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Voting is now live for January's Vintage Mustang Challenge!
The weirdo car guys were afoot
It's not unusual to get a little attention while driving these old cars and I try to be gracious about it even when someone is an idiot. Hell, the attention is a big reason to bother owning it - it's fun.
But last Friday morning I was driving it to work and it got downright weird. Twice. First, I was at a light where two six-lane roads intersect, and a dude two lanes over in a truck starts yelling out his window "I have a sixty five--" and immediately a car stopped between us. The light turned green instantly, I took off, and laughed for half a block.
I've had some version of that happen at least 50 times over the years. But then two miles and 5 minutes later was the real absurdity. I was in the middle lane, stopped at another VERY busy intersection daydreaming and listening to the radio. All of a sudden there's a guy standing in the road talking to me through the passenger window. I hadn't seen him coming at all. Panhandlers work this particular intersection all the time, and that was my instant assumption. But this dude was dressed business-casual and had gotten out of his car, a couple cars back, to ask me what year mine is and another 10 seconds of generic talk. I was so shocked I don't even remember what he said.
Any other live ones out there?
But last Friday morning I was driving it to work and it got downright weird. Twice. First, I was at a light where two six-lane roads intersect, and a dude two lanes over in a truck starts yelling out his window "I have a sixty five--" and immediately a car stopped between us. The light turned green instantly, I took off, and laughed for half a block.
I've had some version of that happen at least 50 times over the years. But then two miles and 5 minutes later was the real absurdity. I was in the middle lane, stopped at another VERY busy intersection daydreaming and listening to the radio. All of a sudden there's a guy standing in the road talking to me through the passenger window. I hadn't seen him coming at all. Panhandlers work this particular intersection all the time, and that was my instant assumption. But this dude was dressed business-casual and had gotten out of his car, a couple cars back, to ask me what year mine is and another 10 seconds of generic talk. I was so shocked I don't even remember what he said.
Any other live ones out there?
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367 Posts
Maybe they're getting desperate after 2 yrs. of pandemic or their following the 6 ft. rule. I've got a co-worker who always wants to talk about his 1974 Olds Toronado once he found out I am a car guy. But I'm not that kind of car guy.
Having a red 68 convertible I find that lot of people in newer non Ford cars and trucks and various off shore SUV’s just have to tailgate and pass me to show me how much faster they are than I am.
I have come to the conclusion my car is an a$$ hole magnet.
I have come to the conclusion my car is an a$$ hole magnet.
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8,166 Posts
I usually have to macho men around here wanting to race me in their asphalt-warrior trucks that are lifted, big-tired, chromed to the max that are probably worth more than their houses. I just wave at them.
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1,478 Posts
An elderly lady rolled her window down to shout "Nice car!" today, as her husband drove by. She must have been 80 or so. It happens a lot, but only at gas stations have I had people approach me on foot. Of course, 99.9% had one "just like it, except....", it wasn't just like it.
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7,366 Posts
Believe me, you are a LOT more likely to run into "weirdo car guys" when you are a youngish chick driving a hot rod... a LOT
Fortunately, I really only seem to run into those problems outside of Austin. In town, everyone is real cool and I tend to get the normal thumbs-up or "nice car" comments. But boy, anywhere else I've gone... **** gets so weird sometimes. I do think that people have gotten worse about it since the start of the pandemic, probably because everyone collectively lost some social skills, so I try to keep that in mind. I consider the "oh I have/had a Mustang just like that!!" comments to be totally innocuous - people just get excited about that stuff. But even before 2020, I have had some very bizarre interactions. Mostly related to people reacting to my gender in combination with the car I'm driving. I guess marriage proposals and dudes twice my age propositioning me still bothers me less than dudes who feel the need to tell me (mostly incorrect) facts about my own car, though.
Honorable mention goes to the time that I was at a local hot rod hangout sitting at a picnic table eating dinner, and some random guy sat down to start a conversation with me (which was fine, happens all the time). The weird part was when some OTHER guy sat down at the same table, and ALSO started a conversation with me... while completely ignoring the first guy. Then they both attempted to hold a conversation with me, AT THE SAME TIME, while ignoring each other. Eventually I decided that was too weird for me and I got up and walked away.
Some days I have no idea why I picked this hobby 😂 Fortunately most people I meet are lovely!
Fortunately, I really only seem to run into those problems outside of Austin. In town, everyone is real cool and I tend to get the normal thumbs-up or "nice car" comments. But boy, anywhere else I've gone... **** gets so weird sometimes. I do think that people have gotten worse about it since the start of the pandemic, probably because everyone collectively lost some social skills, so I try to keep that in mind. I consider the "oh I have/had a Mustang just like that!!" comments to be totally innocuous - people just get excited about that stuff. But even before 2020, I have had some very bizarre interactions. Mostly related to people reacting to my gender in combination with the car I'm driving. I guess marriage proposals and dudes twice my age propositioning me still bothers me less than dudes who feel the need to tell me (mostly incorrect) facts about my own car, though.
Honorable mention goes to the time that I was at a local hot rod hangout sitting at a picnic table eating dinner, and some random guy sat down to start a conversation with me (which was fine, happens all the time). The weird part was when some OTHER guy sat down at the same table, and ALSO started a conversation with me... while completely ignoring the first guy. Then they both attempted to hold a conversation with me, AT THE SAME TIME, while ignoring each other. Eventually I decided that was too weird for me and I got up and walked away.
Some days I have no idea why I picked this hobby 😂 Fortunately most people I meet are lovely!
Had a guy roll up next to me in traffic and tell me with a straight face "I just called the cops on you". I look over at my girl stunned and look back when he says "For not painting that mustang red!" As he smiles and drives as his lane started going faster. Had me on the first half!
Last Friday I had an old hag cut me off and proceed to brake check me since I was too close to for her liking immediately after she cut me off. She then began slowing down to a crawl once the road turned to one lane and tried trapping me behind her. Sucks for her because I bolted outta there before she got out of her car. Gave her a nice ear full of WOT sweetness.
Some people are really happy to see these cars and others seem super bitter and go out of their way to try and prove a point. Sucks for them, I'm driving my dream car!
Last Friday I had an old hag cut me off and proceed to brake check me since I was too close to for her liking immediately after she cut me off. She then began slowing down to a crawl once the road turned to one lane and tried trapping me behind her. Sucks for her because I bolted outta there before she got out of her car. Gave her a nice ear full of WOT sweetness.
Some people are really happy to see these cars and others seem super bitter and go out of their way to try and prove a point. Sucks for them, I'm driving my dream car!
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1,411 Posts
Not a Mustang story but a parallel. I'm driving my 78 F150 FWD (Lifted, Big tires, long tube headers, mystery cam, loud exhaust) one morning circa 2015 going to the Scout Camp in the desert just West of Tucson. I'm in a group of trucks that were all no older than 5 years. Because I was known to be frequently working on mine the other dads somehow had the impression my truck was not reliable, the heavy patina contributed to that. The truck, a Tucson truck its whole life, was wearing the well baked, original silver and blue paint, some areas had no paint and were more surface rust than anything else.....
So we are going along and a guy pulls up next to me driving along at about 60 MPH frantically waving his hands and pointing at me. So I pull over off the side of the road and all of the other dads behind follow me off and those in front turn around to come back and check on me. In the meantime I am out doing a walk-around when the guy who was waving at me pulled in and I ask what is the problem. Turns out there was no problem, he wanted to buy the truck.... The dads jokingly asked I no longer drive to events with them...
So we are going along and a guy pulls up next to me driving along at about 60 MPH frantically waving his hands and pointing at me. So I pull over off the side of the road and all of the other dads behind follow me off and those in front turn around to come back and check on me. In the meantime I am out doing a walk-around when the guy who was waving at me pulled in and I ask what is the problem. Turns out there was no problem, he wanted to buy the truck.... The dads jokingly asked I no longer drive to events with them...
I thought you wee going to say they tried to pick up each other!
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79 Posts
The only time someone got out of their car to talk to me at a light was in the 90's. I just finished a 11 hour shift on the assembly line building new Mustangs. Too tired to take the freeway home, i decided to drive my 68 home on the normal roads. While stopped at a light, I heard someone knocking on my window. When i looked over, i saw a police officer. Then i saw the flashing lights in my rear view. Kinda hard to argue a speeding ticket, when i didn't even know i was pulled over. 
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10,830 Posts
I'd say 24 years ago (before meeting my wonderful wife), I'd have been pleased to have met your acquaintance, thrilled that a young lady enjoys cars -especially Mustangs- as much as I, and would absolutely have been curious if common interests could tender a friendship, and perhaps a cruising date with a Southern gentleman. Alas, 24 years ago, you'd have been much too young, states away, and Mustangs weren't likely on your mind.
I do, however, have a son...
I've been challenged to races, seen smiling faces, gotten thumbs-up and waves, offers to buy or for trades, a wiper arm with a note left on it, someone called my work to ask who owned it...
The best part is the people, that remember what I get to enjoy every day, and the great times they had in and with these cars. Old folks that ran to the dealers to get a look or maybe buy one of their own, middle-agers like me that are hanging on to our youth or finally owning a car that is as close to our dreams as we can get, and young ones that realize these are the cars that started it all and are still running the race, or little children that marvel at manual window cranks, metal knobs, tinny radio, or that amazing rumble from the engine and exhaust. These were, and still are, an icon of Americana, coveted the world over as a symbol of freedom...the open road is calling us...
Back in the early 80s while my car was still a show pony I had an incident on a Colorado two-lane country road. A giant pickup truck came up from behind and pulled alongside me, driving the wrong way in that lane. He crowded over into my lane, and I drifted towards the shoulder to keep some distance between us. Then his passenger side window rolls down, and a guy leans out, yelling and waving something around. I rolled my window down and eased over a bit to see what was up with that. Guy hands me a business card and says "If you ever want to sell that car, give me a call!"
I took my '66 Mustang out for the first time last weekend just to get gas after about 3 years sitting in the garage being put together after hitting a deer. About 5 minutes after getting on a divided highway with two lanes each way some guy gets right on my bumper with no one else around and stays there for about 2 miles. About 1/2 mile away is a red light. As I approach the light he decides to do one of those angry passes where he zips out, comes within 3 inches of the side of my car then immediately cuts in front of me and hits the brakes to slow down for the light. Almost drove me off the road. I think the pandemic has made some folks crazy - or maybe he just doesn't like old cars. What an idiot.
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4,752 Posts
I do get the tailgaters. That does bother the crap outta me. Guess they want to get up for a close look.
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1,762 Posts
Any new car to the scene around here turns peoples common sense meter off. This is the first season in 10 years my car has been on the road so I've been doing a few cruise-in's at a local grocery store on Tuesday and public park on Fridays. 9/10 times I pull in and shut the car off at least two sometimes more people come over and wanna talk about the car soon as they've never seen it before. That's fine, but they usually stand directly next to the drivers door so I can't open it. I've had more conversations sitting parked in the drivers seat than outside the car lol.
One time I actually got out of the car, but my daughter wasn't so lucky. Two guys rattled my ear for 30 mins while standing next to her pass side door. Finally I said, guys I need to get my daughter out of the car, to which they asked why cant she get out herself, to which I said she had reconstructive hip surgery and cant move on her own and pointed at the crutches in her lap.
No one means any harm, and I'm stoked after all these years people like my car, but jeesh, let me and my passengers get out first lol.
Then two weekends ago a shirtless elderly man in swim trunks and Crocks almost flipped his mobility scooter off the curve cause he gave me thumbs up while I was driving. He was close to eating blacktop but was smiling ear to ear.
One time I actually got out of the car, but my daughter wasn't so lucky. Two guys rattled my ear for 30 mins while standing next to her pass side door. Finally I said, guys I need to get my daughter out of the car, to which they asked why cant she get out herself, to which I said she had reconstructive hip surgery and cant move on her own and pointed at the crutches in her lap.
No one means any harm, and I'm stoked after all these years people like my car, but jeesh, let me and my passengers get out first lol.
Then two weekends ago a shirtless elderly man in swim trunks and Crocks almost flipped his mobility scooter off the curve cause he gave me thumbs up while I was driving. He was close to eating blacktop but was smiling ear to ear.
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599 Posts
When I had my '67, the top is down, with my wife in the car, stopped at a light , this guy rolls down his window and asks 'want to swap'? I gave about a 5 second delay and said you are talking about the car, right? His wife reached over and smacked him!
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