Florida there were kids doing all kind of stupid stuff on bikes and they posted videos on Utube. Until one of them got killed doing stupid stuff on the I4 in Orlando. Kind of trailed off after that. Sad but true.
Ya know - it goes the other way too. I’ve had Ferraris wanting a go when I am on my sport bike. Usually I try to stay away from the freeways, but sometimes it is kinda hard in So. Cal ….. like getting from one side of Pendleton to another. Anyway, I need to get up to 7500miles on my bike to be able to import it, so a few more street rides. Then after that it will be for track use only. Also …. On the bike one is more vulnerable and I do not like having cars around me….. so sometimes I might open a quick gap, then just maintain…. It does not mean I am feeling like racer Joe, on the contrary. I want to be in the open.
Speaking of cars wanting a go when riding my sport bike…. Last weekend was Teslas and Benzs ….. Didn’t even bother looking at them to see if they were young or old … whatever, last thing I need is for some cop to think there is some kind of race. Plus do you guys trust a stranger’s car control? Forget it.
Decades ago when you had to physically sit in a traffic school, a [highway patrol] instructor told us that they are not nearly as concerned with the speed at which you are driving as the manner in which you are driving.
I have had some bad experiences while driving the 430. I have been run into the emergency lane to avoid someone taking pictures while driving, I've had drink cups thrown out the passenger window as I'm being passed. Followed home on more than one occasion, which is frighting on another level. And yes get pull ups and revs from mustangs, vettes, gtrs, and sport bikes on a regular basis. It is really like people lose their damn minds when the see an exotic out in the open.
I had a police officer pull to a gas pump as I was getting gas. He rolled down his passenger window and asked if I would like to swap cars. I said "Sure, but we are both getting fired, but I am going say I was just trying to catch the guy that stole my car." We had a good laugh and he drove on. I have to say I was a little bummed. I have never driven a cop car. I have been in one, just not the front seat.
I was once sent to a traffic school for "habitual traffic abusers". You could only be sent by a judge and you have to be VERY flagrant of the laws to get there (think 13 moving violations in 12 months and at speeds exceeding 100). I am sitting in a room with maybe 20-25 people. The instructor asked (note it is pre ABS) "You are going straight. You lock up the brakes. You turn the steering wheel to the right. What direction does the car go?" Exactly me and the instructor knew the answer to that question. That was actually the scary part; you have 20+ people out there driving very hard and they have no idea what their vehicle will do. And THAT is why they care what you are doing, it shows your skills and the lack of those causes accidents.
Years ago I was driving alone on a windy 4 lane road here in Phoenix around sunset in my Testarossa. Absolutely no one was around except a single car behind me and they were desperately trying to catch up - which seemed odd as the light in front of me had just turned red. Moments later the car had caught up, lost control, and was sliding backwards in a full skid through the red light and the thankfully empty intersection. I looked over and of course it was some young kid in his Honda something and his girlfriend. Can still remember the absolute look of horror on that girl's face as I passed them when the light turned green.
