At around 12:30 this afternoon (monday), Dean AKA "Alexboy" on Honda-Tech and I, along with his cousin, trekked up to Boston. Dean was acquiring an ECU for his GS-R (a pretty nice machine with a TV in it), and he decided to meet the other party ("AJBones" on Honda-Tech) at IPS Racing.

So, we got there without incident, and pulled into the IPS parking lot. It's bigger than it looks, that's for sure. Almost immediately we saw Mike's ITR - it was the first time I had seen it in person and it is really nice-looking. We took a quick look and then walked around in some garages looking for Mike's office. The garage area of the place is like a maze...looks kinda like a movie set. We eventually found Mike's office, and AJBones. The exchange was made, and then Dean and I sat around in Mike's office for a little while talking cars and parts. Mike's office is like a JDM freak's lost-and-found. A Recaro SR3 here, a JDM 4-1 header there...and tons of little odds and ends like Power FCs and Spoon wheels.

So then we went out to look at Mike's car. he fired it up, and we ogled it for a little bit. In the cold weather, one could see the car blowing exhaust rings up into the air...not just puffs, RINGS. I thought that was pretty cool, so Mike said "You think that's cool? Put your hand in front of the exhaust when I rev it up." I did, and at about 4K, the car **** a huge carbon deposit right onto my hand. I wish we had a camera, but suffice it to say my entire palm was black. Mike said "Oh **** I didnt know that was going to happen!" So we went back in and shot the ****, and then left.

But that's not all...on the way home, we were driving at about 45 mph through the pouring snow. This qualified as a snowstorm boys and girls. So as we were crawling along, a blue minivan whizzed by us at about 80mph We crested a hill 5 minutes later and saw the minivan plow out of control and slide off into the ditch. An in order to avoid the van, the tractor trailer in the lane next to us (the kind with two trailers) starts FISHTAILING...an oversteering tractor trailer is not a pretty sight, especially when it's right next to you. The trucker snapped it back, and the second trailer swung around, missing our car by mere inches, not shitting you here. The best part - 5 minutes later, the minivan owner, having gotten off the shoulder and NOT learned his lesson, sped by us at 80mph AGAIN. And I thought ITR drivers were bad...

cliffnotes: 2 Honda-Techers visit the board's best retailer, Ross gets pooped on by a beautiful car, and the Honda-Techers almost die on the highway on the way back

 

Now that is a story...
Glad you made it okay...

 

Some people just don't learn... Glad you made it out okay though.

It can be pouring rain during midday traffic and fools will still be all over your bumper at 80mph...like they have any chance of stopping in time...

 

<--------who will never own a minivan.....Minivan drivers

 

Exciting story. Funny how the car pooped on you.

 

It's sometimes said that people don't drive as fast as they could when the roads are dry, and they don't back off as much as they should when the roads are wet.

 

Glad you guys got there and home safely. Which roads did you take? Some of them suck ***** and especailly suck in foul weather! I know 84 is dangerous in sections and 95 is a trip too. Some parts of where 84 becomes tha Mass Pike can be life threatening as well.

Again glad your safe.

Another reason why I bought snows this year! I actually went out last night to fetch some bread and milk, "Well, we didn't have any and everyone always hoards it during storms," for my wife... Oh and I think I took the trip for me to experience tha new tires too I guess. Sufice to say they work well, maybe not the best since they are labeled a high perfromance snow, but they did well in the wet stuff. Inducing tail slides was fun.

I am yet to trip to Mikes but may in the new year.

Good luck,

A..

 

I've noticed that many, many times... Wish there was someway to educate the general public on how to drive under the many weather/traffic/road conditions. 80% of them have no idea what they are doing.

 

I wouldn't mind taking those kind of classes. Being in cali, I'm not exactly an all weather driver. I've never even driven in snow. Are there any classes where they let you on a wet track? That would be sweet.

 

Parking lot? What parking lot? Mike, did you get a parking lot for Christmas? You know your near IPS when you see all these businesses/establishments named after some guy named Mike- but a different one.

 

Yeah that's true, there was like "Mike's Subs" and **** all around...I noticed that too, it was kinda funny.

Parking lot, sidewalk...same difference!

 

My friends and I have realized that if you pass a minivan on a highway you are going way to fast. Have you noticed that Minivan drivers are the fastest and most dangerous drivers on the roads ?!?

Glad you are safe. The roads up here in the northeast are slick tonight.

 

Yeah it was a fun day. To all who haven't met Mike he is cool as hell with a car to back him up. Driving was a bitch but we made it home safe.

 

I'd lean more toward the SUV drivers being the fastest most dangerous drivers. Anytime one blazes by @ 90 in the fast lane I think "you bought the wrong vehicle". Minivan drivers are usually just pure idiots.

I also stay away from cars w/ those LED wiper squirters--aggressive ricers on board

As for plummetting into the median during snowstorms, I've seen it happen to an older 3-series BMW and a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I'm usually in the right lane poking along w/ the slow traffic. I have this thing against dying


[Modified by gamby, 8:07 PM 1/7/2002]

 

Yeah, when I see a set of lighted squirters, I think in my head, "Warning: Potential ******* driver coming up who is going to **** with you for no apparrent reason." And then when they pull up next to you, you have to keep your composure and look ahead...if you look at them, you might start laughing. That kid you sold your 99SIs to took his off...thank god. He kept getting pulled over.

 

have them drive behind you out on a track in the rain and then can see first hand what a spin looks like!!!!!

 

dc24me--I'm glad he learned the error of his ways.

I've even told my g/f to treat those things as a caution signal

 

Hehe Ross got pooped on

 

LOL, okay.... but if there isn't someone in front of me braking at the apex, they aren't going to see anything except my taillights getting smaller and smaller!

 

Gotta watch out today, the roads are slick as hell out there, even had a hard time today on the pike with my artic alpine's

-Yellow Submarine, who lives 2 minutes away from the 84/90 interchange.

 

Ross, good to see you again. Dean, glad to meet you and your cousin Sean. Mike, always good.
Glad you all made it back to CT. safe. I ended up going from IPS to New hampshire so a buddy could pick up a used caddy he was buying. Alot of snow coming down up there. And no plows. was good to see you all, wish I could have hung around a bit longer. Next time. Dean that car is going to move. Mike's office is real fun place for us people.

 

NH - that's where Dean gets some of his cars. Probably the same place.

 

Yup......David !!
Don't pass a minivan......they own the road this day

In our last R-meeting, a minivan try to pass 9 ITRs on the way down from the mountain