I figured with all the car hater crimes and stolen car reports on this board its about time for a story with a happy ending...

I drove the ITR up to the Upper Penninsula of Michigan to attend a SCCA Auto X event in Marquette this past weekend.
I was meeting my aunt and uncle who happened to be in town and had a couple of hours to kill before I was going to meet them for dinner.
I was driving through downtown Marquette and ended up getting caught on this closed road and I had to pull a 3 pointer to turn around. Anyways, this Jeep Cherokee cuts me off and the 4 guys in it are all pointing and making gestures at the car. One guy gets out and started complimenting me on the car, and then asks for a ride. I am all hyped up after posting the FTD during my last run at the Auto X so I feel charitable and give the guy a ride. I drive around a bit and he tells me he is going to get a GSR later in the year. He was just so excited about the ITR, even more for getting a ride in it. I went to turn around and realized his friends were following in the Jeep. As I stop to drop him off, he asks to look under the hood. I do a quick look in the rearview and his 3 friends are getting out of the Jeep and are approaching...
I think... this is just great, here I am this guy from the Chicago area, comes up to this small town, only to get jumped and his car stolen.
But, I am completely and surprisingly blindsided by these four guys who are all drooling at the engine compartment, and asking their lucky friend about his ride in the car.
It was SO NICE to meet a bunch of total car nuts and just talk about the car.

Later that night as I was getting ice cream with the relatives after dinner, I walk back to the ITR and find the Jeep full of guys, along with 6-8 other folks just circling and pointing at the car. The guy I gave the ride to asks if I will be around as his friend with a Prelude is dying to see it. I wait a few minutes after they leave and decide to go myself. I get about 2 blocks before I see a black Prelude coming down the street. So I pull over, he and his gal gets out and he is just drooling over the car. After we talk for about 10 minutes he asks for a ride.
I told him that I may be up for the Sept 7th Auto X event and I could give him a ride at the event if he shows up. I asked him to get all his car buddies together to attend the driving event as well.
After hearing and reading so many horror stories about Type Rs being damaged, scratched, stripped or outright stolen I was pleasantly surprised to find a small group of strangers that love the car about as much as I do.

 

wow, i wish i got that kind of feedback.

 

Wow, you are brave sir. With all the haters/jackers, its hard to be trusting to anyone now.

 

good deal... normally i dont find strangers asking for rides..

 

Ditto.. There is no way that story would have had such a happy ending if it had been in SoCal.. Say LA Glad to hear that there are still some good people out there

 

Yeah, and NYC/NJ...bah!