This Is Why I Drive Sportscars
 

I have commented before that I drive like a fighter pilot. Not aggressively, but with that type of defensive mindset. Always scanning all directions looking for "threats" like dumb-a** drivers, people texting, debris in the road, overloaded trucks likely to drop a mattress or old washing machine in front of me, etc. I keep my distance from other cars and drivers, especially those exhibiting douchebag behavior or inattentiveness. I take driving seriously and have only had 1 accident in 42 years and it was not my fault. I have always owned performance cars as I like the manuverability, agility, good brakes, power when needed, and other characteristics that a fighter plane possesses. (except the crappy rear and side visibility that the Z has)
So yesterday I'm on a highway with 3 lanes in each direction, doing about 60 in a 55 zone. I'm in the left lane. The guy driving a truck in the center lane about 50 yards ahead of me runs over a hubcap in the road and launches it backwards. I see this hubcap coming directly back at me, Frisbee-like and at about 3 feet off the ground. I have good reflexes still and made a swerve to the left to avoid it but I was closing fast on a line of cars backed up in a left turn lane. It was like threading a needle to avoid sideswiping the stopped cars on the left and dodging the aluminum Frisbee that thought it had my Z's name on it. But, I successfully avoided the UFO that was closing on me at about 80 MPH.
My thoughts were that if I had been driving a "pig on stilts" like the ubiquitous SUV's and tried that move, I probably would have turned turtle and caused a multi-vehicle pile up. My stomach jumped a bit, but I smiled thinking about my subconscious driving habits and the taut handling of the Z when I needed it.

That is wild! Glad you are okay and you didnt hit the cap. HaHA THE UFO! :) Gotta love nimble steering of a Z.

Wow that sounded exciting...way to go!

What? No pictures?

:worthless:

Good job. That's why I drive sports cars too.

:icon18::tup::p

Lol! He's dodging UFOs and threading needles and you guys want pics?! Lol!!
Then: WOW!

My pig on stilts:
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/30/tehazyhy.jpg

My non-stilted car:
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/30/ta3uzute.jpg

My pet caterpillar:
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/30/y7egube8.jpg

They all have their charm.

:bowrofl:

H2O sweet color! you need spacers!

That's real talk. Sports cars in the right hands are the safest cars on the road.

^^^^ :yum: red!

When I first laid eyes on my red Z I said oh hell no! I want Gray well they didn't have that in manual so I took what they had and now I love it x's 10000000 esp on CV3!

If this happens to me in the Z...I do what you do and gtfo of the way.

If I'm in my DD pick up truck then I hit it like a boss. It's supposed to be built like a rock...hopefully that's not false advertising.

You sound very much like me---another mature guy with the "wisdom of the years!"

When I had my '08 350z for about 2 weeks I had a truck dump about 15 wood skids across both lanes about 50 yards in front of me. After I didn't feel anything wet/squishy in my pants, my focus shifted to dodging the stuff in the road lol. Now I always look at everyone around me and especially way up ahead of me.

Before I had the vehicles I posted above, I had this until I met with a motorist running a red light. This rolled where another car wouldn't have (especially not a Z):
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/30/abusu2e4.jpg

Made me a more cautious driven; right of way ain't no guarantee.

Ouch man! I drive a '99 Chevy Silverado on crappy days. I can't believe what people pull in a normal days drive to work. I have to think to myself, they have a death wish and this rolling metal that can't stop fast has their name written all over it.

I 100% understand you. Just a week ago, I'm driving on the highway doing about 60-65mph on a 55mph zone. Just going with traffic. On the right lane blasting music enjoying the ride. Out of no where I see a hubcap flying at me. The maneuver I pulled made me feel like if I was on Fast & Furious. I put the blinkers on quick and went left than right than left again. 3 of them sh!ts came at me. . . After the adrenaline rush, cars were passing by me giving me the thumbs up. When I parked the car and walked out of it. I felt like I was moving in a slow motion hot scene on the movies though lol.

:tup: true dat.

Bad storms in tulsa last night with strong gusts... 40 or 50? i had an orange barrel instantly blow sideways into my lane at 60 mph at about half the distance you would follow a car on a DRY day.

I knew traffic around me was non existant. twitched around that sucker in milliseconds, car never lost composure.... I bet the stability system was involved too.... but I was quite impressed.

That 4runner trail is so sexy :yum:

But did the cars behind you blow up in a fiery rage after the hub caps hit them? That would have been sweet. :rock:

Awesome OP. Your story was actually better than Iron Man 3.

No sarcasm.

wow, I'd be too chicken to make any fast maneuver with Z's huge blind spots.

You need to adjust your mirrors...lol.

I own sports cars cause I enjoy them. 49 here

:tup: :hello: 51 (omg)

Part of defensive driving is constant situational awareness. My eyes are constantly scanning all 3 mirrors so I usually have a good idea who is beside and behind me. Situational awareness is another reason that I did not want Navigation in my car and even though my phone is Bluetooth linked, when I get a call the response is usually "I'm in my car, I'll call ya back when I can". I do not like distractions while driving. The jokers who have a bunch of feathers and beads and crap hanging from their rear view mirrors and stuffed animals on their rear decks and a 32 oz. Big Gulp in their cup holders who think their cockpit is their living room are the drivers that I avoid.