still immature at 64

[Slats]

So I pull up alongside, and a little to the rear, of one of those little Fiat things this afternoon at a stoplight with no other cars around. The Fiat was red with larger than normal wheels and tires, had a racing stripe and sounded a little loud. From the looks of the temp tag, it was only a week or so out of the dealership. The guy sat there racing his engine and, when the light turned, got on it pretty hard. I at first resisted the urge, but when he was a couple of car lengths out, I punched it, blew by him and watched him fade away in my rear view mirror. It only took a few more blocks for the horrible sense of shame set in. I promise I'll never do it again. Or at least hope I don't. I think.

[tuco44]

Good on you, never give up to being older (I am older myself so I can talk).

[Axelf]

Originally Posted by Slats

So I pull up alongside, and a little to the rear, of one of those little Fiat things this afternoon at a stoplight with no other cars around. The Fiat was red with larger than normal wheels and tires, had a racing stripe and sounded a little loud. From the looks of the temp tag, it was only a week or so out of the dealership. The guy sat there racing his engine and, when the light turned, got on it pretty hard. I at first resisted the urge, but when he was a couple of car lengths out, I punched it, blew by him and watched him fade away in my rear view mirror. It only took a few more blocks for the horrible sense of shame set in. I promise I'll never do it again. Or at least hope I don't. I think.

Quality.......

[GreenLantern]

Absolutely brilliant.

Stay young. Always.

[Artemis]

I guess your 'rival' was a "Fix It Again, Tony" 500 Abarth.

Major benefit of being immature: you still got a long time ahead of you, while many of your peers already passed their 'due date' coolness factor, or are simply rotten, in the meantime.

[nawt12]

That's brilliant! It sounds like you guys remember the age of Aquarius! Being from that era, I understand the "urge" to quell that right foot...sometimes.
While I try and get most of my jollies at my local kart track, it's still tempting to do some WOT runs (with safety, of course!)
Rock on!

[Dan Parker]

He was probably keeping the revs low for proper break in. That Abarthe should destroy the 1M!

Yes, I'm kidding.

[Dee Pee]

I am a city dweller and was considering the Abarth to replace my Mk2 Mini.
Then the people in front of me for the first 1M at my dealership dropped out and the rest is history.
Delicious delicious history.

[MusclesCoupe]

Love that you waited back and punched it haha I would of loved a shot of their face when that occurred ... Cheers to that sir

[gazz]

Yes, how easily that primal hoon urge resurfaces given the right provocation. I'm not quite your vintage Slats but I'm old enough to know better. Was at the lights on pole position in the going home Grand Prix the other night, in the wet. Knowing that a quick getaway would activate traction control and spoil the hole shot, I put the car into the intermediate traction control mode ( I've never learned what all these modes are called ). Green light and the car beside me, a Hyundai / Kia crossover something, floors it. Well that was a reg rag to a bull so I took off very briskly, moderating my throttle only too aware that full acceleration in first is a waste of time in the wet. Unfortunately the SUV got the jump on me; change into second and call upon the 1Ms Korean killer torque. Suddenly I'm very sideways and taking up ALL of my lane right beside the SUV. My Aryton Senna reflexes caught it and I momentarily backed off to allow a correction only to floor it again for another big kick sideways. By this time the other driver seeing that I've fully committed myself to this insanity very sensibly backed off and allowed me all the room I needed to kill myself. In the loneliness ahead of the traffic I had left behind I too felt the face reddening shame.
Ahh the wisdom of old age.

[Grey Dove]

Oh man ....... I love those story's

[Artemis]

When a boy racer type gets alongside at the traffic lights, and starts to revv obviously and repeatedly (the tell-tale sign of "C'mon, let's race" drooling), I sometimes deliberately wait when the lights turn green. Subsequently you witness the scene of the boy - in a rather predictable fashion - wildly dashing off with screeching tires, barely controlling his vehicle ...while you remain immobilized watching the wildlife move away and laughing your ass off together with all other cars behind you.

However, if it happens that I meet him again at the next traffic lights stop, I give him the thumbs up with a nod of approval (though, not sure whether he gets the real point of that cynical gesture). Actually, you know that you can destroy him, but you don't feel the need to show it (off).

"Speak softly and carry a big stick, and you will go far" (Theodore Roosevelt Jr.).

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by Slats

So I pull up alongside, and a little to the rear, of one of those little Fiat things this afternoon at a stoplight with no other cars around. The Fiat was red with larger than normal wheels and tires, had a racing stripe and sounded a little loud. From the looks of the temp tag, it was only a week or so out of the dealership. The guy sat there racing his engine and, when the light turned, got on it pretty hard. I at first resisted the urge, but when he was a couple of car lengths out, I punched it, blew by him and watched him fade away in my rear view mirror. It only took a few more blocks for the horrible sense of shame set in. I promise I'll never do it again. Or at least hope I don't. I think.

don't feel shame at all... more than likely the Fiat driver WANTED you to get on it...although perhaps this guy was racy.... I see plenty of people that do that and then slow roll off the blocks to listen to MY car..

Definitely love the slow roll into the throttle.. I do the same because I have no reason to RACE anyone on the street at any time... I'd rather head to a track or autocross.... but it is fun to be juvenile once in awhile!

[ozinaldo]

Originally Posted by Artemis

When a boy racer type gets alongside at the traffic lights, and starts to revv obviously and repeatedly (the tell-tale sign of "C'mon, let's race" drooling), I sometimes deliberately wait when the lights turn green. Subsequently you witness the scene of the boy - in a rather predictable fashion - wildly dashing off with screeching tires, barely controlling his vehicle ...while you remain immobilized watching the wildlife move away and laughing your ass off together with all other cars behind you.

However, if it happens that I meet him again at the next traffic lights stop, I give him the thumbs up with a nod of approval (though, not sure whether he gets the real point of that cynical gesture). Actually, you know that you can destroy him, but you don't feel the need to show it (off).

"Speak softly and carry a big stick, and you will go far" (Theodore Roosevelt Jr.).

use the stick sometimes Artemis, also fun

[DooBs]

hahahaha i've been clubbing with a 69 year old man haha. some people never get old. i hope to never lose some of my youthful immaturities haha

[CarJunkie]

gazz, great story!

So I had one last week, that definitely made my face red.

I was the first car in the right lane at the stop light. The speed limit is 55 and there is a beautifully cambered right hand ramp onto the freeway about 3/10's of a mile ahead, so I am already getting excited while waiting for the green light. (Picturing the run . . . Launch, trail-brake into the ramp, accelerate onto the freeway.) Its the best corner in town, and RARE than I have a crack at it without some minivan in front of me.

A late model Acura Integra had pulled to a stop from the side street to my right. His light had just turned red, so mine was about to go green. He looked at me, smiled, revved, and made his right on red just as I got a green light. He floored it, got a little FWD burnout (right tire only, LOL) and had a cloud of black smoke dumping from his apparently catless fart can exhaust as he tore up the lane ahead of me. I had launched moderately in first, got ahead of the car to my left and moved left to pass him. I shot past him in second and had about two carlengths on him when I grabbed third. I had clearly overtaken him at that point but I topped out third gear anyway just to add an exclamation point. I then quickly got back down to speed, realizing I hadn't even been aware of whether there were any cops around . . . oops. I took a look around and the coast was clear.

He caught back up to me and got on my ass as we approached the ramp to the freeway. I am sure he thought he could "get me in the twisties." I know my turn-in speed and location, apex and track out points for this corner very well and was basically travelling about 5mph above my entry speed. That meant I only had to brush the brake for turn-in. Long before I reached that point, he started braking and was probably watching me thinking WTF??? I tapped the brake, turned and was on the gas before he was even turning in, despite the fact that he had ridden me into the corner. At that point, I actually started to feel bad for him.

[Colt]

Gotta get the oil going through the car every now and again