My neighbor and his cars.

[Jims5543]

I have a neighbor about a block away that seems to be into cars as well. Thats cool and I have wanted to stop off and chat with him but he does something that irks me and I have avoided him because of it.

He drives a souped up Lightning. Every time he sees me in either my Porsche or my RX7 he seems to loose his mind. He will drop a gear or 2 and either do a burn out or hole shot no matter where he is. Like he is trying to either scare me, show me how bad @ss his car is, or just showing off.

His son has a WRX STI and drives like a maniac as well. I used to see him every morning on my way to work and he was usually 2X the speed limit. Not showing off to me or anything he just drives like a maniac all the time.

One morning on the way to work I saw he had rear ended someone on our main road here in town. His car was embeded in the trunk of the car he hit.

So just this afternoon, I took my 3 y/o for a spin in the Porsche, we went to Blockbuster to get some movies and then to the Gourmet market to get some steaks, twice baked potatos and shopping cart wine. They have shopping carts full of wine discounted heavily. I picked up 4 bottles for $4-$5 each and they were all $20+ bottles.

As we are approaching our turn towards home I am shaken by a huge noise. I immediatly knew who and what it was and a glance out of the corner of my eye revealed the Lightning doing a hole shot past me in the other direction.

God forbid I end up in front of them in the subdivision. The speed limit is 25 and I do it, I live there and do not need to piss of the neighborhood in either of my cars that stand out. They will ride my bumper all the way in. They will also keep goosing their gas and lurching at me over and over like a taunt. I will sometimes pull over and just let them blast by or ignore them. Depending on my mood.

He has done this in the subdivision too. I am getting really tempted to stop and tell him I think he is acting like a fool and I am not impressed but moreso discusted by his sophmoric behavior.

Or, do I just let it go and not feed the guy any attention? It only happens once in a blue moon.

[Spede]

I think you should let it go. I personally think that confronting him will make things even worse. Can you complain to the police that there are reckless drivers in the area?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Let it go. Idiots usually get their due. He's obviously jealous - let him stew in it.

[widgeon13]

Sounds to me like speaking to him will only feed his huge stupid ego. I would just let him be and if you're lucky, he might decide to move to a bigger house across town.

If he is into a Lighting, he likes that burn out, straight line speed and tire burning power, that's dangerous if he (a grown up) is doing it in the neighborhood. In my neighborhood it's just the ********* kids and the fathers think it's cool but at least they (parents) drive responsibly.

Give him time and he will hurt himself or someone else, hopefully, it will not be someone you know. If he gets bad enough call the cops.

[BGCarrera32]

Time to contact local law enforcement...request that the officer stop at your house first and talk to you...shake hands with the copper, tell him you hate calling him, but...then run down the list and tell him all about the nonsense that this moron is up to and that his son rear ended another car, etc...if the ding dong with the Lightening isn't put in his place and someone's child in the subdivision or a pedesatrian gets hurt and it wasn't addressed by the Police you will have to pursue it with the city.

The point here is to be a reasonable likeable guy with the cop, keep the conversation to 3-5 minutes tops, but let him know you've had enough and that your complaint is credible. You never know, the cop might run the guys plate and see a pile of tickets and know you're on the level right there.

BG

[Sonic dB]

Drop by his house when you see him outside....say hello...chat a little bit about cars... disarm him with your friendliness and be cool and you will be a better man for it, diffusing your own anger will be good for you.

The world doesnt need another battle, no matter how small.

[widebody911]

Surreptitiously tape him doing something stupid and post the video on YouTube. Eventually the video will find it's way back to him.

[HardDrive]

I think complaints to the police would be the best route. I think they phrase "endangering the neighborhood children" should be included in your complaint.

[Oh Haha]

Hey Jim,
I have/had a similar problem inmy small neighborhood. Some clown that lives a couple streets over always seems to be in a hurry. If he is behind me I just make sure I signal before turning onto our street. He then punches his POS pickup and roars by. Our entire neighborhood is 25 MPH and I do it no matter what vehicle I'm in. Last summer he backed into a neighbor's car. He then claimed it was her fault because she doesn't even live there all of the time so he shouldn't have to be looking as there is USUALLY no cars parked there. RIIIIIIGHT.

The small town police officer didn't really care for his attitude and , from what I understand, issued him a careless driving citation.

Now, this is just about the time I had had enough of stupid driving. I didn't have to do anything. He has been very good since then, BTW.

I vote for calling an officer and just telling him your concerns.

[Dixie]

I second Sonic's idea. What he's really trying to do is let you know he's into cars as well. Strike up a friendly conversation. I bet the hole-shots stop. And if not, then you can approach him as a friend, and not “the jerk neighbor”.

[Moses]

I drive fast, too. I'll smoke the tires when I'm in the mood but never around other cars and I never, ever speed in a residential area. I have talked to two of my neighbors about excessive speed in our neighborhood where kids are frequently playing. I was polite and respectful and in both cases there were no harsh words or ill feelings.

[Oh Haha]

I'm going to change my suggestion. If YOU think he is approachable, have a chat with him about your cars. Maybe give him a ride. He might just need another car guy to talk with. Once friendly, maybe make a suggestion that he calms down a bit because of the kids.

The guy in my story, I've been told, is not the most friendly person to confront. He has been kind of a dic@ since he got his license.

[SlowToady]

It's interesting how everyone complains about the goubmint getting involved in every detail of our lives, and then the proposed solutions to all of life's problems is...to call the gubmint (POLICE).

Just go talk to him straight up, like just neighbors would have done 20 years ago. Slip it into conversation how you don't appreciate the "stunts" he pulls.

He probably digs your cars and is wanting you to go talk to him about them, hence the "I"m a car guy, too!" hole shots.

I, too, had a neighbor that would always speed through the neighbor hood and the dead end street by my house, along with his punk friends. One day, my brother did a smokey in OUR driveway on his GSXR. Well, the kids mom called the police. We were MORE than a little pissed, since we never confronted them over their kids dangerous driving habits, and they called the police on us for something we did in our driveway. I waited until the kid got home, and my brother and I had a nice, friendly chat with him about cars and motorcycles, and how we didn't care for his driving habits in the neighborhood and that...someday...heaven forbid, something bad could happen. Hit a small child, or dog, you know.

He stopped. And told all his friends to cut the bull****, too.

[Joeaksa]

Some guys just never grow up... and he is the poster child.

[gaijindabe]

Originally posted by Sonic dB
Drop by his house when you see him outside....say hello...chat a little bit about cars... disarm him with your friendliness and be cool and you will be a better man for it, diffusing your own anger will be good for you.

I agree, you should talk with this guy. If I can make friends with bikers and chop-shop operators in Brooklyn, this should be easy!

Sounds like he normally pulls this nonsence when he sees you? Talk with him and tell him your tales of woe of how you are taking it easy after your licence was suspended for street racing. "Dont let the fuzz see you with me Man, I am trouble.."

[DonDavis]

Hey Jim,
He's a car guy. I also say you could stop in and speak to him about cars.

I would not call the police before trying to speak to him about it.

In the end, you know the situation much better than us so it's your call.

[Moneyguy1]

Too much government intervention. Walk down to his house with a handgun and shoot him. Problem solved. Don't let your right to quiet enjoyment be legislated out of existence!!

Government......love it or hate it, it's here to stay!!

Doncha just love logical solutions to ticklish problems?

[m21sniper]

I would try some simple conversation first. And i stress that there are myriad other options than calling the cops or executing a neighbor.

In this case the guy is obviously testosterone driven, so a friendly stop by in the driveway to "Admire" his cars and get to know him will probably get him to stop "showing off" to the porsche guy.

That's how i'd handle it. If that didn't work, then i'd shoot him. (winking at moneyguy )

[Moneyguy1]

Occam's razor...the simplest approach is usually the best.

[island_dude]

People who do this drive me crazy. my neighbors don't have anything decent, but they are always roaring down the road one direction or the other. There are young kids living all up and down the road. Sometimes I think the best thing is to point out that one of these days they are going to take out their retarded kids and do the neighborhood a favor. Sadly, it would probably end up being the normal decent kids. They are all over the religious right stuff, but I guess it doesn't extend to looking out others.
I tried talking to them a few times. without getting my back up or anything. it just doesn't register. When they are driving, it is their God given right to get from one end of the street to the other in the shortest amount of time. Some people are just different behind the wheel of a car.

This guy you are dealing with sounds much worse. He is still living out his teen age years and its amazing that he still has license. I doubt you guys could have much of a conversation I really doubt that the dude really understands that magnitude of what he is up to.