A&Q about Lotus
Q:
as with my other car, it's not lowered, so I usually drive as there is no pot hole even though there are lots of them and I go through pot holes and bumps like there is no tomorrow with this car.
With Elise, I tend to be careful, so somehow to me I drive slower even though the Elise is faster than my other car.
How about you?
A:
Not Me!!
I make sure the roads I drive the lotus on are some what pot hole free.
That is the reason I track it so much. So I can run it as hard as my driving skills will allow.
A:
True story. I have only one speeding ticket.
I got it in my Suzuki Samurai. 66 in a 45 zone. Oops.
Edit: I'm not driving slower in the Lotus to watch for rough roads, though... I'm looking out for the man.
A:
Potholes, nah, just look ahead of the car and keep an eye for road hazards.
It's the other cars you should really worry about. I don't know about slower but i am definitely more alert and assume no one sees me, especially SUVs. Like someone else said on this forum while your driving it, keep your head in the game and be extra attentive. I tend to stop just a bit further back and to the left of the car in front of me so he can see me in his driver's side view. This is car is very low and not always easy to see by the other drivers.
It's good to be cautious but there is such a thing as being overcautious too y'know! Find the right balance and enjoy your car!
A:
I do drive VERY defensivley in the Elise about the same as when I am driving a motorcycle but I definitley drive it very hard when the opportunity presents itself.. Curvy roads that I know or the track under controlled conditions(best).
A:
No. I don't have another car.
A:
Originally Posted by perryeyges
I do drive VERY defensivley in the Elise about the same as when I am driving a motorcycle but I definitley drive it very hard when the opportunity presents itself.. Curvy roads that I know or the track under controlled conditions(best).
+1
A:
My wife, emommy, motto is: "drive fast enough and the accidents are all behind you"
A:
well, when the road is smooth, no pot holes (freeway), yeah, i drive fast, but most of the time, road here are all pot holes and bumps...
A:
Originally Posted by gameson
well, when the road is smooth, no pot holes (freeway), yeah, i drive fast, but most of the time, road here are all pot holes and bumps...
I never drive fast on the freeway, I save it for the twisties.
A:
canyon driving is already reserved over the weekend as it's a ritual among local Elise owners. I am just talking about regular weekday driving.
A:
I drive two other vehicles... 95 LandCruiser and 93 Dodge Caravan.
The Land Cruiser is best suited for back roads and off-road and suffers from sudden understeer, especially going down mountain highways. It's the vehicle I use for cross-country trips and is very happy cruising at 75-80 on the interstate.
My son inherited the Caravan a couple of months ago after his mom died. She never took my name off it after our divorce 7 years ago so I simply had her name taken off the title. The transmission/torque-converter went out about 100 miles after we got it but, since he works for a Dodge dealer, we got a smokin' deal on a complete overhaul. At 211,000 miles, it's in surprisingly good shape. I drive it gently to squeeze as many mpgs out of it as I can... about 25 mpg around town... much better than the 15-17 of the LandCruiser.
The Elise likes to go fast so that's how I drive it... fuel economy is not an issue... only my ability to control it or its ability to stay on the road ... and aways keep my eyes open for the law
A:
No, neither faster or slower.
However the car that I always get into trouble with (too fast) was my old e39 BMW. That car was just so smooth and well build that make it really hard to tell your speed without constantly looking at the gauges.
A:
Originally Posted by jlb1001
True story. I have only one speeding ticket.
I got it in my Suzuki Samurai. 66 in a 45 zone. Oops.
You had that Samurai topped out, eh?!? ha! I rode in one back when they first came out and it was screaming to keep up freeway speeds. It was pretty funny actually. Great offroad vehicle though...
back on topic, I drive just as fast in all my cars.
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Yes - I get my kicks on the track. Even "fast" on the street is "slow" compared to the track.
Nevermind that I drive the other car like a monkey hopped up on meth.
A:
Originally Posted by codymac
Yes - I get my kicks on the track. Even "fast" on the street is "slow" compared to the track.
Nevermind that I drive the other car like a monkey hopped up on meth.
+1
The Lotus is just too bright and too orange to drive 'fast' on the street, especially with so many great tracks within a few hours of my house.
A:
You get to know your routes -- all the potholes, all the hazards.
I go up Rodeo Drive every day on the way home and end up being raced by every Lamb and Ferrari. Like a one block race is going to prove something?
Defensive driving? Oh yeah. On city streets.
But give me a winding road...I'm gone.
A:
I always drive a tad faster, if the traffic flow will allow. The best way to avoid "interaction" with other vehicles is get past them as quickly as possible. I never hang in a blind spot. When I pass, you know you have been passed. I do leave extra distance between me and the car ahead, though, to see and avoid any problems on the road surface. When traffic is heavy, I go with the flow still being careful to leave that gap for others to maneuver without crushing me. All I have ever driven have been tiny cars in a world of ever-expanding vehicles. That "motorcycle" sense is now mutated into my DNA. Overly cautious drivers can cause accidents almost as bad as those caused by high-speed, lane-changing maniacs, IMO. Whatever I do behind the wheel, I try to do it decisively.
Tom
A:
Originally Posted by gameson
I drive slower in my Elise than my other car, do you?
No way. I'd only drive slower in the Lotus if my other car were a Noble or if I were really lucky, a McLaren F1. My other cars aren't slouches either, but I drive to fit conditions so it doesn't really matter what car I'm in, speed is adjusted accordingly and I certainly don't go slower in the Lotus when it's safe to do so.
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Originally Posted by milehitom
I always drive a tad faster, if the traffic flow will allow. The best way to avoid "interaction" with other vehicles is get past them as quickly as possible. I never hang in a blind spot. When I pass, you know you have been passed. I do leave extra distance between me and the car ahead, though, to see and avoid any problems on the road surface....
Tom
Awesome!! I call this the "Traffic safety through superior acceleration and handling" approach
Avoid the FWD and SUV driving slugs