Crown

You should have checked your battery before the long trip or as a last measure replace your weak battery at the nearest Porsche Centre along your route. 

As regards personal freedom IMO this stops when others' freedom is impaired or even compromised, especially if someone is a guest somewhere.

--

"Form follows function"

reginos: especially if someone is a guest somewhere.
 

guest, what guest

European Union Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger said “we need a United States of Europe” and that “there is no ‘Plan B’” for the euro zone, in an interview with CNBC on Wednesday.

“We have to bring some concrete proposals” to the summit of European leaders to be held on June 28-29, he said.

Europe, he said, needs “a common political approach,” and needs to “harmonize taxation” and “coordinate economic policies.” He added that all European institutions “know our obligation” on that front, and that “we have to be a common European team.”

@fritz: if it's illegal, then let the Police enforce it, not an interfering private citizen. I still wouldn't risk a flat battery just to conform to some environmentally motivated law. This guy wasn't trying to be helpful i.e. helping me avoid a fine. That much was totally clear. He was telling me what to do without knowing my reasons.

@reginos: I discovered the flat battery at around 10pm the night before we were due to leave at 5am. I spent a couple of hours with the RAC at my home that night.

I was not about to replace a 9 month old battery that was flat (and which could be fully recharged upon our return).

997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen pickup, BMW Z4 2.5i Roadster Sterling Grey/Red

racerx:

easy_rider911:

My wife doesn't like it though - she doesn't want any confrontation at all with strangers since one never knows what they might do ... in that respect, she's right ... but I'm 6'2" and well built so I can be quite imposing and even intimidating when I need to be ... and life is not about letting people walk all over you. Sometimes, you just have to put people straight.

Some of us oldtimers of Rennteam with good memories remember the crystal gayle photo and your photo in your lambswool/cashmere sportcoat. Yes you are an imposing figure.

I would caution all to avoid trouble if possible, unless it is that 1 time where you might be pissed in general and can't stop a knee-jerk reaction, because in the US a large percentage of people are carrying and in Europe I am sure many have knives on their person or would do something else with whatever they have available. Plus you never know what can of worms you may be opening.

 

 

 

 

Easy, you know Crystal Gayle? What picture?

Haha - no - that's racerx's nickname for my wife ... because she has very long hair ! :)

997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen pickup, BMW Z4 2.5i Roadster Sterling Grey/Red

nberry:

Alan, I don't know what you mean "walk over me". I state my case without emotion or aggression. If someone cuts me off in traffic or blows his/her horn I react like nothing happened. If I deal with vendors when I believe their product isn't up to snuff I invariably win by either returning the product or additional compensation from the vendor.

The issue here is interacting with strangers where there is no relationship of any kind. If they want to scream and shout at me, I laugh it off. The mean nothing to me and I could careless what they think. If those things bother you, then be prepared for acts of stupidity.

Nick, what I meant was it sounded like if you were involved in a situation, that you wouldn't even respond, at all.  That's what I meant.

I agree with you, with regard to having to deal with people on the road.  I actually go out of my way to be more courteous and, sometimes other drivers will make mistakes, and I understand that and blow it off.  I give wide latitude on the road.

Actually, one good story.  One morning, on my way to drop off my kid at school, I made a right hand onto a street which had three lanes in one direction and I needed to move over to the far left lane to eventually turn.  Apparently, I didn't see one car on the far left lane behind me as I was merging, and all I heard was repeated blowing of the horn, which sounded like an obviously angry driver.  Eventually, I made my way to the intersection and his car was right next to mine, stopped.  This was obviously my fault (this was a near miss, no cars were hit, or anything).  I rolled down my window and basically said, "hey, my fault, completely didn't see your car".  His response changed from being irate and escalating the situation, to "hey no problem, happens to me all the time".  So, in a lot of cases, you can actually defuse a situation and make everybody's day better. 

2005 997S Blk/Blk

Why is everyone bashing on Easy for defending himself? Sure we should always try to be polite but sometimes there's is no more backstory and no complicated explanation, sometimes people are just mean and one reacts accordingly. Knowing easy I'm sure he didn't react that way if the guy didn't go about doing what he did in a corresponding manner. I'm also confident that if the guy had approached him politely he would've responded in an equally polite way whatever the situation was. 

Hey, I actually defended him...  Look back at the posts.

2005 997S Blk/Blk

easy_rider911:

pierre:

easy_rider911:

I remember in August 2007 when my wife and I were touring Europe. We had a weak car battery (which we nursed through an otherwise trouble-free trip) so we did not want to keep starting the engine too often. So, whenever we stopped by the roadside (eg for a quick photo) and did not leave the car unattended, we just kept the engine running.

On one occasion in Switzerland, a man actually had the nerve to gesture to me (with his hand) that I should switch off my car.

I would have done the same.

I mean... tell you to switch off.

If you keep starting a car with a battery (that was suddenly flat the night before you are about to leave on a 24 day vacation) without driving enough mileage to put charge back into that battery, then soon enough you will be unable to start the car. There was no way I was going to risk that happening during my tour around Europe. No disrespect Pierre but you aren't aware of all the facts of the situation I was facing. However, the interfering do-gooder who gestured to me to switch off was unaware of the circumstances as well. Sadly, that didn't stop him from interfering.

Exactly! How was the guy supposed to know you had a weak battery? You could have explained him, huh? And if you're on such a trip, what about just buying a new battery on the way? Would have saved quite a lot of stress. (Yes, beside chocolate, we also sell batteries in CH. )

RC:

I prefer the American way of life...live and let live. 

Of course, the guy isn't expected to know my car had a weak battery because it was absolutely none of his business

If a person isn't 100% sure that he knows all the facts and if the issue does not directly concern him, then he should keep his big mouth shut

Why on earth do I have to explain my situation to a complete stranger who is interfering in something that is none of his business? That's ridiculous

This happened in Aug 2007 during my tour of Europe. My car was bought new in Nov 2006. I was not prepared to buy a new battery en route to replace a 9 month old battery (that, when it was fully recharged upon our return, went on to last me reliably for over 5 years)

Your assumption isn't right  Having a weak battery didn't cause me any stress  With simple precautions, the situation was easily handled and our trip was troublefree

I went over my memories of the event from nearly 5 years ago. All the details are correct except for one. I now remember that this incident happened during my drive around the Canyon du Verdon (which is in southeast France) and that this did not happen during the Swiss part of our trip  But all the other details are exactly the same so it doesn't change the issues at all. My position remains the same. People should mind their own business

I am surprised that you are still defending a complete stranger  I guess you are doing it just because I originally thought it happened in Switzerland. (Memories can naturally be misleading after 5 years). I wonder whether you would have defended him now that you know this happened in France

I should express my thanks to you  I am really so glad that I discussed this issue again in detail with you and others here. It has confirmed 100% to me that I did absolutely the right thing by telling the idiot (whom you are still defending) to go f*ck himself

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997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen pickup, BMW Z4 2.5i Roadster Sterling Grey/Red

late tot he party here, but back to the videos.  I lived at a hotel on Sloane St in London (where both of these videos were shot) for 6 months while trying to close a deal on the first company i started.  It just happened that I was there during August, when most of the money from the Arabic peninsula migrates to London to escape their heat (along with their cars).  

It is seriously one of the most outrageous parade of cars you can imagine (in a good way).  not only is every exotic rolling down Sloane St for month, most of the exotics are the limited edition, etc. 

Personally as a car nut, I don't mind the revving.  I remember looking out the window during one long legal call and watching about 20 million pounds of cars drive by during the hour.  I can see the immaturity of the people in these videos and I think it may be more common than not, but I am still a fan of watching these cars drive by.

SoCal Alan:

Hey, I actually defended him...  Look back at the posts.

Yes, thanks Alan and Enmanuel

I'm surprised that some people here think it's actually right never to stand up for oneself

If my automatic stance is never to confront someone who does wrong to me then what kind of self-respect can I have for myself?  I would look at myself in the mirror and think what a weak and pathetic wimp I am who is prepared to allow others to walk all over me

In my situation, it was some guy in France who was interfering in how I use my car.

What if the situation was more serious?

What if a guy misbehaved towards my wife in a public place? Should I just quietly accept it? Of course not

But the principle is exactly the same. If people do wrong to you, you put them in their place. All you need to be careful of is how you put them in their place. You want to do it in a way that satisfies your need to take action but without things escalating out of control or having adverse consequences afterwards

These things can happen.

Once, while I was walking home from my office, I was crossing a road via a pedestrian crossing. When I was almost halfway across the road, a woman driver approached the pedestrian crossing at speed. About 30 metres beyond the pedestrian crossing, there was a traffic light which was green but which was about to turn orange and then red. She accelerated past me while I was halfway across the pedestrian crossing (and acceleration is contrary to the UK Highway Code in the zigzag area leading up to the pedestrian crossing)  Obviously, she was supposed to come to a stop to let me continue crossing the road but instead she just narrowly missed hitting me  But she didn't beat the traffic light. It changed to red and she couldn't get through so she came to a stop at the traffic light. I was absolutely furious  This dangerous b*tch was prepared to nearly run me over just because she wanted to make it through a green light. Her selfishness directly endangered me. I ran to her car that was stationary at the traffic light and gestured her to lower her window. She did this halfway. I told her exactly what I thought of her dangerous driving. I swore at her and then spat at her. She was terrified but she knew she was 100% wrong so she did nothing. When the light turned green again, she drove off as quickly as she could. Serves her right. Dangerous drivers like her should not be allowed to drive. Hopefully she learnt her lesson

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997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen pickup, BMW Z4 2.5i Roadster Sterling Grey/Red

I'd like to say that, from my cursory experience here, Easy seems to have great judgement, so I know his impression of the situation is accurate!

In other cases, I appreciate people who are willing to say something, when something needs to be said.  It is true that most of the time this practice isn't worth the potential consequences, but if we reserve enforcement and commentary to the police and any divinely-anointed profits, I think we enable society's devolution, and give a false definition to what governance itself is.  At least in America, the law is supposed to represent the will and authority of the people, which can also be expressed on the sidewalk (within reason) as well as in the courthouse.

It is (of course) often hard to respond gracefully, in accord to the offense itself, when emotions get into the picture.  For me, I find that I often either surrender responding at all, or overreact when I do respond.  (Similar perhaps to my posts here on Rennteam!)  Though I try with all my worth, I fail often.  I think more experience in responding will help temper my reaction, and improve my abilities there.  Hope so anyway.  Well, maybe...

All that said, I think its always best to make a reasonable statement, and avoid dropping F-bombs or punching someone in the throat whenever possible.  RC's example is particularly out of scale because a punch in the throat can be life-ending, and that is way out of scale with the offense he cited, though I do believe a solid response is clearly called for there, and I would have replied with some amount of severity (hopefully more reasonable, but maybe not...)

I wanted to add another thought here too.  Telling someone in an insulting way to shut off their engine off for environmental reasons (if that was his point) is redonkulous and particularly unreasonable.  Making a polite suggestion is all the more that needs to be done.  This respects the other person's autonomy, and seems (to me) to be all that is necessary regarding the impact on the immediate environment, in general.  Not everyone gains the maturity necessary to let go at a reasonable level though!  And those who do come by it honestly, through practice.

I do see a lot of lazy people (assumption on my part I admit) who leave their vehicles run without consideration for children nearby, and other dangerous hazards if the vehicle should get inadvertently knocked into gear, or have some other serious problem with no one around.  And that frustrates me to the point of making a statement.  I was raised with bad automotive habits like these, and have slowly come to recognize them for what they are, and try to change my ways.  I could be wrong about my assumption, so a polite comment suffices, and if I am wrong then hopefully we are both better off for the discussion.  Hopefully...

Locking the doors helps mitigate these hazards.  Leaving small children in the car while it runs (including warming the car up in the winter) is absolutely ridiculous, and when I see it, I either intervene, or at least standby to help with rescue operations when they are called for.

easy_rider911:

If a person isn't 100% sure that he knows all the facts and if the issue does not directly concern him, then he should keep his big mouth shut.

Good advice in general. A couple of great posts Easy, lots of good stuff and funny too. 

As to Alan's comments and picked up by you on how to react. No one said you should be an Organian. This is not a Black and White thing, many shades of gray in how to react to what you are faced with. BUT also you have to take into account each persons circumstances, Nick is in his 60's (I believe) and most often these days won't face many nut cases being belligerent towards him. I was one the strongest guy's on the planet and it showed/shows, the only people that ever gave me shit were sent to do so. So that may skew our viewpoint, and since Nick and I have both seen/experienced the downside, we are passing on a little wisdom to all.

Funny? I was not laughing then and, knowing what I went through, I still cannot see any funny side to it.

The b*tch nearly ran me over. I was just a pedestrian crossing the road.

It's a shocking illustration of what society has come to. Most people just don't give a damn about other people anymore or what is expected of them.

997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen pickup, BMW Z4 2.5i Roadster Sterling Grey/Red

I was mostly referring to the Swiss/French/Battery incident and your recent personality change. I think the british weather is getting to you. Your taste of Paradise has ruined you.

So I am walking down the street and I see a Porsche pulled over with its hood/lid up and a guy that looks like Easy trying to jump start his disabled Porsche with battery cables connect to another car.

What I witness is Easy is about to put the negative cable on to the positive stem and the positive on to negative stem. Let me see, do I say something and risk being told to mind my own business.

Or Easy is in a night club with his lovely wife and this US football player makes a pass at his wife. He plays linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers about 6'5" and weighs about 250.  Now Easy is a big guy 6'2" and in good shape. Easy is insulted by the flagrant pass at his wife. Tell me Easy, would you try to punch the guy out or call him out?  Dress him down? 

FWIW, my former law partner was an Olympic weight lifter able to snatch and lift 450 pounds above his head. His approach has always been to walk away unless he was assaulted. He maintained he had nothing to prove.

@racerx: hey, no personality change ... and no, it's nothing to do with the British weather or our trip to Hawaii ... you're just seeing more sides to the same person :)

997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen pickup, BMW Z4 2.5i Roadster Sterling Grey/Red

Nick, my dear man, being the cunning lawyer that you are, you have laid down 2 well thought through traps for me ... but the way you have crafted them is intended to leave me with only 1 way out ... your way ...

The key point is that this dilemma is only interesting if there is a real choice between 2 genuine alternatives ... 

Of course, one should try to stop someone from electrocuting himself ... but even then, I would say there is a way of doing it ... i.e. not saying "don't do that" but rather just saying "hey, watch out" ... and then he would realise for himself that something was amiss.

Re the US football player, there is a 3rd way ... my way ... instead of trying to beat up someone who would mash me into a pulp ... and instead of just feeling powerless ... my way would be to humiliate the jock-strap scholarship beneficiary using my intelligence ... a few barbed comments would put him in his place and make him realise that my wife had chosen me for reasons that he will never be able to emulate.

What is the point of having a lawyer's tongue if you can't use it to slice people up from time to time when necessary? :)

Valiant attempts Nick but easy to swerve past those ones :)

--

997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen pickup, BMW Z4 2.5i Roadster Sterling Grey/Red

easy_rider911:

 

I'm surprised that some people here think it's actually right never to stand up for oneself

If my automatic stance is never to confront someone who does wrong to me then what kind of self-respect can I have for myself?  I would look at myself in the mirror and think what a weak and pathetic wimp I am who is prepared to allow others to walk all over me

Easy...you were lucky. I did what you say all the time when I was younger and it got me always in trouble, resulting in people getting hurt. Why do you think I started Krav Maga? Then, I learned from professionals that it is better to avoid conflict rather than face it. For the sake of yourself and your health. Pride is one thing but getting seriously hurt or even killed something different. There is only one thing worth fighting for...my life, my family and nothing else. 

Oh...I usually react myself in a snippy way when people make stupid remarks but I avoid too much confrontation because I cannot get involved in physical fighting. Very simple. Sometimes however, if you don't choose your words wisely, it could end in a physical fight. Not worth it. I know what I am capable of, I have my pride and I keep it to myself. I imagine that I kill the guy with one blow to his forehead or windpipe and my anger is gone. I just imagine it, I would never do it.

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche Panamera Turbo S (at Porsche right now), BMW X5M, Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe PP/DP, Mini Cooper S Countryman All4

pierre:

RC:

I prefer the American way of life...live and let live. 

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche Panamera Turbo S (at Porsche right now), BMW X5M, Mercedes C63 AMG Coupe PP/DP, Mini Cooper S Countryman All4

Last time I went to a guy to tell him that he  ' stole my parking space ' ....it ended up in a fight ( about 15 years ago ) ... and then at court . So , now I back off.... there is no point of just trying to make a point . 

--

 997.2 C2S, PDK, -20mm

Perhaps slightly off topic, but today I was driving the GTO. There was traffic officers pulling vehicles over to do routine checks in both directions. I don't run front plates due to the design of the front bumper (nor does any other owner here that I know of, with the exception of a sticker, which gets you fined in any event). So I ended up getting a fine, which is okay by me as I am guilty.

In any event, there was a Hyundai Getz on the opposite direction that made the effort of winding down his window, pointing at me and laughed while he drove off whilst I was getting my ticket issued. I wasn't angry, but was rather amused at the whole thought of it 

Gnil:

Last time I went to a guy to tell him that he  ' stole my parking space ' ....it ended up in a fight ( about 15 years ago ) ... and then at court . So , now I back off.... there is no point of just trying to make a point . 

Someone must have hacked Easy's and Gnil's RT accounts  I know these buddies in real life and  they are both very polite and well tempered gentlemen 

We have a saying here in Germany "der Kluegere gibt nach" - the wise guy gives in. I do not always agree with this because  if all wise guys always give in then the world will be ruled by idiots in the end 

public roads: Porsche 987 S Seal/Cocoa, toll road  : Porsche 997 GT3 Arctic/Black

Mike S:

I wasn't angry, but was rather amused at the whole thought of it 

Perfect attitude.  Whether you look at it that way naturally, or do so out of conscious choice, I think that point of view solves a thousand problems! 

Never argue with a Cambridge man.

In rebuttal, all I would say is verbally slicing up a US pro football player is tantamount to punching him. What follows will not be pretty. Regarding the jumper cables, have we become so sensitive that even in an effort to help someone from getting killed or badly injured we must watch how we say or do it? 

 I really do understand where you are coming from. No one wants to back away or as Alan put it "be walked on". But that is all a matter of perception. In the example involving your wife, my thought process would be I can understand why he is hitting on her. She is good looking and envious she is my wife (assuming he knows that) and knows there is no way his advances are going anywhere. I am on higher ground looking down on him. I have all the goods which he cannot have.

Regarding the cable incident, my view would be thank God he spoke up even though he intimated I was an idiot when he told me I was doing it wrong. You know what? He is right.

--

This is tyhe funniest pissing contest I have seen in a long time.

The Lambo sounds great.  No one in my town would give a hoot if he ran it at red line all day long.  Have you ever heard a dozen or so Harleys with open pipes?  We get that all day long, makes that Lambo sound like a Prius.  lol

I bet I can take RC and Easy - with one arm tied behind my back, AND if some guy made a pass at my girlfriend and she liked him I would let them go at it for hours - I know that I really have what she wants in the end.  I stand up well to comparison.  Confidence boys - it is a plus.

This is the funniest pissing contest I have seen in a long time.

The Lambo sounds great. No one in my town would give a hoot if he ran it at red line all day long. Have you ever heard a dozen or so Harleys with open pipes? We get that all day long, makes that Lambo sound like a Prius. lol

I bet I can take RC and Easy - with one arm tied behind my back,

AND if some guy made a pass at my girlfriend and she liked him I would let them go at it for hours - I know that I really have what she wants in the end. I stand up well to comparison. Confidence boys - it is a plus.

Mike S:

In any event, there was a Hyundai Getz on the opposite direction that made the effort of winding down his window, pointing at me and laughed while he drove off whilst I was getting my ticket issued. I wasn't angry, but was rather amused at the whole thought of it 

He was probably just trying to make a big deal out of it to make himself feel better about not owning a GTO and instead having a Getz. Good attitude, I'm all for standing up for yourself when the situation demands it, but sometimes things can be so petty its just better to not let them affect you more than they should. 

I wondered why this thread had 31 unread replies.

Can someone give me the executive summary? What happened?