electric relaxation

Ride: Triumph Spider
Where: Near 18th and Sanchez

I’m amazed by this car’s ability to avoid seeming effeminate despite its incredibly small size. Of course, the cited location belies a different set of assumptions regarding the owner’s lifestyle, but the car itself is universally appealing.

Update:
My bad, it’s a Triumph. You can read the nameplate on the back in the full-size photo.

Ride: Old Chevy Impala
Where: I-280 Millbrae Chevron

Spotted this at my favorite Chevron, home of the best Gas Station Cappucino this side of New Jersey. I didn’t notice when I was actually taking the photo, but it looks like the woman driving it is looking back at me in bewilderment, or perhaps disdain. I always get a kick out of how folks who drive cars like this seem unnerved by my staring; do you people honestly not realize how weird you are?

Ride: Ferrari Enzo (I think)
Where: Chevron Car Wash on South Van Ness

This is an Enzo, right? I realized recently that I just don’t get that excited by Ferraris. I don’t know what it is for certain, but I think it’s that the more I read about them the more they just seem like such a poor choice compared to the other exotics (Lambos or what not).

Update:
This is almost certainly not an Enzo. I’m pretty sure it’s just an F430.

Ride: Lotus Elan
Where: I-280 N, near San Mateo

This guy was booking down 280, doing the Miata dodge and weave. I thought it was a Miata, or maybe a Celica spyder, until I got in for a close look. Surprisingly, all three of those cars would fall into about the same price range today. I guess the Elan isn’t held in particularly high regard.

Ride: Some kind of Plymouth maybe?
Where: 17th and Guerrero, across from the 500 Club.

That’s the most serious hood ornament I’ve ever seen. Obviously this guy is some sort of Shaman Witch Doctor. Wish I knew what kind of car it was; it was in really nice shape. I like the side ports near the front fender, I assume those are stock but they might be an aftermarket addition.

Ride: 1957 Ford Fairlane
Where: I-280 S near Daly City

It’s hard to tell from the two shots I have, but I’m pretty sure this is a 1957 Ford Fairlane, based on an eyeball comparison of the rear flares with the pictures on this Fairlane page I found. Which I think means that that crazy roof you see might actually be retractable - if you don’t think it’s possible, check out the link, the mechanism is ridiculous. Though it looks like they also sold straight non-convertible models so perhaps this is one of those.

Ride: Some kind of old Euro bike
Where: Potrero, near 17th and Missouri

I could swear this is the second or maybe even third time I’ve seen a bike with sidecar in the wild, but I’ve yet to see one actually in action. It strikes me as one of the most genuinely ridiculous forms of conveyance ever conceived.

Update:
Ahh the rush of vindication. And the stinging pain of defeat. Google Rage is such an intoxicating stimulant…

Ride: Chevrolet Caprice
Where: c/o VMware, Inc., 3145 Porter Dr., Palo Alto, CA

I suppose this might actually belong to one of the Stem Cells people. Or maybe it’s Heman’s ride. I bet he gets all the Epson ladies with this beast. Anyway, this is the sixth truly ridiculous car I’ve encountered in a VMware parking lot. I can’t decide where it actually ranks amongs that distinguished company: the ‘72 Stingray, the Audi RS6, the Delorean, the ‘75 (?) Nova, the 1950-something Ford and of course the FleetWOOD. On a side note, three of those cars belong to the same guy; I know this because he does work for VMware.

Ride: Nissan Z32 N/A
Where: 19th and Mission
Parkin’ meter pimpin’ in a flaming Z. I’m sure there’s a good joke in here, something about how anyone who owns a Z is a flamer maybe? Anyway.

Ride: Old @$$ Ferraris, 308GT and a 28x something
Where: Outside Bottom of the Hill in Potrero

There must be some kind of exotic car shop, or dealership, or just a bunch of flush druglord kingpins living right outside Bottom of the Hill. I found these two gems on the same street that I spotted the Gallardo. Too bad the pictures are so dim. I actually think the budget camera on my Nokia 6600 has a better night exposure mode than Lisa’s Razr.