Porsche road rage!

I will be making my 996-driving debut on Thursday. I read with interest on the 997 board about other drivers and road rage. What have I let myself in for! I would be interested to hear of your incidents and maybe how to avoid them!

I have found a few times that driving at 2-3,000rpm has lead me to be involved in road-rage, however increasing to 5-6,000rpm has ended such behviour. [8|]

Hi Adrian, Good luck with your new car, I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy it! There is no magic wand out there re Road Rage I am afraid. Some people are just jealouse a@se holes! When I used to drive my old Carlton people would just give me a clear birth, but in my 996 or any other big, flash/expensive car (A6 or Merc) people will take liberties due to jealously or that you will back down first! Some twat in a newish MPV insisted on cutting my up really badly in slow/stationary traffic as two lanes became one and then pulled up next to me saying "your car is worth more than mine" Felt like telling him that it would cost HIS insurance more than MINE. Twat! Anyway, enjoy the car and dont let other idiots get in the way of your enjoyment!

Well it's not just Porsche drivers that get road rage I'm sure blond middle aged mother's in Range Rovers on the school run get it aswell! I've had 2 924's, 2 944's, a 1978 911 and a Boxster and never had any problems apart from the odd Nova 1.1L

I have found that it can work both ways, you either get people who go out of there way to let you out move out of the way on the motorway to watch you come past, or you get people who want to cut you up or race you, i often find young lads in basic cars, 9 out of 10 have an exhaust the size of a dust bin, who try and race you, i often back off as am worried they are going to make a big mistake. I overtook a group of lads in a Saxo and as i went past my girlfriend noticed them sticking there fingers up. I tend not to worry and just enjoy, have concerns about parking in some places in case i get it keyed, but that could happen with lots of cars. Phil

Interestingly psychologists would say that the three most destructive emotions are Anger, Craving and Delusion. The links here to Porsche ownership and/or road range can be explored but I'll refrain for now. What I would say is that within 'Anger' the greatest trigger is the sense of being 'Thwarted'. To seriously avoid road rage, therefore, first explore your own emotions behind the wheel and secondly don't behave in a way that implies dominance (I know its hard in a Porsche!) by smiling at other road users, giving way and acknowledging mistakes. In my field we call this 'high status' behaviour and it works. Mark

I'm afraid that there will always be jealous drivers and people envious of your car. I recently had my bonnet badge wrenched off with a screwdriver and keyed above the rear wheel arch in a supermarket car park in Finchley. I had to get the whole rear wing and bonnet re-sprayed at great expense [ ] Just be aware of where you park and enjoy the car, it's still worth it. And if the car doesn't have a PSE, let that be the first thing on your shopping list!!

Just part of the Fun I guess, visit Pistonheads to read some great happenings from owning a Porsche... Great article about a pedestrian walking by called the owner a ****, owner replied along the lines of "Yes, but I'm driving a Porsche and your walking, get a life" I've never received verbal abuse, but you can see the jealous words being mouthed... garyw

Before I got my Porsche I used to love seeing, hearing and generally being near to any 911 on the road - sad but very true. The odd thing is that I still do! At the traffic lights the other day, I had to wind down the window on my diesel Citroen ZX (72bhp) to hear a Boxter take off from the front! I'll never tire of it, I suppose. Now that I have one, I sometimes find that people are simply envious of me and go out of their way to carve me up. - but not regularly. I spent all day on Sunday waxing the car. I took it out for a two-mile spin to dry off the brake discs when I'd finished. It was the closest I've ever come to an accident (sic) since I owned the car. It was one of those take your hands off the wheel and sharply move your whole body to the left moments - as I thought that the wheel was going to be in my chest. You can't stop those sorts of reactions. I was driving down a narrow stretch of road with stonewalls on either side. A guy was coming towards me in a small white van - I think it was a Renault - in the middle of the road. I've had this a few times and they always pull up at the last minute. This guy drove at me as though there was nothing in his way. I've no idea how I've still got my door mirror. I was just expecting a bang. The worst part of it was that I'd never have been able to catch him as I was stuck in this lane and he was almost certainly driving someone else's van. Partly, I agree with Mark and that we should try to accept that other people have different behaviour patterns. But I mainly feel that, if you were given the tools to carry out the research, you'd probably ascertain that this particular chap is a complete f***ing t**t who has a peanut for a d*ck and hasn't sexually satisfied his wife/husband since their wedding night. And - on the day that he drove at me - discovered that she/he was faking it on that night too! [ ] Enjoy the car and ignore the losers!! [ ]

I can't say that I have ever been the victim of this sort of road rage. Sure, you get he occasional chav smart*rse who thinks he can outdrag or outbrake you in his wreck of a Nova, but I just let them go. Pointless to do otherwise. I also get the occasional pr*t who tailgates you while poodling through town, but I don't bother trying to put distance between us and provoke the situation. They usually back off when you don't rise to the bait. I guess I'm lucky that I haven't been cut up by anyone or had the exeriences some of you are describing. Maybe it's a regional thing. There are so many Porsches in the Thames Valley that maybe these plonkers have just got used to us!

I would worry about it if and when it ever happens. Just drive it like you stole it and you'll be fine !

i must admit i get it, and its usually golf gti owners trying their hardest to show me how easily they can get past me, especially when im only poppin out 2500- 3000 rpms. in particular one pri** i see most mornings, ahh well one day il rip the living daylights out of the bypass and smoke him.

Smile at them, a big broad 'I'm happy with my life' kind of smile. Works for me!

I've had a few road rage incidents so i am careful to leave gaps in front of me so i can pull out. White van drivers, BMW and GTi owners get upset when they see my 996. I look much younger than i am so this does not help. The car has been spat on 3 or 4 times, once on the roof i think from a white van driver, his spit streaked the top of my car from driving about, i only noticed when i got out. People are very jealous, shame, if they spent time earnign money they could buy one and not be so jealous!!! Don't encourage a race, i raced a BMW M3 driver just to embarass his girlfriend as he tried so much to race when i wasn't. He then decided to try to insert his car into mine. At this point i realised his foolishness and stopped at a shop to let the fool go.

It's bizarre but I don't have too many problems in the GT3 or my Astra GTE16V. However my Skoda Felicia, because I drive it hard, is constantly upsetting people.

My rules of thumb- 1. Avoid confrontation in the first place by being courteous, and not driving in an aggressive/arrogant way. 2. If someone does something to you, before reacting, count to ten 3. Keep things in perspective. Does it really matter in the scheme of things if someone in a chavster/white van reckons they've got one over on you? 4. Remember you can go to jail if you are connected with an accident where eye witnesses mention 'racing'. 5. There are some psychos about. Don't start something you might not be able to finish assuming you end up actually out of your car and face to face with the other driver. At the end of the day, what do you actually consider a 'win' in a road rage situation? Life's too short. Don't make it shorter by letting the red mist take over. Its funny how ofter people say "I knew that w**ker was going to pull out/overtake/whatever" then react with horns blowing, lights flashing etc. If you know he's going to do it, make space, let him get on with it. Don't react negatively. And who knows, you might just change that person's opinion of Porsche drivers...

You could trade up to a 993 - people tend to show true respect and deference.... Only joking - enjoy the 996 and sod em

Weirdly I've had very few problems with either my 911, Boxster or Cayman, but if I'm driving my wife's Ford Ka I get cut up all the time!

You're not going fast enough! How's the new Kman?

It's due to leave the factory next Thursday - so I haven't seen it yet!

OR ... Carry a shot gun .. Just joking. Sound advice. I get little to no road rage in my 1990 C2. Used to get loads in other cars. Perhaps it is me that has mellowed, or perhaps I just relax and enjoy the drive instead of worrying about others. I also don't race / compete unless the other driver smiles and we have a short sprint, just for fun. Did this in Kidderminster a short while back with a Caterham 7. Half mile drag race. Great fun. Both ended up smiling. Who cares who wins. Enjoy.

Interesting advert yesterday... Got spat at by the driver of an Anglian Windows van who was coming the other way through our village. Charming. Well, I know who I WONT be using for double glazing should I ever have the need!