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How to drive a supercar and not be hated? Just be nice!
I took the latter option in my time with a 'Papaya Spark' McLaren Special Operations enhanced 12C this weekend. Demonstrating, beyond any doubt whatsoever, I was merely the custodian, and not the owner. Whatever, you've no choice about being the centre of attention. May as well enjoy it.
Like hanging out with a cool mate, you drive a supercar in the hope that some of that reflected glory will rub off and your fragile little ego will get a bit of a boost off the back of it. Guess what - it works and I'm not too proud to admit it.
By definition supercars are extraordinary and though we all pay due deference to the design, the heritage, the engineering and the performance we all know that's pretty meaningless out on the public road. And posing is pretty much all you're left with. So why not share in the fun and goofy delight? Meaning answering all the questions, letting kids (or just the childishly excited) sit in the driving seat and make vroom vroom noises, taking pictures of strangers standing in front of 'your' car with their iPhones so they can show their mates and answering questions about every facet of the vehicle. How much, how fast, how thirsty - make sure you swot up on every last fact and stat because people want to know EVERYTHING.
There are two conclusions to all this - first, and I already knew this, much as I'd love to I'm unlikely to be troubling any McLaren dealers any time soon. And, secondly, even if I could I'm not cool enough to carry the look off anyway.
Still, it's been fun. More on the car itself in due course...
Dan
Most for me have been great, loads of attention and loads of questions. But on Saturday on my way to the match with my son in a que of traffic, so no speeding, load music or stupid shades, a taxi pulls up next to me only for some muppet to climb across the back seat of the cab to shout "nob head" out of the taxi window!!!!
Not the nicest thing for your son to hear, but needless to say as I pulled up next to the cab at the next lights, neither the muppet or his mates would open the window again to explain why I was a "nob head"
Other than this muppet always had nothing but great admiration from people and many many people wanting to sit in it.
Next stop, Sporting Bears for 2014
...you're crazy, man
In fact, that picture with all the people milling around? I had that exact scene when I first bought my lowly RX8!
Lots of comments like "How can you afford this?" and "I'd love something like this, but I'd be divorced", rather too me aback as I thought (correctly, I still think) that the RX8 was fairly affordable and mainstream (in a typically quirky Rotary Mazda way, of course).
M
Strange bunch is the human race.
A trip up the M5 and M6 in my yellow Westfield had teenagers hanging out of windows with camera phones and thumbs up from bikers (presumably because I was stuck in traffic wearing a helmet rather than being able to filter so they felt sorry for me!) and every kid in a passing car staring. We'll see if the return journey, where the car will be black, results in the same reaction!
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