[SoCalLotusElise06]

I don't think Lotuses are exotic cars. I think they are good pure sports cars for the enthusiasts, but I seriously do NOT see it as some sort of pricey exotic to show off any form of "wealth". Let's face it, they are not even that expensive (all below $100k) -- most of the "average" luxury cars on the street are worth way more than the Lotuses, especially in LA where you see more Bentleys than Hyundais.

Well, I began to feel some "hatred" from people lately. I don't know whether it's the bad economy, but I got yelled at twice in one week. I was driving very normally, so I know it's not due to my driving, but the car.

Last Tuesday, I was driving around in Culver City, and one guy driving next to me in a Camry yelled "people like you ______ me!" (I quite didnd't understand the blank part, but I don't it was something nice.

Yesterday, as I was driving on EB/I-10 & 110, near downtown LA, a guy in a truck passed by me going, "f**k you!"

What the heck is going on? It never happened to me before. Seriously, both times, there were tons of other cars on the road that are priced 2x+ of my Lotus.


:shrug:

 

[Abe]

Might be the economy :shrug:

 

[Monsi]

anything over 30k is an extravagance only affordable by the super rich(and people who know how to manage money) so if your car looks like 100K+ some people are gonna freak out :|

 

[BobaFettm]

I live in Michigan... Not only Michigan but the Flint / Metro Detroit area. When I owned a 350Z I had objects thrown at me striking my window. Hand Gestures. Random yelling...

I got the Lotus expecting the same.

I've received the nicest comments I could imagine. From everyone. Even the diehard domestic owners. I even got a "HEY! That have a Lotus building up in Ann Arbor!"... Not till last week when stopped at a light did I get my first "BUY A REAL CAR!" comment ever in the Lotus.

I'm just surprised I haven't received more hateful rhetoric being in the most ignorant anti-ANYTHING but GM/Ford/Dodge state in the USA... Hell you will get rocks thrown at you for driving a Ford / Dodge in Flint.

But the Lotus has been zero trouble for me which makes me smile twice as hard when I get in it!

 

[Stormy320]

There are people in power who are feeding the fire that no one should be entitled to more than you. They are attempting to percolate this message into America.

You may want to figure out where you stand on the scale before your government does and it's too late.

 

[sleepe]

some guy tried to spit on my Elise while I was driving:sheep:

 

[OnezerO]

Sorry to hear that. Let it roll off.

These things are more about the person shouting at you than anything else.

I just went over 2,000 miles. I have gotten more thumbs up than dumb comments and I hope you have too.

I had a great drive last Friday from North County to Point Loma with a buddy. After the second time we were honked at and given thumbs up my friend said that he thought the car made people happy.

It does make me happy. If it annoys someone else then it's their problem.

 

[Blue10]

With the domestic car industry in the state it's in with Chrysler and General Motors teetering on the verge of bankruptcy, it creates a stigma towards foreign cars. The thing is... the Elise is full of GM and Ford parts. Just about everything in the steering column (indicator/wiper stalks, key barrel) has Delphi/GM stamped on them, the hazard light switch has a ford stamp on it, and that's just what I've seen in my tinkering. There's also that Tesla wannabe Dodge electric car that uses a Lotus chassis. Any attempts to explain this to these ignorant bastards is dismissed.

*steps down off the soap box*

Sorry guys, touchy subject.

<----also from the Detroit area. *sigh*

 

[ChrisH]

I think of it this way.

At least 25% of the population are idiots, jerks, a****es, haters, etc. So, if you think of all the reactions you get to your Lotus, I bet far less than 25% are negative. In my view, that is very positive statistic for the reaction to this car.

 

[SKYVUE]

I think it depends on your locale. Culver City is not a higher level of living. If people lost their jobs, lost their homes, they get frustrated and angry. Then drives up a Lotus that screams "Success and Rich", I can understand how they feel. Be careful, they could KEEL YOU!

I live in Thouand Oaks/Westlake where Elises, Ferraris, Lambos and Bentleys are common:evil: and not looked at like in Culver City.


Be careful out there. There are a LOT of BAD PEOPLE!!!!
-poke-
--Hal

 

[Spudboy]

There are people in power who are feeding the fire that no one should be entitled to more than you. They are attempting to percolate this message into America.

You may want to figure out where you stand on the scale before your government does and it's too late.

Give it rest man, does this stuff have to come in every post you make?? :thwack:

 

[kaz]

WEIRD

I work in Culver City, well...near all those design agencies and post production houses, Nike Id Lab, etc. It's a place split in two, open minded progressive companies like ad firms, architecture firms, then the neighborhoods that surround all the studio lots and stuff. I've never had an issue there and I see M6's and all sorts of cars all the time. Strange that you had a bad encounter there twice - chin up, life is great you are behind the wheel of an awesome happy-giving machine

 

[mopho]

I think it depends on your locale. Culver City is not a higher level of living. If people lost their jobs, lost their homes, they get frustrated and angry. Then drives up a Lotus that screams "Success and Rich", I can understand how they feel. Be careful, they could KEEL YOU!

I live in Thouand Oaks/Westlake where Elises, Ferraris, Lambos and Bentleys are common:evil: and not looked at like in Culver City.


Be careful out there. There are a LOT of BAD PEOPLE!!!!
-poke-
--Hal

Wow, could you be any more a snob Hal?

I live in Culver City, you don't know what you are talking about :thwack:

My neighbor has a Ford GT and a Porsche GT3, he sold his Lotus because it wasn't up to his standards.

There is always Ferrari's and Lambo's etc in town, the downtown is a hot spot for restaurants that attract celebrities
CC is way cooler than TO

And hate to break it to you, but your "friends" there in Thouand Oaks/Westlake look down on you because you only own a POS Lotus, but they are too afraid to say anything to you because they think you might be from Culver City rotfl

 

[SoCalLotusElise06]

Wow, could you be any more a snob Hal? ...

+1

I'm sorry but I have to agree with Mopho. I thought that was a very snobby comment by Hal -- I think you've only been to the bad part of Culver City...

But let's not make it a 310 vs. 805 war.

 

[SKYVUE]

Wow, could you be any more a snob Hal?

I live in Culver City, you don't know what you are talking about :thwack:

My neighbor has a Ford GT and a Porsche GT3, he sold his Lotus because it wasn't up to his standards.

There is always Ferrari's and Lambo's etc in town, the downtown is a hot spot for restaurants that attract celebrities
CC is way cooler than TO

And hate to break it to you, but your "friends" there in Thouand Oaks/Westlake look down on you because you only own a POS Lotus, but they are too afraid to say anything to you because they think you might be from Culver City rotfl

Sorry Morgan, You're right...I don't know Culver City.
I used to live in West LA from apartment dwellings. I have dated a woman from Palms 5 years ago. It is a nice town.

so...sorry I got you upset. I should have used a different city for an analogy.
Westlake ain't no Beverly Hills anyway.

I feel stupid to post that. I'll crawl back in my cave and die.:sad:

 

[mopho]

BTW Patrick, that was me that yelled at you, sorry .
You see, I had some Culver City angst since I am in a lower level of living and the govt is feeding the fire by telling me that I am entitled to more than you, so I was just pissed off that you had a car almost as nice as mine and needed to vent

 

[mopho]

Sorry Morgan, You're right...I don't know Culver City.
I used to live in West LA from apartment dwellings. I have dated a woman from Palms 5 years ago. It is a nice town.

so...sorry I got you upset. I should have used a different city for an analogy.
Westlake ain't no Beverly Hills anyway.

I feel stupid to post that. I'll crawl back in my cave and die.:sad:

Don't worry Hal, I'm just gonna KEEL YOU!


Seriously, Culver City has changed a tremendously in the past 10 or so years.

 

[SoCalLotusElise06]

BTW Patrick, that was me that yelled at you, sorry .
You see, I had some Culver City angst since I am in a lower level of living and the govt is feeding the fire by telling me that I am entitled to more than you, so I was just pissed off that you had a car almost as nice as mine and needed to vent

LOL!

 

[SKYVUE]

BTW Patrick, that was me that yelled at you, sorry .
You see, I had some Culver City angst since I am in a lower level of living and the govt is feeding the fire by telling me that I am entitled to more than you, so I was just pissed off that you had a car almost as nice as mine and needed to vent

Alright, don't rub it in.
I was a jerk and I'm really sorry.

I picked on the wrong city, or bad analogy

I was trying to point out, nah, no matter I say I'll stick my foot in my mouth again.

What was I saying anyway?

 

[mopho]

I was just teasing you Hal



Patrick you need to go to the Royal-T maid cafe in CC