My S2000 is my 4th sports/sporty car. I've owned others and I don't think my driving style has changed, but I've noticed an increase in road rage pointed in my direction.

Examples:

Two nights ago, I was driving home after work w/ the top down and realized I was in the wrong lane to get on E. Lk Sammamish. I signaled, waited for a minivan to pass and saw about a 20ft gap between the minivan and a big diesel pickup. I merged in and the truck accelerated and honked. No big deal I figured, there was still plenty of space and he was just being an ass. He proceeded to tailgate me for 3 miles and when I finally got the Inglewood Hill Rd. L-turn lane, he pulled up alongside me (holding up traffic behind him) and proceeded to tell me next time I "pull that sh$t" he's going to "drive up and over my scrawny little ass". I had some choice words for him but realizing Washington is a carry state, thought the best of it and told him I had my signal on and there was room to merge.

Here's another- Late last Summer I'm getting on 520 heading to work and on the onramp a Ram Truck accelerates to overtake me in the RIGHT lane (no carpool lane). I had already let the person in the right lane ahead of me merge in. I had to slam on my brakes to let the Ram truck in. Once on the highway, I got into the left lane (wide open) and accelerated to overtake him and 2 other vehicles stuck behind a slow moving minivan. The Ram jumped in behind me, and rode my ass w/in 1 foot of my rear bumper in some places. I crossed lanes (signaling) multiple times, but he was right behind me the entire way. I started to get concerned when this was going on for about 4 miles with no letting up, and passed both exits for work b/c I didn't want this guy to find out where I park my car. Eventually he gave up.

What the heck? Is it the car that makes people assume you're a punk? Has anyone else had similar experiences?

 

Road rage does not discriminate. It's the same for everybody, any car. When I had my S2000, I probably instigated it much more because I drove pretty crazy, but either way, if you look like a punk, you look like a punk. It's not the car, man. The S2000 isn't the flashiest car out there. To the rest of the SUV-loving public, the S2000 probably looks like just another Miata.

Be careful out there!

 

I would say, its all our fault. Can we all help it if our cars are nice looking? They are just jealous.
Thats what I keep saying to my self when that happens to me.

 

If you're going to drive like an a-hole (which I do on occasion ) you need to go fast enough to clear the zone (get the hell out of the area). I personally haven't had problems w/ the road rage thing ..... but maybe it's because (as you mentioned) WA is a carry state

 

I disagree with you guys. The S2000 is a third (fun) car for my wife and I. I drive Nissan Maxima daily and do not get near the amount of a**hole interactions that I do in the S2000. While sometimes, I am certainly deserving of a honk or two, I am only counting those times when I have done nothing out of the ordinary and have been bullied, flipped off, honked at, etc.. I receive a lot less leniency from other drivers in the S2000 than I do in either one of our other cars; especially from large SUV

 

Maybe you guys should try not washing your car

 

That's funny coming from some one who does carry...

 

Ray isn't just carrying... he's packin'.

 

What? You guys sure use weird implements to wash your vehicles

 

Since Ray's packin', doesn't this naturally mean Jerry will play "follow-my-role-model" and pack as well?

If this is true, we're all in deep ####.