Any Horror Stories Regarding Jealous Scum?
Discussion
Hi, I was just searching Autotrader and dreaming about owning a Ferrari. I was reading people's reviews on their Ferrari and was surprised that there was a few reviews that all said one bad point of Ferrari(any exotica I would imagine) ownership is the grief off jealous scum. Does this happen alot? What are your experiences?
WEHGuy said:
Hi, I was just searching Autotrader and dreaming about owning a Ferrari. I was reading people's reviews on their Ferrari and was surprised that there was a few reviews that all said one bad point of Ferrari(any exotica I would imagine) ownership is the grief off jealous scum. Does this happen alot? What are your experiences?
some issues with andrewd, otherwise ok thanksI have had some negative experiences driving in the UK, or more particularly NOT driving but broken down on the hard shoulder. But it was not really upsetting, just some idiots shouting and whooping and such.
By and large my experiences have been very positive, and it is absolutely not a reason NOT to buy a Ferrari. When I owned the 550 for 3 days I drove from Amsterdam to the Festival of Speed and I got caught in a string of Clios driving spiritedly. We parked at FoS together and the guys were fantastically enthousiastic. These are the experiences you remember more.
Onno
By and large my experiences have been very positive, and it is absolutely not a reason NOT to buy a Ferrari. When I owned the 550 for 3 days I drove from Amsterdam to the Festival of Speed and I got caught in a string of Clios driving spiritedly. We parked at FoS together and the guys were fantastically enthousiastic. These are the experiences you remember more.
Onno
New to Ferrari ownership, first day driving I was followed by a spirited driver filming on his IPHONE at 80mph 10 foot behind on the M1 -I think this is the worst it gets really putting himself and me in danger -But you do have the power to pull away though 
A lot of people look, taking some getting use to..
A lot of people look, taking some getting use to..
OK, mine isn't as shouty as a red Ferrari, but it makes a silly loud noise.
Worst I've ever had in seven years was a promising young footballer shout "Tell your dad he's got a nice car!" in a supermarket car park.
Other than that, no trouble, and I regularly leave it with the roof down.
Worst I've ever had in seven years was a promising young footballer shout "Tell your dad he's got a nice car!" in a supermarket car park.
Other than that, no trouble, and I regularly leave it with the roof down.
ZOLLAR said:
70proof said:
there was a coupe vs spyder thread recently and someone mentioned being spat on from mr white van man as a good reason not to buy a spyder!!
That is vile, (the spitting that is not the spyder bit 
).I was only in an M3 (this was when the E46 was new - so 10 years ago or so).
DayTrader said:
ZOLLAR said:
70proof said:
there was a coupe vs spyder thread recently and someone mentioned being spat on from mr white van man as a good reason not to buy a spyder!!
That is vile, (the spitting that is not the spyder bit ).I was only in an M3 (this was when the E46 was new - so 10 years ago or so).
As mentioned above, the one where they driver stupidly close to your rear bumper, and then look for the first opertunity to overtake you! Usually not a safe one at that!
I tend to slow down as soon as these goons latch themselves onto me! I'll also slow down more to help them overtake me more safely, then once they're infront they'll tend to boot it to show me what their car can do.... usually that puts plenty of distance between the cars and I dont have to worry about them any more!
I tend to slow down as soon as these goons latch themselves onto me! I'll also slow down more to help them overtake me more safely, then once they're infront they'll tend to boot it to show me what their car can do.... usually that puts plenty of distance between the cars and I dont have to worry about them any more!
I'd say that any out of the ordinary or what other people would consider "flash" is going to attract some unwanted attention but I wouldn't let the lowest common denominator stop you from buying something that you want.
I've had people shouting abuse while I've been driving my Esprit to people throwing things out of their car windows when they've been in front of me in my old E46 M3 convertible. It seems a mentality in some that if you have something that these people would want the jealousy thing kicks in and they try and prove some kind of point.
The lows are far out weighed by the highs in ownership of such cars, so don't give up on that dream of Ferrari ownership.
I've had people shouting abuse while I've been driving my Esprit to people throwing things out of their car windows when they've been in front of me in my old E46 M3 convertible. It seems a mentality in some that if you have something that these people would want the jealousy thing kicks in and they try and prove some kind of point.
The lows are far out weighed by the highs in ownership of such cars, so don't give up on that dream of Ferrari ownership.
Is it a UK thing though, the irrational need to attack those with better cars etc? If I'm ever out and about and see an aspirational car, I'll always feel a pang of jealousy, but never anger towards the owner. Bottom line is, that person is wealthier and more successful than me (unless the car's a birthday hire gift etc!), so I'd treat a supercar sighting as an incentive to - in my case - make more of an effort trying to get my novel published! Otherwise I'm never going to get a 458 Spider on civil service wages! (Anybody on here work in the publishing industry...?! 
)
More seriously, I remember reading somewhere once about the essential difference between the US and UK in terms of how we view 'the rich'. Imagine a stereotypical 'mansion on the hill' - the UK man would want to burn it down, while the American would look at it, then try harder to get one for himself. (Horrible generalisation, I know1) If jealously becomes an incentive to try harder, then I think that's OK. But if it tips over into anger or mindless vandalism against someone you don't know, then that's just wrong, full stop. I go as far as complimenting people on their cars, but that's all - sometimes they're gracious, sometimes they can be a**holes or superior, but I'd never damage anyone's property.
)More seriously, I remember reading somewhere once about the essential difference between the US and UK in terms of how we view 'the rich'. Imagine a stereotypical 'mansion on the hill' - the UK man would want to burn it down, while the American would look at it, then try harder to get one for himself. (Horrible generalisation, I know1) If jealously becomes an incentive to try harder, then I think that's OK. But if it tips over into anger or mindless vandalism against someone you don't know, then that's just wrong, full stop. I go as far as complimenting people on their cars, but that's all - sometimes they're gracious, sometimes they can be a**holes or superior, but I'd never damage anyone's property.
Jonty355 said:
As mentioned above, the one where they driver stupidly close to your rear bumper, and then look for the first opertunity to overtake you! Usually not a safe one at that!
I tend to slow down as soon as these goons latch themselves onto me! I'll also slow down more to help them overtake me more safely, then once they're infront they'll tend to boot it to show me what their car can do.... usually that puts plenty of distance between the cars and I dont have to worry about them any more!
by far the most common negative.I tend to slow down as soon as these goons latch themselves onto me! I'll also slow down more to help them overtake me more safely, then once they're infront they'll tend to boot it to show me what their car can do.... usually that puts plenty of distance between the cars and I dont have to worry about them any more!
Best place I've found is France..... Nothing but people giving you thumbs up, stopping in the middle of the road and saying how amazing the car is, warning you of Rozzers up the road and the most unusual one, asking you to rev your engine!
Had an S1 Elise a few years back when they were still relativelty rare (or at least not as common as they are now). Hardly a week wouldn't go by when someone would ask me at a set of traffic lights to rev the engine !! Didnt have the heart to torture a 1.8 K series engine at 6000rpm so had to politely decline.
I agree though, if I was in the position to own such a car, the last thing I would let cloud my decision would be the reactions of some knuckle dragging baghead.
I agree though, if I was in the position to own such a car, the last thing I would let cloud my decision would be the reactions of some knuckle dragging baghead.
Had someone give me the w****r salute as I drove past a pub a few years go.
More recently, someone threw something at my car in Enfield High Road during the day. Missed me by inches (window was open) and fortunately no damage to the car. Main reason why I wouldn't have a convertible Ferrari/Lambo/Porsche in London.
Someone also put a long scratch on my bonnet at an event, but I think that was more accidental than malicious.
Hoover, 99% of my experience with the public whilst in the car has been overwhelmingly positive.
To be honest, I get more abuse from people on forums. Now that is a dangerous place to be!!!
More recently, someone threw something at my car in Enfield High Road during the day. Missed me by inches (window was open) and fortunately no damage to the car. Main reason why I wouldn't have a convertible Ferrari/Lambo/Porsche in London.
Someone also put a long scratch on my bonnet at an event, but I think that was more accidental than malicious.
Hoover, 99% of my experience with the public whilst in the car has been overwhelmingly positive.
To be honest, I get more abuse from people on forums. Now that is a dangerous place to be!!!
Blame UK culture to be honest.
The general populace just want to be famous and successful so when they inevitably flounder around in their middling careers because they weren't prepared to put sufficient effort either academically or at work and they see someone who has put in the effort the natural reaction is to begrudge their success.
Imo you can put a lot of blame on reality TV too, people with little or not innate ability or talent making a fortune from just being on television. Likewise footballers getting paid millions "just for kicking a ball around". I'd wager this fosters a strong belief of "there but for the grace of God, go I" - i.e. people believing that the only difference between someone with a Ferrari and them is luck, etc.
Noone wants to put the effort in nowadays, it's just easier to hate those that have.
The general populace just want to be famous and successful so when they inevitably flounder around in their middling careers because they weren't prepared to put sufficient effort either academically or at work and they see someone who has put in the effort the natural reaction is to begrudge their success.
Imo you can put a lot of blame on reality TV too, people with little or not innate ability or talent making a fortune from just being on television. Likewise footballers getting paid millions "just for kicking a ball around". I'd wager this fosters a strong belief of "there but for the grace of God, go I" - i.e. people believing that the only difference between someone with a Ferrari and them is luck, etc.
Noone wants to put the effort in nowadays, it's just easier to hate those that have.
Jonty355 said:
As mentioned above, the one where they driver stupidly close to your rear bumper, and then look for the first opertunity to overtake you! Usually not a safe one at that!
I tend to slow down as soon as these goons latch themselves onto me! I'll also slow down more to help them overtake me more safely, then once they're infront they'll tend to boot it to show me what their car can do.... usually that puts plenty of distance between the cars and I dont have to worry about them any more!
I had that only the other day, young chap with his mates in the back pulls up next to me at the lights in a Corsa VXR, proceeds to max it off the line, almost hitting the kerb on the exit of the roundabout in a bid to beat me to the point 50 yds later where the road narrowed back from 2 lanes to 1. All his mates cheering and looking as if they'd just won the British GP. I tend to slow down as soon as these goons latch themselves onto me! I'll also slow down more to help them overtake me more safely, then once they're infront they'll tend to boot it to show me what their car can do.... usually that puts plenty of distance between the cars and I dont have to worry about them any more!
Quite why they feel they have something to prove I don't know, I just sat back and relaxed safe in the knowledge my car would blow them into the weeds should I have decided I wanted to be a part of their little race.
The only other annoyance is breaking down in anything remotely flash. People for some reason feel they need to whoop, honk, shout abuse, go past and turn around to ensure they do it a second time etc. Comments such as w
ker (but probably true), Haha, living the dream now aren't you mate etc. Gassing Station | Supercar General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff