What car scares the crap out of you?

[Socrates]

Somehow I knew what the answer would be...

What Car Scares The Crap Out Of You? - qotd - Jalopnik

"At the top of our list is the Viper SRT10, a car which manages to approximate the feeling of tumbling over the side of a cliff only to discover you've landed perfectly on a branch and are therefore, hyperventilation and adrenaline aside, alive. Other super cars are designed, by virtue of having so much power and being driven by important rich people, to give you a sense of control in most situations. The Viper SRT10 was not. Driving it you feel completely out of control no matter where, when or under what conditions thanks to a shaky chassis, too much horsepower and horrific sight lines. And should you survive the drive — and this isn't a given — pull over to the side of the road after a long run and you've got to be careful you don't give your calves and hands third-degree burns from the fire-inducing exhaust pipes."

 

[SNKEBIT]

Any car in the hands of someone not capable of handleing it. (which is about 85% of the cars on the highway right now.)

 

[slysnake]

Driving it you feel completely out of control no matter where

Hmmm....can't say I've ever felt out of control.

 

[Bobpantax]

Matt Hardigree - the author of the above post - is either an ill trained driver, a p***y, or both. A Viper is a driver's car. If one has a good driving skill set, it is not difficult to drive it at the edge of its performance capabilities. It is not a car for nanny tech dependent "drivers". The fact that it cleaned house when there were well funded racing programs is the proof of same.

 

[CitySnake]

it is not difficult to drive it at the edge of its performance capabilities.

I agree that most of the media test drivers have some bias against the Viper and they typically tend to exaggerate the "wild ride" reputation of the Viper. It makes for interesting reading and sells.

Nonetheless, you are going beyond rational opinion in stating that a Viper is not difficult to drive at the edge of its performance capabilities. Sorry, but that part of your statement is simply untrue (at least not for all but a very professional driver and I'd venture even Cindi Lux would tell you it ain't an easy car to drive at the edge).

 

[Mopar Boy]

Wow! Dont hold back!

Funny how they can print something only in the form of what they think their reader base wants to hear. I see no fact anywhere in that article at all. Unless they like Prius'!

 

[Martin]

It's funny how the current Vipers are still seen as so scary. I'm amazed at how mellow my ACR seems to be. About the only thing that keeps scaring me is forgetting that the front splitter is so low and crunching it on a concrete parking block.

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

A Pontiac Aztek.......................heh, they are so ugly they would scare anyone in their right mind, ha!!

 

[ROCKET62]

One of my favorite quotes; "If everything seems under control, your not going fast enough." - Mario Andretti

Hmmm....can't say I've ever felt out of control.

 

[white out]

I am more scared of my Viper than of any other car I've driven. The Viper took me longer to get comfortable with than any other car.

Nick

 

[spmorgan]

The Viper certainly doesn't induce a "I've just fallen off a cliff" feeling everytime I get in it, although I can make it feel that way if I want.

 

[Fatboy 18]

The one I'm not driving!

Oh, and any car with eastern European plates! Chances are they will be driving without insurance

Mark

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

My replica Cobra was a white knuckle drive for the first year before I discovered what a poor design the manufacturer had used for the rear suspension.

 

[plumcrazy]

ive never been scared in my viper but a few people have been scared in it

 

[CitySnake]

although I can make it feel that way if I want.

Exactly. Perhaps even more so with the Gen 4's. Scared is altogether too extreme a word. I'd suggest it's more of a "serious level of respect"?

 

[JonB]

I posted my reply in his blog:

Scariest? MY Viper, with YOU driving it.

 

[ViperGeorge]

Scariest vehicle in my book is a minivan. They scare the cr@p out of me. I have nightmares that I'll get off a plane go to the rental car office and find out that all they have left is a minivan.

 

[white out]

Nick

 

[mjf6175]

"...thanks to a shaky chassis, too much horsepower..."

Right there you just got to know the author is full of it and has no clue.

 

[Bobpantax]

I agree that most of the media test drivers have some bias against the Viper and they typically tend to exaggerate the "wild ride" reputation of the Viper. It makes for interesting reading and sells.

Nonetheless, you are going beyond rational opinion in stating that a Viper is not difficult to drive at the edge of its performance capabilities. Sorry, but that part of your statement is simply untrue (at least not for all but a very professional driver and I'd venture even Cindi Lux would tell you it ain't an easy car to drive at the edge).

You need to read my post again more carefully. You forgot to include the words: "If one has a good driving skill set". As to what constitutes "a good driving skill set", admittedly, the phrase is a bit subjective and imprecise.

 

[jdeft1]

Diggin' this response:


"It was stupid fast. And even when I felt like I was pushing the envelope, I knew there was a ton left. I also knew any mistake I made would be my last.

Thankfully the engine was so loud that no one nearby could hear me screaming for my mother and praying to our blessed lady of acceleration."

 

[RTTTTed]

I posted my reply in his blog:

Scariest? MY Viper, with YOU driving it.

That's good Jon

 

[RTTTTed]

Diggin' this response:


"It was stupid fast. And even when I felt like I was pushing the envelope, I knew there was a ton left. I also knew any mistake I made would be my last.

Thankfully the engine was so loud that no one nearby could hear me screaming for my mother and praying to our blessed lady of acceleration."

Only change that should be made to this is where it says,"Mother" Shouldn't that have bee written as - screaming fof my mommy?


Ted

 

[RTTTTed]

since it seems that very few magazine writers are any good at their trade I wrote another Great magazine story with Vipers as the Heros.

It seems that the only magazines worth reading last few years is Viper Magazine (coming winter issue read Kelowna Wine Tour '09) and there are dozens of great Viper stories in Domestic Driver - A bi-monthly online magazine featuring Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, and GM Cars from 1980+ There are other Viper owners that write for these magazines ... but I guess Car and Driver only hires lousy writers?

Besides, the Viper isn't all there is. The Viper Club is awesome and some of the best people in the world are in this club. Proffessionals, CAD, engineers and top auto designers belong to our club. There are also a lot of just plain successful people in our club as well. I have many friends across the world because of my association with the VCA. We have some of the best scenic automotive and even ******** clad ladies photos on these forums as well as a few pro photographers. Most are very helpful to others for free or at slave wages here.

The car, and those people that this unique supercar attracts are some of the best things in North America and the world.
Ted

 

[Asp Man]

Mr. Hardigree has confused scary with exciting. These so called car reviewers are softies, who typicaly drive the latest SUV and econo boxes which must skew thier reference for performance into oblivion. When they get behind the wheel of something serious it blows thier mind and they get all girlish with the wording.

And for the record, RTTTTed's car scares me a bit, now and then.

 

[slysnake]

One of my favorite quotes; "If everything seems under control, your not going fast enough." - Mario Andretti

Originally Posted by slysnake
Hmmm....can't say I've ever felt out of control.

OK then. Faster it is!!

 

[RTTTTed]

Mr. Hardigree has confused scary with exciting. These so called car reviewers are softies, who typicaly drive the latest SUV and econo boxes which must skew thier reference for performance into oblivion. When they get behind the wheel of something serious it blows thier mind and they get all girlish with the wording.

And for the record, RTTTTed's car scares me a bit, now and then.

Thnaks Greg, but not scary since the PS2s went on. I want to hookup my Nitrous now ... then ... we'll see ... they still sell that underwear for sh-tting your pants quite cheap, right?

Ted

 

[Warfang]

Last I heard, the Viper has one of the stiffest chassis around. If you want bend-n-flex... get a Vette.

 

[RoadiJeff]

A Pontiac Aztek.......................heh, they are so ugly they would scare anyone in their right mind, ha!!

Hey, I was going to post that - you beat me to it. An Aztek reminds me of something out of a horror movie.

 

[Kevan]

Unlike the author of that dreadful piece of faux-literature, I don't think I'm afraid of getting behind the wheel/controls of any vehicle.

The Thrust SSC enthralls me, and the Tomahawk intrigues me to no end.

I guess the only one that I would have any concern about is the one that the author is driving at the time.
After reading his article, I'm 99.9% sure that he's not a very good driver.
Probably doesn't use his turn signals either.