Aggressive behavior around our Chargers

[D13vyl]

Hi Folks

In the Uk we have our jealous types as well. A guy on the mopar forum had just been to a car show with his great lookin charger. On his way home he parked up outside a fast food establishment. On waiting for his order he noticed a few lads looking at his car, he told them not to touch her (as we all would off course, i probably wouldnt be that patient lol). Instead they decided to throw a brick through his windscreen and assualt him when he confronted them. Now thats jealousy, if it had been a honda i dont think they would have given it a second glance.

Theres one thing if i was in the USA, id defo carry a 6 gauge in the back lol

Rene

[projectanimal]

Will not have our car on the road until Spring, but trailering her home from Maine collected several thumbs up   and lots of smiles!!    
Had a Lexus sports car pull along side and the woman passenger take pictures, I passed them at the tolls (have EZpass) and she took a few more!   the best was seeing a Harley screaming up in the rearview, waiting for the pass.....finally looked to my left and there he was looking at the car with a BIG thumbs up, and then back hard on the gas as he took off in the left lane!    
I can see how it will be tough to avoid the IDIOTS who are looking at the car and messing up traffic or cutting out in front when we have 4 wheel drums, but you'd think with SubLime color they would see you and hear you coming!!      

"you can't teach stupid"    

[ACUDANUT]

Man we need to teach you folks in the UK about guns. Come on over and lets go shooting.

[RECHRGD]

Another incident that I forgot about in the original post..........My wife was sitting in the Charger at a car show several years ago when some kid came walking between cars twirling around a big skateboard.  My wife tells the kid to get away from the cars with the skateboard.  He then walks to the back of our car and proceeds to take a full swing at the rear bumper with the board.  He took off into the adjoining neighborhood.  He was long gone by the time I found out about it and luckily there was no dent in the bumper.  This was in a church parking lot and I've never attended that show since.

[Kern Dog]

Sorry that you've had those experiences. I have had nothing but neutral or positive responses with my car. Living in California, I actually expect to see the weenie greenie types to hassle me, but I have yet to see it.

[last426]

I was sitting at a set of lights.. When a colored man driving a Comcast van stopped dead in traffic (going the other way). He got out, walked over to my door and say "A confederate flag? REALLY? REALLY???". I just looked up and said "You are kidding, WHERE??".

NEVER have I had anyone make what's on my roof into a racial issue.. Anyone that's ever turned on a TV knows what it is...  

Ever had anyone turn your language into a racial issue?  First time for everything I suppose.  Kim

[Mike DC]

Another incident that I forgot about in the original post..........My wife was sitting in the Charger at a car show several years ago when some kid came walking between cars twirling around a big skateboard.  My wife tells the kid to get away from the cars with the skateboard.  He then walks to the back of our car and proceeds to take a full swing at the rear bumper with the board.  He took off into the adjoining neighborhood.  He was long gone by the time I found out about it and luckily there was no dent in the bumper.  This was in a church parking lot and I've never attended that show since.

I think your wife was asking for trouble to say that to the kid in the first place.


It sure must have been aggravating to see the kid whack the car and run.  It would have been fun to catch him and give the Charger a chance to hit the skateboard back.

[1969chargerrtse]

Back when I first got my Charger in 2007 and first took it into town people were having an attitude. Snide remarks etc. I almost started not enjoying it. I had put together the comments and looks and thought hard about what the heck was these people's problem? This is what I came up with and still believe today.
These Chargers were common cars back in the day. I remember seeing many of them in town as a kid.  You could pick one up for 500.00 easy and race around town in it. But now ( 2007 ) they are 40,000.00 plus classics and the average Joe can't afford one, and bottom line is this pissed people off with comments like " yeah so what I had a bunch of those ".
That attitude seems to have disapated but I swear to you when I first hung around town it was uncomfortable. I think today the respect for the car and it's value has finally sunk in and I get thumbs up all day long.  
One other thing that bugged me but finally stopped is, instead of just looking at the car and enjoying the view, people would always look underneath like I was at a show for judging?  Just say " nice car " and call it a day please.

[1969chargerrtse]

Another incident that I forgot about in the original post..........My wife was sitting in the Charger at a car show several years ago when some kid came walking between cars twirling around a big skateboard.  My wife tells the kid to get away from the cars with the skateboard.  He then walks to the back of our car and proceeds to take a full swing at the rear bumper with the board.  He took off into the adjoining neighborhood.  He was long gone by the time I found out about it and luckily there was no dent in the bumper.  This was in a church parking lot and I've never attended that show since.

I think your wife was asking for trouble to say that to the kid in the first place.


It sure must have been aggravating to see the kid whack the car and run.  It would have been fun to catch him and give the Charger a chance to hit the skateboard back.

I agree with the wife and don't think she was looking for trouble.  Many of us would of said the same thing.  The kid was wrong on both counts.

[Plum Crazy 68]

About eleven years ago before the value of these cars skyrocketed I lived in a college town.  Late night party was getting out and I had the Charger parked in front of the house.  I looked out of the window in time to catch a college kid run up the rear end and do a DOH slide off the hood.  I grabbed the keys and fired up the car and proceeded to chase the mass of people down the street making one back peddle into the bushes.  Soon as the bottles started flying I left with a nice burn out.

Fast forward to two weeks ago, I had a guy in a Porsche zoom up behind me and give me a look like he wanted to race.  He didn't say anything and drove off quickly.  I was in the parking lot at the hardware store with my wife. 

[Cooter]

Most of the gearheads round here see a "Buy it now" Ebay ride and have a different attitude towards these type people and cars. Most of the guys I hang around including myself, feel the same way bout "Buy it now" folks. Kinda like you "Ain't paid yer dues" so to speak and are now flaunting your wealth by cruising that "E-bay bettie" right in front of the people that can't afford to "Buy it now", and have the "Instant gratification". I know the group of car guys we got here would find out then, imediately be turned off the minute they found out you "Just bought it off E-Bay"..
Only problem with owning a car like these that you "Bought it now" off E-Pay, is two things:
1. Thinking like this " I think today the respect for the car and it's value has finally sunk in"...May not have been meant this way, but I see alot of arrogance.
And 2. Expecting the average public to think the same way. They don't. only the mindless, driveling idiots that vote at car shows for the color of paint they like, are the ones that do NOT think about Blood, sweat and tears invested, arrogant attitudes about "Numbers cars" and moving your car because a "Less desirable car parked beside yours and is affecting the "Resale value", etc. The "Real "gearheads do....

[stripedelete]

Most of the gearheads round here see a "Buy it now" Ebay ride and have a different attitude towards these type people and cars. Most of the guys I hang around including myself, feel the same way bout "Buy it now" folks. Kinda like you "Ain't paid yer dues" so to speak and are now flaunting your wealth by cruising that "E-bay bettie" right in front of the people that can't afford to "Buy it now", and have the "Instant gratification". I know the group of car guys we got here would find out then, imediately be turned off the minute they found out you "Just bought it off E-Bay"..
Only problem with owning a car like these that you "Bought it now" off E-Pay, is two things:
1. Thinking like this " I think today the respect for the car and it's value has finally sunk in"...May not have been meant this way, but I see alot of arrogance.
And 2. Expecting the average public to think the same way. They don't. only the mindless, driveling idiots that vote at car shows for the color of paint they like, are the ones that do NOT think about Blood, sweat and tears invested, arrogant attitudes about "Numbers cars" and moving your car because a "Less desirable car parked beside yours and is affecting the "Resale value", etc. The "Real "gearheads do....

Help me out with this one.

Are you saying, "Charger owners are viewed as "Buy it now rides" and that's why people exhibit aggressive behavoir towards them"?

[b5blue]

  He is referring to people who buy a car already fixed up or restored, the lucky guys who have enough money to just buy a car completely fixed up and ready to run. So when he says buy it now he means buying a card done. This must be what he means because I've seen rusted out shells of cars with a buy it now price.
  I myself have not experienced aggression around my car and driving, mostly appreciation for what it is or could be, thumbs up and waving, yelling asking me what is under the hood while sporting a big smile. A few times I have had people kind of aggressively follow me, but they always ended up being people wanting to ask me to sell the car. I was a little upset one day when a group of guys followed me home all the way to my driveway. Two guys got out and walked towards me, that put a Ping on my danger radar for just a second. That ended up being some fellows from Canada down for the winter I passed while blowing out a little carbon on the way home. Again they were just trying to approach me about buying the car. I have had a few jerks argue with me shortly when I tell them my car is not for sale, saying things like everything has a price, or you don't know how much money I have. To those kind of guys I usually say something to the effect of what am I going to do sell my car and buy a piece of crap like you drive? 

[Mike DC]

I have had a few jerks argue with me shortly when I tell them my car is not for sale, saying things like everything has a price, or you don't know how much money I have. To those kind of guys I usually say something to the effect of what am I going to do sell my car and buy a piece of crap like you drive?  lol

It's weird how some people seem to think classic cars operate with some kind of "claimer" principle like in dirt track racing.  They act like you are required to hand over your car any time you are offered fair market value for it. 

[1969chargerrtse]

Not agreeing with the " buy it now " thoughts in every case.  I looked for over a year each and every day ( 2007 ) trying to find a nice R/T Charger for under 30k which I thought was crazy money. Finally the one I found came up on eBay as " buy it now ".  I felt if I didn't grab it, I'd never have one as money was flying everywhere do to banks giving it out. Man did I pay my dues.  I borrowed the money and then sold my loving vette to own this car.  I put tons and tons of sweat and work into it ( another 15k ) to get it to this point.  I paid my dues big time with this car and I was a eBay buy it now person.  I just don't understand or agree with the point.

And where is the arrogance here?
" 1. Thinking like this " I think today the respect for the car and it's value has finally sunk in"...May not have been meant this way, but I see alot of arrogance "

These cars were bringing stupid money, the average income person ( me ) could no longer afford them and that wasn't right.  What I was saying was when people started to learn the crazy money a person had to put into one and how loved they still were 40 years later they started to understand this wasn't the 500.00 town beater anymore but a true classic collected by many.

[67440chrg]

The buy it now comment or attitude kink of pisses me off. I have allways liked old Mopars. I had a Charger that I bought with no engine or transmission and fixed as a driver in the 80s until it was stolen. Had lots of back yard dodge trucks I put salvage yard parts on to fix and drove every where. Just because I saved my money for years to buy a good driver does not mean I don't deserve or respect it anymore then someone who has 40,000 to put into a complete restore. I look up to them for their ability and patients. But I had less then 15,000 to spend and save all year every year to upgrade what I can every winter.

[skip68]

I don't care how someone gets their car or the condition it's in as long as they have a car.  The love one has for these cars has nothing to do with the size of one's bank account.     

[FLG]

I think some of you guys might take Cooters "buy it now" thing wrong, i feel its more aimed at the non car people who have cash to blow so they buy a old car to flaunt around it, not the people who have worked hard to afford it and understand/respect your fellow gearhead, i think its mores so the people who had it handed to them. Which well, i dont have a problem if you had your car handed to you, its your attitude that matters. That goes back to what he was saying in terms of some people who buy these turn key cars having a bad attitude, not wanting to park next to the work in progress restoration at the car show because he/she feels their car is "more important" than the next guys, that because they own a 4 spd hemi they cant park next to the plain jane 318 cars. The people who feel the need to have there cars so numbers matching and so perfect that it needs to get trailered to the shows but than have a stuck up attitude, Im not knocking those people who want to restore there car meticulously, thats fine...but dont get pissed off when your parked next to the beat up rust bucket at a show and think your better than them.

Thats what cooter is getting at. The people who havent paid there dues and simply dont understand those who have. Theres those who say "Yes i spent 50k on my restored car, but admire those who work there ass off to restore a car themselves" and theres those who say "I spent 50k on my car, and its better than all of the other crap here....especially that POS one sitting in primer"

[472 R/T SE]

Not the 1st time Cooter's made similar remarks.  Last time he was bad mouthing anybody who didn't do all the work on their ride from the beginning of purchase.

Due to my physical limitations I could take it personal if I thought his opinion mattered.





About 6 or so years ago I took my Charger up to my Doctor's appointment cause Doc wanted to check it out.  On our way out of his office a person sitting & waiting said there was someone out by my car saying they were gonna have it towed.  

When I got out there he asked if I had the title for it handy.  I told him no one carries the title around.  He tells me my car was his buddy's who was never paid the full amount for the car when he sold it years ago, yada, yada.  My Doc says I need to call the cops cause the guy was harassing me.  The guy then says, "Oh yeah, I'll be calling them cause I'm gonna have it towed".  I said the car wasn't going anywhere on a hook.  He then told the hospital security to call the police.

Anyhoots after some exchanged words he said I painted it a different color.  I couldn't believe it, this guy was making a scene over a car he didn't even at least know the VIN of.  I told him no way man, this is an original purple car & that it wasn't even a factory Hemi car.   His head tilted back & he couldn't apologize enough.  His friends car was Hemi Orange.  





After all that I found out the guy had a discussion with the hospital security supervisor.  It seems he was upset that they wouldn't run my tags to find out where I lived.  My wife works @ the hospital & has for almost 20 years.  When she called them they told her to tell me not to bring the car back.  Security said they have to help whoever comes to the hospital, regardless of whether they're low life with ill intentions.

[chargermike]

i had a bitch in a prius in boulder colo. ask me what my mpg was. i told her 6 mpg. and then i asked her what she got and she said 45 mpg. she said my car is a gas guzzler. but i told her that between the two we average around 36 mpg. and i can live with that. then i told her thanks for leaving me the gas. my car needs it. did a burn off and laughed. 

[1969chargerrtse]

' Not the 1st time Cooter's made similar remarks.  Last time he was bad mouthing anybody who didn't do all the work on their ride from the beginning of purchase.

Due to my physical limitations I could take it personal if I thought his opinion mattered. "

Yeah when I saw his name after reading what he wrote, I was thinking Oh this guy again.  There are a few here that are strong with words.

[Brads70]

I too get the usual "kids" wanting to race you... or rather wanting to see you" put her to the mat" I've even had one clown almost run into me on the HWY while trying to take a picture!   But the worst is the cops! I get followed all the time, I don't know if they are just admiring the car or waiting for me to go one mile an hour over the speed limit so they can nail me with something.

[1969chargerrtse]

I too get the usual "kids" wanting to race you... or rather wanting to see you" put her to the mat" I've even had one clown almost run into me on the HWY while trying to take a picture!   But the worst is the cops! I get followed all the time, I don't know if they are just admiring the car or waiting for me to go one mile an hour over the speed limit so they can nail me with something.

I'm gonna say the cops are admiring it for sure. That's been my experience. If they want to write tickets they go after the vette and WRX guys.

[SRT-440]

Tho not a Charger, I was sitting in a AutoZone parking lot with some guys talking about my GN when some dude just walked up and said "your car dripped oil...that's why our planet is in the shape it's in"...now if anyone knows anything about Buick Grand Nationals they tend to drip a little oil sometimes and it doesn't matter if it's got 200 miles on it or a million...they just do. But, I gave the guys a good laugh when I said "oh it's not leaking oil...it's just marking it's territory"...if looks could kill. 

[hotrod98]

I thank god every day for the "buy it nowers"... I buy old mopars, restore them, drive them, enjoy them and then sell them for decent money so that I can go buy more old mopars and restore them. Most people don't have the time, place and/or experience to restore old cars. But I bet most of them would love to if they had the chance.
In fact, two people that have bought cars from me have replied on this very thread. 

I'm just glad they hit the "buy it now" button on a good old American made muscle car instead of a riceburner.

And....when those prius drivers want to discuss fuel mileage, I remind them that my car isn't driven every day of the week like their car is and if they want to sit and figure up who burns more fuel in a years time then pull over and let's do the math.