[QUOTE=ThatPreludeGuy,Mar 22 2008, 09:37 AM] I deal with people like you in a very controlled way, I patiently wait to get in front of you down the road then proceed to drive as slow as humaly possible while you get infuriated behind me.

 

My personality is like this: "I'm curteous to those that are curteous to me... but I don't let people get ahead at my expense." That's my personality on the road, that's my personality at work, and that's my personality in everyday life. If I come over a hill and find that there is a poorly marked construction zone and the lane next to me is suddenly coming to an end, I'll gladly allow one car to merge in front of me. However, if there is clear marking that the lane ends 1/4 mile ahead, but somebody comes zipping down that lane while the other lane is backed up... there's no way I'm letting them in. You know why the other lane is backed up? Because jackasses like that guy that think they can jump the line and get ahead of everyone, so when that jackass gets to the end of his lane, everyone has to come to a complete stop to let him merge in.

Same here, and I think that goes back to the original comment that started this off-topic commentary. If the left lane ends just after the light but there's Grandma Jones in the front of the right lane in her '88 Buick, I might pull into the left lane because I know that I can pull ahead of her and merge in without causing any additional delay to the people behind me. If she somehow floors it and beats me off the line, then that will likely leave a big enough gap for me to tuck in behind her, and I'm not going to be butt-hurt that I got beat off the line by some old piece of Detroit iron. Of course... if I'm in the same situation and I'm in my DD (an Accord), I'd probably just fall in line with everybody else, because I wouldn't be confident that I could get ahead without causing delay to grandma and/or having to drive like a jackass to do it.

Or, more likely he'll give road rage to somebody else. Or, possibly they won't allow him to merge in, and then he'll have to come to a complete stop and cause additional delays to the people behind him that do finally allow him to merge, which is obviously not the most efficient way to get people down the road.

Have you ever heard the phrase "Let them eat cake"? Similar concept. You think that everybody is just happy-go-merry because you're getting ahead and some schmoe lets you get in ahead of him. Just because you got in and it looks like everything is going great doesn't mean that things are OK. You've just made your day brighter and your commute shorter at someone else's expense. It's that type of selfishness that causes road-rage. So, keep doing what you do... but at least you'll understand why some "jerk" like me doesn't let you merge in some day.

 

Problem is, the ideal merge point is not fixed. When traffic is wide open and moving fast, you need to merge earlier. But as traffic slows down, the later merge becomes more reasonable.

 

Very true. If Honda wanted to improve the S2000 in ways that would presuade me to upgrade, they could cut both the engine's displacement, and the car's weight, in half. The smaller engine could spin faster at the same piston speeds, producing a higher specific output, so the power to weight ratio would be increased. Weight (or mass) not only degrades acceleration, it also degrades cornering and braking, uses more gas, and wears out tires faster.

The reason a Spridget, with 36 HP, can be as much fun as an S2000, is becaue it is so much lighter and more nimble, plus, with the low power/weight ratio, keeping up with traffic is like driving in a club race.

Unfortunately, reducing the mass of the S2000 by 800 lbs. is going to be a lot more difficult than increasing the power by 33%, so if one wants to increase the cars acceleration, power is just a lot easier and more practical.

For the ultimate low mass street vehicle you have to go with a motorcycle.
When was the last time you saw a stock automobile that could pop a wheelie?

 

the boxter s and cayman s still have less than 250hp, and the S variants arent in the 300 club either.

 

I agree with you guys after driving my 11 sec 240sx i don't even care about horsepower that much anymore. I've found myself looking for something a little more balanced yet still fun. s2k fits the bill.

 

I am pissed off at the increasing horsepower and size of cars. It seems that every time a car manufacturer comes up with a perfect car (the original Miata or the Datsun 240Z would be good examples), subsequent updates of the cars make them bigger, with larger engines, but also ugly bloated pigs. Just put Nissan's latest venture next to the original 240Z if you want a clear idea of what I mean. The fun factor has little to do with horsepower -- nothing is more of a blast to drive than the original Mini Cooper S, yet it is a pipsqueak in the power department. My Honda S2000 is a beautifully designed and balanced car, and infinitely more comfortable and reliable than, say, a Triumph Spitfire that I drove many years ago. (I use the Spitfire as an example as it too tended towards sudden oversteer). But the Spitfire was every bit as fun to drive (when it was working properly).

I dread the successor model to the S2000. I'm sure that it will follow the pattern of the Accord or Civic, becoming bigger and uglier. It may have a more powerful 3 litre engine, but I worry that it will move more towards being a posh GT, with all sorts of luxury items on it, and utterly lose the sportscar character that makes me love the car. Bloat just seems to be the inevitable rule of evolutionary car design.

Zeiss

 

Yes, this was my original point about wanting more hp for the S.

In my case, if I am in the S, I just fall in line with everyone else, don't try and pass Grandma, and don't try to defend my spot in line. Getting beat in the S is particularly crappy, because it is a sports car. Most folks think that to mean fast car, and when the car don't produce it appears like a lemon. End result? Granny driving at lights, merges, intersections, etc. HP would most certainly fix that.

Do I think the S should be some HP monster to never be beaten? No way.

However the S should be able to soundly out perform a simple minivan or truck off the light.

Now in my Truck? Full speed ahead. It's almost as fast as the S, and if I get beat in the Truck guess what?? It's a TRUCK!! It makes no claim to being fast. So I can drive spiritedly in my 5600lbs truck, but not in my S sports car

 

That's right.

It's almost like a guy cheating on a girl. If he does it, it's ok!

If she cheats on him, she is a slut.

 

I wonder what you're responding too here because I never said I get road rage or upset, I calmly get my satisfaction out of screwing up your supposed advantage. Also, where did I say I resorted to violence? I guess you reading comprehension matches your driving skills, you do what you want.