I know that we may be the source for other drivers when we are driving around. Generally this is manifest by their ignoring our hand signals and speed. So be it.

But on the other hand there are annoyances to us old car drivers by drivers of modern vehicles, too. A couple things that annoy me is the following:

a. As you are making a right turn at a stop light or sign, they will in turn floor it in speeding around you like a bat outa hell.

b. If you are at a stop sign or stop light on a fairly steep hill and subject to roll-back the driver behind you will pull right up on your bumper. Makes you nervous about coming back even a foot or so when you are clear or the light changes. They don't have a clue that you have stick shift and a roll back issue that is greater than the more modern stick shifts. I'm thinking of getting some of those mud-flaps that little Bugs Bunny character with the raised pistols and "Back Off" statement.

Anything bug the rest of you whilst you are out maintenance driving your old Chevrolet or is it just me?

Charlie

It's just you Charlie. Actually the thing that bugs me the worst whether I'm in my '38 or a modern vehicle and that's a tailgater.

Gawkers,defined as those drivers who pull up beside you and then place their attention on your vehicle and not on the road. Seems that they have to steer in the direction their head is turned which in my case has resulted in some very close calls.

Old or new I really get annoyed when going to a supermarket or shopping center and see a vehicle parked (usually with the driver in the car) in the fire lane right beside the "NO PARKING/FIRE LANE" sign. For some reason they determine that as long as they are in the car it's ok. Perhaps the sign should read "Parking for idiots-a*#holes and robbers!!!

My 54 wagon lost both right hubcaps to a driver who force me into the curb while giving me a thumbs up. Nice to have a car that's admired.

My rear license reads 54 WAGON. guess what the usual question is??

What year Ford is that??? Sorry, couldn't resist.

Had a teenager asked me why I drive an OLD car after I fouught it into a parking place. Anyone have power steering unit for my 54?

don't worry about the power steering unit for your 54, just start working out with a pair of 15# dumbbells or do a few hundred "up and on sholders" with a M1 Garand every morning before breakfast, or be more careful where you park!

We had a 1957 Desoto firesweep when we were first married, it did not have power steering and was 17.5 feet long. Try parallel parking that.

When we got married my wife had a 1951 Olds 98 with no P/S. My 1955 Chev. with no P/S steered like a P/S car in comparison to that .

Yes

OK, What about no Power Brakes? Sometimes I feel like I have to stand on the brake pedal when the car in front of me stops short. I now give extra footage between the cars in front of me. It gives cruising around town a good work out for my feet. But then I remember my first P/B car. It took a little light touch to keep from kissing the windshied.

Do you mean Desoto Firedome?

Amen. The bride wants to drive the 52. She says to me " I used to drive the 51" My reply is yep you did and that was 50 years ago". We have lost some upper body strength since then.

No, I meant Firesweep, a Firedome was fancier and had a bigger engine. They made both in 1957.
The Firesweep we had did not have power brakes either but I don't remember that being a problem as we were not used to power brakes yet at that time.

The retailer I work for has this same problem. The best part about it is to be around when the city enforcers show up. They park their little Prius in the lot, write the ticket, then walk over and put it on the a*#hole/robbers windshield. They never park behind the offender, like the police, so it's always a surprise! The big surprise up here is that a parking ticket is $30... but blocking a fire lane is more like $200!! Man, that city guy has some thick skin, with some of the verbal abuse he gets!

Something I hate is when people think their car is sooooo much nicer than everyone else, that they need to park it diagonally over two spots. That makes me want to park right beside them, so they can't get their door open!

Parking diagonally is a trick some use to prevent door dings as would happen if parking parellel to the car next to them. On the first tour in my 51 we stopped for a "mandatory ice cream" and when we came out the rear fender and bumper had been swiped. Needless to say no one around and no note. I would rather have someone upset because I took two spots than have to repair the damage.

Talk about no power steering. In 1957 at 16 I had to take a drivers license test in a four-door 1947 Desoto. One thing that helped out was the steering wheel was 21" in diameter, but I had to parallel park this beast for the test. It took a lot to do and I only rubbed up against the curb a little. It did have fluid-drive though so I only had to shift once in the begining. That was a day to remember.

O.K. My parents bought a new 57 Desoto and had to return it for another because you could not touch the brake pedal without smacking the windshield.