RE: 944turbo v. ur-q (stereotypes)

[FMARTIN <FMARTIN@ithaca.edu>]

Hi Folks.

FWIW, thought I'd throw in my 2 cents regarding stereotypes and attitudes 
of/toward makes-specific drivers. After attending the QCUSA's driving school 
at Watkins Glen in 1996 & 97, I thought I'd try something different and do the 
Allegheny Region PCA school at the Glen last month (it was also about $100 
cheaper!). Once again I drove my GTX, though this year with maybe 30 more HP 
(160 total+/-?), courtesy of an added manual boost control setup. (This event 
was advertised on the Q-list several months ago.) 

I must admit that, going by the "standard" Porche-owners stereotype, I 
wondered how badly I'd be snubbed by members of this group, what with me 
driving essentially a modified Japanese-hatchback. I can report that I was 
pleasantly surprised at both the variety of car makes there (I'd guess that 
over 20% of the est. 100 cars there were not Porsches) and the friendliness of 
the Porsche owners that I happened to rub shoulders with, both around the pits 
and on the track. I cannot remember a single instance where I felt blocked by 
one on the track, where it was clear I was catching up. This was not quite the 
case at my last QCUSA school, including one instance where I'd swear one 
Q-driver sheepishly avoided me after a session during which he obviously could 
not bring himself to let a Mazda by in the last few laps. I love my Q too, but 
we're supposed to be grownups. 

My point being, here is *another* instance where if you take the trouble to 
get beyond the stereotypes and actually check it out for yourself, you usually 
broaden your own horizons. I think any of the groups likely have similar "bell 
curves," with buttheads at the extremes but a big group of decent folks in the 
middle. 

Caveat: I do think that on the street, the bell curve is flatter, containing 
more buttheads, simply because there are more posers - people who only drive 
what they do for the status and think they're hot s___ because they do an 
occasional wild and wooly offramp, but never do their talking on a track. But 
this is true of most groups. 

OK, so maybe that was 3 cents.

Frank M.
'90 200TQ
'88 Mazda 323 GTX (now with cracked front rotors - I knew I should have 
replaced them sooner!)