Is it the spoiler??

For many years ive driven slow trucks, suvs and a caprice that doesnt look fast but now with my zx2 ive noticed something funny. 

At stop lights when i first got it i was overrevving it because i hadnt got a handle on that particular clutch yet, people assume this means "lets race!" mostly boy racer type cars. It was under 3k rpm, calm yourself

On the freeway if i pass a slow moving car and its even slightly sporty they will try to keep up with me. Yesterday an older guy in his convertable late 90s mustang kept trying to pace me. I really dont care but besides pacing me at slightly above the limit, 75mph, he was driving 55mph. I eventually passed him and the amount of time it took him to get from 55 to 75ish to pass me was kinda astounding.

I bought the zx2 for mpg and something that handled decently. It is not a fast car, although appaently its substantially faster than what i asssume was a v6 mustang.

Is it the spoiler that makes people think its fast?

Does it have a grumbling exhaust?  That will do it.  I have similar encounters when driving my FX16.

I get it all the time in the truck. Truck sounds like racecar. Brings out the boyracer in everyone. 

"THAT CAR IS LOUD! IT SHALL NOT PASS!" 

I've also discovered what I call "the semi-elastic property of traffic."  I have noticed that people love to drive beside each other. You'd think that 15 people in the left lane would hose the loaded semi in the right lane when the light turns green, but nope. They all just keep pace. I use this to my advantage.  I will pull up alongside someone, then slowly drop an MPH or 3. The target will slow down to stay beside me. After I've opened a gap big enough to get through, I'll accelerate quickly enough to break the bond (if they have to *think* about accelerating, they're less likely to do it), and drive through the gap I made. 

snailmont5oh said:

"THAT CAR IS LOUD! IT SHALL NOT PASS!" 

I've also discovered what I call "the semi-elastic property of traffic."  I have noticed that people love to drive beside each other. You'd think that 15 people in the left lane would hose the loaded semi in the right lane when the light turns green, but nope. They all just keep pace. I use this to my advantage.  I will pull up alongside someone, then slowly drop an MPH or 3. After I've opened a gap big enough to get through, I'll accelerate quickly enough to break the bond (if they have to *think* about accelerating, they're less likely to I it), and drive through the gap I made. 

All cars who fly by me in the morning end up stopped for a school bus.  When the school moves to the next stop ½ mile away, not one of those people is able to pass the school bus. 

trucke said:

Does it have a grumbling exhaust?  That will do it.  I have similar encounters when driving my FX16.

 

no rumbly exhaust, although the explorer currently sounds like a muscle car because of its lack of exhaust(its gets a few mpg more so i havent fixed it)

Stickers can cause that also.

You are maturing and discovering that there are a plethora of idiots on the road.  

One of the traffic lights on my way to work backs up with 2 to 3 times more cars in the left lane.

Of course, that's understandable since it's only about 15 miles until the next possibility of a left turn.

The right lane will often have one or more big trucks in it, so at least there's a reason to stack up in the other line when that happens.

I'll stay in the right lane and stop maybe three or four car lengths behind the big truck. When the light changes, someone in that left lane is going to be on their phone, or otherwise not paying attention, and let several car lengths open up between them and the car in front. This allows me to easily slip into the left lane head of most of the line and without cutting off anybody.

Floating Doc said:

One of the traffic lights on my way to work backs up with 2 to 3 times more cars in the left lane.

Of course, that's understandable since it's only about 15 miles until the next possibility of a left turn.

The right lane will often have one or more big trucks in it, so at least there's a reason to stack up in the other line when that happens.

I'll stay in the right lane and stop maybe three or four car lengths behind the big truck. When the light changes, someone in that left lane is going to be on their phone, or otherwise not paying attention, and let several car lengths open up between them and the car in front. This allows me to easily slip into the left lane head of most of the line and without cutting off anybody.

^^^ I like this thinking!

That was the worst thing about driving my 4 door Sundance. Factory turbo car with an automatic. Quiet exhaust and some ugly 16s. I always figured it was the turbo badges on the front fenders. Every stoplight it seemed like someone was revving at it and trying to race.  It made me miss my escort. 

In reply to snailmont5oh :

Ha! That's awesome. I figured that out, too. 60%of the time,  it works every time. 

This is a Ford Escort ZX2?  No disrespect meant, but I don't think those cars looked very racy when they were new.  Are there other modifications to your car (fancy wheels and tires, loud exhaust note, etc.) ?

Appleseed said:

In reply to snailmont5oh :

Ha! That's awesome. I figured that out, too. 60%of the time,  it works every time. 

The thing that sucks is when they've locked onto another car, and refuse to use you as their reference. 

In reply to stuart in mn :

Perhaps it being a two door coupe made it look racey

stuart in mn said:

This is a Ford Escort ZX2?  No disrespect meant, but I don't think those cars looked very racy when they were new.  Are there other modifications to your car (fancy wheels and tires, loud exhaust note, etc.) ?

Agreed. I assume the spoiler makes it look sporty to some

And EDIT because i was rushing

No not yet. Its just my 35mpg commuter now

Appleseed said:

60%of the time,  it works every time. 

There's some new age statistics for you. Like Lake Woebegone, where all the children are above average.

snailmont5oh said:

I've also discovered what I call "the semi-elastic property of traffic."  I have noticed that people love to drive beside each other.

I have noticed this too over the years, and I think it's because people want to drive to fast but are terrified of getting pulled over.  So they think, " If I just drive next to this guy, a cop can't catch us both."

Don't any of you remember being the teenage boy racer, out driving around town looking for someone to race?  I don't think their standards are very high for cars to race against, they're usually just bored.