'cause I schooled one in mountain driving.

(Cliff-Notes for Max: Suckah' was fastah n me, but yo, no weel-skilz!!!)

I had an interesting experience a while back with another driver who wanted badly to demonstrate to me that he was faster than I. The truth is that I think he WAS faster, but I also think I managed to demonstrate to him that there's more to it than being fast...

I was driving home a month or so ago, lateish at night on hwy 9 between Boulder Creek and Summit, when I passed by one of those really expensive accuras that look like Japaneese Ferraris. It was in the parking lot of the little park across the highway from the Mountain Store. I took a good look at it because, hey, cool car, right?... maybe the other guy saw that as a challenge, maybe he just spotted the shiny blue WRX, I can't say. For one reason or another, he decided to show me how fast he was.

For those who don't know the area: After the Mountain store, there are a pair of tight turns as you cross a bridge, and then there are two long straightish sections (one in front of Camp Campbell, the other in front of Redwood Elementry) with only a slight bend in between them.
He turned out slowly behind me, and he must have taken the first turns quite slowly, since I didn't see his lights untill I was near the end of the first straightaway... but they were comming up really fast.

I was doing my usual 60ish, and this guy caught me up in half of that straightaway: he must have reached way over 100mph to catch me that fast. He then proceded to tail-gate me with his high-beams on. Charming.

I slowly sped up to about 75, but that didn't cut it for Mr. Racer. He's still on me like a hound with the brights up.

Here's the thing, though: I know these roads really well, and I don't think he did. If he had, he would have known that the second straight ends in a very abrupt left with not-so-great camber. I've taken that left over 3 thousand times, and I know that I can safely pull it in the WRX at just over 70; I don't think he even knew it was comming.

Kids: don't tailgate. If ya do, you can't see the road ahead, just someone's tailpipe.

I took the left at 75, without braking or shifting or giving Mr. Racer any clue that it was comming. The WRX stuck to the earth; I whipped around the corner with only a bit of squealing.
Not so for Mr. Racer; I heard him skid, I saw him swerve twice before he brought it back under controll, and then I saw him SLOW THE HELL DOWN and drop out of sight.

Was I a bastard for endangering the guy? Was it a lesson that needed learning? I don't know...


...but I went home smiling.

Mike

 

I believe you are talking about the NSX in which case I think there are different performance models. Those are good cars. But I would never buy one. Not really a big fan of how they look. Lots of people jock them to death.

As far as being endangering the guy. It can be seen both ways. You obviously knew the guy didn't know the road but on the other hand, you did what I would have did. If he wants to come up and high beam you and stuff and risk the rear of your car let him eat the next turn. Good job man. On a straight road..I would have let him pass.

 

nsx are so damn sexy...fast too, mid engine..and i dont think its a poor man's ferrari..well its ONLY 90k *roll eyes*, but its like the best japan has to offer..one of the best.

 

such a rip off. its 90k for wht like 250-300 hp? they look alright, but still not worth 90k

 

Agreed.

-Chris

 

You can find used NSX's occasionally now for just over $20k

 

I would rather have an NSX than a Ferrari.

I mean if I had 90k, I would get NSX in a heart beat.

NSX is the ultimate JDM high performance car.

 

Yeah the old '92s with 240+/- hp. and a 6 sec 0-60. Would still get the chicks though.

-Chris

 

Dont forget the money left over for mods too

 

nsx is a freakin awesome car, its not all about power.
but you can get the best car in the world and that still won't make you a good driver.

speed safely, tracks are the place to get all nuts at.

 

we had a red nsx for awhile, in 98, i never got to drive it, being 15 and yeah right my dad wouldn't let me sit in the drivers seat. haha. It was a fun car, fast too. my dad sold it so he could put a down payment on a larger house.

 

you did the right thing in my opinion. I have had someone do that to me on hwy 9 from saratoga to boulder creek. Accept when I met up with this person, I was going up hill in my civic DX at the time, and the ****er was dead stopped in the middle of HWY9 on one of the gnarly blind turns. They were in an older jetta. they took off up the road and pulled over, let me pass them, then got back on behind me and started tailgating me with the brights on.
My situation didn't end like yours though, this son of a ***** would not pass me, pulled over with me when I did to let them by. So i said **** it and drove up to the police station in felton because there was no way to loose this crazy drunkard.

grrrr.... makes me angry thinking about that night >


At least us native santa cruz mountain folk know what a mountain road is.
I learned to drive in Lompico.

 

Dude: forget driving, if you can PARK in Lompico, you've got my respect!

I went to a couple of parties up there, back in the day.
The cops ALWAYS got called, because if four people show up, the road is blocked.

 

Personally, I'd take the Ferrari


(Unless we're talking about one of those unfortunate "mondial" things... )

I got to peruse an F40 up close once... Damn.

 

what about the skyline? or are you talking about whats available in the states... what about the STi??