How do I stop the douchebaggery?

[nbw888]

Hello, I'm new to the forum! I live in Los Angeles, the land of immortal douchebags, and although I love driving the R8 most of the time, I find that there are a number of people that like to cut me off, tailgate as though they're drafting in a nascar race, and generally be antagonizing and obnoxious. It's really quite annoying, and frankly can be dangerous at times.

Has anyone else out there experienced this phenomenon? Does anyone know how to solve it besides driving a different car? It really puts a damper on the mood of just enjoying a drive. Okay, rant over...

[rmicroys]

Agreed. There is always somebody who wants to race you. Goad you on, etc. My favorite was when I was doing my drive in on the engine. I would drive around the countryside at 10km/hr over the speed limit and just cruise around. Invariably there would be somebody that would speed to catch me once they saw me, then they would follow me very closely - and ultimately overtake me. I'm okay with that, but then they go out of their way to slow down to 10 or 20 UNDER the limit to get me to pass them - they expect me to rev the engine and blast past them. It was rather annoying. So I would just cruise by them hardly on the throttle in 6th.

Then of course in the city on the freeway, there are all sorts of people doing dumb stuff. At least know the R8 has been around long enough and most people have seen a couple of them so they aren't doing TOTALLY dumb things around you.

In traffic I always leave plenty of room in front of me, generally more than twice what I normally do. I never go anywhere in the rush in the R8, and one really has to just drive it with an open mind. One can't really be antisocial while driving it. For the most part I go out and full knowing that people will be douches, and I'm for the most part okay with that until they start endangering other road users. At that point I generally just slow down and let them go along their way. It's often easier just to drive in the slow lane...

[SebringSilver]

Just have to rise above it and not react. We just had another road rage incident up here two days ago that resulted in one driver shooting and killing the other. I tend to ignore most of the other drivers around me even though I know many of them are looking at my car.

Welcome to the forum, by the way.

[mngolfer]

I agree with SebringSilver. I wave and give thumbs up, but I NEVER react to the "let's see how fast your car will go" challenges.

In MN a ticket for exceeding 100 MPH is loss of license for one year and up to six months in jail. That does not appeal to me. Cruise control is my friend.

I find myself looking in the mirrors constantly to make sure people taking pictures do not run into my car.

[ignomini]

You are a rich guy in a rich guy's car. Even if neither of those statements are true, perception is all that maters. Our own government is busy painting you as an uncaring, unfeeling, greedy (pick-a-word) who doesn't "pay your fair share." As the guys above have said, the only practical solution is to ignore them as best you can...or buy a Prius.

I choose to ignore them as best I can, and I also try not to physically shove them off the road when they're in my way. For some reason, it's hard for people not to be in your way when driving an R8.

[dajjy]

Have to say i have never encountered anything but happy smiles, thimbs up and people taking pics of my car/peering inside it when parked.

Every night i leave my office, in the centre of Glasgow, and head out of the carpark straight onto a busy road, that always has three queues of traffic. Every night they stop and wave me out.... I am then onto a motorway and have to thread my way through four lanes within about 500 yards of, again, backed-up traffic with little difficulty and much flashing of lights by those behind letting me traverse each lane.

Since i have had this car i have had nothing but politeness.

[nbw888]

I agree, ignoring is the best approach. I don't believe in street racing or playing their game. Myself, I like to open it up at times and run the car a bit...spirited driving, but nothing too crazy. What is difficult is the people that ruin the fun by trying to race you and run you off the road so they can "win", or whatever they think it is.

Most of the time, I do find that people are friendly and accommodating in traffic. Most everyone is ready to give you plenty of space to change lanes. Los Angeles does have a lot of 'rice rockets', with young guys in them, and some of them can be real jerks on the road. The car is an attention getter for sure, both good and bad!

[SebringSilver]

Yes, definitely avoid trying to prove you have the faster car. If you're spotted street-racing with a Taurus or an Accord (not that it would be much of a race), guess who's going to get the ticket.

I like this excerpt from an interesting article in Car and Driver where they interviewed a highly experienced New York lawyer (http://www.caranddriver.com/features...wyer-feature):


What are some of the biggest truths about why and to whom cops give tickets?

Realistically, when it comes to who gets tickets, sports cars come first, and then motorcycles. Anything that makes speed obvious. It doesn’t have to be expensive, it just has to get their attention: Put a wing on your Civic. Rich guys go second, any of your status brands. In New York City, I’ve sat behind cops who apparently only write up BMW, Land Rover, Porsche, Mercedes, and Audi.

[club411]

That why I have limo tint black windows

[R8Spyderman]

So far I've only been annoyed by a teenage female tailgater but when the top's down everything feels too close to the rear end so she might have been a more respectable distance than it felt, but she was too close, nonetheless. However, I did experience a total douchebag on Tuesday as I was cruising at 80 MPH in a 70 MPH zone (Alligator Alley) in my Bentley GTC. Some clown in a new Dodge Challenger (cute car, BTW) came alongside me in the left lane as I was in the right lane and paced me for at least a mile. Their windows were probably illegally tinted because I couldn't see who was driving or what their intent was but it made me nervous that someone would pace me like that and block all left lane traffic so I floored it and before I knew it I had passed 120 MPH! The jerk actually tried to catch up to me and wove in and out of traffic thereafter, always trying to be the car behind me and keep me in his sights with no car between us. Talk about feeling threatened! I almost called Florida Highway Patrol but instead drove like a maniac the rest of the way until I exited and he/she kept heading east.