OV9

Always fun to find out someone is a car guy when they hide their light under a bushel!

Went for drinks with a client over from New York at the Connaught. Was with a few of my colleagues and there was a 959 parked out the front. One of them made a comment about it (ironically I was a bit blasé having seen 4 at the pistonheads meet recently!).

We were chatting on the way back to the tube and he made a few further comments which flagged he was clearly a massive ‘CG’ despite not coming across as the type.

Asked what he drives and… boom Lotus Evora GT410!

So funny these days that you wouldn’t generally talk about cars as an interest for fear of it being seen as ‘vulgar’ in urbanite society. Classic reverse snobbery.

Anyway TL;DR @mik - I made a Lotus fwend.

I keep my peculiar obsessions hidden unless specifically asked mainly because my old sheds aren’t likely to impress anyone and I’d look like a right weirdo if anyone found out just how much time and energy I devote to cars and car related activities

Did he look down on you for having a nice reliable Porsche and not an enthusiast-only Lotus?

I hope you advised him to get his tyre tippex out

Jobbo wrote: Thu Sep 14, 2023 9:28 pm Did he look down on you for having a nice reliable Porsche and not an enthusiast-only Lotus?

Almost certainly it had just been in the shop for a couple of weeks having the air con fixed!!

He did say he’d test driven a 991.2 manual so clearly not totally averse.

mik wrote: Thu Sep 14, 2023 9:43 pm I hope you advised him to get his tyre tippex out

I’ll save that advice until the next time we chat

Did you not use the secret handshake?

Isn't it more of a grope, or have I be doing it wrong all this time?

John wrote: Fri Sep 15, 2023 9:07 am Isn't it more of a grope, or have I be doing it wrong all this time?

I was on a zoom call when I read that, and just got asked what I was sniggering at.

John wrote: Fri Sep 15, 2023 9:07 am Isn't it more of a grope, or have I be doing it wrong all this time?

@Beany showed me the secret shake but it wasn't his hand.

integrale_evo wrote: Thu Sep 14, 2023 9:26 pm I keep my peculiar obsessions hidden unless specifically asked mainly because my old sheds aren’t likely to impress anyone and I’d look like a right weirdo if anyone found out just how much time and energy I devote to cars and car related activities

likewise. I feel a bit funny telling everyone exciting stuff about my Skoda Fabia

Jimmy Choo wrote: Fri Sep 15, 2023 9:46 am

John wrote: Fri Sep 15, 2023 9:07 am Isn't it more of a grope, or have I be doing it wrong all this time?

@Beany showed me the secret shake but it wasn't his hand.

Look, you got what you paid for, now quit whining.

And buy some of these. Darling.

I definitely hold off telling people I'm a car nerd. I think people assume you're either obnoxious and rich or a twat driving a slammed Corsa in an antisocial manner.

Beany wrote: Fri Sep 15, 2023 11:04 am

Jimmy Choo wrote: Fri Sep 15, 2023 9:46 am

John wrote: Fri Sep 15, 2023 9:07 am Isn't it more of a grope, or have I be doing it wrong all this time?

@Beany showed me the secret shake but it wasn't his hand.

Look, you got what you paid for, now quit whining.

And buy some of these. Darling.

HandGripStrengthThing.jpg

duncs500 wrote: Fri Sep 15, 2023 11:32 am I definitely hold off telling people I'm a car nerd. I think people assume you're either obnoxious and rich or a twat driving a slammed Corsa in an antisocial manner.

I describe myself as being nerdy and geeky but cars are just one of my interests. Hell, if I really want to stop people talking to me, I tell them that I love disused, obsolete and unused transport infrastructure.

Jimmy Choo wrote: Fri Sep 15, 2023 11:53 am if I really want to stop people talking to me, I tell them that I love disused, obsolete and unused transport infrastructure.

You might like some of the stuff my friend Matt posts up. https://www.instagram.com/liminalcity/
Not directly transport related but loads of old buildings and stuff

JonMad wrote: Sun Sep 17, 2023 7:03 pm

Jimmy Choo wrote: Fri Sep 15, 2023 11:53 am if I really want to stop people talking to me, I tell them that I love disused, obsolete and unused transport infrastructure.

You might like some of the stuff my friend Matt posts up. https://www.instagram.com/liminalcity/
Not directly transport related but loads of old buildings and stuff

Ooh! He's good. Thanks for the recommendation.

What’s lovely is finding these hidden away super fans who have the ability to buy what you wished you could.

My car is in storage with an XJ220, TVR Speed 12 (yes THAT one) a 190 evo 2 DTM race car, Celica WRC copy and a Porsche Moby Dick.

All owned by one guy, so he not only has become successful enough to buy lots of cool car stuff, he is buying stuff I wouldn’t have even thought about in the first place, absolutely fantastic.

Dave!

It's always fascinating to see what cars other people have in their dream garage. It's extra special when their success comes a bit later in life and you see them really living a dream they've probably been fantasising about for decades.

As a very green junior doc I managed to break the ice with a very stern supervisor by correctly identifying the Aston Martin Vantage 600 on his wall calendar (those nostrils). Turns out that quite a lot of cardiologists really do put 'car' into the name!
A plethora of boring dailys (Mohan's Lambo doesn't fit in the multi storey) but every once in a while someone roars into work a 911 turbo or a DBS...