I often flow with traffic keeping a low key, and cluck-cluck people who do dumb a-hole driving stunts around me. Phoenix (and SE Phoenix) drivers rarely fail to amuse me.
But once in a while, I get an itch, and to scratch it, I need to drive like an a-hole. Honestly, it can be fun, as long as you do it in limited doses, and take care to not be near Johnny Law when you break free. Last night was one of those occasions. I noticed that my usual path out of work was jammed, so I flipped a bitch, and hightailed it to back streets. Nothing like revving Stewie up, and rowing the gear box. The hard compound street tires (Yokohama S-Drives) have a little give, yet they break free fairly predictably. Make fun for aggressive cornering.
I got my start in aggressive driving tactics a long time ago. After the CX500 got wrecked, my next street bike was a 1979 XL500S. I lost the Titanic-sinking stock muffler, put on a SuperTrapp, and went about terrorizing neighborhoods. That was a fun hooligan bike, and it taught me how to be an a-hole, yet not get caught.
My first 4 wheeled A-hole-ness was in an old RX-7. I think it was an ’83, or maybe older. It was quick, light, handled well, and had OK brakes. It was a lot of fun to cut in and out of traffic in.
Fast forward to now, and I drive probably the most balanced, reasonably prices sports cars around, a 2005 Honda S-2000. Affectionately known as “Stewies”, it is a blast to drive. Now most of the time, I do my sedate 15 mile round trip to the office at the speed limit. But once in a while, I feel the need to air it out. And the car has the pedigree to do it. Redline at 8K RPM, 6 speed transmission (4th gear at redline is just 100 mph), and the vtec hit at 6K RPM when the valve timing changes is fun.
Of course, I am cautious to never cut loose in front of the po-po. And the great thing about the Stewie is that you don;t have to get to supra legal speed to have fun driving it. Taking a 90 degree corner at 45mph, kissing the apex, and drifting back into the lane is just fun, (but a little reckless)
