Weird encounter in a Kroger parking lot (tires)
 

Walking out of a Kroger (a grocery-store chain around here) with my cart, I see this person bent over looking at my rear-driver quarter-panel. I'm like, "oh ****, this person is looking to see if they'd done damage". As I'm approaching (still far away), he circles around and appears to be inspecting the opposite side in the same place. As I walk, he also sort of semi-glances at the front quarters.

When I walk up, he jumps up surprised. This is a grey-haired guy (50s, probably), semi-unkempt hair, well-dressed. The conversation was really awkward because he was in "caught acting strange" mode and I was in "what the **** has this person done to my car?" mode.

He tells me my Pilot Sports just came out (apparently my recently acquired tires are the latest edition). Following is this really awkward exchange where I am loading groceries etc. and we are making small-talk as he retreats.

Are people really that enthusiastic about the latest version of tires? I'm a software developer, so I could understand (I follow small details about advancements in computer hardware and software)... but.. are the latest Pilot Sports that interesting? The dude left in a black Merc coupe that did not look like a poor-person model (but was too far away to see if it was at least an AMG), probably cost 2x a brand-new 370 for the base model, and he said "that's a nice looking CAR" at least 3 times as he walked away from me.

Weirdest encounter so far.

And yet, after the whole thing I wish I had stopped the guy and talked to him about it. It was so ******* shocking though. This is the first car I've owned where people just suddenly interact with you.

The Pilot Super Sports do that to people.

Michelin tires are like viagra for the BMW/Mercedes guys....

Blame Kroger's. Any store that turned a pronoun into a verb ("let's go Krogering") inspires this kind of odd behavior.

This type of behavior NEVER happens at Wegmans!

Seriously, I don't get why the guy was nervous. I'd have not problem admitting I was admiring the tires, rims, exhaust, or girlfriend of another car guy. ;-)

I don't know about that. I was Wegmanning the other day and a perverted deviant was caressing my Michelins. Then the store manager told me to leave or he'd call the cops.

Yeah, but the whole thing.. yeah, those tires were (relatively) expensive to me, but this guy gets into a Merc that I couldn't really afford. I feel like maybe I've not recognized an Andretti or something. Who would give a **** about the latest edition of pilot sports enough to inspect them at a grocery store parking lot?

:icon18: indeed. I too would be checking out tires if they looked good and are of reputable make and model.. :p

:icon18::bowrofl:

I had a guy checking out my tires in front of a Quiznos and it kind of freaked me out. Turns out he worked for a mobile tire installer and was drumming up business.

lol i do the same with tire i used to build them at michelin so ya they are that exciting to some people.

Pilot Sports are to regular tires what Miata doors are to regular (destructable) doors.

I was hitting balls at the local driving range and spotted a guy doing the 360 round 'n round on my Z in the parking lot. He was getting kinda close and familiar, so I walk over with my 3 iron.
''Oh wow, this is absolutely gorgeous!'' he says. He goes on and on, drooling, and asking me all about it. Then he pulls out his keys and walks over to his Merc CL63 AMG.

WTF!

He has taste. The Merc is a great car but in the looks department, it's only so-so. In the styling department, the Z is quite the over-achiever. :D

YouTube - ‪Whole Foods Parking Lot - Music Video [HD]‬‏


Something weird goes on in those types of food stores. Im not sure how I would have handled that situation.

Yes. Many of us who understand that those four contact patches are the only thing separating us from life and death as we go around curves at "brisk" speeds aren't just enthusiastic, we're downright obsessive. I have a tendency to fondle my tires every time I wash my car.