Re: I\'m never taking my viper to a resturant again!!! Some a** spit on it!
Very sorry to hear of your incident. No doubt I would have been just as upset, but I would also shrug it off and move on. Realize that there will ALWAYS be folks out there that can't appreciate some of these things or the work it took many of us to acquire them. He (or she) probably felt that spitting on your car made you more equal to him or her. Unfortunately, they don't realize that they have not improved their lot in life, they have just dug themselves in a little deeper. After all, I would gladly take a Viper with a fresh coat of spit over a rusted out 1972 Ford F-100 any day...
As to the aggravation and worry about not being able to take it anywhere, don't let it bother you. Those people that choose to "hide" their cars (don't drive 'em) face the same risk as anybody else. Lets face it, NOTHING is predictable besides the Chicago Cubs and their World Series chances (yes, I am a Cubs fan). I have put almost 15,000 INCREDIBLE miles on my Viper, yet my very first trip home with it was one of my worst encounters with an idiot. We were literally a few blocks from my house and this guy took his jacked up off-road Suburban and rode within a few feet off my bumper at 45 mph. He kept revving his engine and coming within inches of hitting me. I was trapped with cars on every side and a curbed median on my left. My wife pulled up next to him (she had followed me home from Detroit where we picked it up at CAAP) and honked her horn. He turned to her and flipped she and my young son the bird. Ironically, we saw this SAME guy on the SAME street doing the SAME thing to an old couple in a Mercedes a few months later (this time we got his plate number). Since that time, I have had very few bad encounters and 99.9% GREAT encounters. The point is that you can never predict when something might happen and to live in fear instead of enjoying your car is rather pointless, at least to me.
That said, I will tell you how I drive and park my car without a whole lot of worry:
#1 - Always remember it is a CAR and nothing more. Oh sure, you know I think it is the greatest car ever made, but you have to put it into perspective. It is a thing which can be fixed if it is broken or vandalized. It can be cleaned if it gets spit on. Think of the good fortune you have had to own such a car. There are many that don't share that good fortune, including your friend with the excess saliva. People react in different ways, so embrace them, endure them, and move on.
#2 (This will sound like my mom) - Show others the same respect that you want to be shown to you. When I go anywhere, be it the track, car show, drag strip, or just the local gas station, I usually walk away from my car as soon as it is parked and settled. I walk over to look at other people's cars and compliment them. Never forget that these people take just as much pride in their ride as you do in yours. Just because somebody owns a 1986 CRX in primer doesn't mean you can't compliment him on his engine work that he has obviously worked hard to do. They are no better or worse than you. Every time I race somebody at the drag strip, I always go and chat with them, win, lose, or draw. I always find something to compliment them on with their car, because I know they appreciate it as much as I do. I went to the gas station the other day and there was a nice, but slightly rough 1969 Vette getting fuel. He didn't see what I pulled up in (the GTS) and I didn't make a show of it. I went over and talked about what a great car he had and how much I liked that body style. We chatted for a while and he was obviously happy with the compliments. When he was leaving he saw what I was driving. He immediately stopped and said, "Wow! A REAL car guy!" Who knows, he may have been a spitter otherwise.
#3 - Park in the least desirable area of the parking lot, but preferably where the car can be seen. As a slightly chubby fellow myself, I am not crazy about the long walks. However, I know that my car is probably safe because nobody else will want to park there anyway. Take up two spots in a "prime" area, and all bets are off. Park in a handicapped spot but you are not handicapped (seen this before), and you deserve whatever happens. Show them you are willing to compromise a bit to keep your car safe. Most people appreciate it. By having it within eyesight (even if they aren't your eyes), it will discourage people from messing with your car if they can be seen doing it.
#4 - SMILE! When you drive a Viper you will have many people looking at you and judging you upon first impressions. Chances are pretty good you are enjoying your car, so don't be afraid to show it. It is very easy to look at someone driving an exotic and think one of two things: "Gee, that guy (or gal) must have a blast with that car!" or, upon seeing your frown and nose in the air, "Gee, that guy (or gal) sure is a snot - what a waste."
Whew! Didn't mean to get off on a rant here, but I really hope that everyone can enjoy their cars as much as I do with mine. I keep a small bottle of Zaino and a cloth by the spare tire just in case. The car WILL get handprints, the car WILL get some small scratches, and the car just might even get a bird or people dropping. That's life. Clean it up, remind yourself just how lucky you really are to begin with, and move on. You will find yourself enjoying life (and your car) much, much more.
This is Daddy Chris, signing off.
