"Want to put that in the trunk?" The owner of this murdered-out RR Phantom parked in my garage laughed as I snugged the Smart fortwo passion, roughly the cost of his wheels, next to my favorite car in the world. I told him if he'd supply the ramps and sign a waiver, I'd be game for trying. He balked and instead just let me take this crappy cell phone picture.
But that wasn't the strangest exchange I've had while in / around the Smart. Follow the jump for the full run-down on weird stuff that's happened to me while in the Smart.
Maybe it's because I don't brush my hair, or shave, but there's something about me that disarms people. Something comforting about my look that says, "Hey, stranger, come talk to me about absolutely nothing!" So here we go, in no particular order of crazy.
"You drive that thing on the highway? I'm scared of the highway and I drive a giant German tank. Have fun dying."
-- Crazy guy in a G500.
"You like it?"
"No"
"Should I buy one?
"Probably not."
"I already got a deposit down. I can't wait!"
"Are you even listening to me?"
"It's a Passion Cabrio!"
-- Crazy guy yelling at me in traffic from his Prius.
"Do you like it?"
"Define 'like."
"I'm going to buy that or a used Mini."
"Mini."
"That's what I thought."
-- not very crazy guy in a hybrid Escape
"It's so cute!"
"....I suppose."
"You don't think so? Well even if you don't, at least you're doing good in the world."
"What?"
"For the earth."
"What?"
She reaches her arm inside of the car, pats me on the shoulder and says, "For the Earth, thank you. The Earth thanks you."
"What?!"
-- completely crazy woman on the roof of a Santa Monica Parking structure.
Her: *wink*
Me: *surprised face*
Her: *smile*
Me: *confused*
Her: *wave*
Me: *speed away*
-- Cute brunette in a Mini on Olympic. Call me.
Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant
CommonSense01 says:
10:49 AM, 05/22/09
what a jackass that RR owner is. When he asked about the trunk, you should have offered to put him in it, instead of the smart.
altimadude00 says:
10:54 AM, 05/22/09
Can't do much murdering in a Smart. The trunk isn't even big enough for half a body. Plus the only Police you'd be outrunning would be the parking enforcement cart....or would you? *ponders*
firstwagon says:
10:59 AM, 05/22/09
altimadude00
You just have to make multiple trips, no big deal.
What's the world coming to when even murderers are too lazy to put in the extra effort.
stephen987 says:
11:05 AM, 05/22/09
Mini. No contest. Mini=best thing since CRX. Smart=not.
dougtheeng says:
11:08 AM, 05/22/09
I like the dialogue with the cute brunette.
willin58 says:
11:09 AM, 05/22/09
Maybe weird things happen to Smart drivers because only weird people drive Smarts.
stovt001 says:
11:12 AM, 05/22/09
That Prius driver is representative of that whole mentality - I don't care about the facts or how good it is, I'll just stick to my assumptions and image.
Lets just sum this all up in one simple fact: If you want small, efficient, and premium, the answer is simply Mini.
cruiserhead1 says:
11:13 AM, 05/22/09
Funny stuff
Can Magrath get in trouble for confusing his Edmunds job for his eHarmony account? :-P
wobbly_ears says:
11:32 AM, 05/22/09
Why don't I get some chick to give me her number when I am in my ride?
audisport says:
11:40 AM, 05/22/09
Call if a hater if you want, but RR's are for D Bags that need attention. I know some very wealthy people (i'm not one of them) and none of them would even think of being seen in something so expensive. They would rather invest their money than blow it on 3 tons of depreciation.
audisport says:
11:48 AM, 05/22/09
By the way, if I ever hear a man say to me, "It's a passion cabrio!" I think I will flip out and possibly punch him.
gharry says:
12:28 PM, 05/22/09
"Let you" take a picture? How big of him.
plateface says:
12:30 PM, 05/22/09
Awesome Friday post!
someguyposting says:
12:40 PM, 05/22/09
I'm curious - why is the Phantom your favorite car in the world?
boxermike says:
01:12 PM, 05/22/09
"By someguyposting on May 22, 2009 12:40 PM
I'm curious - why is the Phantom your favorite car in the world?"
Because it's a big, stupid luxury barge with more silly features than a car ever needs. It's also cool looking. Plus, this one's flat-black.
I'll be the first to admit it's an unhealthy obsession, but hey, we all have our weakness.
-mm
misterfusion says:
01:15 PM, 05/22/09
"Why don't I get some chick to give me her number when I am in my ride?"
Wobbly Ears: Well, you DID say that you drive an Azera, right? :P
(j/k, I'm a sucker for affordable comfort too.)
compliance says:
01:16 PM, 05/22/09
There is nothing more hideous someone can do to a car than black it out. Adding a fart can and painting flames on the sides is less garish.
boxermike says:
01:21 PM, 05/22/09
By compliance on May 22, 2009 1:16 PM
"There is nothing more hideous someone can do to a car than black it out. Adding a fart can and painting flames on the sides is less garish."
I disagree. Everything looks better without color. I'm trying to talk Scott Oldham into letting us Murder out the Smart.
-mm
m_thrizzle says:
01:28 PM, 05/22/09
Funny interactions with those people. It's all about someone's perception and opinion of a car, and they won't be convinced otherwise.
I have a picture similar to yours, it's the juxtaposition of my friend's Lotus Elise parked next to the mammoth Infiniti QX56.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/patrick_h/2745548857/in/set-72157606170656849/
brn says:
02:01 PM, 05/22/09
Shave and brush your hair already.
The Earth thanks you.
dragonflight says:
02:32 PM, 05/22/09
Mike seems to be monitoring this thread pretty closely. Hoping for the brunette to be reading this blog?
DCuerpoJr says:
02:51 PM, 05/22/09
True hitmen don't drive "murdered-out RR Phantoms" or any other blacked-out car for that matter. What does matter is whether bodies can be stowed away in the trunk and still it appear like your average car on the road. Don't want to attract any unsolicited attention.
This guy's just a wannabe...maybe an actor? heh.
jkp1187 says:
03:02 AM, 05/24/09
I never realized just how ugly the Phantom looks in matte black until now.
e34bmwlover says:
06:40 PM, 05/25/09
That owner of the RR phantom is a fool for painting the car matte black. What was wrong with a perfectly fine factory paint? Some people shouldn't just own RR and other nice cars
johnnyr3 says:
04:27 AM, 05/26/09
Whoa, whoa, whoa...why are you speeding away from cute brunettes?!?